Property tax help
Is your North Texas property tax bill too high?
Most homeowners overpay, because they never look at the notice and never protest. You do not need to pay a firm to fix that. I show my clients how the homestead exemption and the yearly protest work, and I pull the comparable sales that build a real case.
Why you may be overpaying
Two levers bring your bill down
Your property tax is your home's appraised value multiplied by the local rates. You do not set the rates, but you can push back on the value, and you can make sure you are claiming every exemption you qualify for. Those are the two levers, and most new Texans miss at least one of them.
The good news: both are within reach, and the homestead exemption only has to be filed once. The protest is a yearly habit worth keeping.
How it works
What a property tax protest actually looks like
It is less intimidating than it sounds. Four steps, and I help with the one that decides the outcome:
- Read your notice. Each spring your county appraisal district mails a Notice of Appraised Value. That number drives your bill, so it is worth opening.
- File your protest on time. Generally by May 15, or 30 days after your notice, whichever is later. Most North Texas districts let you file online.
- Bring the evidence. Comparable sales and real condition issues win protests, not opinions. This is where I help: I pull the comps for your home and your street so you walk in with a case.
- Present it. Most protests settle in the informal review. If yours does not, you can present to the Appraisal Review Board (the ARB).
Deadlines and forms vary by county and year, so confirm with your county appraisal district. I'm a REALTOR®, not a tax advisor or attorney: I help with the comparable sales and the process, and for filing details or any legal question I bring in the right professional. Details: protest process · exemptions.
Free local help vs a paid firm
You do not have to hand over a cut of your savings
Protest companies do real work, but they are built on volume and they keep a piece of what you save. Here is the difference when your own agent helps you file it yourself.
| A paid firm | With my help | |
|---|---|---|
| What it costs | A share of your first-year savings, or an annual fee | Free for my clients. A flat $79 for everyone else, no percentage. |
| The evidence | A high-volume model; your home is one file of thousands | Comparable sales pulled for your home and your street |
| Who handles it | A call-center rep you may never speak to twice | Me, the agent who already knows your home and market |
| After this year | The relationship ends when protest season does | I'm still your agent for the next sale or purchase |
You file your own protest and keep 100% of any savings. I pull the comparable sales and walk you through the process: free for my clients, a flat $79 for homeowners who aren't working with me yet, and your most recent $79 comes off the top when you buy or sell with me. I don't give tax or legal advice.
Don't leave money on the table
Exemptions homeowners forget to claim
Lowering the value is half the battle. The other half is making sure you've claimed every exemption you're entitled to. File these with your county appraisal district.
- General homestead exemption. On your primary home it lowers your school-tax value and caps how fast your taxable value can rise (10% a year). File by April 30.
- Over-65 exemption. An added exemption plus a school-tax ceiling that freezes that part of your bill once you qualify.
- Disabled-person exemption. Similar added relief if you meet the qualifications. It does not stack with the over-65 exemption on school taxes; you choose one.
- Disabled-veteran exemption. Partial by your VA rating. A 100% permanent and total rating can mean a full homestead exemption on your primary residence.
- Surviving-spouse provisions. Several of these exemptions carry over to a surviving spouse who keeps the home as a primary residence.
Exemption rules change and depend on your situation. Confirm eligibility with your appraisal district or a tax professional. Reference: Texas Comptroller exemptions.
Where I can help
Appraisal districts I work with
Each county runs its own appraisal district with its own notice dates and online filing. These are the ones across my service area.
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Collin County
Collin Central Appraisal District. Plano, McKinney, Frisco, Allen, Prosper, Celina.
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Denton County
Denton Central Appraisal District. Denton, Little Elm, Aubrey, Pilot Point.
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Rockwall County
Rockwall Central Appraisal District. Rockwall, Heath, Fate, Royse City.
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Dallas County
Dallas Central Appraisal District. Dallas and the inner suburbs.
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Grayson County
Grayson Central Appraisal District. Sherman, Denison, Van Alstyne.
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Hunt & Fannin Counties
Hunt and Fannin appraisal districts. Greenville, Caddo Mills, Bonham.
Not sure which district you're in or when your notice is due? Send me your address and I'll point you to the right appraisal district and deadline.
Common questions
Property tax protest FAQ
Can I protest my property taxes myself in Texas?
Yes. Any owner can file a protest on their own home, and the evidence is what wins it. I help my clients pull the comparable sales and understand the process so they walk in with a real case instead of a complaint. You file your own protest; I'm a REALTOR®, not a tax advisor, so for legal or filing questions I bring in the right professional.
When is the deadline to protest property taxes in Texas?
Generally May 15, or 30 days after your county mails your Notice of Appraised Value, whichever is later. The deadline to file a homestead exemption is April 30. Dates can shift year to year, so confirm with your county appraisal district.
Do I have to pay a company to protest for me?
No. Protest firms typically take a share of your first-year savings or charge an annual fee. I pull the comparable sales and help you build the case for free if you're my client, or for a flat $79 if you're not, and your most recent $79 comes off the top when you buy or sell with me. Either way you file your own protest and keep all of the savings.
Is it worth protesting every year?
Often, yes. Your appraised value resets each year, so a win this year does not carry forward automatically. Many homeowners overpay simply because they never look at the notice and never protest.
What is the homestead exemption and how does it lower my taxes?
On your primary residence it lowers your taxable value for school taxes and caps how fast your assessed value can rise, to 10% a year. You file it once with your county appraisal district (the deadline is April 30) and it stays in place while you live there. It is one of the most overlooked ways new Texans overpay.
Which counties do you help with?
Collin, Denton, Rockwall, Dallas, Grayson, Hunt and Fannin. That covers Plano, McKinney and Frisco through Sherman, Rockwall and the rural communities beyond.
Before the next deadline
Think your appraisal is too high?
Send me your address and I'll pull the comparable sales for your home, so you can see whether a protest is worth filing this year. It's free for my clients and a flat $79 otherwise, with your most recent $79 credited when you buy or sell with me. No pressure either way.