Home values rising From the cover
The big picture
Median property taxes in Northeast San Antonio cities Schertz, Universal City, Live Oak and Selma have all seen an increase in property taxes from 2013-2023.
Schertz
Cibolo Universal City
Live Oak
Selma
Property values in Northeast San Antonio cities have fluctuated over the past five years, but are mainly on a slight upward trend. Fred Wulff, a realtor with RE/MAX Corridor in Schertz, said a rise in value specifically took place during the COVID-19 pandemic. “A lot of people transitioned from working in an office to working in a home, so that caused a rise in the need for homes, and then of course, when there’s a short supply, that means prices go up,” Wulff said. Wulff said Bexar County residents are hit with higher rates than homeowners in Guadalupe and Comal counties. Bexar County’s 2024 tax rate was $0.276235 per $100 valuation, compared to $0.2627 in Guadalupe and $0.264230 in Comal.
$15K
$12,068
$8,865
$10K
$3,777 $4,403
$5K
$2,345
0
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
SOURCE: DATA USA/COMMUNITY IMPACT
What residents should know
What’s new?
and have never put in for a homestead exemp- tion, which could have saved them a whole lot of money,” Andersen said. Abbott said the bills tackling exemptions were one of his legislative priorities. “A lot of Texans are facing an affordability crisis. Last session, we slashed your property taxes. But for many Texans, those were wiped out by local taxing authorities that hiked your property taxes even more. That must end this session,” Abbott told Community Impact. SB 23 would give homeowners 65 and older, or disabled, a $200,000 exemption on taxes lev- ied by public schools. House Bill 9 exempts up to $125,000 of a business’s personal property.
Selma City Administrator Johnny Casias said property taxes go toward various city projects. “A portion of our property tax goes towards the general fund, the other portion of our property tax goes towards debt service. Debt service is basi- cally long-term debt that the city issues to fund a variety of projects, so for us it’s been water system improvements, buildings like our police depart- ment, some road improvements,” Casias said.
In November, Texans will vote on three amendments after Gov. Greg Abbott signed them into law on June 16. Senate Bill 4 would raise the homestead exemption on taxes levied by public schools from $100,000 to $140,000. A homestead exemption, according to the Texas Comptroller, exempts a portion of a home’s value from taxation. The exemption has been raised from $15,000 to $100,000 in the past decade. Comal County Taxpayer Liaison Officer Kurt Andersen said homeowners can benefit from a homestead exemption if they apply for it through the appraisal district. “Many times we’ve run into people who have been living in their homes for many many years
Combined tax rate for each city The combined tax rate factors in taxing entities like cities, counties and school districts.
Cibolo
$1.9526
Legislation
Impact
Status
Schertz
$1.9436
Extends refund for municipalities disproportionately affected by Disabled Veteran exemptions
House Bill 2894
Effective Jan. 1, 2026
Selma (Guadalupe County)
$1.6415
Facilitates property owners receiving tax refunds without application
Signed into law by governor on 6/20, effective Sept. 1 Signed into law by governor, subject to Constitutional Amendment election Nov. 4 Signed into law by governor, subject to Constitutional Amendment election Nov. 4 Signed into law by governor, subject to Constitutional Amendment election Nov. 4
Senate Bill 850
Selma (Bexar County)
$1.9657
Raises statewide home exemption from $100,000 to $140,000 for taxes levied by public schools Gives homeowners over 65 years old that have a disability a $200,000 home exemption for taxes levied by public schools Exempts up to $125,000 of business' personal property from taxation
Senate Bill 4
Universal City
$2.2922
Senate Bill 23
Live Oak
$2.1486
House Bill 9
SOURCE: CITY OF CIBOLO, CITY OF SCHERTZ, GUADALUPE COUNTY TAX OFFICE, BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT/COMMUNITY IMPACT
SOURCE: TEXAS LEGISLATURE/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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