Why you should protest your Property Taxes
Every year in Texas you receive a new appraised home value around April and May. On January 1st the appraisal districts mass appraise all the properties they have jurisdiction over. But the issue with the mass appraisal is that not all the values end up being accurate. Some values come out being too low, others too high. This value then determines what your taxes will be for the following year. – So, if the value of your home increases so do your taxes. Thankfully you have the right to contest/protest your property’s value.
The main benefit of protesting your property value is lowering your property taxes in the long run. They have to take into account the condition that the property was in on January 1st. So, if you need to redo the roof, or the plumbing needs to get fixed, if you had any unexpected damages all these can help you reduce your property value.
Even if you don’t have any outstanding issues with your property, you should still protest. There is the chance that other properties in the area are valued lower than your own.
Now what many people worry about is that by lowering their property’s value they won’t be able to sell their property for a higher value. BUT lowering your property’s value has no effect on the potential sale price of your property.
Overall, you should make it a habit of protesting every year. Protesting your property’s value is important if you want to make sure that you are not paying too much on Property Taxes each year. You lose nothing by protesting your value, the worst that can happen is the ARB saying no.
You can always do this process yourself, or you have the option to hire an agent to represent your property on your behalf.
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We have the experience to represent your interests in protesting your property’s value and doing what it takes to lower it. We also hold seminars to teach you more about the Property Tax Process if you choose to represent yourself! Sign up for our Seminars Here.