Property Tax Time in Texas: Be sure to protest

[Gregory Schwartz]

Texas investors, do you protest your own taxes or pay someone to do it for you. If you're not protesting them at all read this;

Texas uses "mass appraisals," which is basically a guessing game based on square footage. They’re allowed to be off by 10%, which means on a typical rental, they could be over-valuing you by $30k or $50k. That’s roughly $50/month in extra taxes—if you’re aiming for $100/month in cash flow, the county just took half your profit.

Here’s the quick & dirty on how to fix it:

• Watch the mail: You’ll get your value notice around April 1st.
• The Deadline: You have until May 15th to fight it. Mark your calendar.
• Get Comps: Don't guess. Ask your agent for actual MLS sold data to prove the house is worth less than what the county thinks.
• File Online: Go to your county’s CAD website (like brazoscad.org), plug in your Owner ID from the notice, and upload your evidence.
• The Win: About 90% of the time, they’ll cave and offer you a lower number just for showing up.

It takes maybe 20 minutes and can save you $600 to $2,000 a year.

Curious what everyone else does—do you guys DIY your protests or just hire a company to take a percentage of the savings?