| There are methods in place in Texas that will help you | | | | Next, establish your correct property value. Texas |
| to reduce or remove your property taxes. The first | | | | districts of appraisal usually recognize three separate |
| step is filling out an appeal form that is provided by the | | | | approaches used to determine the market value, when |
| appraisal district. Alternately, you may send a brief | | | | they grant reductions in assessments of property for |
| letter to the central appraisal district, that states that | | | | tax purposes. Those most often used approaches |
| you are officially protesting your property taxes. The | | | | include Sales Comparison Approach, Cost Approach |
| basis of this opposition is your assessed value being | | | | and Income Approach. Additionally, recent rulings in |
| higher than the market value of your property, and the | | | | court have helped to pave the way to encourage |
| fundamentals of equal appraisal. You may protest your | | | | even more districts to recognize unequal appraisal |
| taxes annually, in order to effectively minimize your | | | | when valuing property, as it it provided in the Tax |
| taxes on property. | | | | Code for Texas Property. Analyze the unequal |
| Next, research the Record Card at the Central | | | | appraisal and the market value when you prepare to |
| Appraisal District. There is a card for every piece of | | | | appeal your Texas Property Tax. |
| property they assess. It contains pertinent information, | | | | After you file your protest, you'll be given a hearing |
| including building size, lot size, amenities and more. You | | | | date and time. This meeting will be conducted at the |
| can get a copy of this information at the district office, | | | | appraisal district office with a staff appraiser. The |
| for a nominal fee, if any. But you can review a good | | | | meeting only usually lasts about fifteen minutes. When |
| deal of the basic information on the website of your | | | | it is over, the appraiser will establish a lower |
| appraisal district, too. If you have any questions about | | | | assessment or indicate that he can't make |
| the information, ask the district office staff. Errors on | | | | adjustments in your case. The informal hearing usually |
| your record card can be used as a proper basis for | | | | resolves most property tax appeals for residential |
| your protest. It's not humanly possible for the district to | | | | taxpayers. |
| maintain accurate data for each property in the county. | | | | |