tanith27 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Hmmm. I see the website now has an online settlement/appeal process. I dont remember seeing that before.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryanS Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Hmmm. I see the website now has an online settlement/appeal process. I dont remember seeing that before....It also appears to be electronic and somewhat automated. Everybody wants to protest their taxes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJXterra Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Only up 5.5%...Land up 14.5%, Improvements down 7%...interesting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longcat Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Ouch.....they bumped the market value of my improvements up by 60% (120k) on my 1938 house! How is that possible when we didn't do any major work and certainly didn't pull any permits or anything. I was really hoping that they would be reasonable and I would be spared the trouble of protesting this year. Too much to hope for I guess.The HCAD record shows my house as being renovated in 2004 and 'Total'. The previous owners enclosed the back porch and balcony in 2004 and so the house was not 'totally' renovated in 2004 (1984 is more like it)....how do I contest that 'total' designation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieDidIt Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Ouch.....they bumped the market value of my improvements up by 60% (120k) on my 1938 house! How is that possible when we didn't do any major work and certainly didn't pull any permits or anything. I was really hoping that they would be reasonable and I would be spared the trouble of protesting this year. Too much to hope for I guess.The HCAD record shows my house as being renovated in 2004 and 'Total'. The previous owners enclosed the back porch and balcony in 2004 and so the house was not 'totally' renovated in 2004 (1984 is more like it)....how do I contest that 'total' designation?Take pictures of your old portions. Take picture of "Total redos" in your neighborhood. They hit me for 120k on my 1967 house as well. We did pull a permit to put in a new Electrical box and to put GFI's in the house. I think that was 5,500 for all of it. Carpet/Paint/and some new cabinet doors do not make a house redone. I think its still 60% original. Look at the price per sq. foot. They are saying some of these old homes are as valuable as the ones built in 2007. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 until last yr, i found that property between 610 and the beltway hadn't been raised as much as inner loop property. i got hit big time on property i own outside 610 last yr. it went up about 125%. maybe HC is just trying to catch up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanith27 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Ouch.....they bumped the market value of my improvements up by 60% (120k) on my 1938 house! How is that possible when we didn't do any major work and certainly didn't pull any permits or anything. I was really hoping that they would be reasonable and I would be spared the trouble of protesting this year. Too much to hope for I guess.The HCAD record shows my house as being renovated in 2004 and 'Total'. The previous owners enclosed the back porch and balcony in 2004 and so the house was not 'totally' renovated in 2004 (1984 is more like it)....how do I contest that 'total' designation?I thought that once a patio or porch or any normal outdoor sitting area becomes enclosed, it then increases the square footage of 'livable' space and therefore the total square footage of the dwelling increases. I'm pretty sure its something like that. That doesn't justify your increase, but I think it will count for some... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longcat Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 I thought that once a patio or porch or any normal outdoor sitting area becomes enclosed, it then increases the square footage of 'livable' space and therefore the total square footage of the dwelling increases. I'm pretty sure its something like that. That doesn't justify your increase, but I think it will count for some...I think you're right in that it does increase the livable space, but that addition was done in 2004 and has long since been 'priced in' to the appraisal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieDidIt Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 What do you all think of this ifile or isettle deal? Don't you think it has more effect to be there in person with pictures and physical evidence? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 What do you all think of this ifile or isettle deal? Don't you think it has more effect to be there in person with pictures and physical evidence?they probably expedited this after their inability to handle the requests from last yr. i have a feeling we'll still end up going down cause the offers they make won't be satisfactory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryanS Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 What do you all think of this ifile or isettle deal? Don't you think it has more effect to be there in person with pictures and physical evidence?Not sure. I know of people who have gone to protest, in person, got their appraisals raised instead of lowered. They left crying, literally. Perhaps it is better if they can see your tears in person... or maybe not. If the electronic were Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm1fd Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 What do you all think of this ifile or isettle deal? Don't you think it has more effect to be there in person with pictures and physical evidence?Looks like they're trying to make the protest process more scalable by letting the computers handle the work instead of allowing it to continue to eat up money and building space as more and more people come in to protest.Personally, I think the iSettle thing sucks...they should feel 100% of the pain of everyone coming in to protest in person.I'm going to protest again in person unless iSettle comes up with a REALLY great discount (15%+). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 last yr i got my mkt value down 12k. this yr it's up 13k. bastards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiderman Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Ouch.....they bumped the market value of my improvements up by 60% (120k) on my 1938 house! How is that possible when we didn't do any major work and certainly didn't pull any permits or anything. I was really hoping that they would be reasonable and I would be spared the trouble of protesting this year. Too much to hope for I guess.The HCAD record shows my house as being renovated in 2004 and 'Total'. The previous owners enclosed the back porch and balcony in 2004 and so the house was not 'totally' renovated in 2004 (1984 is more like it)....how do I contest that 'total' designation?I had the same problem last year on an old house in Montrose that was renovated in 1984. The HCAD valuation was based on more recent (1998-2004) remodels. I argued this point unsucessfully with the HCAD rep and at the hearing. This year I will come armed with lots of pictures.........Take pictures of your old portions. Take picture of "Total redos" in your neighborhood. They hit me for 120k on my 1967 house as well. We did pull a permit to put in a new Electrical box and to put GFI's in the house. I think that was 5,500 for all of it. Carpet/Paint/and some new cabinet doors do not make a house redone. I think its still 60% original. Look at the price per sq. foot. They are saying some of these old homes are as valuable as the ones built in 2007.KatieWill outside pictures work, or are you planning to get inside pictures of the HCAD total redo comps....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieDidIt Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 KatieWill outside pictures work, or are you planning to get inside pictures of the HCAD total redo comps.......Outside and a good verbal description worked when I lived in Tanglewood. Find the lowest valued house on your street and tell them yours is just like that one.My problem is that there was a razz and rebuilt by Hanfield Whitmer Davis($$$$) on our street, and apparently my old house is worth the same amount per square foot. NOT. So I will go with that one and the lowest priced one with similar sq. footage to mind and argue.I hope this ifile thing works though. I hate going down there with the stone-faced HCAD people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 last yr i got my mkt value down 12k. this yr it's up 13k. bastards.Consider yourself lucky. I just got my new appraisal in the mail....up $71,000....38% increase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crunchtastic Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Consider yourself lucky. I just got my new appraisal in the mail....up $71,000....38% increase.I'm expecting one like that next year. Ouch. Did you pull permits for work or are they just going on data? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm1fd Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Consider yourself lucky. I just got my new appraisal in the mail....up $71,000....38% increase. I'll bet they saw your kitchen remodel thread on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Consider yourself lucky. I just got my new appraisal in the mail....up $71,000....38% increase.yep. i only have one mcmansion nearby unlike yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Most of it is land value. Price per square foot jumped from $24 to $30. That accounted for $40k of the increase. House went up too, but I'll get some of that back on the protest. But, the land value is nearly impossible to change. I knew it was coming, since after last year's protest I had the lowest value on my block, but 38% will make your heart skip a couple of beats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryanS Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Most of it is land value. Price per square foot jumped from $24 to $30. That accounted for $40k of the increase. House went up too, but I'll get some of that back on the protest. But, the land value is nearly impossible to change. I knew it was coming, since after last year's protest I had the lowest value on my block, but 38% will make your heart skip a couple of beats.OK... So if you don't mind me asking... Assuming you have established your place as your homestead. The max is no more than a 10% increase, by law. Right? So for everyone on here... that is seeing more than a 10% increase - on your homestead property - what is the deal? Why would HCAD purposely, in violation of state law, increase your taxes beyond the legal limit? Which is going to invite all kinds of protest. It doesn't seem like it is in their best interest, to violate the law, in such a fashion. Does the 10% apply only to the structure? And they can increase your land value, to the moon, without fear?Someone please explain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 OK... So if you don't mind me asking... Assuming you have established your place as your homestead. The max is no more than a 10% increase, by law. Right? So for everyone on here... that is seeing more than a 10% increase - on your homestead property - what is the deal? Why would HCAD purposely, in violation of state law, increase your taxes beyond the legal limit? Which is going to invite all kinds of protest. It doesn't seem like it is in their best interest, to violate the law, in such a fashion. Does the 10% apply only to the structure? And they can increase your land value, to the moon, without fear?Someone please explain.max 10% increase on appraised value. market can go up whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 The MARKET value is jumping 38%. The APPRAISED value...the one that is used for tax purposes...will only rise 10%. However, since the market value is so high, my appraised value will also rise 10% next year, as well as the year after that, until it reaches the market value. So, while I will only get dinged for a 10% hit this year, looking forward, if this assessment holds, I will be getting dinged for 3 more years as well.The good news is that my home investment equity is increasing. The bad news is that it is costing me every year to hold that investment.EDIT: Not enough coffee. Used all the wrong terms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porchman Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 I expected a raise from HCAD this year and they did not disappoint. 14% on the market value - all in land. I don't plan to protest because (1) I think my value is at least 5%-10% higher, (2) I have a sense of responsibility to fairly participate in the tax system, and (3) I recognize the unfortunate cost of maintaining a great home that makes me happy everytime I walk through the door (and sit on the porch!) and which provides me an 11-minute commute to work. They dropped (yes, dropped...in the Heights...OMG...LOL!) our 2007 appraisal by 10k. It largely had to do with large new construction selling on the block. (No, I didn't protest last year either ). I'm interested to see what happens going forward. There are 5 homes for sale on my block, with lists ranging from $142k to $620k . Not that they will sell at or near list, but I enjoy visions of some HCAD person trying to figure out the math next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crunchtastic Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 38% will make your heart skip a couple of beats. Try 243%. My house has not been appraised since 2003, until now, reflecting just a hair under what I paid for it last year for both market and appraised. I knew it was coming, but still. Here's a good lesson in the stages of regentrification. Come in early and then when prices go up, its death of a thousand cuts getting the 10% hike year after year. Come in later and feel the pain all at once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Try 243%. no more partying for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crunchtastic Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 no more partying for you!au contraire...... now is most definitely not the time to stop. I opened the appraisal after busting my ass in the yard all day today, all achey and dirty. I just calmly put the papers back in the envelope, set it down, went to the icehouse, got a giant orange fountain soda, came home, poured out half and refilled with vodka before reading it again. The question is, can anybody beat 243? Bueller? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieDidIt Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 au contraire...... now is most definitely not the time to stop. I opened the appraisal after busting my ass in the yard all day today, all achey and dirty. I just calmly put the papers back in the envelope, set it down, went to the icehouse, got a giant orange fountain soda, came home, poured out half and refilled with vodka before reading it again. The question is, can anybody beat 243? Bueller?Nope you win hands down!I just want to understand their theory this year of jacking up old house values and not touching property value. I think all us townies know what we paid for we we bought these old structures, and it was mostly for the land and location. Not for appreciation on a nice old battleship that needs something fixed monthly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longcat Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Take pictures of your old portions. Take picture of "Total redos" in your neighborhood. They hit me for 120k on my 1967 house as well. We did pull a permit to put in a new Electrical box and to put GFI's in the house. I think that was 5,500 for all of it. Carpet/Paint/and some new cabinet doors do not make a house redone. I think its still 60% original. Look at the price per sq. foot. They are saying some of these old homes are as valuable as the ones built in 2007.Should I also try and find the permit for the 2004 work that was done that they are claiming as a 'total' renovation? Does the city keep a record of historical permits? I wish I knew the actual definitions they use for 'Total', 'Extensive', 'Partial', etc. to know how to best refute their classification. When I went in to the ARB hearing last year, all my comps were 'Extensive' while my house was 'Total' (even though the comps were much nicer houses!) and so they heavily discounted all my evidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieDidIt Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Should I also try and find the permit for the 2004 work that was done that they are claiming as a 'total' renovation? Does the city keep a record of historical permits? I wish I knew the actual definitions they use for 'Total', 'Extensive', 'Partial', etc. to know how to best refute their classification. When I went in to the ARB hearing last year, all my comps were 'Extensive' while my house was 'Total' (even though the comps were much nicer houses!) and so they heavily discounted all my evidence.Don't know what to tell you. Mine went from Partial to Extensive by putting in a new power service box and adding some more circuits so the house didn't burn down. It was more like FIXING than remodeling. My house history says it was remodeled in 2003 by previous owners. I guess can lights and new kitchen counters is a remodel, even though the cabinets, floors, and upstairs bathrooms are all original. <shrug> It did have some smoking hot 1980's appliances though.I just got my mail notice today. Anyone iFile yet? How long did it take to get back to you? Did they laugh and keep the appraisal the same? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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