PropertyTaxMaster

2010 Protest Season is Near

noreply@blogger.com (Steve) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 19:50:00 +0000

March 23, 2010 by propertytaxmaster
Value Notices are due to come out May 1st. This is your opportunity to capitalize on the down economy. How it works- The County Appraisal District (CAD) must set a value on all real property within their county every year. The value is the single most important factor in creating property taxes. (See Example) The amount of property tax you pay is based on the value the CAD sets. The value they set is a snapshot view on January 1st of each year. They will then notify the owner around May 1st of what value has been set for that year. The owner has until May 30th or 30 days after receiving the Notified Value to protest the value the CAD set. Once the value is agreed on by both parties, or a determining value is set by the Appraisal Review Board (ARB), the value will be certified. Around October each taxing entity (i.e city, county, school district, etc…) sets the tax rate for that year. In December the owner receives a property tax bill that reflects the certified value multiplied by the tax rate. The property tax bill is due January 31 of the next year. Below is an example of how the homeowner will save money. Your property taxes can be reduced in any county in Texas. However, the major counties have the ability to tract the market. Collin County, Denton County, Dallas County, Tarrant County, Travis County, Bexar County, and Harris Counties are great for property tax reductions. Protest your property taxes! Please goto http://www.propertytaxmaster.com to view your property details.

Example-

Notified Value
$225,000
Tax Rate
2.356%
Proposed Total Tax
$5301
Agreed/Final Value
$212,000
Tax Rate
2.356%
Agreed/Final Total Tax
$4994
Total Savings
$307

Is there a chance I will lose my protest?

noreply@blogger.com (Steve) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:11:00 +0000

We get this question a lot. While there is always a chance you will lose this negotation, if you have good information to justify a reduction in your property tax liability, your chances are VERY good. Scheduling an informal meeting with the appraisal district BEFORE it goes to the ARB hearing is vey important, as many can be resolved at this point, and you get ALL the evidence that may be used against you in the more formal ARB hearing.

Market Trends

noreply@blogger.com (Steve) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:36:00 +0000

As of February 2010, these are the reports for Dallas County, Tarrant County, Denton County, Collin County, Rockwall County and all other parts of North Texas:

# Of Sold Units in February 2008 – 6,280

# Of Sold Unit in February 2009 – 4,611

# Of Sold Units in February 2010 – 3,762

From 2008 to 2010 the number of transactions has diminished by a staggering 41%. In addition, the number of for sale properties is down 19%. Homeowners have to be cautious about their home value, and how it can be affected by the economic problems. May 2010 will be the time to capitalize on the diminishing market.

Consultant Versus Do It Yourself

noreply@blogger.com (Steve) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:18:00 +0000

We get asked the question many times “Should I use a consultant to protest my taxes?” While there is not an exact right or wrong answer to this question, there are definitely reasons why you as a homeowner should protest your taxes personally. First, no one knows your property better than you. Second, many counties do not necessarily look favorably on consultants arguing on your behalf. Remember, this is a negotiation and it is much easier for an appraiser at the district office to say “NO” to someone they know is going to get paid regardless of the outcome. You are the best advocate for your property, provided you have the necessary tools and information to make your case. That is why the service at www.properytaxmaster.com is so important and valuable to you as the property owner. Every county, including Collin, Dallas, Tarrant, Denton, Harris, Bexar, and Travis are different, but they never penalize a homeowner for properly protesting their value.