2017 DFW County Appraisals & Assessments Thread (Dallas, Plano: 2015, closing, tax)

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by oldoak2000

Only a (new or) very recent sale/purchase of your home would 'set the ''market value'' in stone' ; otherwise, the 'market value' is a fungible figure; DEPRECIATION (pointing out flaws/aging) and 'interior not updated' are two VERY EASY ways to protest the tax appraisal, especially if the 'house next door' just sold for top $$$, maybe yours is not updated/prepared for market.

I did that last year with Dallas CAD and the appraiser didn't care, he kept fighting me. I did get my value down, but it was a struggle.

Mine's definitely not updated! Hasn't been since the 50s!

[oldoak2000]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

I did that last year with Dallas CAD and the appraiser didn't care, he kept fighting me. I did get my value down, but it was a struggle.

Mine's definitely not updated! Hasn't been since the 50s!

did you take in a big stack of photos, showing EVERYTHING in house that was not 'new' ??

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by oldoak2000

did you take in a big stack of photos, showing EVERYTHING in house that was not 'new' ??

Yup. He didn't care. He just kept pointing out how much the entire county had gone up in value and I kept saying "I don't care about the rest of the county, this conversation is about MY property."

I even had estimates from contractors on how much it would cost out of pocket to bring the house up to the standard of recently-sold properties, none of which were really comparable to mine since they had been gutted to the studs. The figure came in at over $100k.

I got him to reduce my valuation by $13k.

This year it went up almost $70k.

We're furious. We're talking to neighborhood realtors all this week to get a true market valuation for the property. They know we have no intention of selling but obviously anyone who helps us with this will get first dibs on the listing when we do sell someday. I don't think we could offer them a gift or anything like that because it'd probably violate some code of ethics.

[oldoak2000]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

Yup. He didn't care. He just kept pointing out how much the entire county had gone up in value and I kept saying "I don't care about the rest of the county, this conversation is about MY property."

I even had estimates from contractors on how much it would cost out of pocket to bring the house up to the standard of recently-sold properties, none of which were really comparable to mine since they had been gutted to the studs. The figure came in at over $100k.

I got him to reduce my valuation by $13k.

This year it went up almost $70k.

We're furious. We're talking to neighborhood realtors all this week to get a true market valuation for the property. They know we have no intention of selling but obviously anyone who helps us with this will get first dibs on the listing when we do sell someday. I don't think we could offer them a gift or anything like that because it'd probably violate some code of ethics.

I think you'd have to find comps of recently sold properties that were NOT UPDATED (and sold low) to take in as 'evidence' , along with everything else. His argument 'how much the entire county had gone up in value' , i'd counter with, "and just what are you basing that on, YOUR appraisal increases, or the sales of the 2% of homes in the area that were recently sold (and MOST likely updated and prepped to be sold on market at top $). Your house is not updated and prepped for sale on market....
Keep up the good fight - it's worth it. IF you increase it huge, it might be worth it go go thru one of those attorney's (who solicit) and submit to tax office a huge batch of properties to protest (that's how they succeed- they bundle up a big batch of properties - tax office doesn't want to go thru them one by one ....).

[gocubs418]

I filed for protest yesterday, said comps were unrealistic, I hope to scoop back at least half.

I see absolutely no reason NOT to protest. A chance to get your tax bill reduce from your PC.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by oldoak2000

I think you'd have to find comps of recently sold properties that were NOT UPDATED (and sold low) to take in as 'evidence' , along with everything else. His argument 'how much the entire county had gone up in value' , i'd counter with, "and just what are you basing that on, YOUR appraisal increases, or the sales of the 2% of homes in the area that were recently sold (and MOST likely updated and prepped to be sold on market at top $). Your house is not updated and prepped for sale on market....
Keep up the good fight - it's worth it. IF you increase it huge, it might be worth it go go thru one of those attorney's (who solicit) and submit to tax office a huge batch of properties to protest (that's how they succeed- they bundle up a big batch of properties - tax office doesn't want to go thru them one by one ....).

That's just it...there aren't a lot of comps to begin with in my area because people aren't selling very often. Houses that are updated that come onto the market are pushed artificially high because you get over two dozen offers for over asking price. You can bid 10-20% over asking price and still not even come close.

It.

Is.

Insane.

Our house would need $100k of work to be truly comparable to those properties. Seriously. I don't go to open houses just for poops and giggles. It's reconnaissance!

[Beaching]

Our house is updated. It's on the market for sale. We can not even get an offer for what they have it listed at now on the tax rolls! I'm having my realtor send me all of the offers we have had since it listed months ago and will take those. Based on their own terms to determine market value, there is no way it is what they have it at now!

Seriously! You bring me a contract today for what they have it at on the tax rolls and you have bought yourself a house!

Texas Property Tax Code Section 1.04 defines Market Value
• Market Value means the price at which a property would transfer for cash or its equivalent under prevailing market conditions if:
(A) Exposed for sale in open market place with a reasonable time for seller to find a purchaser

[serger]

Originally Posted by gocubs418

I filed for protest yesterday, said comps were unrealistic, I hope to scoop back at least half.

I see absolutely no reason NOT to protest. A chance to get your tax bill reduce from your PC.

I filed yesterday (unequal appraisal + higher than recent sales) and they scheduled a hearing for June. No settlement offer, at least as of now. I was hoping to get a reasonable offer and just take it. I really don't want to go to McKinney or wherever that office is.

[gocubs418]

Originally Posted by serger

I filed yesterday (unequal appraisal + higher than recent sales) and they scheduled a hearing for June. No settlement offer, at least as of now. I was hoping to get a reasonable offer and just take it. I really don't want to go to McKinney or wherever that office is.

I don't think they are going to instantly have a settlement offer.

I, like you, am waiting for the same thing.

My settlement offer is "under review".

[serger]

Originally Posted by gocubs418

I don't think they are going to instantly have a settlement offer.

I, like you, am waiting for the same thing.

My settlement offer is "under review".

Yep, mine too. Last year they offered settlement within several hours, but that might not be the norm.