Fort Bend Property Tax Protest ARB Tax Savings over $96 MM in 2023

While informal hearings hit record success in 2023, formal appeals were not to be outdone. 29,475 formal appeals to the appraisal review board (ARB) ended in a reduction of taxable value. 76% of all appeals were successful, with 78% of homeowners finding a reduction in their struggle against the Fort Bend Central Appraisal District (FBCAD). With such success in two brands of appeals, it is little wonder that the people of Fort Bend County protest their taxes more than most areas in Texas. Score a victory over high taxes each year when you join O’Connor’s Property Tax Protection Program(TM) today. You will only pay if you lower your property taxes and will never encounter a surprise fee or upfront cost. Enroll, relax, and save.

Protests with Written ARB DeterminationSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.

	Thousands
	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Total protests	23.721	15.753	10.313	14.546	20.871	26.453	16.654	14.905	27.233	38.590	41.926
Protests single family residential	22.983	14.528	9.219	13.178	18.836	24.754	13.297	10.716	22.844	33.202	33.813
Protests with all other	0.738	1.225	1.094	1.368	2.035	1.699	3.357	4.189	4.389	5.388	8.113

Texas property owners should protest annually since Hearing results depend on the appraiser assigned or the ARB; results vary widely. You do not know the appraiser or ARB panel prior to appealing.

Fort Bend County Protests with Written ARB Determination

Fort Bend County is fortunate to have some of the most successful informal appeals, with 84.66% of them producing a reduction. While 97.01% of single family home informal hearings resulted in a reduction, only 47.45% of business property owners saw a reduction informally. For those looking for a better reduction or the chance to score one at all, the next option is to go before the appraisal review board (ARB).

Whether it is an informal, formal, or judicial appeal, taxpayers in Fort Bend County might need a helping hand. Thankfully, O’Connor is here to assist taxpayers on their quest to lower their inflated property taxes. With over 50 years in the business of opposing the Fort Bend Central Appraisal District (FBCAD), O’Connor is one of the largest property tax consulting firms in America.

FBCAD Protests by Property Type

One of the trends to be established in recent years is the emergence of more single family homes going to the formal appeal level. 2023 saw 33,202 homes go for an appeal before the ARB, the most ever. 2023 was a record year for ARB appeals at 38,590, with this number mostly being elevated by single family homes. There has been a rising trend in this direction since the low point of 2021. This is a statistical illustration of how valuable Fort Bend residential property has become, as well as the excessive taxation of FBCAD.

Business and commercial property are also on the rise. Typically, businesses see most of their success in the ARB stage across Texas, as they are able to use their superior resources to expose incorrect valuations. The intense value of each piece of business property also raises the stakes, making every appeal in the chain count more. 5,388 business properties appealed formally in 2023.

Fort Bend County ARB Decisions with a ReductionSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.

	Thousands
	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Total	9.025	7.639	5.341	4.514	8.085	11.756	9.283	8.863	15.620	29.475	31.995
Single Family Residential	8.846	6.976	4.874	3.901	7.127	11.086	7.956	6.325	12.474	26.056	27.520
Commercial / All Other	0.179	0.663	0.467	0.613	0.958	0.670	1.327	2.538	3.146	3.419	4.475

Texas property owners should protest annually since An annual appeal is an insurance policy to avoid major increases.

Fort Bend County ARB Decisions with a Reduction

While ARB hearings were up in 2023, the true story is that they got even greater results when it came to reductions. 29,475 formal appeals ended with a reduction, nearly twice the number of 15,620 from 2022. 26,056 single family homes achieved a reduction of some kind, 108.88% more than 2022. Business and commercial property were able to get reductions of 3,419, the most yet in Fort Bend County.

Percent That Resulted in A ReductionSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.

	Percent
	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Total Reduction	38%	48%	52%	31%	39%	44%	56%	59%	57%	76%	76%
Single Family Residential	38%	48%	53%	30%	38%	45%	60%	59%	55%	78%	81%
Commercial / All Other	24%	54%	43%	45%	47%	39%	40%	61%	72%	63%	55%

Texas property owners should protest annually since To ensure their property taxes are at the lowest possible level.

Percent That Resulted in A Reduction

When looked at as a percentage, 2023 was the most successful use of ARB hearings to date in Fort Bend County. 76% of all hearings ended with a reduction for the taxpayer. This number rose to 78% for homeowners, the best ever seen. Commercial appeals saw a big jump from their informal average, winning 63% of their formal appeals. While businesses were down from their record high in 2022, that percentage was still a great improvement over the Texas average of 59%.

Value Reduction From Written ARB DeterminationsSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.

	Billions of $
	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Total $ Reduction	0.245	0.406	0.566	0.391	0.775	1.292	1.809	3.221	3.630	4.572	6.394
Single Family Residential	0.091	0.084	0.076	0.082	0.144	0.207	0.269	0.205	0.377	0.612	0.758
Commercial / All Other	0.154	0.322	0.490	0.309	0.632	1.086	1.539	3.017	3.253	3.960	5.636

Texas property owners should protest annually since Unequal appraisal allows protests based on neighbors having a better tax assessment.

Dollar Value Reduction from Texas ARB Hearings

All of these record successful appeals led to a bounty of value reductions for taxpayers across Fort Bend County. A total of $4.57 billion in appraised value was scratched for tax rolls in 2023. Commercial, industrial, and multi family homes combined to save $3.96 billion in value. Residential properties broke their own previous mark by netting $612 million in reductions. ARB appeals have become so successful and profitable that their total in 2023 is 1766.122% higher than it was a decade ago.