Homestead Exemption Fort Bend County (sales, 2015, tax return)

[pamelalloyd]

Hi all,
Long time lurker. I've noticed that I don't have homestead exemption on my house. Do you guys recommend any company that can file it for me? I'm sure it's easy to fill out, but I rather just pay someone else to handle it for me. I live in Fort Bend County. Thanks for all your help!

[slbnoob]

I just filed mine for the first time a few days. It literally is your name and address and a signature at the end. Why would you pay someone for that? I guess even your realtor, if requested nicely, could do it without much effort.

[trbstang]

It does require a Driver's License or ID card copy, and possibly a notarization depending on the exemption requested, but it is not like you are filing a tax return!

Fort Bend County, TX : Homestead Exemption

There are people that prey on those that have not signed up for the exemption and they will file it for $50-80 or so. I've seen their postcards before. Robbery if you ask me for something you can easily complete yourself and drop in the mail.

[Lbjen]

I also had to send in a copy of the HUD when I filed mine last year, doing all the work to get the info together to hand it to someone else is the bulk of the work, not the actual completion of the form.

[cheryjohns]

Here is the form. You only need to do the part concerning the homestead exemption. Send in a copy of your TDL, but NOT your HUD statement. Not sure why the previous poster was told to do that. We are a non-disclosure state.

Edit: just saw that trbstang already included form link, so I deleted it.

[pamelalloyd]

OK, thanks for the help all. Looking over the form, it does look pretty simple!

[Lbjen]

FBCAD returned my form and said I had forgotten to include my HUD. Not sure why if it's not actually needed, strange.

[cheryjohns]

Originally Posted by Lbjen

FBCAD returned my form and said I had forgotten to include my HUD. Not sure why if it's not actually needed, strange.

Very. Would you mind looking up the exact wording when they requested it?

They used to send out a letter, asking what you paid for the house. It was not legally required, but people assumed it was, and told them.

About 3 years ago, they started sending people to doors, asking the sales amount. A lot of people told them.

My guess is they are now trying this tactic, again because people will assume they have to send it in. My question on the wording is because I am trying to figure out if this is just a new tactic to get people to mistakenly disclose. The appraisal district site makes no mention of a HUD requirement (I just looked to make sure that it was not required as of 2015).

[scorpsman]

Originally Posted by cheryjohns

Very. Would you mind looking up the exact wording when they requested it?

They used to send out a letter, asking what you paid for the house. It was not legally required, but people assumed it was, and told them.

About 3 years ago, they started sending people to doors, asking the sales amount. A lot of people told them.

My guess is they are now trying this tactic, again because people will assume they have to send it in. My question on the wording is because I am trying to figure out if this is just a new tactic to get people to mistakenly disclose. The appraisal district site makes no mention of a HUD requirement (I just looked to make sure that it was not required as of 2015).

I never told FBCAD my sale price, but they found out somehow. They had it on their analysis at the appraisal hearing.

[trbstang]

I bet they have to pay for the sales price from other sources if they want it. If you give them the sales price for free, then they don't have to go to any other source to get it, so they are "saving your taxpayer dollars".