Strategies to protest property tax increases?

[donnieyen]

Though i've never had to protest my taxes as the yearly amount hasn't substantially gone overboard, i would like to hear from those who have done this. What kinda strategy did you use? Did you bring certain documents to the protest? What questions should someone protesting expect from the tax board? Thanks alot.

[spiderman]

Though i've never had to protest my taxes as the yearly amount hasn't substantially gone overboard, i would like to hear from those who have done this. What kinda strategy did you use? Did you bring certain documents to the protest? What questions should someone protesting expect from the tax board? Thanks alot.

I own two properties in Montrose (each has 2 houses per lot), and I protest every year.

I have a real estate agent run a Comparative Market Analysis for sales of similar properties in Montrose from about July of the previous year to the time of my protest, so I have about 6 month history prior to 1/1 and 6 months after 1/1.

I pick the 3 lowest priced properties that I think I are representative of mine, take an average of the 3 prices, and use that as the basis of my protest. I try to pick sales as close to 1/1 as possible.

Some years are better than others, but I typically get close to my proposed value.

I bring 5 copies of the MLS listing for each of my 3 comps, plus I include a cover letter that explains my position. You will need 3 copies if you go to hearing, plus one copy for the HCAD agent.

I think this works fairly well in Montrose because there is a diversity of property types and conditions, so you have a certain amount of latitude to pick comparable sales to prove the value you want.

I think it would be more difficult if you live in a subdivision where all the houses are similar, your latitude to prove a lower value would be more limited.

[musicman]

i also bring info concerning like sales in the same neighborhood. the last few times i've protested, the data used by the county has been for homes in adjacent neighborhoods, not my specific one. with foreclosures going up, hopefully we'll all have some good info to work with!!

hopefully you'll get a nice appraiser and it won't take up a lot of your time. sometimes you get an argumentative one and you have to go before the board.

take pictures too. zoom into cracks in the wall, etc to make the problem look bigger.

[TheNiche]

Though i've never had to protest my taxes as the yearly amount hasn't substantially gone overboard, i would like to hear from those who have done this. What kinda strategy did you use? Did you bring certain documents to the protest? What questions should someone protesting expect from the tax board? Thanks alot.

You might also be able to argue that someone else in your neighborhood has a lower appraised value than you do on a similar property. Be sure to provide multiple examples, and if you can back it up like musicman suggested, with photos of your property and theirs, where your photos highlight any problems, then you've got a firm leg to stand on.

I would warn you: don't mention a cracked slab if you plan on selling anytime soon. It'll go on the tax rolls and never come off, and a homebuyer or Realtor that knows what they're doing will spot it before they even give you or your agent a call.

Also, if you can't find anything good to use as ammunition, and it looks like you're being appraised low, don't go and protest because they can and will raise your valuation.