Texans, are you staring in shock at your property tax bill for this year? You’ve likely seen your home value soar due to the market, but the downside is your property taxes also climbed.  In fact, homeowners have seen significant increases as the recent real estate market has boomed. Did you know you can challenge your property tax assessment? Here are a few reasons why you should do this.

According to tax appraisers, many homes are overvalued when assessed by the local government tax appraisers. There are many factors affecting this such as outdated information, inaccurate measurements of the size of the property, and the county assessors’ lack of time and resources to conduct solid and valid assessments. Often, home value estimates are not using comparable properties (homes that are like yours) during the county appraisal process (Texas is cracking down on this though, by requiring tax authorities to include properties that were in foreclosure.) Comparables are very important because your home’s value should be in line with other similar properties. 

Experts in property tax challenge appraisal Fort Worth TX recommend getting a comprehensive, individualized real estate appraisal to provide solid evidence during your tax challenge. Investing in this service will help you argue the reasons your home value estimate could be in error. A real estate appraiser will carefully inspect your property, inside and out, and provide an objective opinion based on the facts they gather. This is especially helpful if your home needs repairs and the declining condition is not accurately reflected in the county’s report. 

Hiring a professional real estate appraiser could help you battle the central appraisal district. If there is sufficient proof that your property tax was overestimated, your appraiser can then negotiate the new amount on your behalf.  Call a real estate appraiser today to find out if you could get relief from a property tax challenge.