Another Appraisal Question (house, neighborhood, home inspection)

[ChangeIsGood]

I'm new to this Texas property tax system. In CA it doesn't go up much because of the cap out there. Anyhow, here, I understand the more sq. footage you have the more you'll be appraised. So when I saw our preliminary appraisal paperwork for 'o8 I was surprised to see that they had us at 200 sq. feet more than our house plan. So I made copies of the house plan, and I did not agree with the comps they supplied me, my neighbors house (which is bigger than our home). They pretty much said their appraiser had us at more sq. footage and that's what they go by. Later I went back and saw our home inspection report (from when we first bought this house), which had us at what I think is the right sq. footage. Should I hire my own appraiser, is it even worth it?
Any advice appeciated.

[modster]

I don't know that they will lower your valuation because the square footage is off. Sure, it makes sense, but I wouldn't count on it.

On my house HCAD had it listed at 3126 sf when I bought it. Then one day I looked and it was 2626 sq ft. I have a large room above the garage and they said they were no longer counting it because it was separate from the house and did not have a bath or kitchen. So they just deducted 500 sf. Um...okay.

I did have an appraiser measure the house to get an accurate dimension and it turned out to be 2816 on the main house and 516 over the garage.

I own another house in the neighborhood that I had big plans on redoing, but has been sitting there in mothballs since March (long, stupid story), that they are claiming on HCAD to be 3875 sf. It has an atrium that I am betting has not been deducted out, so I am sure they are off on it as well. I am selling it and I am sure when it is measured for the appraisal it will be closer to 3500.

[Poltracker]

Be sure to read the disclaimer and explaination on how HCAD determines square footage at the bottom of the value page on the internet. It will clarify a few things for you.