Today I received my 2019 Notice of Appraised Value for my San Antonio home. If you reside in Bexar County, you may have received your notice too.
In Bexar County, 90% of all homeowners, never protest their Bexar County property tax bill. Only 10% try to protest. Of those 10% of homeowners that decide to protest, 75% successfully get their bill reduced.
Personally, I believe every homeowner should complete the “Notice of Protest form” and turn it in before the May 15th deadline. After the Bexar County Appraisal District receives your form, you will get a letter back, with a date to appear at an “Informal Hearing.” The date will be at least 2 weeks after you receive your letter to appear, which gives you plenty of time to prepare for the hearing or to decide not to appear. It’s your right, and it will not cost you anything.
Tips to complete the Notice of Protest form;
Section 1 & Section 2 should already have your Property Information.
Pay “particular attention” to Section 3: Reason for Protest
I always checkbox (2) places
- Incorrect appraised (market) value
- Value is unequal compared to other properties.
Section 4: Provide facts that may help resolve this protest….
You can write a reason, but I recommend you don’t and don’t indicate a value.
Section 5 add your name, signature and date.
On the 2019 form, please check the box Evidence Requested!
*If there is no Evidence Requested box, clearly write on the form:
“Requesting Evidence Packet” in blue ink.
You want the Bexar Appraisal District to mail you the “Evidence Packet” as the Evidence Packet will be a printout of all your neighbor’s proposed property tax values so you can compare to your proposed value, plus the Evidence Packet will list homes that sold in your neighborhood that the Tax Appraiser will use to compare to your home. So, request the Evidence Packet when you turn in your Notice of Protest form.
Remember the Notice of Protest form must arrive at the Bexar Appraisal District office on or before May 15th, 2019.
Please know: You have the option of completing your Bexar County Property Tax “Electronically,” but I do not recommend Protesting without being face to face with the tax appraiser. But you do have the option.
Return the Notice of Protest form before May 15th
Personally, I wait until the Monday before Wednesday, May 15th, to personally hand deliver my Notice of Protest form, to the Bexar Appraisal District. Then while I am there, I get in line to get my “Evidence Packet” printout from the representative. I usually wait 10 or 15 minutes, but the Evidence Packet printout is very important for my protest efforts.
When I decide to start preparing for the Property Tax Protest, I will use the “Evidence Packet” as my reference guide, knowing the material the Tax Appraiser will use to justify my home value will be very helpful to me.
Notice of Protest Preparation: Step 1.
Contact your local trusted real estate agent. Ask the agent to email you MLS details for the homes all details of homes sold in your (subdivision) neighborhood between June 2018 thru December 31st, 2018 as comparable properties. Make sure the Sold homes in your Evidence Packet are included with those sold homes you got from the real estate agent.
Now, if you don’t want to call a real estate agent to assist you, you will be able to access the sold homes details online @ www.Realtor.com and www.Zillow.com .
You will discover many neighbors have sold their homes for a higher price than your home’s proposed value.
Pay “particular attention” to the upgrades your neighbors have, especially upgrades that your home does not have. For example, new roof, new paint in and out, new flooring, new windows, new AC system, remodeling, new appliances, etc.
Step 2: Compare (unequal value) to your neighbors
This is the method that is most helpful for me. I go online to the County website @ http://www.bcad.org/clientdb/?cid=1 and simply look at homes in my (subdivision) neighborhood that are of similar size as my home. I compare the upgrades (Improvements) listed on the website compared to my property. For example, my home is one story. Many of my neighbors have two story homes, they seem to have an extra bathroom that my home does not have. How much does it cost to add another bathroom? How much credit (deduction) should I be entitled to?
Step 3: TAKE NEEDED PICTURES & TAKE CONTRACTOR ESTIMATES to the Hearing
Take pictures of your property to show you do not have the upgrades that your neighbors have or that the sold homes have. You will want at 2 sets of all pictures for your protest, plus get contactor estimates (in writing) for new roof, AC system, Flooring, Paint, Windows and other damaged parts of your home.
If you want more detailed information, “how I prepare my protest, watch my Bexar County Property Taxes protest videos @ https://lesearls.com/homeowners/
#Bexar County Property Tax Protest