Austin property owners count on O'Connor & Associates to aggressively appeal thier property taxes, year after year. Austin property tax assessments seem to increase beyond what is reasonable. Aggressive Austin assessment techniques require aggressive property tax appeals.

Annual Austin Property Tax Protest

We attempt to reduce your property taxes for each property every year, even if the value did not change! Clients benefit from the understanding that a knowledgeable consultant is attempting to reduce their property taxes every year. While some property owners will periodically protest their property taxes, very few property owners protest each property every year. This constant vigilance ensures property taxes are maintained at the lowest practical level.

We have the expertise and the manpower to help you lower your property taxes. Our 50+ property tax experts have over 250 years of combined tax reduction expertise. In 2007, O'Connor & Associates prosecuted more than 120,000 protests, effectively reducing our client's assessed values by $1.8 billion, cutting their taxes by over $55 million. We will aggressively pursue every legal avenue to protest and lower your taxes:

• Informal hearings
• Appraisal Review Board (ARB) hearings
• Judicial appeals

Unequal Appraisal Reduces Austin Property Taxes

Even if your property is taxed for less than its market value, you could still be eligible for a property tax cut based on inequitable assessment compared to neighboring or competing properties. As the Texas leader in both administrative and judicial appeals on unequal appraisal, we have the knowledge, insight and resources to effectively appeal based upon unequal appraisal. Massive databases for the assessed values for properties in over 60 counties and proprietary software programs enable O'Connor & Associates tax consultants to scrutinize each client.s property with regard to unequal appraisal. Although property taxes are a substantial financial burden, it is simply unacceptable for clients to be taxed unfairly compared to other property owners! Our staff generated property tax savings for nearly 75% of properties in 2006!

No Risk - No Flat Fee - No Upfront Costs

Sign-up now, even if the property tax protest deadline is not imminent. By engaging O'Connor Associates to appeal your property taxes annually, you have secured an annual review of the level and fairness of your property taxes. Our staff will review opportunities annually to review your property taxes based upon both excessive valuation and unequal appraisal.

• I protested my property taxes last year and was successful. Does it make sense to consider appealing again this year?

Yes, property taxes should be appealed on an annual basis to ensure properties are not either excessively valued or unequally valued. Prior to the appraisal review board hearing, the appraisal district must provide evidence regarding its basis for valuing the property. In many cases, the appraisal districts evidence supports a reduction based on either market value or unequal appraisal.

• It doesn't make sense to appeal my property taxes if my property is assessed for less than market value.

Not true. Using unequal appraisal, our property tax consultants can probably reduce your property taxes even if your assessed value is below market value. Unequal appraisal compares the assessed value of your property to the assessed value of similar properties. O'Connor & Associates is the market leader in developing and presenting unequal appraisal appeals. Our property tax consultants use proprietary computer programs, banks of server computers and massive databases to search for assessment comparables which document a lower assessed value for your property. Many, if not most, property tax appeals focus on unequal appraisal instead of market value.

• Does protesting my assessed value reduce the amount I can borrow?

No, loans are typically based upon the market value of your home and your credit.

• It's not worthwhile to appeal.

Not true. Our property tax consultants save homeowners an average of $450 and commercial property owners an average of $6,000 in Harris County.

• Since the assessed value/taxable value is less than market value, it is not worth protesting, right?

No. We appeal both market value and unequal appraisal.

• Do I have to attend the hearing?

No. O'Connor & Associates staff will file the protest and attend the hearing on your behalf.

• Protesting my property taxes probably will not be successful& why bother?

Most property tax appeals are successful. A survey of over 600 property owners indicates 66% of owners who appeal are successful. O'Connor & Associates' property tax consultants reduced property taxes for 72% of homeowners and 80% of commercial property owners in 2007.

• How can I help?

Complete the property condition form with the size of your home and lot and information regarding problems with the house.

• Isn't it risky to appeal? What is the downside?

Most property tax appeals are successful and the value cannot be increased at the informal hearing, where most accounts are settled. The assessed value rarely increases at the ARB.

• The appraisal district will retaliate if I protest.

No. We filed over 120,000 appeals in 2007.

• Will the appraisal district inspect my house?

Not unless you tell the appraisal district that your house is smaller than they indicate and they need to measure it. The appraisal district is very busy during the property tax appeal season and simply does not have the staffing to measure thousands of houses.

• I don't have time to appeal!

Just call O'Connor & Associates. After a three-minute phone call, 713-686-9955, our property tax consultants and support staff will handle your appeal.