2016 Property tax appraisals now online on traviscad.org (Austin, Freeport: sales, 2013)

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by blakely

If you have new construction and TCAD assesses the improvement value for more than you've spent building it, is that typically an easily-won protest?

Market value can be more or less than you paid for construction, especially since the cost of construction was probably determined some time in the past. Now, if you just bought it, then the protest is easy.

[centralaustinite]

I should NOT have looked. UGH. I will have to protest this year and I already know I will be out of town the third week of June. The most recent comp on our street, for a totally tricked out, refreshed house, is $100K under the tax appraisal.

[Halls1027]

My new construction appraised for 100k higher than all of my existing neighbors with the same finishes and square footage. However it's still slightly under market value. Just thought I'd get lucky like my neighbors.

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

That's one big reason we left the large Texas house and moved into the townhouse just down the street almost three years ago. Of course, our tax bill has increased twice; but I reckon the new owner of our old house is pushing $12K in taxes!!! Never thought I would feel "lucky" to pay "only" $6K in property tax

We did the reverse, we used to pay "only" 6k or so in taxes and then it shot up to over $9000 when we moved :/ Talk about sticker shock. The higher taxes and purchase price did help us this year - lowered our federal income tax liability a good deal (very helpful! though we don't want to pay more money in property taxes to offset income lol..)

[verybadgnome]

Getting crazy around here. There are at least three homes on Holly Street appraised over $1M. They have garage apartments in back but even with the additional air conditioned space facing the alley they aren't over 3600 square feet. Makes me wonder if this will help put a damper on escalating land values once people see this new tax information on MLS listings.

[blakely]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Market value can be more or less than you paid for construction, especially since the cost of construction was probably determined some time in the past. Now, if you just bought it, then the protest is easy.

We are still in the midst of construction and they've valued it for far more than we've spent. Will plan to protest I think.

[Austin97]

how much you have spent is not relevant. What is relevant is the market value..

[menono]

Originally Posted by Austin97

how much you have spent is not relevant. What is relevant is the market value..

Actually, you just show them the closing papers and voila, you won the protest. This only happens the first appraisal after you bought it, though, unless you can pull one more year out of it.

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by menono

Actually, you just show them the closing papers and voila, you won the protest. This only happens the first appraisal after you bought it, though, unless you can pull one more year out of it.

But for a construction project that may be done under a contractor (with money paid out as you build), there is no final total-cost closing papers.

[orngkat]

Anyone know what OTHER means in the exemption list? I notice it severely lessens the tax owed on some of my neighbors.