Texas is notorious for having some of the highest property taxes in America. Recent legislation has been passed to help homeowners, with increases in the homestead exemption, in particular, can significantly reduce school taxes. Older homeowners and those with disabilities saw another boost in 2025, as the over-65 and disabled persons’ exemptions each received significant increases in the amount of value they exempt. Seniors also benefit from a tax ceiling, which prevents taxes from increasing beyond their level when the homeowner reaches age 65.
While all of these benefits are great, it still leaves those younger than the cut-off date at a disadvantage when it comes to taxes. While seniors and the disabled certainly deserve protection, younger homeowners and first-time buyers do not benefit from this legislation nearly as much. However, property tax appeals know no age and can benefit any homeowner who uses them. In this article, we will discuss how younger homeowners can benefit from making appeals to make life more affordable for years to come.
Every Homeowner Should Get a Homestead Exemption
No matter your age, the first step towards tax reduction as a homeowner in Texas is using a homestead exemption. This can only be applied to your primary residence, so a second home will not be able to benefit from it. Many make the mistake of not applying for a homestead exemption when they first buy a home or when they inherit property from a relative. This is especially true for first-time homebuyers from outside of Texas, who often do not know about the exemption. Missing out on a homestead exemption is one of the costliest mistakes a homeowner can make, though this can be corrected later with an appeal or a correction of the appraisal roll.
In 2025, the homestead exemption was taken to new heights, with it now cutting $140,000 in value from school district taxes. One advantage that older homeowners have is that the over-65 exemption values $60,000 and can be added to the homestead for a total of $200,000. When coupled with the senior tax ceiling, this often means that seniors pay no school taxes whatsoever. Many counties also offer additional savings exclusively for seniors.
Property Tax Appeals Act as an Equalizer
Because younger people do not benefit from caps or as many exemptions, other options need to be explored. Outside of exemptions, the only way to lower property values and their corresponding taxes is to use property tax appeals. Like exemptions, these will not lower tax rates, but they do operate by reducing the taxable value, which is what tax rates are applied to. In fact, appeals reduce the property value before exemptions are applied, which can often produce even greater savings. While seniors can benefit from appeals as well, many do not, as they can already count on their many advantages. This is not to say that seniors should pass on protests, as they often work to reduce taxes that exemptions do not.
Reasons to Appeal
While exemptions are a fire-and-forget technique, protests require specific grounds. To appeal, first review your notice of appraised value, mailed in late March or early April. This document contains both basic information about your home and a list of assessed values. Carefully check all details for accuracy. If you find errors, such as an incorrect owner, missing exemptions, wrong classification, or inaccurate home size, these could unjustly raise your property value and taxes. If you identify such issues, especially in newly purchased homes, you should promptly file a protest with the appraisal district, citing the specific errors as your grounds for appeal.
Next, the values on the notice should be examined. Some notices will have three values, while others will just have two. The market value is what your home would sell for on the open market, as estimated by the appraisal district. Appraised value takes the market number and limits it based on regulations and statutes, and you will often see that the appraised value lags behind the market value. Finally, there is the taxable value, which is the appraised value that has been cut down by any exemptions. If these values appear inaccurate, inflated, or seem to have experienced a large spike from the previous appraisal, then an appeal could be justified.
Property Tax Appeals Can Create Long-Lasting Savings
While saving on a property tax bill is always a fantastic outcome, appeals can have benefits going well beyond a single year. By challenging an appraisal, you are helping establish the true value of your home. By establishing a baseline for years to come, you have a solid foundation to build upon. Outside of getting a homestead exemption, this is often the first step that any new homeowner should make, as it sets the stage for future tax bills. This can be especially true if the values on your appraisal are higher than what you just bought your home for. Texas property values are predicated on the real estate market, so if you can show that you just paid less for your home than you are being taxed, you have a strong case for getting a reduction.
The Appeal Deadline is Fast-Approaching
If you are a new homeowner or are just exploring an appeal, as thousands of Texans are every year, then you might not be aware of the appeal deadline. The property appeal deadline is scheduled for 30 days after your notice of appraised value is mailed, or May 15, whichever is later. Unlike some other deadlines, the final appeal day is often final, with no option to extend or to try and fix issues later. This makes it vital to check your appraisal and file before the deadline. You will also need to gather evidence to prove your case, which can vary depending on what you wish to challenge your appraisal on.
O’Connor Brings Experienced Support to Help Younger Homeowners
It can be difficult to understand all of the minutiae that come with property taxes in Texas. There can be walls of jargon, obscure deadlines, and staggering values to deal with. We at O’Connor are here to help, with advice and resources. We will help with filing homestead exemptions free of charge, as we understand how important these are to all homeowners. We have over 50 years of experience in helping Texas taxpayers and know everything that a homeowner needs to thrive and succeed.
If you wish to appeal, we can take care of everything for you. Upon signing up, you will be given a client success consultant who acts as your sole point of contact and as your advocate. They can guide you through every step of the process when it comes to analyzing your appraisal notice and filing your appeals. Property taxes are important after all, and you should have a person that you can contact and rely upon. In many cases, we can also send out a personalized concierge visit to your home, which can document issues with your property and help you spot potential evidence, such as damage or deferred maintenance. Once your appeal is filed, we will represent you at any hearings, giving you the best possible outcome. You will not be charged a fee or upfront cost for any of this. Instead, you will only pay a percentage of your winnings if we can lower your taxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why are property taxes in Texas so high?
A: Texas has no income tax, so real estate bears the brunt of costs when it comes to funding the local government.
Q: Can appeals lower tax rates?
A: No, these are set by dozens of taxing entities, such as school districts. Appeals do lower the taxable value, which is the basis for taxes, usually achieving a reduction.
Q: How much value does the homestead exemption remove?
A: $140,000 from school district taxes. Many appraisal districts will also reduce other taxes if you have a homestead exemption, though not all do.
Q: How does O’Connor help young or first-time homeowners?
A: We can walk you through filing your homestead exemption. If you sign up with us to file appeals, we will give you a client success consultant who acts as your point of contact. This means you will have the same person to reach out to for any issues, and they will keep you up to date with any news. We can also send out a concierge team to look at your home and find any issues that can help with your appeal.
