Tarrant Appraisal District extends deadline for property protests
TARRANT COUNTY (CBSNewsTexas.com) – The clock is ticking for North Texas homeowners to protest their 2023 property appraisals.
The deadline to submit an appeal is on May 15, less than two weeks away.
"If you miss that deadline, you will not be appealing or protesting your tax assessment this year," said Colton Pace, the cofounder and CEO of Ownwell, a property tax firm that files for exemptions or protests on behalf of homeowners. "That's why this time period is so important."
Homeowners in Tarrant County have a little bit longer to file their protests. The Tarrant Appraisal District extended the deadline to the end of May because of problems with the website.
Values, and eventually taxes, are up big for yet another year.
"We encourage all homeowners and property owners across the state of Texas to protest," Pace said. "At the very least, you will feel confident paying your property tax bill at the end of the year knowing that you are not overpaying and there's nothing left on the table. There are hundreds and thousands of dollars left on the table if you do not protest every single year."
The more the appraisal district says your property is worth, the higher your property taxes.
According to Pace, values have increased so much this year, it may be difficult to save money on your tax bill if you have a homestead exemption.
However, if you can get your market value reduced, it will help you save in the future.
"Then next year, your assessed value, the max it could go up again is 10%, and because we've reduced that base, it's unlikely it would go up more than that," he said.
If you want a professional to handle your protest, Pace recommends reading the fine print. Ownwell only charges a 25% fee if they're able to save you money.
"There are some firms out there that will charge you a fee no matter what or their contingency fee is very large," said Pace.
Tax consultants can file the paperwork, gather all the evidence and data, and the hearings on your behalf, but Pace doesn't think you have to hire someone to get results.
"If you want to do it yourself, it's absolutely better than doing nothing at all," he said. "And you can. You can reach out to a local realtor or someone in the space who can give you market data to come into the appeal with so you can be successful."
After you file a protest, you'll receive a written notice with the date and time for your formal hearing with the appraisal review board.