Home address: 1624 Elizabeth Dr

2021 Taxable Value: $197,820

Recent Sales Price: $104,000 – Over-taxed by 90%

Texas property owners can avoid paying excess property taxes by taking several basic steps. Either comparable sales or condition issues at your home are useful for a market value appeal of property taxes. An unequal appraisal appeal is easy to prepare.  Just find neighborhood homes with a lower level of assessment (per square foot).  Summarize the data in a table. It is difficult to persuade property owners to protest their property taxes.  But 60 to 80% of those who do are successful.

Many owners intended to appeal but the May 15th date slipped by with no appeal.  If you want to appeal and it is slipping your mind, consider a consultant. One reason it is difficult for appraisal districts to correctly value homes is they are not homogenous.  Some have been remodeled and some haven’t. Appraisal districts settle appeals at the informal level to avoid the time consuming and expensive appraisal review board hearings. Property taxes are the largest tax most Texans face.  But it is a stealth tax hidden in the mortgage payment, disguising the size of property taxes paid.