poconnor

Harris County Appraisal District (HCAD) Is Over-Taxing Flooded Property Owners By 50 To 100%. HCAD is NOT valuing these flooded properties accurately. They are not following mandatory requirements of the Tax Code and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. HCAD and the Appraisal Review Board (ARB) are not considering market evidence in valuing flooded homes, grossly overtaxing Texans at their time of greatest need.  Both HCAD and the ARB are  overtly   ignoring the law.  HCAD appraisers are testifying that the HCAD has not developed an opinion of market value.  Despite evidence from the HCAD appraiser that their valuation does not meet basic requirements, ARB panels are ratifying the HCAD value in a  breath-taking display of raw power and force. The appraisal district and the ARB appear to be  ignoring all evidence at hearings .  In our opinion, it is clear the process is a  sham  after 1 or 2 hearings. The ARB ...

DO YOU KNOW WHAT UNEQUAL APPRAISAL IS AND HOW IT CAN HELP YOU IN YOUR FIGHT FOR FAIR TAXES? *Its ok! We didn’t either at first! 🙂 BACKGROUND OF UNEQUAL APPRAISAL During the 1997 legislative session, major changes were made to the Texas Property Tax Code. One of the reforms was the right to appeal property taxes based on unequal appraisal. Harris County Appraisal District chose to  VIGOROUSLY OPPOSE  this provision of the tax code.  (SHOCKER!) Appealing based on unequal appraisal is  BENEFICIAL  because it allows an owner to reduce the taxes even if the property is assessed for much less than the market value. In the past, appraisal districts wanted a  VERY COMPLICATED  process to hear cases of unequal appraisal which was  EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE  to prepare. The new approach also made judicial appeals financially  feasible  and  effective . WHY AREN’T PROPERTIES ASSESSED EQUALLY TO BEGIN WITH? You may be won...

Chances are many owners have not heard of a substantial error appeal before. If the property has a substantial error, then the tax code supports owners to  file a late appeal .  Instead of the May 15th deadline, the new deadline would be January 31st of the following year! WHAT IS IT? Owners may be asking then,  what qualifies as a substantial error ? You should never be overtaxed!  If anything, owners should be a bit  undertaxed . If you’re overtaxed by more than one-third, there’s a substantial error.  You can file a substantial error correction appeal (25.25d) provided it is filed by the tax delinquency date. This is typically Jan. 31 of the following year. This substantial error occurs with many commercial properties as well as properties that have seen a natural disaster such as flooded properties or properties that have previously flooded. Within 15 days after a substantial error motion is filed, the Appraisal District will r...