Successfully Appeal Your Property Taxes:
Are you unknowingly donating money to your local government?
Imagine receiving your federal income tax return, say $450 - the average savings from a Texas property tax appeal for a home - and ripping it up. Even though 70% of tax appeals are successful, about 93% of homeowners each year are throwing away their money to their local government by not protesting their property taxes.
Protesting your property taxes to the appraisal district is an important duty all taxpayers have because it forces fiduciary responsibility on politicians. Homeowners are severely impacted by sharp increases in property taxes. The "appraisal creep" is an inevitable burden on Texas property owners and a back door way for local governments to collect additional money without raising taxes. Although most homeowners believe in the adage that says, "you can't fight city hall, " it is simply not true. The sooner this adage is dismissed, the more control homeowners will have on keeping government in check and money in their pockets.
The following simple steps will provide you insight into the appeal process and put you on your way to a successful appeal:
- Either send a written notice of appeal by May 31st to the ARB for the county in which your home is located or utilize the comptroller's form at www.cutmytaxes.com. The information you send should simply identify the property being appealed and basis for your appeal. The basis for your appeal should always be on market value and unequal appraisal. At the same time you send the letter, send a House Bill 201 request to the chief appraiser.
- The House Bill 201 packet is a way for homeowners to receive a volume of information at a nominal cost. In the packet, homeowners will receive information regarding both market value and unequal appraisal, and the appraisal district's information regarding size, condition and other qualitative and quantitative data for your house. Requesting this packet also limits what information the appraisal district can present at the hearing. Lastly, House Bill 201 information often supports a lower value.
- Review the appraisal district's description of your home and ask yourself these questions: Is the size accurate? Is the year built accurate? Are the qualities and amenities accurate? If the appraisal district overstates either the quality or quantity of improvements to your property, this is an excellent means to reduce your property taxes for the current years and subsequent years.
- By protesting on unequal appraisal, you are claiming the appraisal district assessed your home for more than your neighbor's home. To present this protest, research about two to 10 comparable properties that are similar in regard to the quality and quantity of improvements. For homes, you should focus on properties within the same subdivision.
- Prepare your own unequal appraisal analysis based on researching assessment comparables on the appraisal district's website or by written request. Select assessment comparables and summarize the data in a table.
You are now prepared for your property tax appeal hearing and should expect to succeed!
"If you don't complain, you will never know if your value is correct or not. This property tax system is just like the voting system in Florida: It's not perfect." Paul Bettencourt, Harris County Tax Assessor Collector
"If taxing authorities can not live within 5% of growth per year, then they should raise the tax rate and make their case to the public instead of hiding behind the "appraisal creep." AppraisalCap.com
Click here for FREE tips & tricks to reduce your property taxes
Questions?
E-mail O'Connor & Associates, or call 1-877-4-TAXCUT.
Please help us!
We are conducting a 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 a copy of the survey and FREE tips on how to appeal your property taxes. Click here to take our survey.
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O'Connor & Associates -- Your Key to Real Estate Value
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Houston, TX 77018
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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. O'Connor charges no flat fee and no cost to the client unless property taxes are reduced. To hire O'Connor & Associates to reduce your property taxes, please visit www.cutmytaxes.com.
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