We received ours in the mail last week and chances are you did too.
The 2018 Notice of Appraised Value.
Feeling a little sticker shock? If you think your home’s assessment is higher than it should be, challenge it! It is possible to trim your property tax bill, but it requires a bit of work. In Texas, you have until May 15, 2018.
The easiest way to save on your tax bill is finding out if you qualify for any property tax exemptions based on age, disability, military service, or other factors.
If none of those apply, here are 5 steps to challenge your assessment:
Decide if an appeal is worth your time
How much will you be saving? In Texas, tax rates can approach 3% of a home’s value so potential savings can be fairly signifiant to your overall budget.
Check the Data
Make sure the information listed is correct. Double check the number of bedrooms/bathrooms listed. There’s a big difference between 0.5 acres and 5.0 acres. If information is incorrect, you face a quick and easy challenge!
Get the “Comps”
Acker Home Team can assist you in finding comparable properties or “comps” that have recently sold.
You can also check a website like realtor.com to review comparable properties. If you don’t mind spending a little money, you can hire an appraiser to get a professional opinion of your home’s value.
Once you’ve reviewed comps, review the assessments on those properties. If the assessments on your comps are lower, you can argue yours is too high.
Present your Case
Now that you have done your homework, call your local assessor’s office. Some will be happy to discuss your assessment over the phone, while some may want you to request a formal review. It’s very important to pay attention to deadlines and their procedures and process.
Appeal if You Don’t Like the Review
If your review was unsuccessful, you can appeal the decision.