7 things to know before you pay this year's property tax bill

1Before anything else

Checking doesn't change anything with your county

2The number

Your assessed value is an estimate, not a fact

Your county puts a value on your home, usually without anyone stepping inside.

In Texas, any property owner is entitled to protest their appraised value, and at the hearing the appraisal district generally has the burden of establishing its value.¹

3How it's made

Counties value homes in bulk

Assessors value whole neighborhoods at once, using recent sales and property records.

Mass appraisal is “the process of valuing a group of properties as of a given date and using common data, standardized methods, and statistical testing,” in the words of the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO).²

Where your number can land too high

• A record is out of date. The IAAO's standard calls for a home's recorded characteristics to be verified at least every 4 to 6 years, and notes that aerial and street-level imagery can provide information without a physical inspection.²
• A nearby sale doesn't really compare to your home.

4Timing

There's a window, and it closes

Your county sets a deadline for challenging an assessment. Miss it and you usually wait for the next cycle, so knowing where you stand now keeps the option open.