Our taxes jumped quite a bit and we want to know if anyone recommends someone that can successfully help us protest this. 

Great question! Who is the best at getting property taxes lowered. 

If you are over 65 or disabled, you can file for a Tax Exemption of $75,000 plus a tax freeze as of the date you qualified for the exemption. 

You can go online and protest it.you do not need a company.
I did it three years ago. It easy not a big deal at all. They raised ours after we put a pool in. They lowered it to what I believed it should be based on my area
I also just received another 30k hike and I will protest again. 

If you are over 65 or disabled, you can file for a Tax Exemption of $75,000 plus a tax freeze as of the date you qualified for the exemption.

GREAT! Just turn 65 2 months ago!

After listening to the Gardenline radio show last weekend, there was a program on real estate. They said that Houston home prices were up over 30% this year alone. Mine appraisal is up $27k this year - about 15% increase. But when compared to 2008 it is only up $9k. 

We have used O'Connor to protest ours. No fee unless they get results, & then it is a percentage of what you saved by it being lowered. 

Property values are increasing rapidly here in Kingwood. Good luck trying to get them lowered right now.

We received ours today. Up around $20k which was probably the max they could raise it in one year. Market value is, per them, $30k higher still. Frankly, market value is $40k above what they have as market value. 

Don't you need to look at recent home sales in your immediate area and see how they compare with the new appraised value to know if you have a case to protest? 

We have used O'Connor several times and have been very happy with their results. Many years ago I did it myself and it took so much time away from my job that I decided to give O'Connor a try -- glad that I did. 

Don't you need to look at recent home sales in your immediate area and see how they compare with the new appraised value to know if you have a case to protest??

No. Sales price and hcad appraisals are independent of each other.

Look on hcad for houses of similar size in your neighborhood. Compare their appraised values to yours. Get an average price per square foot. If the average price per square foot is more than yours, you can make the case you are over appraised. BE SELECTIVE with the houses you choose to average. Pick the ones that help your case and let the HCAD prove you wrong.

I have a spreadsheet with each address and hcad number with the corresponding values compared to mine. Click on the address, and the picture comes up.

It is also important to then note factors that would lower your value like being on an undesirable street in your neighborhood (like backing up to Northpark or Kingwood), foundation issues, bad roof, etc. 

^^^ thank you! 

Oh yeah. If another comparable house is valued at or below yours but has more desirable features, stone facades, in a cul de sac, larger lot, etc. You can use that to show that yours is overvalued. 

Thanks this is great advice! I will use this info to build my case. 

I heard O'Connor and Assoc don't do it anymore??


Houses are selling like hot cakes right now!! 

Houses are selling like hot cakes right now!!?

And at about $50k more than I thought they would be selling for...especially in our neighborhood! 

Houses are selling like hot cakes right now!!

It's because Kingwood is filled with criminals, and the place is going to hell. 

When we protested, we looked at the percentage they increased the houses around us. All houses were about the same age, but houses that had our same floor plan weren't increased as much as ours was. 

O'Conner and Assoc are still doing it- like an idiot, I told them not to, this year, because the price hasn't changed in years- guess you know the end to this story- they're very good and very cheap- 

can't protest it unless it's your primary residence FYI 

Do it yourself. Get an appraisal done and take it to show them. Works for us every time. Local appraiser- Dan Wells 281-973-1867 is office number. 

You can file for the 65+ exemption THE YEAR you turn 65 - you don't have to turn 65 before you apply. 

O'Conner and Assoc are still doing it

Yup, using them again this year. 

If you have filed for the homestead exemption, your taxes cannot increase more than 10%.

Assuming you did not add any improvements to your property. Example: room addition. 

Example: room addition.

Or ... anything else that required a city of houston permit.