Home address: 5950 Berkshire Ln
2021 Taxable Value: $175,870
Recent Sales Price: $140,000 – Over-taxed by 84%

Midland County home owners are often unaware of the factors that cause them to pay extra taxes. Appraisal districts are flexible on market value appeals given the large number of houses they value and that are protested. Unequal appraisal appeals are valid when the assessment is below market value. Woody Allen said “80% of success is showing up”. The same is true of property taxes. If you file an appeal and attend the hearing, your chance of reducing your property taxes is excellent.

Some property owners do not appeal due to a concern the appraisal district will want to inspect their house. However, the appraisal district is MUCH too busy during the appeal season to even think about asking to inspect a property. Assessors do not visit houses because of appeals. It is impossible for 2,272 Texas appraisal district appraisers to track physical condition and value for over 20 million properties. Tax protests are resolved at the informal hearing since the result is within a “reasonable range of value”. Appraisal is not an exact science and valuations are only an educated opinion of value, not a fact. Protesting your property taxes annually is analogous to regularly changing the oil in your car. Preventative maintenance avoids serious problems.