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