Advice and suggestions to help property owners achieve fair & equal assessments and reduce property taxes.
Issue #2 January 2008
Take Our 2008 Property Tax Protest Survey!
We are conducting a new survey to educate legislators regarding problems with the property tax appeal process. You can help by taking 2 minutes to complete this survey. You will receive FREE tips on how to appeal your property taxes. Click here to take our survey.
Tips & Tricks for Appealing Property Taxes
Although 75% of property tax appeals are successful and save homeowners an average of $450, only 7% of homeowners appeal annually. Research indicates five primary reasons homeowners do not appeal:
The process seems overwhelming and they do not know how to appeal.
They do not think an appeal is likely to be successful.
They think their home's assessed value is below market value and there is no basis for appealing.
They do not understand they can appeal on unequal appraisal, (being assessed for more than similar properties).
They are busy and do not want to set aside time, given the presumption that "you can't fight city hall."
Consider an appeal for a $150,000 house where the value is reduced by 5%. This would reduce the assessed value by $7,500 and the property taxes by $225, based on a 3% tax rate. Since the typical appeal hearing takes less than an hour, these are meaningful savings for the time involved. Regularly appealing your property taxes will minimize the value, so you are assessed at the low end of the range. Most property tax appeals are resolved at the informal hearing, which is the first step in the process.
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Property Tax Tips
Protest every year, and use all steps in appeal process when necessary
Protest both market value and unequal appraisal
Obtain data to prepare for hearing
Be aggressive; demand results
About O'Connor & Associates
As Texas' largest property tax consulting firm, O'Connor & Associates has the expertise and the manpower to help you lower your property taxes. In 2007 O'Connor & Associates reduced our Harris County clients' assessed value in 75% of residential protests and 80% of commercial protests.
