Does your property tax seem too high? In all likelihood, the appraisers didn’t look at your property specifically as they assessed taxes.
In an appraisal method called mass appraisal, the district gathers detailed information on the property, then puts it in a group with similar properties, based on factors like size, use, and type. Computer programs help with categorizing properties.
The appraiser takes a typical property from that group of similar properties and then figures out the value–and thereby the property tax. How your property compares to the typical property in age or location then determines your property’s value.
Whenever you deal with stereotypes and the “typical” anything, there’s always room for unique situations. If your property is overvalued, it may be inadvertently caused by mass appraisal. Consider protesting the overvalue to lower your property taxes. In the meantime, a property tax loan might help you.
