Houston Property Tax Protest Appraisals
Professional Appraisal To Fight Property Taxes In Houston
At Houston Appraisal Company we provide clients with appraisal reports designed to assist in disputing real estate assessment values in Harris, Montgomery, Fort Bend, Galveston and Brazoria counties for both residential and commercial properties.
For homeowners, property taxes are the one housing expense that you have little control over. Any number of situations can cause an increase in the assessed value assigned by the county and result in your paying too much in real estate taxes. The truth is, the county no longer performs “in person” assessments and their property data is often incorrect. This results in many homeowners paying too much in property tax due to faulty assumptions.
The Most Common Residential Property Tax Errors Include:
- Incorrect gross living area calculation
- Incorrect quality or condition rating
- Value increases based on permits but work never completed
- Old market data (neighborhood values decreasing but not taxes)
- Change in FEMA flood zones
As a taxpayer in Texas, you have a legal right to dispute the appraisal district’s appraised value of your home. The process is usually straight-forward but will absolutely require a recent appraisal performed by a Texas licensed appraiser. If your dispute isn’t related to value then other documentation will suffice (i.e. wrong name, denied exemption, new survey, etc.).
Property Tax Protest Process In The Houston Area
For residential property there are two methods that can be used for protesting your taxes – An appraisal that includes a Sales Comparison, or an Unequal Assessment analysis. Independent appraisal firms such as ours specialize in providing fulls appraisals with a sales comparison method included, while large “tax specialist” firms deal with unequal assessment reports. What’s the difference?
A full appraisal is irrefutable evidence of value since it is performed by a State Licensed appraiser. The appraisal district cannot argue the final opinion of value on a presented appraisal report without performing the complete “appraisal review” process as required by USPAP – a code of standards and ethics which all appraisers must adhere to.
An unequal assessment analysis is a much simpler process by which similar homes in your market area, which are being taxed at a lower amount than your property, are used a basis for lowering your taxes. Unfortunately this method doesn’t have near the impact as a full appraisal and it is usually performed en mass by large firms that earn a percentage of your tax savings instead of a flat fee.
Common Home Appraisal Questions
After an order has been placed and the inspection has been completed, a report can typically take five to seven business days before delivery.When the field work is finished, the appraiser completes the report at his office. The report can consist of a short form report (typically under ten pages) to a long narrative report which can sometimes exceed a hundred pages.A short form report usually takes between three to six hours to complete. Because most narrative reports provide a substantial amount of in-depth information about the subject property, they can take much longer than any other report.
The extent of the appraiser’s data collection, analysis, and reporting is determined by the complexity of the appraisal assignment. We review recent sales, market trends and proposed area changes to get a macro view of the market. We then compare the most similar properties to yours and make adjustments for differences which comprises the micro view.
Real estate makes up the largest asset class in the world, making the proper valuation of it essential to the global economy. It is the job of the professional appraiser to determine these values by gathering, analyzing, and applying information pertinent to a property. In the case of tax values, the appraiser’s professional opinion acts as an unbiased and realistic value to be used for assessment purposes. While you can try and “go it alone”, most people do not find much success at the county appraisal office without an appraisal report.
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#1 Independent Home Appraisers In Houston
We’ve Worked with Real Estate Professionals and Private Clients Throughout the Greater Houston Area Since 2005. Since Then We’ve Become One of the Highest Rated Independent Real Estate Appraisal Firms in Houston Based on Actual Customer Reviews.
Our Reviews Speak for Themselves!
Rated 5/5 based on 7 customer reviews
David N.
“I’ve used this company several times for appraisal work I had in the Houston area. I chose them initially because they are very competitively priced but I continue to use them because their service is top notch.”
Martin M.
“Appraiser came out and did his thing. Received my appraisal in the time quoted. Value seemed reasonable. I’d really recommend them or use them again if ever needed.”
Jim M.
“I needed an appraisal for a property we own in the Memorial area. Our appraiser was professional, courteous, thorough, and helpful. Documentation that was provided following his appraisal was complete and showed significant attention to detail. I didn’t meet him personally but was told the appraisal was friendly and personable as well.”
Matthew G.
“They came out quickly. Super friendly and professional. Lots of follow up and answered any questions I had. All in all I would definitely recommend.”
Matt H.
“The appraiser completed a pre and post-flood appraisal for our home that was flooded. He was very thorough and a pleasure to work with. I would highly recommend!”
Daniella W.
“They were fast and not too expensive. Gave us a good value for my momma’s home.”
Hastings L.
“Our client was very happy with the appraisal report and the process. A+ service!”
