Every year the County Appraisal District evaluates and sets values on every single property in the county. These values are used to set the property taxes. If you receive your “Notice of Appraised Value” report and feel that it was assessed an unfair value, you have the option to protest that value.
State law has set a process for protesting your property’s assessed value. The process is sometimes painful and can be meticulous. But it is likely to achieve results if you can present evidence to support your case. You may represent yourself or employ an agent to represent you. Any agent who offers an appeal on your behalf must be a Licensed Tax Consultant in the State of Texas or have another related real estate license.
Here is a step-by-step guide to protesting your property tax appraisal
Filing the Protest:
The deadline to protest the appraisal is May 15. Here is what you need to do in order to file the protest.
- File a written notice – You can utilize the form on the back of the “Notice of Appraised Value.” It has all your information already listed on the record; Or fill out your own form but make sure to include the following:
- Property Owners Name
- Address of subject property
- Reason for the protest
- In select counties, you can file your protest online on your county website.
Meet with your county appraiser.
After filing your protest form, you will be notified with a date and time to attend an informal hearing with a staff appraiser at the district office. At the end of the hearing, the appraiser will either indicate he cannot make an adjustment, or he will offer to settle by establishing a lower assessment. Most residential property tax appeals are resolved at this informal hearing.
Formal Protest Hearing:
If you are not satisfied with the informal meeting outcome, you will schedule a formal hearing with a three-member panel of the Appraisal Review Board (ARB). At the hearing, your or your agent and the district’s appraiser will separately present evidence to support their opinions of the market value and unequal appraisal for the subject property. At the end, the ARB will announce the decision, which is not subject to negotiation. However, the decision can be appealed in a Texas district court if a lawsuit is filed against the county appraisal district to further appeal the property taxes.
If you need help paying your property taxes, our team at Ovation Lending is here to help. We will work with you to find a solution that best fits your needs. Give us a call and speak to one of our Licensed Loan Officer to find out what options you have. 877-419-7392 or Click Here to apply.