Is Protesting The Increased Tax Appraisal Worth the Effort?

[gdr_11]

First of all, I have both the Homestead and the Senior tax exemptions. Last time my appraisal increased it went from $157K to $190K and my taxes went up about $30 a year. This year it has gone up to $230K, driven up by the approximately 150 new homes sold within a half maile in a new development that used to be pasture land.

I filed an online protest claiming that 99% of the almost 150 homes sold around me were either brand new construction or homes that had more than $100K of recent improvements while my home is original condition from 1984. I cited the lack of building permits on my property as compared to almost all the existing and new homes around me.

I received a notice of hearing before the Appeal Board and am wondering if it is worth my while to appear, especially since it looks like the two tax propositions will pass which will increase my exemptions.

Any thoughts from those who have gone through the process?

 

[EZ-E]

We fought our increase on our 1st house we had back in 06'. It went up almost 20k & got it down back down to what we bought the house for.

 

[toddnjoyce]

Yes, it is absolutely worth fighting. It costs you nothing but time. Last year we shaved $40K off appraised market value. That starts this years increase that much lower. Every county uses mass appraisals, our appraisal district pushed up market value and then added a 115% appraisal factor.

This year, we’ve already submitted the appeal, got the evidence (you have to ask for it), and have countered at 85% of the market value. We also submitted estimates for repairs we need to do ($12K to repaint house, $9K for other stuff) to evidence we aren’t in that top tier.

For our comps the CAD is using all 2 story homes and we are single story, so that helps us, too.

 

[Lonesome Dove]

Yes it's worth it I'm doing it again this year. Our homes have doubled plus some. Homesteading in my area doesn't do much but it helps. If I lose the fight on Taxes I'll sell and take the housing gain and move to the country.

 

[popsgarland]

I protested last time and got my taxes lowered for this year.

Last time I didn't ask for a meeting, I filled out the paper work, took and sent in pictures plus estimates on what repair work I needed, IE retaining wall repairs, new windows, new fence and painting and mailed everything to them.

 

[Grumps21]

We protest ours every year. Three years ago, the county offered to settle with a pittance off the appraisal, something like $2k, so we rejected and set a date to plead our case. Wife and I showed up with a 70 page PowerPoint presentation along with hard copies and walked out with $30k reduction. I think if you overwhelm them with information, they will give up. They are just regular people who do their 8 and go home. They don’t want to spend hours sifting through my backup documentation. They have changed their MO this year though. Instead of upping the value of the house as they have every other year, they upped the land value instead. Gonna be hard to fight that one, but I’m sure gonna try.

 

[toddnjoyce]

…Gonna be hard to fight that one, but I’m sure gonna try.

Unless your lawn is pristinely manicured, professionally landscaped, and perennial “yard of the month” winner, you have room to fight. Pictures of bare spots, dead/dying plants/trees/shrubs, etc. then cost to replace. Anything die in last year’s ice storm? That’s all discountable.

 

[TX OMFS]

I thought the taxes were locked at age 65 and would never increase. Is that incorrect?

We protested ours when we bought the house. Same situation as @EZ-E above - they appraised our house for a lot more than we bought it for 6 months prior.

I've looked at protesting since then but it's never been worth it. With the homestead exemption we would have to get the market value lowered a lot to make a difference.

 

[Grumps21]

Unless your lawn is pristinely manicured, professionally landscaped, and perennial “yard of the month” winner, you have room to fight. Pictures of bare spots, dead/dying plants/trees/shrubs, etc. then cost to replace. Anything die in last year’s ice storm? That’s all discountable.

It’s the location. To put it in to perspective, people are buying houses that, pre-Covid, were in the $250k range. They are tearing them down and building new and bigger houses that pre-Covid would be about $250k just to build the house alone. That’s not counting the demolition. I have no idea what it’s costing them in today’s dollars, but it’s got to be a lot.

 

[rotor]

Anyone use one of those lawyers that take a commission of what they save?

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Anyone use one of those lawyers that take a commission of what they save?

I have for a few years.
I give them 50% of what they save me.

 

[TX OMFS]

Anyone use one of those lawyers that take a commission of what they save?

I have looked at those types of services. I would not hesitate to use one of them if I thought they could actually save me money.

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[pbratton]

I use O'connor every year.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

I use O'connor every year.

That's who I use.

 

[rotor]

I use O'connor every year.

Can you provide more of a name. Might be interested.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Can you provide more of a name. Might be interested.

I think it's "O'Conner and associates".

 

[rotor]

I think it's "O'Conner and associates".

Thank you.

 

[oldag]

Read the rules for protesting. Have hard data. Know if you are protesting for equity or market value. If equity (sounds like your case), go online to your county's appraisal district site. Look at the $/ft2 of yours vs the new for a number of houses in your neighborhood. Also vs. houses of the same age. If your $/ft2 is higher than similar houses or the same as the new, you will have a chance at a successful protest.

 

[Lonesome Dove]

Anyone use one of those lawyers that take a commission of what they save?

They save you 1/2 and you use that to pay them. You're still sinking.

 

[pronstar]

That's who I use.

#methree


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