Home address: 203 Half Moon Way

2021 Taxable Value: $226,850

Recent Sales Price: $160,000   – Over-taxed by 42%

Texas property owners can avoid paying excess property taxes by taking several basic steps. Protest market value, get a few comparable sales as evidence and you are very likely to reduce your property taxes. Property owners can appeal both market value and unequal appraisal. Woody Allen said “80% of success is showing up”.  The same is true of property taxes.  If you file an appeal and attend the hearing, your chance of reducing your property taxes is excellent.

Property owners are sometimes reluctant to protest their property taxes because the believe the appeal process is difficult.  It is not difficult and 60 to 80% of owners who appeal are successful. Appraisal districts use mass appraisal to value property, basically a math model.  Overall results are OK.  However, many homes are too high or low. Most tax protests are settled at the informal level so appraisers can return to measuring and valuing new construction. Property taxes are the largest tax most Texans face.  But it is a stealth tax hidden in the mortgage payment, disguising the size of property taxes paid.