| Step 1. File the Protest. (Instructions) |
Step 2. Contact Us and Sign-up
if you want us to be your agent. If not, go to Steps 3-6
 | Contact us via Email or Fax. |
| We will call you to discuss your case. |
| If we both agree, you will sign our
Agreement.
Send it to us along with payment. |
| You may pay by credit card while we are on the phone. If you desire, you may also
fax us the Agreement and Credit Card Details. Do not send credit card
number by email. |
|
Forms in pdf
format
Protest Form (Blank)
Protest Form (Fill-in-Blanks)
Appointment of Agent
Report of Decreased Value
Owner-Agent Agreement
|
Step 3. While You Are Waiting.
Locate the CAD office on a map and drive to it. You will make several
trips to deliver letters and pick up information.
| Request to meet with an appraiser. Ask him/her to explain the
appraisal to you. |
| Buy the the Property Record Card... it should be about 10¢. This is
NOT an abbreviated print-out, but rather complex and very complete with
details of the improvements, the cost approach, land values, etc. |
| If your property has defects, see if the CAD has that noted on the
property record. |
| Ask the district for the appraisal records on similar properties in
the area-to learn if similar properties are treated equally. |
| Ask the appraisal district to let you see and inspect all information
used to establish the value of your property. The appraisal district must
give you the opportunity to inspect information, even if the information
would normally be considered confidential. |
| If you know about sales that the district did not use, ask them why? |
| If you show them a closing statement and they ask to make a copy, tell
them they may copy it after they lower the value.... but not until then.
Expect doubt and suspicion if your closing statement is lower than the
CAD's value. REMEMBER, the closing statement is the best evidence of
market value. |
| They may ask for THE appraisal. DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR APPRAISAL... It
does not indicate market value. |
| Try to resolve the protest with the appraiser. |
|
Letters
We Recommend
Request for CAD Evidence
Reschedule Hearing
Suppress CAD Evidence
 |
Step 4. The ARB Will
Notify You of a Hearing Date
You will receive an ARB Notice of Hearing. They will give you 15 days notice from date of
mailing. This is your trigger to do the following:
| Request Evidence. Fourteen (14) before the ARB Hearing date,
deliver a Request for Evidence letter to the Appraisal District. Wait at the counter
while they make copies of the evidence they intend to use at the hearing.
|
| If they do not have the evidence ready, you may request the ARB postpone the
hearing. If you do not request the postponement, you may politely demand that the ARB
refuse to allow any evidence from the Appraisal District. |
| Study the evidence and compare it with your property. |
|
Step 5. Prepare Comparable Sales and ARB Packet
Sometime before your ARB Hearing, you should collect evidence. Generally
that means obtaining comparable sales of similar property as yours, in a
similar area, and of the similar size and condition. Also compare
assessments of surrounding properties and test to see if they are assessed
uniformly and equally. Prepare maps and collect photos when needed. |
|
Step 6. The ARB Hearing
You will have about a 15 minute hearing. Study your ARB Suggestions and review the ARB
Hearing Procedures. The ARB panel members have been instructed to assist the homeowner in
presenting evidence. If you are nervous... tell them so. They understand that it is
traumatic for you, probably because you've never done anything like this before. If you
have a good case- AND a good panel - they will recognize it and try to help you. The appraisal district
representative may also interrupt the hearing and make a recommendation to lower the value
after reading your evidence. |
