City of Watertown · Jefferson County · New York
Find the right place to ask about an assessed value, tax bill, deed, court record, code notice or transfer-tax question. Watertown is the Jefferson County seat, and the City and County offices below handle different parts of those questions.
We buy houses as-is in Watertown and across Jefferson County, NY. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us.
Want a cash offer? Use the form below, or call 888-274-5006.
Request a written cash offerUseful offices
Match the office to the record or notice. Assessment, City and County tax bills, deed records and court judgments are different tasks. Contact information is a published routing aid; ask the office about the exact address or case in front of you.
City of Watertown · assessments and property valuation
Contact the Assessor about a City property’s assessed value or assessment record. Assessment questions are separate from tax-bill balances, deed records and court judgments.
315-785-7760 · City Hall, 245 Washington Street, Room 201, Watertown.
City of Watertown · City tax-bill contact
Use the Comptroller’s published tax-bill contact for a City of Watertown property-tax bill. For the balance or status of a specific parcel, give the office the property address and bill details.
315-785-7754 · City Hall, 245 Washington Street, Suite 203, Watertown.
Jefferson County · county real-property-tax service
Contact the County Treasurer about county real-property-tax service outside City of Watertown collections. The County’s published description excludes City collections, so check which tax bill and jurisdiction you have before calling.
315-785-3055 · 175 Arsenal Street, Watertown, NY 13601.
Jefferson County · delinquent county property-tax questions
Use the County’s delinquent-property-tax program for county tax questions. Its materials distinguish City of Watertown properties, so confirm the address is within the program before relying on it for a parcel.
315-785-5116 · 175 Arsenal Street, 4th Floor, Watertown, NY 13601.
Jefferson County · land records, deed recording and court-record route
Start with the County Clerk for recorded deeds and land-record questions. A court judgment is a court-record question, not an assessment or tax-bill question; use the Clerk’s court-record route and have the case or notice details ready.
315-785-3312, Option 2 · 175 Arsenal Street, 1st Floor, Watertown, NY 13601.
City of Watertown · complaints, rental registration and code permits
Contact the Bureau about a City complaint, rental-registration question, code permit or code-enforcement issue. Use the property address and any notice when asking which City requirement applies.
315-785-7735 · 245 Washington Street, Room 105, Watertown, NY 13601.
Helpful local rules
New York State real estate transfer tax is $2 for each $500 of the sale price, or part of $500, when the price exceeds $500. The seller normally pays this base tax, but the sale agreement can provide otherwise. Local transfer taxes may add to it. A separate 1% mansion tax applies to residential sales of $1 million or more and is normally paid by the buyer.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including New York State real estate transfer tax and any applicable local real estate transfer taxes. That closing-cost statement is separate from your mortgage balance, liens, back taxes and share of current property taxes. Ask the title or closing company to show the taxes, any exemption and who pays each item for your transaction.
Selling situations
Read about selling a house connected to an estate or inheritance.
Open the Watertown page →Review local information for a house facing a foreclosure notice or sale.
Open the Watertown page →Explore the local page for a house being sold during divorce.
Open the Watertown page →Find local sale information for a property with tenants.
Open the Watertown page →Read about selling a property with a code notice or violation.
Open the Watertown page →Explore sale options for a house with fire damage.
Open the Watertown page →Find information about property liens, tax balances and sale questions.
Open the Watertown page →Read or compare
Watertown, NY Home Sale Net Proceeds Calculator
CalculatorCompare what you would keep from listing your house or selling as-is for cash. Change the repair costs, cleanout, monthly bills and closing costs to fit your house.
Read the local report and check the source and period shown with its figures.
Review a local guide to comparing sale options and planning your next step.
Browse articles about local seller questions and decisions.
Compare available ways to sell an as-is house in Watertown.
Open the local overview of the selling process and what to expect at each step.
Contact
Share the property address and the question or sale situation you are weighing. We buy houses as-is in Watertown and Jefferson County.
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
Call 888-274-5006.
Share the property address and the sale question in front of you.
The City of Watertown Assessor handles City assessment and valuation questions. Call 315-785-7760 at City Hall, 245 Washington Street, Room 201. A tax bill or delinquent-tax question goes to a different office.
For a City of Watertown tax bill, the City lists the Comptroller at 315-785-7754, 245 Washington Street, Suite 203. Jefferson County’s Treasurer handles county real-property-tax service, and the County says its collections exclude the City of Watertown.
Jefferson County Attorney’s Tax Enforcement handles questions about the County delinquent-property-tax program at 315-785-5116. County materials distinguish City of Watertown properties, so confirm the program applies to the property address. For a City tax bill, contact the City Comptroller.
Start with the Jefferson County Clerk for recorded deeds and land records at 315-785-3312, Option 2. A court judgment uses the Clerk’s court-record route; it is separate from a deed record, an assessment and a tax account.
The City of Watertown Code Enforcement Bureau handles City complaint, rental-registration and code-permit questions. Call 315-785-7735 at 245 Washington Street, Room 105, with the property address and any notice.
New York State real estate transfer tax is generally $2 for each $500, or part of $500, when the sale price exceeds $500; the seller normally pays that base tax unless the sale agreement provides otherwise. Local transfer taxes may apply, and a separate 1% mansion tax normally paid by the buyer applies to residential sales of $1 million or more. Ask the closing company to show which taxes and exemptions apply to your sale.