Although zillow.com says the value of my Milwaukee home has increased 108 percent over the past 10 years, last year -- for the first time in years -- the assessment went unchanged. This year, it's down nearly 5 percent (I think, my math skills aren't top).

So, is that good news, bad news or no news?

I guess it's good news in that my tax bill will reflect that change, too, come December. But if they raise the tax rate, it won't make much difference as compared to last year's bill. If I was looking to sell, as my neighbors are, it probably would be bad news, since it likely means they'll have to lower the asking price.

All the homes I checked in my West Side neighborhood appeared to have lower assessments this year. Meanwhile, I checked a few addresses in Bay View and noted that all of them saw no change in their assessments over last year. Considering Bay View is a pretty "hot" area, I'd have expected a rise there, if anywhere in the city. Especially, when I heard that, overall, assessments are up 2 percent in the City of Milwaukee.

Anecdotally, a friend told me this morning that someone he knows who lives near 25th Street and North Avenue had a 30 percent increase in their assessment this year. Of course, it's possible they did some major renovations or improvements, I don't know. But that sure sounds like a pretty massive jump. 

Check your new assessment at the link below.