Each way to respond costs something different, and they don't all leave you the same share of any savings. Here are all four side by side, then one at a time.
01 · Side by side
What each option costs, and what you keep
* Pricing and availability vary by area. Full-service appeal filing available in select states. DIY tools included everywhere else.
See your free savings estimate02 · The trade-offs
The trade-offs, one by one
Doing nothing is a choice too
It costs nothing today.
It also means paying whatever the county decided, every year, without ever checking whether the number holds up.
Doing it yourself is real work
You can file a property-tax appeal yourself; hiring a professional is optional. It means:
- Finding the right comparable sales
- Reading your county's rules
- Meeting its deadline
What makes a sale “comparable”
In California, the State Board of Equalization's guide calls sales of similar homes the most reliable evidence in most residential appeals, and tests each one three ways:2
- Was it an arm's-length, open-market sale? A sale between relatives may not be.
- Is the home physically similar? Distance, bedrooms and bathrooms, year built, size, lot, condition.
- Does it fit the valuation date? Sales more than 90 days after it can't be admitted.
In Texas, the Comptroller's guidance is blunt: you can't go to the hearing and just say the appraisal district is wrong. You are entitled, on request, to free copies of the information the district will use at your hearing.4
Some homeowners enjoy it. Either way, start with the numbers.
See your free savings estimateA percentage-based service takes its share
Keep 100% of your savings.
We charge one flat annual fee while other services take 20-45% commission.
“… I also like to see the fixed fee pricing model as an option. As property taxes and appeals get more expensive, paying 25+% of savings starts to become too big of a commitment”
03 · Before you hire anyone
Three questions to ask any property tax service
Whichever company you consider, including us, ask these before you sign.
- How is the fee worked out? A flat fee, or a share of any savings? And what do you pay if your assessment isn't reduced?
- Who will represent you, and are they registered? In Texas, anyone paid for property tax consulting services generally must be registered with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR); Texas attorneys and CPAs are among the exceptions. TDLR's license search shows who is registered.5
- What are you signing? In Texas, an agent represents you once you sign the Comptroller's Form 50-162 and it is filed with the appraisal district. It lasts until revoked in writing, unless it sets its own end date.6
Here is how we answer the first question.
