HCAD Appraised Values 2013

[SilverJK]

The land value for my house increased by 25% from 2012 to 2013.  (all the 6,350 sq. ft. lots on my side of the street went from 181,600 to 227,000).  The house directly accross the street from me has a land value of 123,750 for 6,250 sq. ft. lot.  Now it is a weird line... they are technically in Brookesmith and I'm in Woodland Heights... but how can Harris county say my land is worth ~100k more than the house directly accross the street? 

 

Thoughts?

[Urbannomad]

Just a guess without looking at, but you probably already answered your question.  HCAD values are determined by "computer assisted mass appraisal" (CAMA).  In your example your property lies within a particular neighborhood and across the street is in another with lower comps. The algorithm is doing its calculations at the neighborhood level not the individual street level.  If you protest with a human being they will likely notice this and consider it, whereas the computer program doesn't.  Again, just a guess, but I bet it's that simple.  CAMA is great for large, uniform suburban subdivision; but for more urban areas where values can fluctuate block-by–block not so much.

[SilverJK]

Yeah,   looks like Woodland Heights in general had a 25% land value increase.  Has anyone had any success with the whole "micro neighborhood within a neighborhood" arguement? 

[RedScare]

Looks like they have made the entire area equal at $35 per sf. As for the "micro neighborhood" angle, not only have I not succeeded there, but lately I cannot win at anything. My value is up 50% in 4 years.

[Urbannomad]

I guess it all depends... but I've found, so long as you aren't a jerk about it, HCAD & the ARB are pretty fair so long as you have actual evidence to present (ie the values across the street, etc).  But you never know who you will get when you protest, and often people have very different ideas of their property's value for tax appraisals than they do for its list price when they want to sale (myself included)! 

[s3mh]

It is a bizarre process. On my block, land values were unchanged, but most everyone had their improvements value go up, even a house that has not seen anything other than basic maintenance done on it for over 30 years. The total hike in tax assessments averaged about 8-9% (this is about what was reported to be the average market appreciation reported for Harris County), but the increase in the assessment for the improvements were over 25%. Strange way to make that sausage.

The most recent sales near me were all ridiculous bidding wars. So, I am not sure whether I can get very far with a protest when the actual data from the neighborhood shows appreciation far in excess of 8-9%. Based on what I have seen in the neighborhood, I would put my market value appreciation at @25% over the past three years. But, I have only had a bump up in tax assessment for just this year.

[rental me this]

Just checked mine - we're in Woodland Heights and our appraisal value went up by exactly 10%.  The "market area" on our appraisal is listed as the Heights, Brookesmith, & Norhill. 

 

The vast majority of the increase was land, with a small uptick in the improvement value.  Our neighbor with a bigger lot & same size house in similar condition was appraised for almost $35,000 less.  We had good success protesting last year using the online protest form, so we'll try it again this year.

 

 

 

[rental me this]

Interesting, it appears that it doesn't matter that my lot is smaller than my neighbor's - because it is less than the typical 5,000 square feet found in Woodland Heights, HCAD adjusts the "size factor" to render that difference meaningless.  HCAD website says this is an "adjustment for lots smaller than the base lot established for the neighborhood."  Which I find odd because my lot has been this size since at least 1926.  

 

Sooo we get a higher tax bill for not owning enough land.  Just peachy.

[SilverJK]

You can look at the even number addresses on Pecore, and nearly every single one of them has a higher market value than appraisal value (meaning they increased more than 10%)  The odd number addresses there aren't any.

[musicman]

Sometimes it takes about a year for the county to get its act together and have all the properties reflect the same prices/sq ft.  I have an unimproved lot that has increased in value every year for the past few years.  the first year i was going to complain but then realized the adjacent ones were more than mine was.  but the next year, mine was raised even more to match the surrounding properties. 

 

The county likes to raise land value because it is basically impossible to protest.

[SilverJK]

You would think there has to be some leeway for when land on the south side of a street is worth 100% more than land on the north side.  A potential buyer would not give two craps about which side of the street the house is on. 

[kjo_tx]

Well, I live in Heights West -- my land stayed the same but my "improvement" (ie, dilapidated house that I'm just starting to renovate) quadrupled in value.  It is now appraised the same as my neighbors house across the street that is significantly bigger (1800 sqft versus 1200 sq ft) and in better condition than mine.  Account is capped this year, but guess it's time to start the protesting...  now if that letter would just show up in the mail with my 'ifile' number on it, I could do it online.

[Marksmu]

They have aggressively gone after me the last 3 years....my improvement market value is up more than 50%....I have found quite a few comps that I could protest on, but HCAD can just easily counter with others  around me selling for even more....The Height has so many sales going on right now and they are all over the board - it makes the appraisal process quite subjective....I can find 10 that are just exactly like mine for 30-50% less than mine within 3 blocks, and I can find 10 that are substantially more than mine right now that are all within 3 blocks.  No formula can fix that type of variance in costs, so its subjective. 

[SilverJK]

Yeah... i gave an example of a house 3 houses down from me that sold for like $155k.  (it was a short sale and never listed on HAR, if i'd have known about it I would have gobbled it up at that price for sure) that was the same size lot, house, and grade as mine.  They pulled a comp on Bayland that sold for a premium...  yeah that makes sense.

 

 

[Houston19514]

Yeah... i gave an example of a house 3 houses down from me that sold for like $155k.  (it was a short sale and never listed on HAR, if i'd have known about it I would have gobbled it up at that price for sure) that was the same size lot, house, and grade as mine.  They pulled a comp on Bayland that sold for a premium...  yeah that makes sense.

 

Your "comp" 3 houses down is not a good comp.  It does make sense to use a more-distant market sale rather than a closer non-market sale.

[SilverJK]

Your "comp" 3 houses down is not a good comp.  It does make sense to use a more-distant market sale rather than a closer non-market sale.

 

so the house in great shape on the most desired street in the entire neighborhood is a good comp.  good call. 

[Houston19514]

so the house in great shape on the most desired street in the entire neighborhood is a good comp.  good call. 

 

Didn't say it was.  I am not in a position to know.  But I can guarantee you that a house sold off-market on a short sale is not a good comp.   It's barely worth looking at.

[SilverJK]

It sold by owner.. I just didn't have access to see the sales information (i'm sure realtors would, and HCAD did have it and pretended to take it into consideration)

[Marksmu]

It sold by owner.. I just didn't have access to see the sales information (i'm sure realtors would, and HCAD did have it and pretended to take it into consideration)

 

Lots of ways to get that data...sawbuck, nuhabitat, etc...They all have exact MLS data.

 

Or you could just do like I did, and go get your real estate license...its cheap/easy - and it will pay for itself in its first transaction.

[Houston19514]

It sold by owner.. I just didn't have access to see the sales information (i'm sure realtors would, and HCAD did have it and pretended to take it into consideration)

 

It was still a short sale.  Not a good comp.  (And you are giving us conflicting messages.  One post you told us what it sold for and now you tell us you didn't have access to the sales information.)    And no, realtors would not have access to the sales information unless a realtor was involved on the buyer's side.  The only way realtors get access to sales information is by realtors who are involved in transactions posting the information to the HAR database.

[SilverJK]

No,  I said sold for like $155k because I'm able to see a range of 150-160 but I don't know the final details on the price.  As Mark showed, maybe you don't have to be a realtor to get that information but a realtor would know where to get it. 

 

Thanks for focusing on one small segment of what has been said that is somewhat off-topic and providing no meaningful contribution to the thread.

 

anyways... I filed an online protest, so lets see how the city responds. 

 

Would there be a way for a several of us impacted by this tax hike to work together to increases our chances to get the city to listen?

[s3mh]

Would there be a way for a several of us impacted by this tax hike to work together to increases our chances to get the city to listen?

I suspect that the best way to get HCAD to dig in its heels is to get a large organized group of those affected to join together in their protest. As high as taxes are, the County, the schools and the City run very tight budgets. HCAD is not going to be willing to make a big correction to the tax assessments and give back a big pile of revenue, especially with all the legislation over the years from Austin tying their hands. But, HCAD has always been willing to give a few well prepared protestors a break. So, being a lone wolf might be better than organizing a big group if your goal is to get your appraisal reduced.

But, in all honesty, unless your lot is in a very undesireable enclave in Woodland Heights, 227,000 is a tax appraisal value that most in the Heights would love to have. I am just above 280k for a full size lot in the Heights and doubt that I can cobble up enough comps to offset the crazy bid up sales that have been happening the past few months. Not saying you shouldn't protest. Just keep your tax bill in perspective.

[SilverJK]

227 is just the land...  the tax appraisal for the property with improvements a good bit over 300. 

[s3mh]

227 is just the land...  the tax appraisal for the property with improvements a good bit over 300. 

Ok. That is on par with the rest of the Heights and reflects the premium that Woodland Heights gets over the rest of the Heights for Travis Elementary and constant highway noise.

[SilverJK]

Exactly... but fringe streets shouldn't go up as much as the interior of Woodland Heights especially when it makes the neighborhood they border have land value half of the Woodland Heights value.  My arguement is my land is not worth as much as that in interior Woodland Heights, yet it has been raised to that same value.  If that was factual, I would have bought in the interior of the neighborhood when I bought my house.

[Marksmu]

Exterior lots are worth less than interior lots.  Lots on 11th are worth less than lots on the same street not fronting to 11th...its a fact.  Traffic drives residential values down.  Period.  The appraisers may like to pretend that its not true, but it is.  Look at the houses that all front to 11th street all the way from Shepherd to 45 - out of that whole stretch maybe 2 are decent homes.  The rest are not as nice b/c 11th drives the value down for residential use.

 

You can make that argument and win, but I would not expect a huge reduction b/c of it...maybe 10-15%.  To get a sizable reduction you need to goto the ARB.  The online and 1-1 session is limited by design.  If you are asking for too much, even if they agree with you, they can not grant it. 

 

[Houston19514]

No,  I said sold for like $155k because I'm able to see a range of 150-160 but I don't know the final details on the price.  As Mark showed, maybe you don't have to be a realtor to get that information but a realtor would know where to get it. 

 

Thanks for focusing on one small segment of what has been said that is somewhat off-topic and providing no meaningful contribution to the thread.

 

anyways... I filed an online protest, so lets see how the city responds. 

 

Would there be a way for a several of us impacted by this tax hike to work together to increases our chances to get the city to listen?

 

And thanks for ignoring my primary point and continuing on with your bull-headed desire to prove that your house is only worth $155k.  Again, an off-market, short sale is simply not a good comp, no matter how badly you might want to lower your taxes.  If you want to waste your time on such a mission, have at it.  ;-)

 

I would suggest using O'Connor or one of the other companies that does tax appraisal protests.  They usually charge you 50% of the savings for the year of the reduction they achieve for you.  You might be able to get them to reduce the rate.  http://www.poconnor.com/

 

 

Another thought:  Be careful what you wish for.  While you are right that the land on the even numbered side of Pecore is consistently valued higher than the land on the odd-numbered side.  The improvements on the odd numbered side appear to be consistently valued higher than those on the even numbered side.  It's possible that HCAD will notice that in the process of your protest and end up raising your improvements value. . .

[SilverJK]

And thanks for ignoring my primary point and continuing on with your bull-headed desire to prove that your house is only worth $155k.  Again, an off-market, short sale is simply not a good comp, no matter how badly you might want to lower your taxes.  If you want to waste your time on such a mission, have at it.  ;-)

 

I would suggest using O'Connor or one of the other companies that does tax appraisal protests.  They usually charge you 50% of the savings for the year of the reduction they achieve for you.  You might be able to get them to reduce the rate.  http://www.poconnor.com/

 

 

Another thought:  Be careful what you wish for.  While you are right that the land on the even numbered side of Pecore is consistently valued higher than the land on the odd-numbered side.  The improvements on the odd numbered side appear to be consistently valued higher than those on the even numbered side.  It's possible that HCAD will notice that in the process of your protest and end up raising your improvements value. . .

 

I'm just trying to get to the low 300s...  cool story.