Ooohh Wheee! Property Taxes have you faintin’ on the floor???!

The unfortunate part about property values increasing, living in the hottest market in the Nation and the equity building is typically your property taxes also increase. Most of you with a homestead exemption probably saw the 10% cap and those of you with investment properties perhaps noticed an even larger increase.

If you purchased last year and it is more than what you paid for your home, you can show your contract to have it reduced to purchase price.

Personally, I hire someone to protest my taxes, essentially because I am busy and “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” I like Five Stone Tax Advisors. It takes a bit longer but they haven’t failed me yet.

If you do have time, however, you can gather some comparable homes that are for LESS than what yours are assessed for (check them out on RealtyAustin.com) if you are a past client you should be seeing a monthly market update from me, and enter those in as similar homes as your “proof.” Be sure to point out what your home lacks compared to these other homes and good luck.