CAMA~LOT Ver 3.0

CAMA~LOT appraisal software was created in 1996. It is a windows based program, Windows NT/2000/XP and is written in the C++ language. It is recommended that it be installed on a 300MHz+ Pentium based machine with minimum 1-GB available hard drive space.

Main Screen (click to enlarge)

The user can instantly call up a property by sorting the file by owner, account number, map/block/lot or location and then entering the appropriate information in a search field. Simply highlighting the desired property and clicking on "enter" retrieves the record which is now ready for updating.

Data is entered by typing text or numbers into the appropriate fields or by selecting an item from a pull-down menu of choices, depending on the type of data required.

Dwelling Data Card (click to enlarge)

Dwelling Data Card (click to enlarge)

The blueprint or sketch screen allows the user to "draw" the perimeter of any building interactively using a mouse. THE SYSTEM REQUIRES NO "SKETCH VECTORING." The software displays the dimensions of the exterior walls as they are being sketched and computes the base area as each building component is complete. Building closure is monitored and the user will be prompted if there is a problem. Sketches which are not rectangular can be drawn with a "line tool" which features an "automatic closure" function. Text annotations may be added to the sketch and any object in the sketch area can be moved to any layout desired.

As data is being entered into CAMA~LOT, the user can instantly request that the value and assessment be re-calculated and viewed before the revised data is submitted to the data base. In this way, the Assessor can interactively modify values until reasonable output is achieved or see the effect of "what-ifs" on a property.

The software features an extremely powerful query function, allowing the Assessor to query on any field or fields in the system. Once the query is complete, the user can print a list of the "found properties," print the list to a file, or print the field cards for the "found" records. The user also has the option of printing these field cards in order by owner, map/block/lot, account number or location.

Owner Information Screen (click to enlarge)

A special feature, created from new legislative requirements for interim revaluations, was created to allow queries on the sales file and the generation of sales ratio reports for selected strata of properties. This report computes the ratio (mean, median and mode), coefficient of dispersion, coefficient of variation, price related differential, and other statistics necessary to conduct a "statistical" revaluation. Other reports include assessment totals, user defined notices, old versus new assessment, value per square foot, sale price per square foot, and land abstraction. These reports are menu driven and require no knowledge of database programs.

An additional benefit of the system in performing statistical revaluations is the ease in modifying, adding or deleting items from the maintenance tables. A separate maintenance table is assigned to the sales file. This allows the user to adjust the maintenance tables of the sales file in order to produce the lowest possible coefficients (highest equity) without changing the values in the master file. Once the Assessor is confident that the values produced by the sales file's tables are uniform and equitable, this maintenance table can then replace the table in the master file.

Land Information Screen (click to enlarge)

CAMA~LOT has a separate screen for the calculation of use assessments (490 values). Simply by entering the acreage, the use assessment acreage rate and selecting the proper code, the system: (1) calculates the use assessment; (2) automatically pulls the acreage in PA 490 out of the total acreage; (3) recalculates the acreage and assessment of the balance of the land; (4) displays the assessments with P.A. 490 and without P.A. 490 with proper state codes.

The system provides for four levels of security. The "read only" level allows the user to retrieve and display properties but not submit changes. The "read/write" level allows the user to retrieve, modify and submit changes to the current file. The "administrative" level allows the user to retrieve, modify and submit changes to the current file and all archived files. The "read/write/maintenance" level allows all of level 3, while also allowing changes to the maintenance tables which are the basis of the appraisal model and informational fields.

The system also has the ability to export any data into most of the common spreadsheet and database packages for use by other agencies. We have the ability to import data (ownership, location, etc.) from a variety of municipal administrative software systems and export assessments and state codes to a format suitable for import back into those databases.

CAMA~LOT also displays images (stored as jpeg) and ties them into individual properties in the database. Recent upgrades to CAMA~LOT allow for the retention of unlimited ownership histories.