Property tax appraisal questions (Dallas, West: house, to buy, price)

[pharpe]

Originally Posted by aggieplaya

What did you pay for the house?

I paid 451k but again that is irrelevant to the unequal appraisal argument.

[aggieplaya]

Unless there are several or more homes appraised at less than yours (similar homes) you won't win the unequal argument. For example, let's say there are 4 similar homes to yours that are assessed at around $95/sq ft and yours is at $100/sq ft, then you have a valid argument that yours is "unequally" being assessed. Otherwise they are going by 'market' value which is what houses have sold for this past year up to Jan 1, 2014

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by aggieplaya

Unless there are several or more homes appraised at less than yours (similar homes) you won't win the unequal argument. For example, let's say there are 4 similar homes to yours that are assessed at around $95/sq ft and yours is at $100/sq ft, then you have a valid argument that yours is "unequally" being assessed. Otherwise they are going by 'market' value which is what houses have sold for this past year up to Jan 1, 2014

Yup, and OP's sales price just vaulted every comp home on his street up to the $452k valuation for the ones being reassessed this year and the neighbors will have little ability to protest.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by pharpe

I paid 451k but again that is irrelevant to the unequal appraisal argument.

I don't know how you bought a $450k house and seriously thought you'd continue to pay taxes on a $275k ( or whatever it was) taxable value.....

[ETex2]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

I don't know how you bought a $450k house and seriously thought you'd continue to pay taxes on a $275k ( or whatever it was) taxable value.....

^^^^This^^^^^

And if you protest based upon an unequal value, you need to do your homework, and you apparently didn't. Comparable assessed values for your neighborhood are available on their website; don't expect them to do your work for you.

Bottom line - it's next to impossible to get the value lowered if you have bought the house in the last year and it's unreasonable to be expect to be able to. I'm speaking as a 20+year property tax consultant (now retired).

[pharpe]

Originally Posted by ETex2

Comparable assessed values for your neighborhood are available on their website; don't expect them to do your work for you.

This is not true. You can see other properties assessed value but there is no way to run comps using search criteria. ex. find all homes in Lakewood built in the 1970's with 2600 sq feet. It was my understanding that they could provide that information.

Originally Posted by ETex2

Bottom line - it's next to impossible to get the value lowered if you have bought the house in the last year and it's unreasonable to be expect to be able to.

Why is it unreasonable to have my assessed property value adjusted to comply with median value of other comparable proprieties in my neighborhood as the law provides for?

[Lakewooder]

I think I just figured out where you live.

:O

[ETex2]

Originally Posted by pharpe

This is not true. You can see other properties assessed value but there is no way to run comps using search criteria. ex. find all homes in Lakewood built in the 1970's with 2600 sq feet. It was my understanding that they could provide that information.



Why is it unreasonable to have my assessed property value adjusted to comply with median value of other comparable proprieties in my neighborhood as the law provides for?

Just because it's in Lakewood built in the 1970's, it's a "comp"??? Again, you can do it, it just will take more work.

It's unreasonable to expect it, because you just bought the property for essentially the same as the assessed value. If you THINK you can make a case based on the median value rule, go for it. But you will fail. Mainly due to the fact that the comparable median values are not that much under market value. Even if you take it past the hearing stage to court. Remember - it's not up to you to decide what's comparable. You are wasting your time. Bottom line - when any judge hears the sales price, you're done.

I speak from experience. But go ahead with your pipe dream if you want.

[Transplanted99]

Any danger in Collin or Dallas counties of an appeal resulting in an increase rather than a denial of a request for a decrease in appraisal value?

[FalconheadWest]

Originally Posted by ETex2

It's unreasonable to expect it, because you just bought the property for essentially the same as the assessed value. If you THINK you can make a case based on the median value rule, go for it. But you will fail. Mainly due to the fact that the comparable median values are not that much under market value. Even if you take it past the hearing stage to court. Remember - it's not up to you to decide what's comparable. You are wasting your time. Bottom line - when any judge hears the sales price, you're done.

I speak from experience. But go ahead with your pipe dream if you want.

You are talking about something completely different than him. Market Value is something completely different than "unequal" value. When there is a difference between unequal and market value, the LAW states that unequal wins every time. To that extent, it doesn't matter what he paid for it as market value. If he can show he's being unequally assessed compared to like properties, he has to win, it's the law.