| Harris County Appraisal District estimates the market | | | | established by the Harris County Appraisal District |
| value for 1.6 million parcels of real estate with a staff | | | | each year: |
| of about 150 appraisers. That's an average of over | | | | |
| 10,000 parcels per appraiser per year! While they value | | | | 1. The prior years value set an "anchor value" for the |
| a large number of properties annually, you can focus | | | | current year's property tax protest. If your value was |
| intense attention on reducing the value of your | | | | $200,000 last year and the current year's proposed |
| property. | | | | value is $220,000, there is a tendency to set the value |
| You can minimize your property taxes with simple | | | | at or slightly above last year's value. In the case, a |
| steps: | | | | typical result might be $200,000 to $210,000. However, |
| - File a protest by May 31st for market value and | | | | if they had appealed at the Harris County Appraisal |
| unequal appraisal | | | | District the prior year and reduced the value to |
| - Obtain the Harris County Appraisal District evidence | | | | $185,000, a typical settlement might be $185,000 - |
| two weeks before the hearing. This information is | | | | $195,000. Property tax appeals at Harris County |
| sometimes referred to as the House Bill 201 package | | | | Appraisal District are an iterative process. |
| or the 41.461 package. It typically contains evidence | | | | 2. Most appeals at Harris County Appraisal District are |
| regarding the subject property, market value and | | | | successful. About 75-80% of the property tax appeals |
| unequal appraisal. | | | | conducted by O'Connor & Associates at Harris |
| - Review evidence for both unequal appraisal and | | | | County Appraisal District result in lower property |
| market value. Unequal appraisal is when your property | | | | taxes.Experience shows that when property owners |
| is taxed/assessed at a higher rate than comparable | | | | appeal, prepare for the Harris County Appraisal District |
| properties. For a market value appeal, provided | | | | hearings and attend the hearing(s), they will usually be |
| evidence that the appraisal district's value exceeds | | | | successful. |
| market value. This could include information such as an | | | | Property tax consultants are willing to handle the |
| error in the size of your property and deferred | | | | property tax protest process at Harris County |
| maintenance at your property. | | | | Appraisal District for a portion of the property tax |
| - Attend the informal and/or appraisal review board | | | | savings. While there is a cost when hiring a property |
| (ARB) hearing at the Harris County Appraisal District. In | | | | tax consultant, you realize property tax savings. The |
| many cases, you can attend a hearing prior to the | | | | property tax savings versus the cost of a property |
| scheduled date. HCAD prefers to have hearings prior | | | | tax consultant are more significant when considering |
| to rather than after the scheduled hearing date. | | | | the iterative nature of the property tax appeal process. |
| - Repeat these steps annually.Property owners often | | | | Real estate decision makers need timely market data |
| ask, "I appealed my property taxes at the Harris | | | | to make informed decisions. It provides insights |
| County Appraisal District last year and obtained a | | | | regarding construction, proposed projects, absorption, |
| reduction. Harris County Appraisal District did not | | | | and occupancy and rental rate trends. O'Connor and |
| increase my assessed value. Should I protest my | | | | Associates has been providing real estate data since |
| property taxes again this year?" | | | | 1988. Both internal and external clients regularly use our |
| The answer is, "Yes, you should protest." There are 2 | | | | real estate market research. |
| reasons you should protest the assessed value | | | | |