SAN ANTONIO – Property owners have until Wednesday to notify the Bexar Appraisal District that they plan to appeal their 2024 property appraisals.
BAD sent notices last month to 540,000 property owners whose value increased by more than $1,000 over the last year. That’s 146,000 fewer notices than last year.
The total market value grew 5.3% year-over-year, according to BAD.
It was the lowest year-over-year value increase for single-family residential homes in 10 years, with just a 2.44% increase. That’s a significantly lower jump than a few years ago when appraisals skyrocketed nearly 30%.
Even though your home’s appraised value may not have risen as much as last year, you can still appeal the evaluation.
The first step is to file a notice of appeal. That can be done by filling out the form on the back of the appraisal notice. It can be mailed, dropped off in the box outside of BAD on North Frio, or the appeal can be filed online.
Checking the red-letter box means BAD must provide you with its packet of evidence — documents and data it used to determine your property value.
Next, you’ll schedule an informal meeting with BAD staff. Unlike in the past, you can schedule a time online that works for you, meaning you may not have to take off work.
You can make an appointment for a video or phone call or do it completely online.
The appeal is where you can present your evidence, such as sales data for your neighborhood or a paid appraisal.
This can include information like:
- Researching your neighbor’s property values from the Bexar County Appraisal website
- Taking photos of property damage that could cause a decrease in value
- Gathering estimates for items that may need repair
The informal meeting is where most protests end with a settlement.
Last year, the Bexar Appraisal District heard 200,000 appeals and settled approximately 90% through an informal conference
If you don’t want to accept the settlement offer, you can schedule a hearing with the Appraisal Review Board, which is made up of community peers, not employees of BAD. After that, you can still proceed to the courts.
Property owners can hire a professional to handle the protest for a fee or a percentage of any tax savings realized.
Here are some more instructions from the Bexar Appraisal District:
1. Value appeals are considered timely if postmarked by midnight May 15, 2024, and should be mailed to Bexar Appraisal District, P.O. Box 830248, San Antonio, TX 78283.
2. The district recommends that owners file their appeal using the “Online Services” link on the agency’s website, www.bcad.org, or directly at www.bcadonline.org. Videos explaining the online process are also available on the district’s website.
3. Dropping off a protest form in person is discouraged due to long wait times and heavy traffic; however, owners may use the drop box outside the office during business hours if necessary. Owners are asked to make personal copies before dropping off their forms. To provide an efficient and convenient hearing process, all informal conferences with staff will be held virtually at a date and time selected by the property owner.
Exemption applications and value appeals may be filed directly with the appraisal district free of charge. For questions regarding deadlines or other matters affecting property tax appraisal, please contact the district at (210) 224-2432 or visit the district’s website at www.bcad.org for more information and informative videos.