INSIDE INFORMATION PROTESTING APPRAISALS
COMPILED BY LAUREN CANTERBERRY & ERIC WEILBACHER DESIGNED BY RACHAL RUSSELL The market value of homes rose by more than 50% this year in Comal County, according to the local appraisal district. Property valuation determines how much a property owner pays in taxes. Homeowners may seek to protest the market value of their properties with their county’s appraisal district. For more information, visit www.comalad.org.
R I S E
VALUE ON THE
UNDERSTANDING
Appraisal notices are sent to residents each April and contain information about a property’s assessed value and estimated taxes. Below is a breakdown of terms residents would see on an appraisal.
A P P R A I S A L
YOUR
This year, appraised taxable value on all properties in Comal County rose by more than 38%, according to the appraisal district. County property values rose steadily prior to this year’s steep increase.
MARKET VALUE
TAX RATES
TOTAL TAXABLE PROPERTY VALUE
Effective tax rate: The rate that would generate the same amount of tax dollars as the previous year Rollback tax rate: The maximum rate a taxing entity can set without taxpayers being able to petition for an election Adopted tax rate: The rate adopted by a taxing entity
What the property would sell for
+38.04%
$35M
ASSESSED VALUE
$30M $25M $20M $15M 0
The limited value based on current market value or last year’s assessed value plus 10%, whichever is lower
+12.66%
+13.2%
+7.12%
TAXABLE VALUE
EXEMPTION
The assessed value minus any exemptions
Removes part of a home’s value from taxation and lowers taxable value
2019 2020 2021
2022*
TAX BILL = (TAXABLE VALUE X TAX RATE) / 100
*PRELIMINARY
A PROTEST H OW TO F I L E 1 2 3 4
REASONS TO P R O T E S T property is too high. The property is valued unequally compared with other property in the appraisal district. The chief appraiser denied an exemption.
HISTORICAL COMAL COUNTY PROTESTS
Residents who wish to protest the market value of their property must follow these steps.
Property owners have the right to protest the appraised values of their properties to the appraisal review board if they disagree with the appraisals.
ARB decision after a hearing Other Canceled Settled without a hearing
12,000
File the protest no later than May 16 or 30 days after the appraisal district mailed the appraisal notice. Fill out an online or hard copy protest form that identifies the owner, the property in question and the owner’s dissatisfaction with the appraised value. Gather evidence to show why the value should be lowered, such as recent sales of comparable homes. Hearings will be scheduled, and the appraisal review board may make recommendations for cases not settled with the taxing entity.
THE FOLLOWING ISSUES CAN BE REVIEWED BY THE BOARD: The proposed value of a
9,000
The chief appraiser denied agricultural appraisal for a farm or ranch. The appraisal records show an incorrect owner or the wrong taxing units.
6,000
3,000
0
2019
2020
2021
SOURCES: COMAL COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT, TEXAS COMPTROLLER’S OFFICE/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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NEW BRAUNFELS EDITION • MAY 2022
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