HOW TO PROTEST TEXAS PROPERTY TAX APPRAISALS -- Deadline May 31, 2008  By Dallas Realtor-Broker Bill Cherry

The property tax appraisal logic in Texas is this:

• One entity will decide the appraised values of every taxable property in the county.  These are called Central Appraisal Districts.  There is a chief appraiser overseeing each district.
• Using computer models and site visits, every piece of taxable property is given a value by the CAD.  Those values are then published as public record.
• A period of time is then allowed for taxpayers to compare the value that was assessed to their property with assessments of comparable properties.
• If the taxpayer can show that the value assigned to his property is not in line with the comparable properties, he can file a formal written protest with the CAD.  That protest must be filed by May 31 of the tax year.
• An informal meeting is then scheduled between a CAD appraiser and the property owner.  At that meeting the property owner shows his evidence of value to the appraiser and the appraiser shows his evidence of value to the property owner.  A compromise is offered.
• If the property owner is not satified with the offer made by the appraiser, he may request a hearing before the Appraisal Review Board.
• The Appraisal Review Board is made of up of other taxpayers in the county; taxpayers who are not employees of the CAD, and whose determinations cannot be overturned by the CAD.
• The ARB committee listens to the evidence presented it by the property owner and the evidence presented by the appraiser.  The ARB members ask questions of both, then they determine what the value will be.  The CAD must accept that value.
• Home owners who remain unsatisfied with the assigned value have one more option outside of filing suit against the district. They can request binding arbitration.  There are several hundred real estate professionals who have been certified by the Texas Comptroller to act as arbitrators.  They can hear cases for homes worth less than $1 million.  The cost of the arbitration cannot exceed $500, and the loser pays the fee.

The question you must ask is this:  How does the CAD's appraised value of my home compare with their appraised values of other like homes?  It has nothing to do with what homes are selling for or have sold for,  It has nothing to do with whether or not you think the value is too high or that you can't afford the amount of your taxes.

Again, the question is this:  How does the CAD's appraised value of my home compare with their appraised values of other like homes?  If yours is higher, then you protest.

The CAD mentality is this:  We'll do our best to appraise and assign accurate values.  If the property owners do not file protest, then they must agree.  If they agree, then our apprisal is correct.

All of this research information is available at the CAD office in your country and they are required to give it to you.  It is also available at the web sites of each CAD.  You can Google search by putting in the name of your country followed by CAD.  For an example, "Dallas CAD."

If you have further questions, I am a former Appraisal Review Board member and committee chairman, and I am an state appointed arbitrator.  Email me at www.cherrysells@aol.com.

**Please forgive spelling errors and transpositions.  The spell check feature is not working today.

BILL CHERRY, REAL ESTATE

DALLAS

OUR 43RD YEAR SELLING TEXAS

214 503-8563

Copyright 2008 - William S. Cherry

While the title company wants to lay claim to the seller -- on whose behalf they are insuring to the buyer that the seller has indisputable ownership of the property he is selling -- their real clients are the Realtors. And that’s where their loyalty belongs.

In Texas, and probably throughout all or most all of America, the title insurance rates are regulated by the state. If you buy a $200,000 home in Texas, the title premium is the same at all Texas licensed title companies.

But what the title company passes off as additional charges for their services, frequently labeled as escrow fees, messenger service, document preparation, copies, wire transfers and on and on are not the same. In fact, they are negotiable, yet I’ll venture to say that most Realtors don’t dial this into the equation when they are selecting the company where their sale/purchase will take place.

But how can it not be every Realtor’s obligation to make certain that their client is not going to pay unnecessary fees only so that the Realtor’s favorite closer can have their business? It can't be because it is their obligation.

What Would My Clients Write About Me If There Were A Realtors' Day?

Ever since W.L. Moody, Jr., gave me his worn copy of Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People when I was about 12-years old, I've had this thing about making sure I'm around people who motivate me to both understand as well as improve myself.

It all started when I asked Mr. Moody how I could be rich like him someday, and he told me two things:  "First, to attain wealth you have to have money working for you, people working for you, but preferably both.  Second, read Dale Carnegie's book at least once a year for the rest of your life."

And that was when he gave me his copy of the Carnegie book.  It's on my desk right now because I have just finished reading it for about the 55th time.

What I get out of all of this is not necessarily lessons in life, but a better understanding of myself...what I think about the components of life, and why I think as I do.  Often times, I find I've had a lifetime of faulty reasoning that brought me to a lousy opinion that I need to change.

One of my favorite radio talk programs is hosted by Dennis Prager, a modern day Jewish scholar-philosopher.  The subjects of his programs are always about life, faith, who we are and why we are.  Sometimes I don't agree with him, but to listen just to his thoughts and reasoning, I have to reconcile them with my own belief system.  I admire Mr. Prager and I thank him for what he has given me.

And there's author John Maxwell.  His biographical blurb says he's "an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker and author." Of his many books, I think I have gotten more out of The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. You can pick up a new one for $25 or a used one for less than $10. 

Everyone knows that Herb Kelleher and Lamar Muse founded Southwest Airlines.  Muse left after a few years, so it was left up to Mr. Kelleher to promote and attain the airline company dream that he and Mr. Muse had.  John Maxwell reminded me in his The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership that Mr. Kelleher's employees bought a full page ad on Boss's Day, 1994, in "USA Today."  Here's what it said.

Thanks, Herb

For remembering every one our our names

For supporting the Ronald McDonald House

For helping load baggage on Thanksgiving

For giving everyone a kiss (and we mean everyone)

For listening

For running the only profitable major airline

For singing at our holiday party

For singing only once a year

For letting us wear shorts and sneakers to work

For golfing at The LUV Classic with only one club

For outtalking Sam Donaldson

For riding your Harley Davidson into Southwest Headquarters

For being a friend, not just a boss

Happy Boss's Day from Each One of Your 16,000 Employees

So what did I get out of this?  Other than reinforcement of my deep respect for Mr. Kelleher and his 16,000 employees, I got this:

What would my prior clients write about me if there were a Realtors' Day?  I'd better do some evaluating and make some major adjustments.  What about you?  How would you fair?

Copyright 2008 - William S. Cherry

BILL CHERRY, REALTORS

DALLAS

214 503-8563

OUR 43RD YEAR SELLING TEXAS!

To the naked eye, the store looked viable and profitable.  It had been well-stocked and
seemed to have many shoppers through the day.  Today a newly-painted For Sale sign
spawns rumors that the looks were deceiving.

I did find this statement in one of the company’s recent annual reports.

This, even though in this same report, future expansion for the company showed they
had budgeted for a net gain of about 265 of the huge stores that year.

THE MUSICAL ICON OF DALLAS' NORDSTROM - LARRY PETTY

There are at least 100 full-size Nordstrom stores throughout the U.S.  Five of them are in the Dallas area. 

Larry also plays sets there throughout the week.

Copyright 2008 - William S. Cherry, Realtors

DOROTHY DRAPER - IN THE PINK

There probably has never been a more famous American decorator than
Dorothy Draper.  Most projects that she did were larger than life projects -

I remember the first time I went to the Greenbrier with my mom and dad.  It was about 1950 or so, and even
as a child of ten I knew it wasn't like any other hotel.  For most of his adult life, my dad would stop there regularly

Copyright 2008 - William S. Cherry

For the majority of my life I've been a voracious reader....

Their latest one is titled You, Inc. Now for whatever reason, that's

BILL CHERRY, REALTORS

DALLAS

214 503-8563

Our 43rd Year Selling Texas