SettlingWithTheCountyAppraisalDistrict:Online SystemOrFormalProtest?
InTexas,therearealotofdifferentwaystoresolvedisputeswithyourlocalcountyappraisal district(CAD).Ifyoufeelasifyourpropertyhasbeenvaluedtoohighly,thenyouwillobviously havesomethingtosaytoyourlocalCAD.Theseappraisalsarethebasisforyourpropertytaxes, whichyouwillhavetopayattheendofthetaxyear.Ahigherassessedpropertyvaluewill correlatetomoreexpensivepropertytaxes.Again,therearenumerouswaystogetyourproperty valuedtoadequatelevels.
FORMALPROTEST
Asurefirewaytogetaqualityreviewofyoursituationistooptforaformalprotest.This involvesfilinganoticeofprotestwiththeappraisalreviewboard(ARB).Iftheboardaccepts yourprotest,thenyouwillbegrantedahearingwhereyoucanpresentevidencetodefendyour case.Formalprotestsarecommon,buttheytakealotofknow-how.Thatistosay,youcannot expecttowinacasewithoutproperevidenceandunderstanding.Evenso,formalprotestsgive youthebestoptionforreducingyourappraisalvalue.
ISETTLE
Althoughthismightsoundlikeanapplicationforyoursmartphone,itis,infact,anonline systemfordealingwithprotestsanddisputeswiththeCAD.iSettleessentiallyallowyouto settleyourdisputesfromthecomfortofyourownhome.Thismaybetheeasiestwaytoreacha settlementwiththeCAD,butit’snotalwaysthebest.Itworksbylettinghomeownersprovide theirownassessmentofthevalueoftheirproperty.TheCADwillthentheoreticallymakean offer.Ifthehomeowneraccepts,thentheprotestisresolved.
Inmostcases,however,theCADwillnotprovideasettlementatall.Thisisobviouslythe oppositeofwhatyouwouldwant.Theseonlinesystemsaresupposedtobeeasierforyouand theCAD,butittypicallymakesthingsmoredifficult.Intheeventthatasettlementisreached withtheCAD,thevaluationstendtobesmall.ItmightlookliketheCADismakingconcessions, buttheymaystillbeplayingyou.Evenifyouacceptthesettlement,youcanstilloptforaformal protestlateron.
IN-PERSON
YoucanalsosettlewiththeCADattheiroffices.Althoughthisforcesyoutoleavethehouse,it doesgiveyoutheaddedbenefitofaface-to-faceinteraction.Ifyoucanreachanappropriate settlement,thenyoudonotneedtogothroughtheformalprotestprocess.Again,mostCADs willbeunwillingtobudgeontheirinitialappraisal.Theymayalsoofferyouvaluationsthatdon’t meetyourexpectations.
Intheend,settlingwiththeCADinformallymightbequicker,butitcertainlywon’tbeas lucrative.TheTexasComptrollerofPublicAccountsassertsthattheappraisalreviewboards areindependentandcapableofprovidingunbiasedrulingsonpropertyappraisaldisputes.If youjustnegotiatewiththeCAD,thenyouareworkingonlyundertheirterms.Thiscanleadthem toprovidebiasedsettlementsthatdon’tgiveyouwhatyoudeserve.Itisinyourbestinterestto avoidsettlingwiththeCADinformally
Ifyouneedtoprotestyourappraisalnotice,contactO’Connor&Associatestodaytofindout whatoptionsyouhavetodoso.
ThePropertyTaxProtection Program ispoweredbyO’Connor& Associates
Enteryourinformationbelowtoenrollin thePropertyTaxProtectionProgram andhaveyourpropertytaxesprotested. FirstName
PleaseselectPropertyType
2025Protest:Appliestothe majorityofTexasproperty ownerswhose2024valuenotice fromthecountyisdatedmore than30daysagoandthedateis pastMay15,2024.
2024Protest:Appliesto selectTexaspropertyowners wherethe2024valuenoticeis datedLESSthan30daysago. Call713.290.9700todiscusswitha representative. PleasemonitoryourE-mailandspam filter.Ifyoudon'treceiveyourenrollment documentswithin24businesshours, call713.290.97008am-5pmCST
Byclickingenroll,youconsenttous filingaprotestonyourbehalfand agreetoourterms Freeonlineenrollmentin3minutes.No costunlesstaxesarereduced, guaranteed
