Home address: 147 Rushwing Pl

2021 Taxable Value: $376,690                              

Recent Sales Price: $289,900 – Over-taxed by 30%

Montgomery County property investors far too often pay excess property taxes. One option to reduce your property taxes is to protest the market value. Unequal appraisal appeals are valid when the assessment is below market value. It is difficult to persuade property owners to protest their property taxes.  But 60 to 80% of those who do are successful.

Owners are sometimes reluctant to protest property taxes due to a concern their value might be raised.  This can’t and does not happen.  Since 2019, neither the appraisal district or the appraisal review board can increase a property tax assessment during a protest. Appraisal districts use mass appraisal to value property, basically a math model.  Overall results are OK.  However, many homes are too high or low. Most tax protests are settled at the informal level so appraisers can return to measuring and valuing new construction. Protesting your property taxes annually is analogous to regularly changing the oil in your car.  Preventative maintenance avoids serious problems.