No one likes paying property taxes. Because Texas has no state income tax, local governments rely heavily on property taxes to fund schools, roads, and infrastructure. As a result, Texas property tax rates are among the highest in the country, often averaging close to 2% depending on the county.
Unfortunately, local appraisal districts frequently overvalue real estate by relying on mass-appraisal computer algorithms instead of manual inspections. For owners of commercial, industrial, and high-end residential real estate, these errors can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
The good news? You do not have to blindly accept the county's assessment. Under Texas law, you have the absolute legal right to appeal your property taxes.
If you want to lower your property taxes, you must actively file a protest. The county will not lower your valuation out of the kindness of their hearts. If you are preparing to appeal, keep these essential strategies in mind:
Do not bury your head in the sand. Look at the itemized details of your assessment carefully. If the county has you down for an extra bathroom, too much commercial square footage, or an extra garage space, you have immediate grounds for a reduction.
Make sure your assessment properly reflects any and all exemptions to which you are entitled. Ensure you are receiving the standard homestead exemption, as well as any Over-65 or Disabled Veteran discounts you qualify for.
Make sure your property is being compared to similar buildings in the same tax classification. If identical properties in your neighborhood or commercial park are appraised lower than yours, you can win an appeal based on the state's uniformity laws.
Appealing high-value commercial assets requires a different approach than residential protests. Income-producing properties are often valued using an "income approach." If your occupancy dropped, your expenses rose, or your business personal property depreciated faster than the county model suggests, a strong appeal can slash your operating expenses.
Appealing property taxes is complicated because the Texas Tax Code and local assessment methodologies are complex and, to the layperson, obtuse.
For these reasons, it is highly recommended that you engage a dual-licensed property tax attorney and consultant who specializes in high-value appeals. We know the laws, we know the local Appraisal Review Boards, and your net cost will be zero—we only charge a percentage of your actual tax savings.
Beyond the cost, you will have the peace of mind knowing that you exhausted every available legal option in your quest to lower your property taxes. Do not leave your hard-earned money on the tax table.
Let the legal professionals at PropertyTaxes.Law analyze your valuation, build the market evidence, and fight the county on your behalf. No upfront fees required.
Start Your Risk-Free ProtestBrandon 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.
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.
Outstanding!! These guys are pros - they are great at what they do and great to work with.