ATX Vendor Guide – Property Taxes

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Protest Your Property Taxes

Paying taxes due is ony fun in a game of Monopoly. In Texas, this is especially the case. While we enjoy no income tax on personal income, we do pay between 1 – 3% of assessed value for our homes and investment properties. That can add up, especially given the strength of our market. Appealing your property tax assessment is a must to attempt to gain a bit of relief from the very real pain of taxes.

Every year, Austin Roundrock MSA property owners whose market value has increased by at least $1,000 over the last year will receive a Notice of Appraised Value. This notice differs somewhat based on the County but in general contains three important values:

Market value: This is the value based on what your property would sell for as of January 1.
Assessed value: This is the reduced value of your property based on limitations provided by having a homestead or other exemptions.
Taxable value: This is the assessed value minus any exemption amounts. It is the value used to calculate your property taxes for each taxing unit (for example, the school district, the water district, etc)

If you believe the market value of your property is incorrect, you have the right to protest that value. By law, property owners who wish to file a protest must do so before May 15^th or within thirty days after a notice of appraised value is delivered. The deadline to file your protest for the 2023 protest season depends on the county but working with a professional is highly recommended.

Reasons to protest your assessment include items such as overvalued when compared to comparable homes, errors in the assessment such as sq ft, and missing exemptions including senior or homestead exemptions.