HOW TO PROTEST YOUR PROPERTY TAXES &

Story by RICK WAMRE

Just because the Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD) says your home increased in value doesn’t mean that’s true.

With a few simple steps and information you probably already have handy, you can potentially lower your annual property tax bill.

The Advocate asked neighborhood experts to walk us through the simple process.

“As interest rates have gone up, property values in general have gone down this past year,” says Toby Toler, a neighborhood resident and owner of Toler Company, a residential and commercial property tax consulting company for the past 40 years (tolerco.com).

“Sometimes it may seem like the appraisal district is genetically predisposed to defend their determination of property value,” Toler says. “So you need to present evidence of something they don’t already know about your home in order to have a successful result.”

Worried that protesting might make your tax assessment even higher? Don’t be.

“We don’t raise value as part of a protest. There’s no fear of that happening,” says Cheryl Jordan, DCAD director of community relations. “Some appraisal districts do that, but we don’t.”

DATES & DEADLINES

PUT THESE IMPORTANT TAX VALUATION DEADLINES ON YOUR CALENDAR TODAY:

SO IT’S APRIL 21

When you receive your home’s notice of valuation, you have a few options if you believe DCAD’s value is too high:

VISIT DALLASCAD.ORG and check the information listed there for your home. Does DCAD have the correct number of bathrooms and bedrooms listed? Is the square footage correct? Is the year the home was built listed correctly?

“In high-dollar areas, square footage or the number of bathrooms doesn’t have to be that far off at $500 or $600 per square foot in value to make a difference,” says neighborhood resident David McGee, owner of David L. McGee Appraisals (dmcgeeappraisals.com).

“Even if DCAD is off by only 100 or 200 square feet, that’s several thousand dollars of additional taxable value you’re paying for.” for most home sales in Dallas County. A Realtor can find comparable homes that have sold within the past 12 months to determine an appropriate value for your home. Remember, though: Realtors are only paid when they assist you with buying or selling a home, and they’re hoping this investment of time will eventually lead to working with you to eventually buy a new home or list your existing home.

WHILE ON DALLASCAD.ORG, look up the values of similar neighboring homes. Yes, it’s interesting to know the valuation of neighbors’ homes, but that’s not the point: Use that information to prove your home is overvalued.

If you really want rock-solid evidence of your home’s value, hire a property appraiser. The appraisal will set you back about $400-$750 (homes over 4,000 square feet or so tend to cost more), but you’ll have an independent, third-party valuation with comparables and adjustments (age, condition, improvements, location), McGee says.

Kick Starting The Process

(APRIL 21-MAY 22)

You can file a protest online anytime after April 21; there’s no cost, and the sooner you file the protest, the more quickly your case will be reviewed.

“There’s no benefit to waiting if you know the value is wrong,” Toler says.

APRIL 21: DCAD releases residential notices of value, with a valuation as of Jan. 1, 2023, for Dallas County property owners. You can wait to receive your notice in the mail, or you can start looking for the valuation online at dallascad.org within a day or two of April 21.

MAY 22: Deadline to file a written protest of DCAD’s valuation.

JULY 14: Final date to come to an agreement with DCAD about your property value.

JULY 15: If you haven’t reached a valuation agreement with DCAD, you can ask for hearing with the Appraisal Review Board. That hearing probably won’t be worth your time (we’ll explain later), but it’s a necessary means to an end to keep protesting your valuation.

CHECK

Out The

ADVOCATE ’S PRINT MAGAZINE OR WEBSITE for neighborhood Realtors, and ask one for a report on “comparables” for your house. Realtors have access to the Multiple Listing Service, which compiles data

“DCAD’s phones typically aren’t clogged the first two weeks after value notices are mailed. People with a case ready to go are rare.”

Fill out the online “file a protest” form on your property’s account page at dallascad.org, upload the “evidence” that

60 DAYS AFTER YOUR ARB HEARING : Deadline to request binding arbitration through the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts office or file a lawsuit in the District Court in Dallas County.