PATRICK'S QUICK ANSWER
The Notice of Appraised Value is a letter from BCAD mailed in April or May showing your home's proposed assessed value for the coming tax year. Treat it as your annual wake-up call. Three things matter: the proposed value versus what similar homes actually sold for, your exemptions on file, and your protest deadline, typically May 15 or 30 days after the notice date. Review it and protest when the number looks high. Five minutes now can save you hundreds. Ask Patrick to check your home's value.
The Notice of Appraised Value is a letter from the Bexar County Appraisal District mailed to homeowners in April or May each year. It shows the assessed value of your property for the current tax year. The notice includes the prior year's value, the new proposed value, exemptions on file, and instructions on how to protest. Review it carefully and decide if you want to challenge the value.
When You Receive It
BCAD mails Notices of Appraised Value in April and May. The exact date depends on when your property was appraised. If you recently purchased your home or made improvements, you may receive the notice earlier. Online access through the BCAD property search tool may show your value before the physical notice arrives. Check your mail carefully during this period. The date on the notice determines your protest deadline.
The date on the notice is the one that matters most, because it starts your protest deadline clock. Mark it on the calendar the day the letter arrives, and check your mail carefully through April and May. Missing the protest window costs you the whole year of taxes.
How to Review Your Notice
Your notice shows the previous year's market value, the current year's proposed market value, and any exemptions applied. Compare the new value to what you believe your home is worth. Look at recent sales of similar homes in your neighborhood. Check that your exemptions are correctly reflected. If the value seems too high, or if you think errors were made in the property description, you have grounds to protest. The notice also includes a breakdown of the appraisal method used.
The three numbers that matter are the prior year's market value, the new proposed market value, and your exemptions. The proposed value is what the district will tax, and the exemptions are the discounts you earned by filing for them. Compare the new value against recent sales of similar homes on your street, and check that every exemption you hold is reflected. A value that climbs with the market is normal; a value that runs ahead of what neighbors' homes actually sell for is your cue to file a protest.
What to Do After Reviewing
If you disagree with the assessed value, file a protest with BCAD before the deadline shown on the notice. The deadline is typically May 15 or 30 days after the notice date, whichever is later. Filing is free and can be done online, by mail, or in person. Gather your evidence, including comparable sales and photos, to support your case. If the value seems fair, you can accept it and no further action is needed.
Filing is free, takes minutes, and only happens once a year. Gather your comparable sales and photos, present them, and the process speaks for itself. Protesting is not complaining, it is checking the math on the biggest bill the county sends you. And if the evidence shows the value is fair, accept it and move on, because a protest without evidence is a wasted morning, while a protest with good comps is how honest money gets saved.
Ask Patrick about your home's value and options
Get a straight answer on what your home is worth and whether a refinance makes sense.
