WASHINGTON CO. APPRAISAL DISTRICT SENDS OUT APPRAISAL NOTICES
The Washington County Appraisal District mailed out approximately 23,500 appraisal notices on Wednesday for residential and non-commercial land accounts.
Chief Appraiser Dyann White said in a press release today (Friday) that 2024’s residential value changes were “not as dramatic” as what has been seen over the last three years, with most homes increasing in value by 10 percent or less, and rural land values going up about 15 percent.
A breakdown of preliminary average homestead market values from the appraisal district shows increases between 5-9 percent from last year in Washington County, the City of Brenham, Brenham and Burton ISDs, Blinn College and the Oak Hill Fresh Water District. Homestead values in the Pecan Glen Road District mostly remained the same on average, while values in the City of Burton dropped by 1 percent.
Click here to view comparisons of preliminary average homestead values.
Business personal property and commercial notices will be mailed in May.
White said the Legislature has implemented new programs that are helping to slow property tax increases. One is the $100,000 homestead exemption for school tax, and the other is referred to in the release as the “circuit breaker”, which limits increases of taxable value to 20 percent for properties that are not homesteads or agricultural, are less than $5 million in value and are under the same ownership as of January 1, 2023. White said she expects this will be the most beneficial to commercial property owners, landlords and other non-homestead property owners.
Appraisers are available for walk-ins from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Owners are encouraged to reach out if they have any questions or concerns regarding their notice of value.
The appraisal district has also implemented a new online protest portal available to all property owners and tax agents, regardless of property type. However, White reported that as of this (Friday) afternoon, the portal is not working as expected. Appraisal district programmers and IT support are working to restore the portal; until it is operational, protests can be emailed to wcad-arb@brenhamk-12.net.
White said state law requires appraisal districts to appraise property at its market value. The Texas State Comptroller’s Office performs audits to ensure that appraised values are fair and accurate. Appraisal districts are not responsible for setting the tax rate, and must follow the law, state regulations, and actual sales data when making value determinations.
15%? One of mine went up 50% again this year after 50% last year? Where in that is 15 %?
Our property values should not be increasing $200,000 to 600,000 every year. The appraisal board is worthless as they agree with whatever the appraisers come up with. They don’t listen to the taxpayers. Then there’s the legislature, some counties got a break last year but not Washington County. Even if you got a break it doesn’t help but one year. We need some permanent help. They think limiting property values to 20 % a year increase is help? Soon the only people who will be able to afford property taxes will be the people from California or the Chinese government who seem to have an endless supply of money unlike most Texans. Also how does Dyann White think 10 to 15% increase this year is ok after the 20 to 50% or more increase last year? And that doesn’t include the increases for the 2 years before. No wonder so many people are selling their property. They can’t afford the property taxes.
Everyone who receives a tax appraisal notice MUST PROTEST THEM!!!
We all should. 10 to 15 percent increase is total BS!
Ever year for the last 5 years the increases have been ridiculous!
I protest every year, and generally get adjustments made.
Most people do not.
Come on y’all, it’s time to do it if you haven’t already. Enough is enough!