Mark Chapin - From Shoe Store to 5-Term Assessor: Mark Chapin on Valuing Mansions, Mobile Homes, and People

After nearly five decades in Colorado property assessment, Eagle County Assessor Mark Chapin has distilled his experience into a deceptively simple philosophy: treat people the way you want to be treated. But beneath this straightforward principle lies a sophisticated understanding of how trust, patience, and respect shape the assessor's role in serving the public good.

The Accidental Assessor Who Built a Culture

Chapin's entry into assessment work reads like fate in hindsight. A college student funding his own education at Fort Lewis College in Durango, he was selling shoes when the county assessor noticed his handwriting on a receipt and offered him a job. "I didn't know what an assessor was," Chapin recalls. "I thought it was an assayer at the time."

That chance encounter in 1976 launched a career that would span nearly half a century and culminate in his current role as Eagle County's elected assessor since 2007, where he oversees a staff of 21 and manages 44,000 parcels in one of Colorado's premier resort communities.

Managing Extremes with Specialized Expertise

Eagle County presents unique valuation challenges, with properties ranging from mobile homes to $40 million mansions. The county's average home value of $1.6 million reflects the influence of Vail and Beaver Creek resorts, with half of all properties owned by second homeowners.

Chapin's approach to this complexity emphasizes specialization within natural boundaries. "You find physical boundaries, governmental boundaries, neighborhood boundaries, definitely economic boundaries," he explains. His 12-person appraisal staff members become experts in their assigned areas, understanding not just the properties but the types of buyers driving each market niche.

This specialization enables accurate mass appraisal even at the extreme high end. As Chapin notes, "It's much more difficult to value mansions and high-end condominiums than your average vanilla middle class styled home," but by having appraisers who deeply understand their specific markets, the office maintains consistency and credibility.

The Case for Electoral Independence

Having served five terms as an elected official, Chapin offers a nuanced perspective on the appointed versus elected assessor debate. His preference for the elected model stems from a fundamental concern about independence.

"County commissioners or trustees hold the purse strings," he observes. "But hand in hand with that, they don't have a say other than budget as to how I operate." This separation protects the integrity of the assessment process. In an appointed system, he warns, officials might face pressure to adjust values based on revenue needs rather than market reality.

The electoral model creates direct accountability to taxpayers while maintaining statutory independence. Colorado's annual audits of reappraisal results provide additional oversight without compromising the assessor's professional judgment.

Building a Culture of Respect

Perhaps Chapin's most striking achievement is creating an office with notably low turnover in an era when government agencies struggle with retention. His secret isn't complicated but requires consistent application: genuine respect for both staff and taxpayers.

"We're in a customer service business," he emphasizes. "We owe everybody that walks in the door or contacts us by phone or by email respect, professionalism." This philosophy extends to staff relationships. "These are the people you work with and you're here more than with your family... Tell them how good they are."

When new positions do open, the office attracts professionals leaving successful careers elsewhere—a testament to the culture Chapin has cultivated. Even corrective actions become educational conversations rather than punitive measures. "You don't walk around with a stick," he says. "You try to have a conversation and help educate."

The Wisdom of Patience

For young professionals entering assessment work, Chapin offers counterintuitive advice in our age of aggressive career advancement: be patient. "Take the path of least resistance," he suggests. "Sometimes doors open and you didn't even intend for them to open."

This isn't passive resignation but rather recognition that authentic professional growth often unfolds organically. "You don't have to place pressure on yourself or on others because people are going to see you for who you are. That's how the doors open."

Coming from someone who built a distinguished career from a chance encounter over handwriting, the advice carries particular weight. Sometimes the most important career moves aren't the ones we force but the opportunities we're prepared to recognize and accept.

Key Takeaways

• Specialization matters in complex markets: Assigning appraisers to become experts in specific geographic and economic niches improves both accuracy and defensibility in high-value, diverse jurisdictions.

• Electoral independence protects assessment integrity: While appointed systems have their merits, the elected model can provide crucial insulation from revenue-driven political pressure while maintaining direct accountability to taxpayers.

• Culture drives retention: Low turnover isn't achieved through compensation alone but through consistent respect, recognition, and treating the assessor's office as a true customer service operation.

• Patience and authenticity build lasting careers: The most sustainable professional growth often comes from being open to unexpected opportunities while maintaining consistent values and treating others with respect.

After 48 years in Colorado assessment, Mark Chapin's legacy isn't just in the properties valued or elections won, but in demonstrating how fundamental human values—respect, patience, and service—can transform a government office into a model of public trust and professional excellence.