HCAD ARB Hearing (Howe: sales, real estate, foreclosure)

[eric99gt]

Hey All,

I'm gearing up for a session with the ARB here in a few weeks. They've increased the value of my home nearly 8% since I bought it two years ago. Given what I've seen of listings in my area this seems to be way out of wack with what homes are actually selling for. The only problem is I have no accurate data of what houses in my area are selling for as all that information seems to be out of the public domain. Any thoughts on how I can obtain this information (sales price) to support my case that home prices in my neighborhood have actually gone down and not up as they are contending? I really do appreciate any and all help.

[chris_ut]

You can ask one of the real estate agents on here to run it for you, most of them are very nice.

[cheryjohns]

Check your DM

[NTT]

Sounded like you have already received a notice with an appointment? If so, go to HCAD.org, type in your account number. When your property comes up, go to iFile and type in the number showed on your appointment.

Read all instructions from that notice and from the website (iFile section). All information for your argument, vaule of sold home in your neighborhood, are given to you by HCAD. All those information are accurate and can be used for your hearing. Just need to ignore forclosure homes and use only homes sold in 2010. Homes sold in early 2011 may be used as well.

I believe that there's a video you can watch to help you how to prepare for the hearing. The link should be on your appointment notice.

[eric99gt]

I don't have access to that data quite yet. I'm not sure if they include all data or only that which will support their value. Surprising that you can't use foreclosure home sales data given that these obviously affect the value of ones home.

[cheryjohns]

Originally Posted by eric99gt

I don't have access to that data quite yet. I'm not sure if they include all data or only that which will support their value. Surprising that you can't use foreclosure home sales data given that these obviously affect the value of ones home.

Yes - this.

[NTT]

Originally Posted by eric99gt

I don't have access to that data quite yet. I'm not sure if they include all data or only that which will support their value. Surprising that you can't use foreclosure home sales data given that these obviously affect the value of ones home.

I was told by HCAD agent that you can use foreclosure homes only if the foreclosure homes were about half of the homes sold during the year 2010. Otherwise, they wouldn't accept it.

A written notice of your appointment for the hearing is normally sent to you within 14 days of the appointment. When you posted a few weeks, did you mean that you have received the notice already or not?

If you have received a notice of your appointment, the written notice should have a number that allows you to get those records on their HCAD.org website. If you got the appointment but did not get that number, call HCAD. You can also obtain those information at their office but only if you already have received the appointment notice for the hearing. If you're not sure how to calculate the value of sold homes in your area, someone at HCAD can help you to prepare for your hearing as well. The people at HCAD are there to help, seriously. They're not villains.

Good luck!

[EasilyAmused]

Originally Posted by NTT

The people at HCAD are there to help, seriously. They're not villains.

!

Then tell me why they insist on valuing a 60 year old the same as a 4-5 year old houses on the same street. They have them valued the same Price Per Sq., and they refuse to listen to the concept that they are not two like products when they hit the market. You can't reason with them on this at all. I finally hired a professional this year. After years of successfully protesting as a property owner, the past 3 years have be a "bang head against the wall experience."

I'm not saying they are villians, but as "real estate professionals and 'peers'," they have become increasingly unreasonable on the old vs. new argument. Not to mention they don't look at recent sales as a whole, they pick the highest seller and set the market.

[cheryjohns]

Originally Posted by NTT

I was told by HCAD agent that you can use foreclosure homes only if the foreclosure homes were about half of the homes sold during the year 2010. Otherwise, they wouldn't accept it.

This is true also in setting market value.

A written notice of your appointment for the hearing is normally sent to you within 14 days of the appointment. When you posted a few weeks, did you mean that you have received the notice already or not?

If you have received a notice of your appointment, the written notice should have a number that allows you to get those records on their HCAD.org website. If you got the appointment but did not get that number, call HCAD. You can also obtain those information at their office but only if you already have received the appointment notice for the hearing. If you're not sure how to calculate the value of sold homes in your area, someone at HCAD can help you to prepare for your hearing as well. The people at HCAD are there to help, seriously. They're not villains.

No, I have found them to be very nice. However, their goal is to increase revenue by increasing the values of your house, in order to raise taxes. It's your job to keep that from happening or minimizing it.

Last time that I fought one and went all the way - I brought 5 copies of comps, as I noticed that their comps were cherry-picked. They pick the highest and the most upgraded. The average owner is not going to have a all of the info. Just ask a realtor to pull them for you. Only takes a few minutes.

[TimBomb]

Thanks for the timely tips. We got a 10% increase in Alief and doing the first meeting on Wednesday. For some reason they think my house grew 600 sqft and we could not sort that thru iFile