Home address: 9324 Willow Breeze Dr

2021 Taxable Value: $405,980

Recent Sales Price: $300,000 – Over-taxed by 35%

Fort Bend County home owners are often unaware of the factors that cause them to pay extra taxes. Most market value protests are successful, typically saving the owner hundreds or thousands of dollars. Property owners can appeal both market value and unequal appraisal. The Texas Comptroller reports 80% of 2019 property tax appeals by home owners were successful.

Many owners do not protest because they do not understand the process. Most would appeal if they know how easy it is the high chance of success. Appraisal districts use the cost approach to value houses. It is generally considered the least reliable method of appraisal. Tax protests are resolved at the informal hearing since the result is within a “reasonable range of value”. Appraisal is not an exact science and valuations are only an educated opinion of value, not a fact. Protesting your property taxes annually is analogous to regularly changing the oil in your car. Preventative maintenance avoids serious problems.