Home address: 211 S Wickham Street

 2021 Taxable Value: $94,990

 Recent Sales Price: $58,000   – Over-taxed by 64%

Appraisal district errors in setting assessed values cause Wise County owners to pay extra taxes. Appraisal districts are flexible on market value appeals given the large number of houses they value and that are protested. Unequal appraisal is a powerful tool to reduce property taxes, but many homeowners are not aware of it and don’t use it. Winning a property tax protest is easy.  Getting property owners to appeal is hard.  Only 10% of Texan home owners appeal their property taxes. 

Some property owners do not appeal due to a concern the appraisal district will want to inspect their house.  However, the appraisal district is MUCH too busy during the appeal season to even think about asking to inspect a property.  Assessors do not visit houses because of appeals. 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 usually settle appeals at the informal hearing since it costs less and takes fewer resources. Property owners have a duty and responsibility to appraisal property taxes annually.  It is not prudent or reasonable to rely on the appraisal district’s estimate.