Save Me Steve: Protest Your Property Tax Appraisal

By now you should have received the notice of appraised value if you own property. Consumer reporter Steve Noviello is here with why you need to act fact if you plan to protest.

For years the deadline for protesting has been May 31. But this year it was changed to May 15. The notices went out early to accommodate the change.

While the dates may have changed, your job as a property owner has not. It is your right to protest your appraised value regardless of whether or not your value has changed.

If you are planning to do so, it’s important to give appraisers a target. For example, if your home jumped because newer updated homes in your neighborhood have sold for top dollar, provide details of where your home doesn’t compare.

Maybe you filled in the pool in the yard or maybe your home is updated or needs repair. If it does, get estimates of what those repairs will cost. That way you can document the value of repairs by which the tax value should be lowered.

If you bought your home last year and the tax value is more than you paid, submit your closing statement to lower the value. A real estate agent can provide you with comps for your neighborhood for a perspective.

Remember, the appraisal district doesn’t visit each home. These are mass appraisals. Especially if you live in a neighborhood where there have been lots of sales, it is your job to make sure the value is correct.

One of the most important steps and easiest to do is make sure you have the proper exemptions filed like homestead, disability or 65 and older exemptions. All those will save you money and are free to file on your own.

A lot of people have specific questions about their individual situation. Steve chatted with Dallas Central Appraisal District's Cheryl Jordan live on Facebook to try to answer as many of those questions as possible.

She tackled everything from what you need to know about your tax value to deferring your tax bill if you are a senior and the rising value of your neighborhood making your tax bill too much to bear.

To watch, visit facebook.com/SaveMeSteve/videos/1932678076766540/