DCAD Property Tax Settlement Offer Question
Posted by woodstock9999@reddit | Dallas | View on Reddit | 25 comments
I protested our taxes online. They sent a ridiculously low settlement offer - way off what I requested and more aligned with last years comps not what they have fallen to this year.
I submitted repair estimates and comps of homes sold in my area the past year.
If I do not accept the offer and go for a hearing, would they still honor the settlement amount or could I potentially lose that?
I protested last year and was not sent an offer online but did a telephone hearing and got a better offer than what they are offering now. I see a hearing date in my account but can't tell if it is in person or telephone. Thanks.
DistinctAd3865@reddit
They did same to me. I read they won’t honor it but if your comps are good no way can they go higher imo. I’m taking mine to the phone hearing. If they pull something sly I’m going to formal
woodstock9999@reddit (OP)
How did you tell it is a phone hearing, Mine just has a date and time?
majora2007@reddit
To my understanding, they are always phone hearings, so at that date and time expect a call from the court.
woodstock9999@reddit (OP)
Miny email said: Once you have accepted the offer, your protest will be withdrawn, and your formal hearing before the Appraisal Review Board will be cancelled. If you do not agree with the value, you do not need to do anything further. Your hearing is set before the Appraisal Review Board (ARB) on: (Not Scheduled). Please plan on participating in this hearing and submit any additional documentation that you wish to submit. Any previously submitted documentation will be available to the ARB and to you at the time of the hearing in an electronic format.
Levols@reddit
Did you get a hearing date and time already? I called and they offered me bs, I just bought and want to overvalue by 100k even with a closing statement... Still no hearing date and time
woodstock9999@reddit (OP)
Yes for a phone hearing in the letter I received in the mail this past Saturday.
DistinctAd3865@reddit
I had my phone hearing yesterday. They had it pegged at 540k. Offered me 500k via email before the hearing. Went through with the hearing and got them down another 10k to 490k, which is under what my 10% rise was this year. Walked away feeling accomplished.
woodstock9999@reddit (OP)
Thanks. Where or how do you get the comps they are using?
DistinctAd3865@reddit
It’s on the county website. You can search your address and enter the verification PIN number that’s in your letter (letter that has your meeting time on it). It was a bit of a pain to find but it’ll be this one pager. Mine just had 3 comps. I think they can use up to 5 but not entirely sure.
woodstock9999@reddit (OP)
thank you - I found my 3 comps and called dcad to verify. so ridiculous 2 of the houses were totally remodeledd and updated and one was from 2024 when sales prices were rreefkective of seller market - and 1 was not and more similar although slightly more uodated than mine but if I use the sq ft for the one most similar to mine my market value should be lower and lower than the offer they made me. i also am going to look at capped values vs market value to see what the % are as I need to get my capped value lowered as well. I am gouing to email more documentation and call next week to see if I can sopeak to someone before my hearing on june 4.
woodstock9999@reddit (OP)
i found 3 sections when i logged in - one that said sales summary residential and it has 3 comps, one that says residential equity comp adjustments that has 7 comps and one that says sales comp adjustments that has 3 comps. these were under my appraisal record - different categories - the rest were all just about my house. thanks.
Levols@reddit
You got an appointment for an in person hearing? I need to get to that point... They don't want to respect the sales price by phone
DistinctAd3865@reddit
It should say on the letter the number to call, date and time.
DonkeeJote@reddit
I wonder if housing turnover has slowed so much that they have to go back to get enough data.
DistinctAd3865@reddit
they’re just cherry picking. there’s plenty of comps out there. I have 9 comps and they’re all within the last 3-9 months. No reason to include a 24 month old comp at that point. They only use 3 anyways.
Ok-Preparation8256@reddit
rejecting DCAD's settlement won't kill your ability to get that number later at the hearing, but you could also end up worse if your comps don't hold up. some folks in r/dallas have had Resolute negotiate those DCAD lowballs instead of risking it themselves.
Icy_Huckleberry_8049@reddit
they tell you in the offer that it's a one-time offer ONLY. READ the info.
avatexrs@reddit
I protested, got no settlement offer, set for hearing next week. Called this morning and spoke with someone at DCAD and had a good discussion; he requested some more info and we agreed on an acceptable number in about 5 minutes.
Same thing happened in past years. DCAD had always been very reasonable with me. Only had to go a hearing once about five years ago.
woodstock9999@reddit (OP)
Interesting - I wonder if I called if I would be able to speak with someone without an appointment,
avatexrs@reddit
Absolutely. The notice of hearing I got suggests calling in advance of the hearing.
Realistic_Winter5754@reddit
Once you decline the settlement offer, it's gone. You may get a better deal at the hearing or not.
HomeTaxDefense_com@reddit
I've had that happen also where I do better at a formal hearing and also did better with an informal hearing. I think sometimes with the lowball, they count on homeowners not wanting to mess with it and give up. Which is somewhat disturbing to think your elected officials and local government employees are trying to make you pay the most possible.
If you want to get another set of comps or different analysis, www.hometaxdefense.com but sounds like you are pretty squared away.
DonkeeJote@reddit
The appraisal office has nothing to do with "trying to make you pay the most possible"...
Using market comps and broader market data is simply the most efficient and cheapest way to determine everyone's share of the tax burden, which is determined elsewhere.
HomeTaxDefense_com@reddit
Cheap and efficient isn't the same as right. The ARB sets the final appraised value and the homeowner protest is the only correction on it.
I'd like to think appraisal districts and ARBs are about fairness, but that has not always been my experience.
DonkeeJote@reddit
I doubt you’ll find anyone with appetite to staff those offices well enough to get it “right” (if that’s even possible), at the potential expense of foregoing the ability to protest.
The current system is about as good as it can get to make it simple and still give people a chance to complain. Though those complaints are usually woefully misguided if not completely wrong.