But the Taylorsville homeowner still saw a hefty spike in her property's value Friday when she opened the day's mail on her front doorstep.

"Oh yeah," she said, unfolding a property-tax notice showing a $58,000 jump in her home's assessed value. "I'm happy."

But while Cecchini sees good fortune in the housing-price gain - from $196,000 to $254,000 - other Utahns are grumbling this week as they receive their latest property valuations. After all, higher values can mean higher taxes.

Cecchini shrugged off the nearly $100 bump in her taxes. But other homeowners are challenging their estimates, claiming they are inflated. Even Cecchini doubts her house would sell for the county's assessed value.

But Salt Lake County Assessor Lee Gardner defended the appraisals as accurate, saying his numbers mirror the real estate market, which sizzled in 2006.

"All we are doing," he said, "is reflecting what people are buying and selling."

The trouble for taxpayers is that Salt Lake County housing prices shot up 22 percent last year - a growth spurt that far exceeds the typical single-digit increases.

Tom Leech, director of the assessor's statistical division, described the boost as "historically the highest" the county has seen.

"If you are a seller, you are loving it," Gardner said. "If you are a buyer, you are hating it. I don't mean to be glib, but that is the reality."

Tax notices began trickling into mailboxes Monday, spawning sticker shock for homeowners statewide.

Despite the vaulting valuations, not all residents will see property-tax hikes. The bill will increase only on homes that have appreciated in value faster than the countywide average, Gardner said. That means some homeowners could see a leap in property values, but a drop in taxes.

The escalating prices prick a nerve in Millcreek, where residents are clamoring to keep so-called McMansions out of bungalow neighborhoods. With sky-high house prices and limited land, residents say developers are forced to tear down existing homes and build bigger ones to make a profit.

"It's hard for developers to get their money out of it," said East Millcreek Community Council representative Jay Griffith, "unless they build a new home."

Homeowners have until Sept. 17 to challenge their property valuations. The new property taxes are due, as billed, at the end of November.

In Taylorsville, Steve Ewell retrieved an already-opened, but unread, tax notice from his garage work bench. His home had appreciated from $207,000 to $258,900.

While Ewell smiled at the bounce Friday, he worries Salt Lake County is becoming less and less affordable to young families. Someday, he fears, his grandchildren may find themselves priced out of the market.

"When I die," Ewell said, motioning toward his home, "who can afford to buy it?"

jstettler@sltrib.com