The success rate for property tax protests in San Antonio is about 70 percent at the informal hearing stage and 30 to 40 percent at the formal Appraisal Review Board level. Homeowners who protest typically save between $500 and $2,000 per year in property taxes. The key to success is having strong evidence and presenting it clearly.
Success Rates at Different Stages
Most protests are resolved at the informal hearing stage, where the success rate is roughly 70 percent. The BCAD appraiser has more flexibility to adjust values during informal hearings. Cases that move to a formal ARB hearing have a lower success rate of around 30 to 40 percent, but the potential reduction can be larger if your evidence is strong. The overall protest success rate across all stages is about 60 to 70 percent for homeowners who show up with proper evidence.
How Evidence Affects Your Success
The single biggest factor in your success is the quality of your evidence. Homeowners who bring comparable sales, photographs, and repair estimates are far more likely to get a reduction. Those who attend with no evidence or only their opinion rarely succeed. The more data you can present showing that comparable homes sold for less than your assessed value, the stronger your case. A written appraisal or contractor estimate adds even more credibility.
Average Savings from a Protest
Successful protests in Bexar County typically result in a reduction of assessed value ranging from 5 to 15 percent. For a home valued at $350,000, that means a reduction of $17,500 to $52,500 in assessed value. At the average tax rate of about 2 percent, that translates to actual tax savings of roughly $350 to $1,050 per year. Over time, these savings add up significantly. Protesting annually compounds the benefit.