What's the story?
I created this site after getting fed up with paying too much in property taxes. I researched how appraisals worked, then got access to the data, and figured out how to use the appraisal rules to lower my taxes. I figured since I've done all the work, I might as well help others do the same!
Who can use this?
Anyone who owns a home in Harris County, TX and wants to lower their property taxes. I'm working on other counties in Texas - contact me to get your county on the list!
How does it work?
In Texas there is a "Uniform and Equal" appraisal law - Section 41.43 of the Texas Property Tax Code. This law states that your home must be appraised equal to the median price per sq ft of a reasonable amount of comparables in your neighborhood (5-10).
Homes are graded by the appraisal district on 3 major factors
- CAD (Cost & Design): This accounts for differences in what is typical for the neighborhood. For example, new remodels or a new home in an older neighborhood, etc. Not all properties will have a CAD value.
- CDU (Condition, Desirability, and Utility): This is also known as the "Percent Good" factor. It accounts for age and depreciation.
- GRD (Grade): This is a score assigned by the appraisal district to account for the quality of workmanship and materials
I find all the comps in your neighborhood with similar characteristics. Adjustments are made to each comp for the difference in CAD, CDU, and GRD. I then take the median price/sqft and apply that to your home to get the proper appraisal value.
How do I submit the report to protest my taxes?
Download this guide I created here!
How much does this service cost?
$0, zero, nada, zip, zilch - nothing! I'm doing this completely free to help create a fair taxation system for all
There are many tax services out there that will charge up to 50% of your tax savings! I believe they are a total waste of money in 90% of cases. You can easily protest your taxes for free with the data I provide.
How can I help?
Donate to the cause! Either monetary or with your time. I would love to expand the service beyond Harris County. I could use technical help from programmers, designers, data analysts, etc. Get in touch with me to talk details.
A lot of time and money goes into keeping this site running. I have server and maintenance costs, development costs, and each year I have to aquire and analyze the data to create these reports. If this has been helpful to you, please consider donating.
Here are some links if you'd like to make a monetary donation to keep the site running for next year
How can we get in touch?
Shoot me an email with any questions!
How do I get started?
Make sure you've downloaded the guide above showing how to submit your protest, then go here to search for your address and get your property tax report!