SAN ANTONIO — Bexar County homeowners say nothing has changed inside or outside their abode, except the appraised sticker price.
The County Appraisal District says appraised home values drastically went up this year—and they expect around 150,000 people to protest.
“I think a lot of people are really surprised and shocked,” Monica Huizar says the chatter in her neighborhood Facebook groups is how drastic home appraisals have increased.
Rising home values are affecting everyone—including Huizar, who has been a real estate agent for the past five years.
Her home didn’t change physically—but her appraised value rose $150,000 in 2021.
“If houses have sold for a significant price, why is our current homes that people don’t plan to move out of, why are those values going up so high?” Huizar said.
“The vibe is pretty hectic right now,” Assistant Chief Appraiser Rogelio Sandoval said.
High traffic was reported on the appraisal district’s website after the office sent appraisal notices.
A 28 % increase in home values was reported across Bexar County.
The mass appraisals are done based on neighborhood-specific sales data according to the county appraisal district.
“When a property owner files a protest, that’s when our staff can look and listen to the property owner as far as their individual characteristics,” Sandoval said.
In 2021—the County Appraisal District received a record number of an estimated 135,000 appeals, but 94% of them were resolved without a formal hearing before the Appraisal Review Board.
"That tells the property owners that we're here to listen to their evidence. We're here to explain how we arrive at the valuation, but nine times out of ten, we were able to come to a resolution," Sandoval said.
Huizar says realtors or property tax consultants can be a valuable resource in helping resolve your claim.
“Most realtors will run that comparative market analysis for a small fee or even for free for their past clients…It could be challenging if you’re not familiar with the process,” Huizar said.
Homeowners have until May 16 to file a protest with the Appraisal District. To start filing your claim, you must create an account on the BCAD website.
If you received the notice in person, you can mail your protest form to the office and it must be postmarked on or before May 16 in order to be accepted.
On the form, the appraisal district asks property owners to check the 'evidence requested' box so the county will provide the sales information that led to the valuation.
The appraisal district says virtual hearings which began due to the pandemic will continue, and homeowners can schedule a time to meet via Zoom or over the phone.
To check out your home's value, you can go here.