Home address: 1114 Wagon Rd

2021 Taxable Value: $386,370

Recent Sales Price: $283,500 – Over-taxed by 36%

Texas property owners can avoid paying excess property taxes by taking several basic steps. Appraisal districts are flexible on market value appeals given the large number of houses they value and that are protested. Unequal appraisal appeals are valid when the assessment is below market value. The Texas Comptroller reports 80% of 2019 property tax appeals by home owners were successful.

Owners are sometimes reluctant to protest property taxes due to a concern their value might be raised. This can’t and does not happen. Since 2019, neither the appraisal district or the appraisal review board can increase a property tax assessment during a protest. Appraisal districts use mass appraisal to value property, basically a math model. Overall results are OK. However, many homes are too high or low. Appraisal districts are receptive to settling property tax protests for houses at the informal level because it has only a nominal impact on the total tax base. Protest your property taxes on market value and unequal appraisal by May 15th annually. Protest even if you do not receive a value notice.