Marc Duvoisin
Staff Writer, San Antonio Express News
April 10, 2023
Property tax season in Bexar County is in full swing. The Bexar Appraisal District has begun mailing out Notices of Appraised Value. You’ll get yours shortly, if you haven’t already. It’s an estimate of what your home is worth.
Broadly speaking, the higher the appraised value, the more you’ll owe in property taxes. If you think the appraisal district got it wrong and overvalued your home, not to worry: You can appeal. If you’re successful, you’ll pay less in taxes.
Our last FAQ alerted you to the May 15 deadline to file an appeal (technically, a “protest”). In this one, we focus on the intricacies of the process.
When you protest your valuation, you have to mind the details. One false move can cost you.
There’s one particular box you have to be sure to check.
What box is that?
Before we get there, let’s review the basics. Take a look at your Notice of Appraised Value, or NOAV. Check that your name and address are right. Make sure the description of your property is correct, and that the notice lists all exemptions you qualify for, such as the General Residence Homestead Exemption (if the home is your primary residence, you qualify for this one).
What if the appraised value seems too high?
Bingo, that’s what a protest is for.
How do I file a protest?
Your NOAV has two sides. The back side is your Notice of Protest. Fill that out and submit it by mail or electronically.
Is it that simple?
By no means. As you complete the form, pay special attention to Section 3, “Reason for Protest.”
There are 12 possible reasons listed, and they’re all over the map. You can choose more than one. But be careful which one (s) you select. You have a lot riding on this decision.
As the NOAV says: “Failure to select the box that corresponds to each reason for your protest may result in your inability to protest an issue that you want to pursue.”
How do I protect myself?
Check the first box, the one for “incorrect appraised (market) value and/or value is unequal compared with other properties.”
That’s a mouthful, but it captures the reason you’re appealing if you think your appraised value is too high. It gives you the widest latitude in contesting the district’s valuation of your home.
Don’t take our word for it. Here’s what the Texas comptroller of public accounts says in a tip sheet on property taxes:
“In the case of a typical residential property, checking incorrect appraised value and/or unequal appraisal will allow you to present the widest types of evidence and preserve your full appeal rights.”
What else should I be on the lookout for?
There’s another box you should check if you’re filing a protest. It’s toward the bottom of the form and it says, “evidence requested.” To make it easier to find, it’s in red. Checking this box ensures that the appraisal district will provide you the factual basis for its valuation of your home.
Once you know how the district arrived at a market value for your property, you’re in a better position to challenge their estimate. What’s the old saying? “Knowledge is power.”
Am I done?
Not yet. You can’t just demand that your appraised value be reduced. You have to make a case based on the facts. You have to assemble evidence, such as repairs your home needs, engineering reports on your troubled foundation or sales of comparable properties. You can submit documents, photos and other evidence by hard copy or on a CD, thumb drive or other “portable electronic device.”
Is the appraisal district willing to negotiate?
Yes, they are. You can request an informal conference with district staff to discuss your objections and see if they’ll lower the valuation. Most protests over appraised value are resolved at this stage. All meetings are held by phone or teleconference.
What if we can’t work it out?
Then your protest goes before the Appraisal Review Board.
What’s that?
It a panel of citizens appointed by the local administrative judge for Bexar County, and it’s independent of the appraisal district. Hearings are held in person at the appraisal district’s offices at 411 North Frio St., by phone or by Zoom. You and the district will each present your case. Then the board will decide.
One thing in your favor: The appraisal district bears the burden of proof.
How can I be sure the board will act impartially?
There are no guarantees, but there are rules. For instance, no one who does business with the appraisal district can serve on the Appraisal Review Board. Nor can anyone who is related by blood or marriage to an appraiser for the district.
The names of those serving on Bexar County’s Appraisal Review Board are a matter of public record. You can find the list here, along with further explanation of what the board does.
What if I don’t like the board’s decision?
You can appeal to state district court.
Any other advice?
If you ask for an informal conference, you should still file your Notice of Protest with the appraisal district. That way, you preserve your right to take your protest to the Appraisal Review Board in the event you can’t negotiate a settlement informally.