Every year, several residential and commercial property owners in San Antonio, Texas, are forced to endure ever-increasing property valuations and surging property tax bills. The appraisal districts re-evaluate properties annually, often leading to over-appraised property values causing unreasonable property taxes for most taxpayers. These miscalculations and errors in property valuation typically occur as county appraisers perform mass appraisals.
So, after receiving the official notice of your property’s appraised value, you need to ensure your property is assessed equitably to pay appropriate taxes. If you disagree with the property’s appraised value, you need to file a notice of protest with the Bexar County Appraisal District.
You can file for the tax protest yourself, but most people find the process overwhelming as it demands a lot of time, effort, and meticulous planning. In most cases, it’s most beneficial to resort to a credible property tax protest company in San Antonio to navigate this grueling tax protest process.
But, how do you choose the best property tax protest company from the available options in San Antonio? Well, don’t worry, we have compiled the most important factors to consider when choosing the best property tax protest company for you to help mitigate your tax burden.
1. Company Reputation
While researching the best property tax protest companies in San Antonio, the first step is checking the company’s reputation. You can verify a company’s reputation by reading through client testimonials or reviews on the company’s website, google or other social media platforms. You may also seek advice from your friends, family, or colleagues who are clients or past clients of said company.
2. Success rate
The next step is checking if the company has a proven track record of successfully defending its clients’ investments. The success rate can be gauged from client reviews and the case studies mentioned on the website.
A company with a verified track record of helping its clients sail through the complex process of filing for property tax protest is more likely to fetch you the desired outcome.
3. Understanding of the local tax laws
Ensure that the company you choose has a comprehensive understanding of the local market, tax laws, and property appraisal process especially in San Antonio. The company that has previously handled property tax protests in San Antonio will be the best bet for handling the finer points of your tax appeal.
4. Personalized assistance
Each property tax appeal case can carry unique circumstances and needs to be handled intensively by the property tax protest company. The company needs to assess the specific issues and errors that led to a property’s over-appraisal and create a strong case to attain significant tax savings.
Furthermore, the property tax protest company needs to present your case at the appeal hearings and fiercely negotiate with the appraisal district on your behalf.
For all these reasons, look for a company willing to provide persistent support and personalized assistance throughout the tax protest journey.
5. Fee structure
Before finally selecting a tax protest company to appeal on your behalf, carefully evaluate its fee structure. Some companies charge a flat fee despite the outcome while others charge a percentage of the achieved tax savings at the end of the process. Don’t be so intrigued to settle for a company just because they charge less.
Oftentimes companies entice new clients with smaller fees but the taxpayer ends up paying more in property tax dollars because the company’s business model is based on client volume and often lacks in performance as it cannot give the full attention needed for most of their cases. A good company can charge between 30% – 35% of the tax savings for residential accounts and 25% for commercial properties.
Another fee structure you may come across is a percentage of the market value reduction, usually 1% of the market value reduction. At first this may sound like a great deal, however this oftentimes leads to a higher than normal invoice than a company who charges a percentage of the tax savings.
Lastly, be wary of any additional or hidden charges that might arise in the middle of the process.
Conclusion
If you believe your property is overvalued or unreasonably appraised, seek help from a reputable tax protest company in San Antonio to save yourself from paying exorbitant property taxes. While choosing the best company, don’t forget to consider the key factors discussed above to ensure a hassle-free and fruitful property tax protest.
With that being said, Alamo Ad Valorem takes great pride in being one of the best property tax protest companies in San Antonio. Alamo Ad Valorem is a team of highly-experienced and adept property tax consultants who are driven to provide clients with a comprehensive customer experience. We are also a 100% veteran-owned company, so hire us today to have Alamo Ad Valorem fight for a fair and equal valuation!