If you own property in Cook County, you are probably frustrated right now with constantly rising property taxes. At O’Connor, our mission is to enrich property owners through cost effective tax reduction, and we have a couple of recommendations on how you can help lower your property taxes. Our first tip is to appeal your property taxes every year. You don’t have to just accept the assessor’s value. Whether you hire us or file your own protest, this is an important process to help keep your property value from escalating out of control. Another easy practice that may make a significant impact on property taxes for homeowners is to make sure you are receiving your homeowner’s exemption and any of the exemptions for which you may be qualified. We know that government processes can be complicated, so we’ve put together a video walkthrough on how to check your exemption status... Read More

Homeowners considering protesting their property tax appraisal understandably have several questions. But before we answer these questions, it is important to understand how your property value is determined. HOW IS MY TAX BILL CALCULATED? In Texas, property taxes are determined at the county rather than the state level. Two factors impact the taxes:  County tax appraiser will calculate the taxable value of your home by using the market value of similar homes that have recently sold. The term ‘market value’ refers to the amount they feel your home would sell for on the open market, based on the price of comparable homes that have previously sold in the area recently. HOW TO PROTEST PROPERTY TAX IN TEXAS Texas has 254 counties, and each county has its own tax rate. For example, the tax rate in Bexar County is 1.97%, so if your home is assessed at $250,000, you will owe... Read More

In 2021, the most spoken topic was the increasing home prices. No matter what people decided, whether to buy, sell, or live, they were responsible for paying the increasing property taxes that came along with the increased home price. For the current year’s property taxes, the market value for residents was set on the 1st of January 2021. The home prices across major cities in North Texas have been on a rise with the median price approximately being $310,000. The data collected from the local real estate agents showed that the price of a single-family home that was previously owned in North Texas has increased by 50% and more when compared to the last five years. It is assumed that the homeowners will have to face higher property taxes in the upcoming years. Get an idea of what your tax bill would be by visiting your county’s local tax assessor-collector... Read More

It is common for Texans to be in shock when they have their residential 2022 property tax appraisal notice in hand. Texas being the seventh state paying the highest property tax in the United States, homeowners, fortunately, have a chance to fight and lower their taxes.  This can be done by filing a property tax protest. The process is of course painstaking… but the results! The process of protesting begins in January and you are not too late to begin. Get to know how it works and start fighting to lower your property tax bill. During the informal hearing, an appraiser reviews your property value and proposes a reduced value. It is up to you to accept the value or move on to the formal hearing. Once you move on to the formal hearing you will be under a rapid-fire proceeding which will go long for about 15 to 20... Read More

Texans who are aged 65 or older or those who are disabled as per the Texas tax law can now postpone paying their current and their delinquent residential property taxes! This can be done by signing a property tax deferral affidavit at the HCAD office (Harris county appraisal district). During a news release, HCAD said that after an affidavit is filed, the taxes will be deferred and not canceled until, and unless, the property owner continues to qualify for the exemption. It is to be noted that the taxes accumulate with an interest of 5% every year. As per the law, tax deferral is extended to the surviving spouse of the person who deferred taxes on the homestead. However, the surviving spouse should be at least 55 years or older when the spouse died. The Chief Appraiser said homeowners who are 65 years or older or disabled should be sure... Read More