Property tax protest deadline nears in North Texas

Homeowners across North Texas have about a week left to protest their property tax assessments, with the deadline set for May 15 in Fort Worth.

In recent years, rising home values have sparked widespread frustration among property owners. But this year, the reaction has been noticeably calmer, something experts say may be tied to slight decreases in some areas.

Tax Consultant Chandler Crouch said his firm still plans to file tens of thousands of protests despite the shift.

“This year we are going to protest for a little over 40,000 people," said Crouch.

Crouch, who handles thousands of property tax protests in Tarrant County each year, said the usual outcry over sharply rising values hasn’t materialized to the same degree.

He said that’s partly because property values in some areas, like Collin County, have dipped slightly.

“Yeah, in Collin County, property values are down just a little bit. So, we haven’t seen quite the panic that we’ve seen in recent years, where you open your value notice, and you see your property value skyrocketing," said Crouch.

Even so, Crouch said homeowners shouldn’t assume their assessment is accurate or as low as it could be. He recommends filing a protest regardless of whether a home’s value increased, decreased or stayed the same.

He said the process starts with a simple first step.

“For most people, you go online and you fill out a simple form at the appraisal district website. Or you can take your value notice, turn it over, fill it out, send it in," Crouch said.

After filing, homeowners should begin gathering evidence to support a lower valuation.

“After you get that done, you need to start looking at and assembling evidence to negotiate a reduction. That’s step two,” said Crouch.

That evidence can include recent home sales in the neighborhood as well as photos documenting structural issues that could affect a property’s value.

“It’s your right to protest. I think everybody should protest just to make sure you're not paying more than you absolutely have to," Crouch said.

In Dallas, about 60% of property owners filed protests last year. Some cases can be resolved online, while others may require an in-person appeal.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication.