non profit harris county. property taxes. taxpayers for equal appraisal.real property.

Lower your taxes
the easy way:

Become an ARB member.

Taxpayers for Equal Appraisal is setting out these 2 cases to show you how easy it is to protest your property taxes. You sit in a small room with long tables for the panel members (usually 3 ARB members) and you sit at another table with whomever you bring with you, and simply state your case.

Two stories for you to read:

The first story is the text of the exact words recorded by Taxpayers for Equal Appraisal at a protestation of property taxes about how a member of the Appraisal Review Board protested his property tax valuation before the ARB, of which he is a member.

The second story is a paraphrase of another ARB member protesting her property taxes.

Story number one:

The subject property is located between Highway 290 and Highway 249, in zip code 77070, and in the subdivision known as: LAKEWOOD FOREST SEC 1; HCAD Account #: 1054890000076.

The ARB chairman of the panel that day on this protest review speaks to the ARB member, Dick Kregel who is protesting his property taxes:

Kregel asked for $152,000 and got $148,000!

The Chairman: “Let us hear your testimony. That’ll be #152.”

Dick Kregel said, “These are some of the factors I feel that the computer really doesn’t take into consideration. You realize that we are doing mass appraisals; and I am not too certain whether all these factors are included into the computer program. But anyway this house has a flat roof and appraises I’ve heard anywhere from a reduction of 10 to 25 percent; we have traffic on the road; the house has never been updated; we have the original carpeting upstairs, downstairs; there is a pipeline easement about on the second block over. The home was built in 1976; the exterior is adobe brick which you know there is a problem with that; piping is galvanized; it is outmoded design; homes in Cypresswood are difficult to sell. And you can see there’s not even a lot of sales in the area; but uh not too many sold on Cypresswood. One of the problems there is they are competing against new homes. And people when they come into the subdivision want to buy a new home. rather than an older one. We have one of the larger homes in the area compared to the others. Because when I came here 25 years ago I had 4 kids. And also we are getting an effect right now from Compaq. Compaq is laying off 8000 employees and as a result of that a lot of home are being sold. In fact I know of one home where somebody moved right out of the house. Also, repairs are required as of 01/01/01. There is a new roof, which has been replaced, but it was required as of 01/01; painting, heating/air conditioning units 25- 26 years old needs replacement; cost me probably 5,000 dollars. So, in reality I feel that even the value that I have given you is too high. But where I came up with that value is the ratio study and that ratio study is prepared by the District using comparable sales in the area. I still feel even the sales that they’ve used, as comparison probably should have a higher value than mine because of the flat roof and the traffic. I have looked at each one of these homes. And they are on streets that have cul de sac whereas I am on the main road. And if you’ll notice the market value is as indicated by the ratio study is $155,800. That comes out with an appraisal ratio of 1.06; the school district is 0.98. If you take 0.98 and multiply it by 155,800, you come up with the figure I have come up with, $152,600. That’s my testimony unless the district comes up with something other than that.”

The lady HCAD appraiser’s gives her opinion of value statement, “We currently have the property owner at $36.08, and I am taking into consideration the fact that he has a flat roof. And it’s a lot of traffic; hasn’t been updated; he has a pipeline easement.”

Kregel says, “It’s not on my lot, it’s the next lot over.”

She says, “Oh, near a pipeline easement and the other items that he listed. I'm going to recommend the value of $148,000.00.”

The panel has reached a decision.

The Chairman of this panel announces the decision in less than five seconds and says, “The notice value was $165,200.00….For the year 2001, the value will be placed on the property of $148,000.00.”

Kregel says, “Thank you.”

A new story: (paraphrased)

Story number two.

Another member (in the year of protest) of the ARB protests her property tax valuation before the ARB, and simply asked for consideration. She owned a piece of commercial property and requested a value of $118,000 for the year 2001. The HCAD appraiser at the hearing gave an opinion of value of $176,000.00.

Then, both the HCAD appraiser and the 3-member ARB panel asked the protesting lady who is also on the ARB; “Did you have your property listed for sale?”

The Lady: “Yes, we first listed it for $500,000 and later lowered the asking price to $400,000, and now have it listed for over $300,000”

She again asked for a lower property valuation.

The ARB panel awarded her a 2001 appraised value of $133,710.00.

See how easy it is to protest your taxes? Do you think it is easier to protest your property taxes if you are a member of the Appraisal Review Board and protesting your property taxes to a group of other members of the Appraisal Review Board? Or, to be more specific, do you think is it easier to get a reduction in your property taxes if you are a member of the Appraisal Review Board?

Be brave. Use the same methods the ARB members use in protesting their taxes. Protest. Protest. Protest.