Licensed Texas property tax attorney and consultant representing Houston homeowners, commercial owners, and high-value property owners before HCAD, the ARB, and in arbitration.
If you own property in Houston or anywhere in Harris County, you have the right to challenge an overvalued or unequally appraised assessment from the Harris Central Appraisal District (HCAD). PropertyTaxes.Law is led by Brandon Barcus, a dual-licensed Texas property tax attorney and certified consultant who represents Houston property owners at every stage of the protest and appeal process.
Unlike protest companies staffed by agents, our clients work directly with a licensed attorney who understands both the legal and valuation dimensions of property tax cases in Houston. That matters most when a protest escalates to arbitration, formal appeals, or litigation.
Important: The value HCAD places on your property is not final. Texas law gives every property owner the right to challenge an unfair assessment. The protest deadline is May 15 or 30 days after your notice is delivered — whichever is later. View all Texas deadlines by county.
Why a Property Tax Attorney vs. a Protest Company?
Most property owners in Houston can choose between a generic protest company and a licensed property tax attorney. Here is why it matters which you choose:
Legal Representation
A licensed attorney can represent you in binding arbitration, district court appeals, and complex commercial litigation — options unavailable to non-attorney firms.
Valuation Expertise
As both a licensed attorney and certified property tax consultant, Brandon analyzes comparable sales, unequal appraisal data, and income evidence with professional depth.
High-Value Protection
For commercial, industrial, or high-value residential property, the stakes are too high for a form-filing service. A strategic attorney-led approach protects larger assessments.
Full-Process Coverage
From the informal HCAD review and iSettle offer through the ARB hearing, binding arbitration, and district court — one attorney handles the entire case.
Property Tax Services for Houston Property Owners
PropertyTaxes.Law provides the full range of property tax services for Houston and Harris County clients:
HCAD Property Tax Protest
File and prepare your HCAD protest with attorney-backed evidence — comparable sales, unequal appraisal data, condition photos, and income analysis. Includes informal review preparation and ARB hearing support. See our Texas property tax protest services.
HCAD commercial assessments are often based on income-approach models that underestimate vacancy, overestimate rents, or use incorrect cap rates. We build income-based cases for office, retail, multifamily, industrial, and mixed-use assets. See our commercial property tax protest guide.
High-Value Residential Protest
Luxury homes and high-end residential properties in River Oaks, Memorial, Tanglewood, The Woodlands, and similar neighborhoods require careful comparable selection and a protocol for custom features, condition, and market timing. Learn about our high-end residential property tax services.
Exemptions & Tax Relief
Many Houston property owners miss exemptions they qualify for — homestead, agricultural, disability, veterans, freeport goods, or specialized use. We identify and file missing exemptions. See our Texas property tax exemption services.
Houston Property Tax Protest Results
Our approach — attorney-led evidence preparation combined with focused protest strategy — produces consistent outcomes for Houston property owners:
208Leads generated in under 2 months during protest season
17%+Conversion rate from inquiry to signed engagement
38Five-star Google reviews from verified Texas clients
No win, no fee: PropertyTaxes.Law operates on a contingency basis for most protest matters — you pay only if we successfully reduce your assessment. If we do not save you money, you owe nothing for the protest.
How the HCAD Protest Process Works in Houston
Protests for Houston and Harris County properties are filed with the Harris Central Appraisal District (HCAD), which values more than 1.5 million properties — one of the largest appraisal districts in the United States. Understanding the process specific to HCAD helps you prepare a stronger case.
Step 1 — File before the HCAD deadline
File online at owners.hcad.org using your iFile number (printed in the upper right of your Notice of Appraised Value), or mail Form 50-132 to HCAD's office at 13013 Northwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77040. The deadline is May 15 or 30 days after your notice is mailed — whichever is later. In some years, HCAD's mailing date pushes the effective deadline past May 15.
Step 2 — Upload your evidence within 5 days
HCAD's iFile system requires you to upload supporting evidence within 5 calendar days of filing. This is a hard deadline that many self-represented property owners miss. Our team prepares and uploads your evidence packet — comparable sales, unequal appraisal comparables, condition documentation, or income data — immediately after filing.
Step 3 — iSettle informal review
HCAD uses an online settlement system called iSettle. After reviewing your evidence, HCAD's appraiser may send a settlement offer. You have 5 days to accept or reject. We review the offer against your evidence before any decision — a settlement that only partially adjusts the value may not be worth accepting.
Step 4 — ARB hearing if iSettle does not resolve
If iSettle does not produce an acceptable result, the case moves to a formal Harris County Appraisal Review Board (ARB) hearing — in person, by phone, or by video. Brandon prepares and presents your case directly to the panel. Most cases are resolved by the end of July.
Step 5 — Arbitration or district court if needed
If the ARB result remains unsatisfactory, binding arbitration or a district court appeal are available within 45 days of the ARB order. These steps require legal representation and are where having an attorney from the beginning of the process provides the most leverage. Learn more about Texas property tax arbitration and our property tax lawsuit options.
About Brandon Barcus — Houston Property Tax Attorney
Brandon Barcus is the founder of PropertyTaxes.Law and the licensed Texas property tax attorney and consultant behind every case the firm handles. Unlike large protest companies where your file is managed by a non-attorney agent, Brandon works directly on Houston client matters — reviewing appraisal data, building evidence packages, and representing clients at hearings.
Dual-licensed: Licensed Texas attorney and certified property tax consultant — a combination that covers both the legal and valuation dimensions of every case.
Full-range representation: Handles residential, high-end residential, commercial, industrial, and business personal property matters in Houston and across Harris County.
Beyond the protest: Guides clients through arbitration and litigation when the protest or ARB result is not satisfactory — options that non-attorney firms cannot provide.
Harris County focused: Deep experience with HCAD processes, iFile, iSettle, and the Harris County ARB, including the specific evidence standards and procedures that apply to Houston-area protests.
For full details on the HCAD protest process, filing instructions, iFile number retrieval, and Harris County-specific protest guidance, visit our dedicated Harris County property tax protest page.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Houston property tax attorney represents property owners in challenging the Harris Central Appraisal District's (HCAD) assessed value of their property. This includes preparing evidence, filing the protest, negotiating with HCAD during the informal review, presenting the case at ARB hearings, and — where needed — representing the client in binding arbitration or district court appeals. An attorney provides legal representation that non-attorney protest companies cannot offer.
PropertyTaxes.Law handles most Houston property tax protest matters on a contingency fee basis — you pay only if we successfully reduce your assessed value. There is no upfront fee for the protest itself. If we do not achieve a reduction, you owe nothing. For arbitration and litigation matters, fee structures vary based on the complexity and value of the case; contact us for details specific to your property.
For most straightforward residential protests, both can be effective. However, a licensed attorney provides advantages that protest companies cannot: legal representation at ARB hearings with formal argument, the ability to pursue binding arbitration and district court appeals, attorney-client privilege, and a higher standard of duty to the client. For commercial property, high-value residential, or any matter that may proceed beyond the ARB, attorney representation is strongly preferred.
The standard deadline is May 15 or 30 days after HCAD mails your Notice of Appraised Value — whichever is later. Because HCAD typically mails notices in mid-to-late April, the 30-day rule often pushes the effective deadline past May 15 in some years. Always confirm the date on your specific notice. After filing, you have an additional 5 calendar days to upload your evidence to HCAD's iFile system.
Yes. Commercial, industrial, and multifamily properties in Houston can all be protested with HCAD. Commercial protests typically involve income-based valuation arguments — rent rolls, vacancy rates, operating expenses, and cap rate analysis — as well as comparable sales and unequal appraisal comparisons. Attorney representation is particularly valuable for commercial matters because of the complexity of the evidence and the higher dollar stakes involved.
Binding arbitration is an alternative to district court litigation for challenging an ARB order you disagree with. It is available for most property types that meet the value threshold and must be initiated within 45 days of the ARB's written order. An independent arbitrator reviews the evidence and issues a binding decision. Because arbitration requires legal representation, it is one of the key advantages of working with a licensed attorney from the start. Learn more on our Texas property tax arbitration page.
Get a Free Review of Your Houston Property Assessment
PropertyTaxes.Law helps Houston and Harris County property owners challenge unfair HCAD valuations — at no upfront cost. Contact us to discuss your property and what a protest could save you.
Brandon and his team have proven they can perform with any product type we give them,
from industrial and office property to single and multi-family residential.
- HunterBrown, InSite Realty Partners, L.P.
At a critical time when a property was in lease-up, we were faced with an unreasonable and unjustified assessment.
Brandon’s tenacity and responsiveness resulted in a fair assessment and the largest value change I've seen in my career.
- Jeremy Bartholomew
Outstanding!! These guys are pros - they are great at what they do and great to work with.
- David Denenburg, Denenburg Interests, LLC / Station 3
