Norwich - Real estate values showed a "healthy increase" in the new grand list of taxable properties completed Friday, but a puzzling $4.3 million drop in motor vehicle values nearly wiped out those gains, city Assessor Donna Ralston said.

The grand list totaled $1,801,290,850, including total real estate, motor vehicle and personal property values.

The list was calculated based on property assessed as of Oct. 1, 2014. As compared with the 2013 grand list adjusted after appeals, the new grand list increased by $5,639,430, or 0.31 percent.

The total increase would generate about $217,000 in additional tax revenue based on this year's tax rate, city Comptroller Josh Pothier said.

Real estate values totaled nearly $1.5 billion, an increase of $6.5 million, with residential real estate making up just over $1 billion of the total. Motor vehicle values totaled $189 million, a drop of $4.3 million, while personal property totaled $123.6 million, an increase of $3.4 million over last year's total.

"Many neighboring communities have experienced the same," Ralston wrote in a cover letter to City Manager Alan Bergren. "But as you recall, it seems most residents bought their new cars last year!"

Still, Bergren called the motor vehicle value drop "bizarre" and said he has never seen a drop that significant.

He said he, Pothier and Ralston will look into the motor vehicle numbers to determine if there is a specific cause or an error.

The top 10 list of city property taxpayers was not available Friday.