Did you open your latest notice from the appraisal district?

If you saw an increase in your appraised value, you are not alone.  Jefferson County Appraisal District completes a reappraisal process of every property in the district once every two years.  In order to appraise every property in the district the county uses a mass appraisal process. 

Most homes are appraised by the market value method.  Appraisers look at what other homes similar to your home have sold for to determine whether a price change is in order.  When you have some recent sales in your neighborhood, watch those sales prices! If they are going up then you can expect your home’s value to go up the next time it is appraised. 

What can a homeowner do if they don’t agree with the district’s value?

JCAD Protest Process gives the Taxpayer the right to protest the value of their property.  As a homeowner you can protest the following:

1. The market value of your property as determined by JCAD.
2. If your property is valued unequally compared to other similar properties.
3. If you have been denied an exemption.
4. If the appraisal records show an incorrect owner.
5. If the property is being taxed by the wrong taxing unit.

You have the right to protest any Appraisal District action that affects you and your property.  To file a protest, you need to do it in writing, and it needs to be done by the deadline. 

Deadline for filing a protest is May 31 in Jefferson County. 

Orange County Appraisal District keeps a list of the most frequently asked questions about appraisals in Orange County. The State Comptroller’s Office also provides information to taxpayers about their rights.  Hardin County Appraisal District provides information on properties in Lumberton and all of Hardin County.  The Hardin County site will link you to the State Comptroller’s office for specific information about the appraisal process. 

With the health and growth of the Southeast Texas real estate market, many homeowners are going to have an increase in their property tax assessment this year.  You can choose to protest your increase if you feel you property has been improperly assessed.  If you do, you’ll need the help of someone in the real estate business who can help you with comparable sales.  You can hire an appraiser to give you a new appraisal of your property.  It will cost you a few hundred dollars.  You can also ask a local Realtor to prepare a competitive market analysis for you.  It’s free in most cases.   What you may find is the your home really has gone up in value, and while that is a good thing, because your home is worth more than you paid for it.  It also means you’ll be paying more in property taxes. 

The down side of a great real estate market is that the tax man always gets his share.  Unless a mistake has been made, its a tough fight to win.