Home address: 2700 Pine Ave

2021 Taxable Value: $160,400

Recent Sales Price: $85,000   – Over-taxed by 89%

Appraisal district errors in setting assessed values cause McLennan County owners to pay extra taxes. Either comparable sales or condition issues at your home are useful for a market value appeal of property taxes. An unequal appraisal appeal is easy to prepare.  Just find neighborhood homes with a lower level of assessment (per square foot).  Summarize the data in a table. 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.

Owners are sometimes reluctant to protest property taxes due to a concern their value might be raised.  This can’t and does not happen.  Since 2019, neither the appraisal district or the appraisal review board can increase a property tax assessment during a protest. One reason it is difficult for appraisal districts to correctly value homes is they are not homogenous.  Some have been remodeled and some haven’t. Appraisal districts usually settle appeals at the informal hearing since it costs less and takes fewer resources. Property owners who appeal annually rarely pay more than their fair share.