There’s still time to protest your property taxes

THE WOODLANDS, TX – The deadline to protest the appraisal amount of your home – which ties in to the amount of property taxes you will have to pay – is rapidly approaching. May 15 is your last chance to convince the taxing authorities that your property is nowhere near as valuable as they say it is.

The median effective property tax rate in The Woodlands is 1.38%, resulting in a median annual tax bill of $5,620 for a median home value of $478,856. This rate is lower than the Texas state median of 1.48% but significantly higher than the national median of 1.02%.

Total property tax rates vary by location within The Woodlands, ranging approximately from 2.01% to 2.59% depending on the specific Municipal Utility District (MUD), school district (Conroe ISD or Tomball ISD), and county (Montgomery or Harris). The Woodlands Township’s specific ad valorem tax rate is set at $0.1714 per $100 of taxable valuation.

Homeowners may qualify for exemptions that reduce their taxable assessed value, including a universal 3% homestead exemption for all residents and increased exemptions of $50,000 for senior or disabled residents. Assessment notices are typically sent in April, and appeals for over-assessed values must be filed before the May 15 deadline each year.

If you’re a homeowner in The Woodlands, chances are you don’t use the short EZ form when filing your taxes, and most likely use a tax professional. When protesting your property value, it’s equally important to leave it to someone who knows what they’re talking about.

While the clock is ticking and deadline looming, one local company is still allowing ‘stragglers’ to commission it to protest on your behalf: HomeTax. With no upfront cost, the process is quick and easy. First off, simply sign up on their website, a process that takes less than two minutes. And that’s about it. The company’s property tax specialists who know the local market handle the rest. The best part is, you pay nothing unless HomeTax reduces your taxes, and even then it is just a 25% fee tied directly to your tax savings.

Don’t delay! Every minute counts, literally, and each year of no action makes it harder to bring down the appraised value. Learn more at HomeTax’s business directory at www.woodlandsonline.com/cdps/cditem.cfm?nid=18036.