I may just do it myself.

I will send in the following (This is all my direct neighbors), along with estimates for repair on my house totaling ~$30k.



Even if they just match me to the Very Good Avg. they should knock my appraisal back $90k to $460K (Previous value was $429K)

I am going to lobby my condition is Avg. based on needed repairs.


Should I have pretty good luck with this or should I let a pro do it?

If I submit this and don't like where it leads me could I hire someone in later?

Like I said earlier in the thread this is my first year to own the house so I want to make sure it is as low as possible to cap future increases.

Neighbor across the street just listed their house for $230k more than we are on the rolls.

Our house is 20% bigger but their lot is 20% bigger.

Not interested in that extra $4k in taxes.

I had my telephonic hearing on Thursday. I shot for the moon on my ask, they said no, and we ended up meeting in the middle based on some comps I cherry picked.

Assessed: 357,000(up from 335k last year)
My counter: 333,000
Settlement: 345,000

Just FYI.

For those of you that filed the appeal yourself online on DCAD, how many were offered a settlement vs how many of you had to go to hearing? What's the typical timing of their response? This is my first time going through the process. Thanks!

I was offered a $5K settlement the next day after an online protest. I'm about $200K under market so I kept my mouth shut and moved on.

Assessed at $307k (no change between 2019 and 2020 despite an increase of 60% between 2015-2019).

Submitted my appeal on Sunday with a house .1mi away with 1 more bedroom and 500 more sqft that's not on a main street sold for $5k less 4 months ago and a similar house .5mi away that sold for $30k less 5 months ago. Asked for $275k. Waiting to see what they respond with.

hbc07 said:

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Assessed at $307k (no change between 2019 and 2020 despite an increase of 60% between 2015-2019).

Submitted my appeal on Sunday with a house .1mi away with 1 more bedroom and 500 more sqft that's not on a main street sold for $5k less 4 months ago and a similar house .5mi away that sold for $30k less 5 months ago. Asked for $275k. Waiting to see what they respond with.

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My proposal was denied and they're going to set it for a hearing at some point. So I've got that going for me.

I did the UFile on 6/12. Never heard back from them, but just now checked the DCAD site and saw that they dropped the value of my improvement to just a tiny bit over what I put in my protest. Seems like usually I get something from them for me to accept or reject...is that not happening this year?

I submitted mine on the 15th, so I haven't seen any change to the DCAD website or received an email. Assuming they're still going through a backlog of all the files before they get to mine.

Thanks for posting this. I used this format for my submission - we'll see how it goes!

I ended up hiring an attorney.

I was told the following.

DCAD is audited every other year. This is one of those years.

They are audited on the sales price of houses for houses sold that year vs the appraisal value. Their goal is 99% match.

Because of this I was told if you bought your house this year they will not offer a settlement on your protest.

If your valuation goes to a ARB? hearing it is no longer counted against their audit and they are more willing to play ball.

We will see. I am way off from the rest of my neighborhood, but in line with market value. From what I read if your neighborhood is appraised at 80% of market value, you should be as well.

citizens, that serve on the board Dallas county appraisal board, are they neutral? are they getting paid to serve on this board?

I don't know anything about their qualifications but I just got the vibes that they were there to make some seasonal $ and really didn't give a damn (about my evidence why my property is overtaxed)...

Am I wrong in my understanding that DCAD isn't allowed to use the price you paid for the house to set the FMV? That seems to be conceded by a few on here. They can use sales of "comparable" homes, but not the sales price of your home.

Obviously they do it anyway, but it seems to me like something you should have a good argument against.

In the materials I received from DCAD, their equity comp analysis had a line for "Sty Height/Size Break". The adjustments for that item were huge. Does anyone know how DCAD comes up with the "Sty Height/Size Break" number?

harge57 said:

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I ended up hiring an attorney.

I was told the following.

DCAD is audited every other year. This is one of those years.

They are audited on the sales price of houses for houses sold that year vs the appraisal value. Their goal is 99% match.

Because of this I was told if you bought your house this year they will not offer a settlement on your protest.

If your valuation goes to a ARB? hearing it is no longer counted against their audit and they are more willing to play ball.

We will see. I am way off from the rest of my neighborhood, but in line with market value. From what I read if your neighborhood is appraised at 80% of market value, you should be as well.

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I bought my house in Sept. 2019 and they used it (as I submitted) in June 2020 to offer an adjustment on the 2020 taxable value (all done via the web/they accepted and emailed it.) I was pleased.

I didn't try to have 2019 changed though, as the cutoff to do so I think is submitting prior to June 1 (I didn't own it in May 2019).

Well I used your exact spreadsheet format that you posted above and got the number I asked for - thanks!

They just applied my homestead last week, following my turning in the paperwork in late February. They are just moving like molasses since they "worked from home" or whatever started in March.

I am in Collin County but i am waiting on the exact same thing. I submitted late March...

Quinn said:

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Well I used your exact spreadsheet format that you posted above and got the number I asked for - thanks!

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Good News!

Info in terms of importance/weight they will apply:
-Subject purchase price if in last year or so.
-Sales in neighborhood.
-Assessment comps of similar homes.

Completed my ARB hearing.

I've got a pretty detailed spreadsheet similar to the one posted above. I started going through it with the appraiser and DCAD board member. In the middle of it, the appraiser stopped me and just said "Would you settle for $X? right now?" It ended up being 6.25% reduction, and now 4.2% below my purchase price in 2017. I took the offer.