Home address: 108 Overture Court

2021 Tax Assessment: $273,670

Recent Sales Price: $215,000 – Over-taxed by 27%

Most homeowners who do not appeal annually pay excess property taxes. Appraisal districts are flexible on market value appeals given a large number of houses they value and that are protested. An 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 homeowners appeal their property taxes.

Many owners do not protest because they do not understand the process. Most would appeal if they know how easy it is and the high chance of success. Appraisal districts use the cost approach to value houses. It is generally considered the least reliable method of appraisal. Appraisal districts are receptive to settling property tax protests for houses at the informal level because it has only a nominal impact on the total tax base. Not appealing your property taxes annually is the equivalent of volunteering to pay extra property taxes.