Don't forget to protest your property taxes.

[Charrison]

I'm inside 635 in Dallas near White Rock Lake. My appraised value increased 70% in 4 years with no improvements- all land. I protest yearly but with bare lots in this neighborhood going for $500k, DCAD pretty much laughs.
Don't know who the fools are that are paying those prices, but 100% agree with too many people coming from the coasts and jacking up prices. We are still way cheaper than NY or CA.

[jdg13]

I bought in August, got the current appraisal and somehow it actually went down $1000. Maybe I'm the trash lowering property values

[RR 314]

I'm inside 635 in Dallas near White Rock Lake. My appraised value increased 70% in 4 years with no improvements- all land. I protest yearly but with bare lots in this neighborhood going for $500k, DCAD pretty much laughs.
Don't know who the fools are that are paying those prices, but 100% agree with too many people coming from the coasts and jacking up prices. We are still way cheaper than NY or CA.

Yup. Sometimes it is fairly hard to fight the taxman when they have empirical data. :-). Spoke about this with my wife last night. She was asserting our increase was crazy (Travis Co.). I don’t like it one bit, but rational review of the valuation establishes TCAD has us undervalued by $600-800k. I will file a protest, simply in hopes that they are so inundated by the same that they will offer some reprieve.

[sailor]

Can anybody say "Taxation without Representation".......................
I don't know about ya'll.......................
But, I'm getting awful sick, of paying for s$%^ I ain't getting...........
And every dang "polla ticion" (aka,scum) running for office, has been saying for decades, how he,(or she) is gonna lower my property taxes...........
You can't own your home... You don't even own, your car.........
(sorry, tripped on my soap box).............

enough........is enough...........................

[Graysonhogs]

Mine has been doing the same, but I protest every year and get it knocked back down a little.

Fun game they run every year. Jack up the taxes and "discount" the protesting taxpayer, making them feel good. All about perceived value. And on the ones who don't protest, it's a gravy train for the county. Mine didn't go up. Fortunately my place is far enough away from major corridors that the rates stay pretty static.

[CEO]

I was looking at Bettencourt and they charge 40% of "total property tax savings".

For example: My appraised value for this year would cost me $6,000 in taxes. They had it lowered to $5,000. I owe them $400.

Is that correct?

[dphillips62]

I have 44 acres of unimprovable property it floods several times a year. If you fence it it would wash away the next flood so you can't put cattle on it. you can't build anything on for the same reason. It is surrounded by very low income trash. the taxes went up from $800 last year to $5,000 this year. I hunt and fish this place and use it for a hay pasture. I'm in the process of getting ag exempt for the hay but still have almost 5 years to go before it goes into effect.

[huntmaster]

for those that protest, do you do it yourself or hire someone?

[Johnwayn34]

New home owner here. Please someone tell me what I need to do to protest it? Does it have to be on paper or can you just call and chew some *****??

[deep n the heat]

I was looking at Bettencourt and they charge 40% of "total property tax savings".

For example: My appraised value for this year would cost me $6,000 in taxes. They had it lowered to $5,000. I owe them $400.

Is that correct?

That is not correct. If your appraised value goes down $1000 then your taxes would go down $50 if your tax rate was 5%. They would get $20 of the $50 you saved.

[Encinal]

Mine goes up the max 10% (homestead) every year. Any put in protesting?

costs like $200 to protest... if it saves more than $200 in taxes... it makes money

[RiverRat1]

costs like $200 to protest... if it saves more than $200 in taxes... it makes money

Disclaimer - I have no real life experience. Just talking like I know what I'm talking about

Maybe.

Lets say year one they say your property is worth 300k with tax owed say 5k You pay someone to fight and it's lowered to 270k and 4.5k You save $500

Next year they just raise it more to 320k.. repeat. Where if you didn't fight the year before at 300k they would still move it to 320k the next year.

Point is won't they just raise it more the year after you get it lowered? If they set based on comps etc.. then they will just keep raising to whatever it's value should be at. Seems like you may "save" $500 but are you not just pushing it out some and will owe it once they play catch up?

I guess you will save if you fight every year but geez. I see protesting as a way to not let them over value your property.

[CEO]

That is not correct. If your appraised value goes down $1000 then your taxes would go down $50 if your tax rate was 5%. They would get $20 of the $50 you saved.

That's what I was saying. Tax bill goes down by $1,000, not appraised value. I just wanted to make sure that was the case before hiring someone to protest.

[deep n the heat]

That's what I was saying. Tax bill goes down by $1,000, not appraised value. I just wanted to make sure that was the case before hiring someone to protest.

Sorry, we were correct both correct. I read it wrong.

[Berretta Man]

Property tax protest

Any suggestions for a company that does protest in the central texas area, Bell County? I did my house last year and got a reduction but now its my house and land and I am not to sure how to proceed.