Property Tax911 Consulting Service

Last year nearly 350,000 tax protests were filed in Harris County alone.

Its Property Tax time again and this year more than ever a record numbers of property owners may be subjected to inflated property values and HIGHER PROPERTY TAXES. Property Owners are fed up with run away property taxes and the recent real estate boom has appraised values escalating at alarming rates. In addition, the mass appraisal system used by the Counties can and does make errors from time to time. These errors can cost you money and if you are like most homeowners you don't mind paying your fair share but do not want to over pay because of errors and over valuation caused by incorrect data or faulty comparables. Each year we represent property owners in Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery. Brazoria, and Galveston counties to help them beat sky high valuations and ensure that they are fairly assessed relative to market activity and inline their neighbors. Our skilled property tax consultants understand the appraisal methods used by the CAD's and the errors possible in mass appraisal.

Register Now. From start to finish we provide a risk free, contingency based, property tax management.

"The quick and efficient way to ensure your property taxes are fair and reasonable through agent represented administrative hearings with the Country Appraisal Districts."

Get Started Now.....Click Here! .....May 31 is the Deadline to File a Protest.

Is your home overvalued? Maybe - It Depends Who you Ask!

An appraisal is an opinion of value. Each year the appraisal district is charged with the responsibility of appraising and certifying values for several million parcels of real estate. Residential, Commercial, Industrial, Raw Land, Multi Family, etc. They do this for the various taxing entities for example, City of Houston, Harris County, School District, MUD, etc. Then, with these values certified your property taxes are calculated. The CADs (county appraisal districts) have to this very quickly and use a mass appraisal system to apply algorhythms and calculations to certify values by the fall deadline. Such a monumental task makes the possibility for errors and misinformation much more likely. The Property Tax Code gives the guidelines and sets forth a requirement known as , "uniform and equal", to ensure some parity between neighbors. The same code also provides for the protest remedies with which to fight inaccuracies and over-valuations with. Here's were we come in. We make sure you are fairly assessed through appraisal district protests and appeals. It should be noted we believe that for the most part the CAD's do an amazing job each year. Their task, to assess and certify millions of parcels of real estate for the taxing entities, is absolutely tremendous and generally they do a pretty good job. However, with the real estate market as it has been and apparently continues to be, there is room significant error in terms of comparable sales and data sets. Anomalies, if you will, that would seem to artificially increase your homes market value.

Register Now. From start to finish we provide a risk free, contingency based, property tax management service.

The quick and efficient way to ensure your property taxes are fair and reasonable through agent represented administrative hearings with the Country Appraisal Districts."

Get Started Now.....Click Here! .....May 31 is the Deadline to File a Protest!


Protest and be Heard. It is your Right and Duty.

Hold the Appraisal District Accountable for their opinion of value.

Filing a protest is a simple process. Many home owners file and attend their own hearings too. They take the time to locate date, review evidence and in short do everything necessary to prepare for the hearing. Some are successful and many are not. It takes time to understand the in's and out's of dealing with the bureaucracy of the appraisal district. However, more and more property owners are recognizing that the best way beat high property taxes is to have a professional firm manage the property tax account each and every year for them. Over time, these homeowners pay the least amount property taxes and are assured they are never paying more than their fair share.

Regardless of how your protest, there are some things that you will have to do. For one you must visit the appraisal district. Here you can gather data, review your property card for accuracy, attend preliminary informal and formal hearings. Be prepared to spend perhaps the entire day for your hearing. Although you are given a specific time, the work load the county has during its peak month (June-August) is mind boggling and delays are common. You and several hundred others will be waiting for their name to show up on the flat panel screens while watching CNN to pass the time. You will notice property tax agents wheeling around boxes of files of evidence that they intend to use in the cases they are handling for their clients. Many of these agents now the county employees by name, after all, they see many of the same people year after year and have developed some rapport. Its a hectic time for everyone involved. Property tax agents handle multiple properties per hearing and have their own special lines for registering and checking in. Of course, if you hire us to handle your property taxes, you will not need to deal with any of this. You will not have to attend any of the scheduled hearing nor research and gather evidence to support your values or refute the County's position. We do this for you. Enough already... cut to the chase....

Once you name is called, you will be ushered into a cubicle filled area full of appraisers who will matter of factly recite your properties information card and the evidence they feel substantiate their opinion of value. Then they will ask you for your opinion of value and possibly consider what you have said. It should be noted that not everything you say or present will be considered. Data provided by your Realtor may be of little use in these hearings. Also the CAD's have a way of discounting or even disregarding sales that would otherwise be considered as comparables. They have codes for comps and almost invariably, the sales that would most be to your benefit and seemingly substantiate a lower value are disallowed as "irregular" or "unverified". This can be extremely frustrating. The trained property tax agent on the other hand, handles hundreds of these meetings and know what can and cannot be considered. He also understands that the appraisers in the informal stage have limits to what they can agree to. Also, these informal interviews are strictly timed, so you must present your views succinctly and present only that which can be allowed and used. If the appraiser feels your view has some merit you will be offered a new value. If not, they will apologize and say no change is warranted. At that point you have the option of going to the "Boards" and if so, you will be asked to take a seat, watch some CNN again and wait for your name to be called for the formal hearing. If it is close to lunch time, you will most likely have to come back after 1PM. Our clients do not have to do any of this.

Register Now. From start to finish we provide a risk free, contingency based, property tax management service.

The quick and efficient way to ensure your property taxes are fair and reasonable through agent represented administrative hearings with the Country Appraisal Districts."

Get Started Now.....Click Here! .....May 31 is the Deadline to File a Protest!

The Boards.... The Formal ARB Hearing

The ARB or the appraisal review board, is where cases that were not settled by informal interviews go for final resolution (hopefully). These are much more organized and controlled proceedings. In fact, you are sworn in and they are audio recorded. These hearing are held in actual offices where a senior county appraiser represents the county and three impartial citizens confer to make binding decisions on your case. These members of the ARB are paid by the county for their time and help in reviewing these cases. One of the three will lead the hearings and offer instructions for how the hearing is to proceed. Of course, if you are an agent, they will dispense with the formalities and move right along and begin the hearing.

The county appraiser goes first and in general pretty much echoes what was discussed in the informal interview. You are then given the opportunity to rebut and present your evidence. Then the appraiser rebuts your evidence (if any) and restates their opinion of value. The ARB takes a few minutes to confer and offers up their agreed opinion value to be entered into the record. And Voila, just like that the hearing is over. Hopefully you are satisfied with the results and if you planned, researched and presented properly, you should be. However, if you are not, there are still other options afforded to you by State Law. We represent property owners through all stages of the property tax appeal process. We handle the entire matter for you from start to finish.

Register Now. From start to finish we provide a risk free, contingency based, property tax management service.

"The quick and efficient way to ensure your property taxes are fair and reasonable through agent represented administrative hearings with the Country Appraisal Districts."

Get Started Now.....Click Here! .....May 31 is the Deadline to File a Protest!

Beyond the ARB...

Arbitration and Civil Suits to help fight unfair property valuations

In 2006, the Texas property code provided another level of relief for property owners not satisfied with the results from the ARB hearings. If you home is valued at less that one million dollars you may qualify for binding arbitration. We have undergone specific training in property tax arbitration and are registered property tax arbitrators as well. In fact, not only do we preside of arbitration cases, we can initiate and represent clients in property tax arbitration cases. Again, you handle the arbitration on your own but the rules for arbitration proceedings and evidence submission are very specific. For best results, take the time to learn these in advance of your hearings. It is essential that you properly prepare for arbitration hearing. There is not much room for error if you do not. We can take your case to arbitration as part of our property tax management service.

Also available as a relief, is quite simply to file a law suit. This is done more in commercial cases although it can be done for residential properties as well. However, the new arbitration law is meant to give homeowners an option other than filing a civil suit and it practices it works just as well at less cost. If you property is valued at over a million dollars or is a commercial parcel, then district court is the place to file this suit. There is movement to allow property owners to bring suit in small claims court but as of this writing that has not been effected yet. We help our clients in civil property tax suits be referral to a specialized property tax attorneys.
Register Now. From start to finish we provide a risk free, contingency based, property tax management service.

The quick and efficient way to ensure your property taxes are fair and reasonable through agent represented administrative hearings with the Country Appraisal Districts."

Get Started Now.....Click Here! .....May 31 is the Deadline to File a Protest!

Why choose us? The short story....

I am a real estate professional with over ten years experience. As a resident of Royal Oaks Country Club & Tiki Island, I was especially hit by unfair valuations and over six years ago began dealing with the CADs regularly. I represent many of your neighbors and have an excellent tract record. 95% of my property tax practice is for properties in River Oaks Country Club, Royal Oaks Country Club & Tiki Island. By specializing in these communities, I have been able to assemble an excellent data set with which to challenge the CAD. Often, there are things that we know that are unknown to the CAD and to other property tax firms. For example, how will the new flood maps effect values? If your home is now in the flood zone, when it previously wasn't, that should have an effect on your property value.

Each year we get better and better at working with the appraisal districts to get you fair valuations. The first years were tough. Very little of what you present is accepted but as time goes by you begin to learn how best to deal with the bureaucracy and win your protests. You begin to learn who the players are, the senior inspectors, the administrative personnel, and the system in general. This translates to results for clients.

We offer this service on a contingency basis. We only earn a fee when we secure a reduction in appraised value. If we do not reduce your values, you do not pay us a penny. We file protests, interview you (the property owners), visit the property (sometimes on the inside), research the markets, review the county's evidence, check your property card for accuracy, make sure you get all of your entitled exemptions, attend both the informal and formal hearings and if necessary, prepare for arbitration or refer for civil suit. All of this is done for you risk and hassle free each year.