Texas Property Taxes Are High, But You Have The Right To Fight Back

INTEGRITY PLUS REALTY  |  HOMEOWNER RESOURCE

Texas Property Taxes Are High, But You Have the Right to Fight Back

What every North Texas homeowner needs to know before the May 15th protest deadline

Why Are Texas Property Taxes So High?

If you have ever experienced sticker shock opening your property tax bill, you are not alone. Texas consistently ranks among the highest property tax states in the nation, and there is a structural reason for it.

Texas has no state income tax. That is a meaningful benefit for residents, but the tradeoff is that local jurisdictions bear the responsibility of funding the services most people depend on every day. School districts, cities, counties, municipal utility districts, and hospital districts each set their own tax rates independently. When you stack those rates together, North Texas homeowners in Collin, Denton, and surrounding counties often face effective tax rates between 2% and 2.7% of assessed value. On a $500,000 home, that works out to $10,000 to $13,500 per year.

The good news is that Texas law provides a range of exemptions that can meaningfully reduce what you owe. The homestead exemption is the most widely used and reduces the taxable value of your primary residence. Beyond that, qualifying homeowners may also be eligible for the over-65 exemption, which includes a school tax freeze, as well as exemptions for veterans, disabled individuals, and agricultural use properties. If you have not applied for every exemption you qualify for, that is worth addressing before you even think about protesting your value.

April Is When It All Starts: Your Notice of Appraised Value

Each spring, county appraisal districts across Texas release their Notice of Appraised Value, the document that sets the assessed value of your property for the current tax year. For most North Texas counties, these notices hit mailboxes and online portals in April.

This number matters more than most people realize. The higher your appraised value, the higher your tax bill, regardless of whether your property could actually sell for that amount today. Appraisal districts work from mass-appraisal models, reviewing thousands of properties at once using market data. That process is inherently imperfect, and overvaluation is not uncommon.

When your notice arrives, ask yourself a few straightforward questions:

•         Could my home realistically sell for this amount in today's market?

•         Are there errors in the property data, such as square footage, bedroom count, condition, or lot size?

•         Have comparable homes in my neighborhood sold for less recently?

•         Has the value increased significantly without any major improvements to the property?

If any of those questions give you pause, you likely have grounds to protest, and you have until May 15th to do so.

Look Up Your Property Value Right Now

You do not have to wait for your notice in the mail. North Texas appraisal districts post property values online, and you can search for your property at any time. Here are the direct links for the counties Integrity Plus Realty serves:

•         Collin County: Collin Central Appraisal District (CCAD) covers McKinney, Frisco, Plano, Allen, Prosper, Celina, and more

•         Denton County: Denton Central Appraisal District (DCAD) covers Denton, Lewisville, Flower Mound, Little Elm, Frisco (partial), and more

•         Dallas County: Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD) covers Dallas, Garland, Richardson, Irving, Mesquite, and more

•         Rockwall County: Rockwall Central Appraisal District (RCAD) covers Rockwall, Rowlett, Heath, and more

•         Grayson County: Grayson Central Appraisal District (GCAD) covers Sherman, Denison, and surrounding communities

Navigate to your county's site, search by address or owner name, and review your current appraised value. If the number does not look right, you still have time to act.

How the Protest Process Works

Filing a property tax protest is your right as property owner each year. Here is a general overview of what to expect:

•         File your protest by submitting a Notice of Protest to your appraisal district by May 15th. Most districts allow you to file online, by mail, or in person.

•         An informal hearing typically comes first, where an appraiser reviews your evidence and may offer a settlement or no-change in value.

•         If you do not reach an agreement informally, you will present your case to the Appraisal Review Board, an independent panel. You will support your position with evidence such as recent comparable sales, photographs, cost approach or other valuation methods.

•         The ARB issues a ruling, and if you are still not satisfied, further appeal options are available such as litigation and binding arbitration, though most protests are resolved before reaching that point.

The challenge for most homeowners is building a compelling evidence file and knowing how to present it effectively within the Texas Property Tax Code. That is where professional representation tends to make the biggest difference.

An Exclusive Offer for Integrity Plus Realty Clients

Integrity Plus Realty has partnered with Gill, Denson & Company Tax Advisors, a Texas property tax protest firm operating across all 254 Texas counties, to offer our clients an exclusive discounted rate.

Gill, Denson & Company works entirely on contingency, meaning there is no upfront cost to you. You only pay if they save you money. Last year, 81% of their clients walked away with a lower tax bill. They handle every step of the process, from filing to informal negotiations to ARB hearings, for residential, commercial, and business personal property.

Property taxes are one of the largest ongoing expenses for Texas homeowners. With appraisal notices arriving in April and a firm protest deadline on May 15th, the window to act is short. If your value looks off this year, it is worth taking a closer look before that date passes.

Questions about buying or selling in North Texas? Reach out to Integrity Plus Realty, your trusted local real estate partner.

Ready to protest your property taxes? Visit GillDenson.com and use code INTEGRITYPLUS to get started.