I had efiled in the spring and they graciously offered to lower my value 5000.
I didn't accept and instead went yesterday for the formal hearing (and it was 5
hours including drive time). They offered 30000 yesterday and I accepted.
They lowered my sister's 100000...although she had a square ft issue that was
wrong. We also brought pics (of no improvements) and they went from a "good" to
"fair" condition. And yes that new number you get is good for two years.
Overall seemed worth it to either hire an agency or do it yourself.
Tina
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
-------- Original message --------
From: Matthew Janiga <m.d.janiga@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: 8/14/19 6:02 PM (GMT-06:00)
To: covna@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [covna] Re: Property Tax Appraisal Protests
FYI - you can file your protest online.
https://www.traviscad.org/eservices/
Thanks,
Matt
On Wed, Aug 14, 2019, 17:07 margaret & pat roach
<margaretpatroach@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:margaretpatroach@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Hi Neighbors, I also was at TCAD today. When I arrived for my 1:15 appt, the
10:30 appts were just being called. Hundreds of people there, some standing or
sitting on the floor. I spoke w/ a couple of tax folks at a table & learned
that I could submit my info, have it quickly evaluated by some experts in the
back room who would propose an appraisal figure to me, and, if I accepted their
“offer”, I could sign an affidavit saying I agreed to a hearing w/o my
presence. I would then be required to accept the number that the board
decreed. I was advised by then patient lady at the table that the board
members would most probably go with the number from the first, cursory
examination of my case. So, been unwilling to wait 3 hrs, I signed and left.
But, before leaving I verified what I’d been told at our last protest (but that
I didn’t entirely understand or believe): getting your appraisal reduced does
NOT affect the amount you owe the county. That amount is based on your
ASSESSMENT. These protests only address the appraisal. You may not talk or
write to the board about the assessment. It’s evidently carved in stone. So I
think I’m getting about $7K knocked off my appraisal, but I will still write a
check for the same amount in January. My take: total waste of time & gas to
take the more-than-30-minute drive out there. You won’t save a penny. Now,
the good news: a new law requires these appraisals & assessments to be done ;
every other year. The numbers you have this year are exactly what you’ll have
next year. See y’all at the Saturday bash. ……Margaret on Queenswood
On Aug 14, 2019, at 3:17 PM, Stephen Anguiano
<sranguiano@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:sranguiano@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
I'm back after two hours later than my 10 am appointment. I had my time to talk
and make my case at the formal protest at the TCAD. I was able to double my
savings from the TCAD initial offer. A lot of people and standing room only
(sometimes) waiting rooms and terrible parking.
I highly recommend you do not accept the initial offer if you feel you can
present a case that your home has no updates or lavish updates to your
neighbor's property. I recommend you keep a lot of those mailing of "Recently
Sold" mailer we get from our neighborhood realtors and take pictures of those
home because that is your competition the TCAD is going to use for recent homes
sold in the neighborhood.
I hope to make it on Saturday for the Summer picnic any teenagers in the hood?
I have 14yr old(male) and 12 yr old(female)
Thanks
Stephen
On Wed, Aug 14, 2019 at 9:46 AM Roaches Gmail
<margaretpatroach@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:margaretpatroach@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
And did they tell you exactly the amount of dollars & cents this adjustment
would make? They have told me that our tax bill is based in the assessment,
not the appraisal.
Sent from my iPhone
On Aug 14, 2019, at 9:17 AM, Jeremy Baran
<jjb4314@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:jjb4314@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Good luck Stephen! $20k sounds pretty good but I understand it’s not ideal that
you have the most expensive property. After my protest they lowered their
appraisal $80! Yeah, eighty.
On Aug 14, 2019, at 7:30 AM, Stephen Anguiano
<sranguiano@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:sranguiano@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Morning,
I have an appointment today with the TCAD, and I did not accept there counter
offer of 20k lower than their initial appraisal. It would still make my home on
Monarch the most expensive home on the street even though I have not made any
updates since purchasing the property in 2014.
Dorothy, you on to something, but the data collection process needs to start
now for next year appraisal and requesting data from the TCAD to see all the
exemptions codes used in the neighborhood other than the standard homestead
exemption.
Also, I not sure if you are aware the TCAD purchased earlier this year the
Austin Realtors MLS data that doesn't help any.
Thanks,
Stephen Anguiano
On Thu, Jul 11, 2019 at 12:20 PM b k
<gazorna@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:gazorna@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
That's great. In the four houses I've bought/sold in the Austin area that has
not been the case so I'm gonna go with my strategy, i.e. don't protest property
tax hikes.
On Thu, Jul 11, 2019 at 11:29 AM Ross Ciomperlik
<rciomperlik@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:rciomperlik@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Our tax appraisal was greater than $100k lower than what our house was
appraised for at the time of purchase. There should be no fear of fighting to
lower your taxes.
Ross
On Thu, Jul 11, 2019, 8:48 AM b k <gazorna@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:gazorna@xxxxxxxxx>>
wrote:
That is true, generally speaking. But the two values track each other, at
least in Travis and Williamson counties. If you're buying a house and the tax
appraisal is far lower (like more than 30%) than the asking price, it's a good
bet that the bank won't appraise the house favorably. A good way to check this
is to view recent home sales final price against the tax records.
When I bought my house the sellers wound up dropping the price because the bank
didn't appraise for their asking price; when checking the tax records I could
see that this house's tax appraisal was low; some folks even use this as a
strategy - go in with a high offer and when the bank says appraisal too low get
the sellers to drop the price accordingly.
On Thu, Jul 11, 2019 at 9:26 AM Ross Ciomperlik
<rciomperlik@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:rciomperlik@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Loans are based on an different appraisal you pay for at the time of purchase
that is required by the bank providing the loan. It is independent of the tax
appraised value.
Ross
On Thu, Jul 11, 2019, 8:15 AM Jeremy Baran
<jjb4314@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:jjb4314@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
That is very true Rebecca, they are different. But, the assessed value still
matters when purchasing a property. It could actually cause someone to be
denied a loan.
For instance
Purchase price $450,000
Down payment $90,000
Loan amount $360,000
If the assessed value of the property is below $360,000 in this case, you
wouldn’t be approved to purchase the property. So they are some consequences
for people selling.
On Jul 11, 2019, at 9:05 AM, Rebecca Klier (Redacted sender "rklier" for DMARC)
<dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Market value and assessed values are totally different numbers-so protesting
for lower tax value wouldn’t necessarily affect your asking price.
A lower tax rate could help a buyer decide on one area verses another.
Becky
rebecca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:rebecca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
www.deutschemexicana.com<http://www.deutschemexicana.com/>
www.instagram.com/deutschemexicana<http://www.instagram.com/deutschemexicana>
On Jul 10, 2019, at 10:35 PM, Rebecca Klier (Redacted sender "rklier" for
DMARC) <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
We have been protesting for the last 7 years or so. Generally we are able to
get a reduction based on the fact that we have not made any improvements since
we moved in 12 yrs ago. It is getting harder and harder to satisfy TCAD based
on the increase in land value and property appraisals in our neighborhood. They
seem to take advantage that many do not protest -and continue to raise every
year which makes it harder to convince them the value should be less!
They make it so easy for the informal protest-you can request a reduction
online! Please make sure you take advantage of this easy option next year!
Becky
rebecca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:rebecca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
www.deutschemexicana.com<http://www.deutschemexicana.com/>
www.instagram.com/deutschemexicana<http://www.instagram.com/deutschemexicana>
On Jul 10, 2019, at 9:23 PM, Heather Jank
<heatherjank73@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:heatherjank73@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Our original appraised value for 2019 was a 12% increase over 2018. We used
Five Stone Tax Advisors to protest, and they were able to lower that to the 10%
cap, but no lower.
I’ve protested the last 5 years, both online, with realtor appraisals and
through protest companies and have really gotten nowhere. It always goes.up 10%
over the previous year. The land value increases over the last 6 years are
insane.
Heather JanK
Ramblewood
On Jul 10, 2019, at 7:27 PM, Margaret McKinney
<margaretemckinney20@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:margaretemckinney20@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Thank you Dorothy. We did not file a protest, but maybe next year.
Margaret
On Wed, Jul 10, 2019 at 7:05 PM Rita Thompson
<dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Dorothy thank you for your willingness to help our community as a whole. We
have done nothing in this regard but happy to be part of a neighborhood
response in the future Thank you
Rita
Sent from my iPhone
On Jul 10, 2019, at 6:50 PM, Jeremy Baran
<jjb4314@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:jjb4314@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Hey Dorothy,
I agree with your statement about getting more people in the neighborhood to
protest. I used a company to file my protest and figure out all the numbers, I
just haven’t heard back from them. But the more people who protest, and win, in
our neighborhood the better. Wish I could help you more with numbers, but I’m
still in wait and see mode.
Thanks,
Jeremy
On Jul 10, 2019, at 5:46 PM, Dorothy Trainer
<DorothyTrainer@xxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:DorothyTrainer@xxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Afternoon Neighbors,
I was curious how everyone is doing with their tax appraisal protests?
After studying our neighborhood I found that nearly everyone saw an increase of
10% across the board which is the maximum for Homestead properties year over
year. I noticed that several homes were marked with a E File Protest in
progress and I was curious if anyone has had success in protesting and
receiving under 10%? We filed an E File and received a counter offer and I
wanted to check-in with everyone before making a decision on excepting or
denying.
Next year, I think we all need to ban together and have the entire neighborhood
protest. The E File is very easy (and free to submit!) and I would be willing
to help neighbors with the process so we can have a larger presence and
ultimately better control the crazy increases we are all seeing. Judging by
the recent trends, every lot in COVNA will increase in value by $50,000 in the
two years so we should all be vigilant in the process to fight against this.
Here's a link to the site if you would like to research the neighborhood
increase trends:
http://propaccess.traviscad.org/clientdb/?cid=1
Thanks to everyone for your input!
Sincerely,
Dorothy Trainer
--
Isaiah 43:1 Do not fear for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name and
you are mine.
