Well, got done at the appraisers office yesterday. Got decent results - my home value remained unchanged from the previous year, and was able to limit the increase on one rental house (was $208K last year and they wanted $270K this year. Agreed to $228K). The other rental house ended up with a very small increase (about $35 worth of tax for the whole year).

In a perfect world, all the houses would've been lowered. But, this is still likely a better outcome than going before the ARB. At least on the one rental house, I can increase the rent a bit to cover the additional taxes (~$40/mo). The other one can stay the same, as $35 a year is trivial.

I've also had much better success going 1 V 1 with county appraiser versus the ARB.

I�m glad my house is valued at a high value.

Looks like that education is paying off.

Nah, I've been doing this for a number of years already before law school. Used to be a real estate broker awhile back.

Most of you have something to look for!!! The year you turn 65, taxes can be frozen if you fill out the form. One reason to do everything possible to keep the value of your HS as low as possible.

Do property tax savings come at the expense of school children and teachers?

They are getting brutal where I live, I see a big 5th wheel in my future and no house.

I see kids in our city regularly run across the street in front of oncoming traffic. There are times when I seriously doubt that a few extra tax dollars would make any meaningful difference to their education.

Yes, I know that's pessimistic.

The optimistic answer is this isn't property tax savings - it's simply ensuring that I only pay my fair share.

I am in the process of having a house built that will be finished in November and I turn 65 in December. You can be sure I will be filling out the necessary forms.

I hired a guy who specializes in fighting these increases. His cost is 25% of what he saves me in taxes. I'm good with that. The house that my wife and I own that we thought would be a great retirement place has turned sour since it will now cost us nearly $600 a month in taxes. I'm going to consider selling and buying a place in a cheaper tax area. I may be able to freeze my taxes next year when I turn 65 but I heard that it only freezes your homestead portion and if tax rates go up so do your taxes. So I am thinking this "freezing" your taxes at 65 is also a bunch of hooey.

When you don�t collect on big business you gotta collect from small business and employees

Needs to come at the expense of the school board and Supervisors

500 million dollar schools won't make your kid any smarter.

Whitehouse just built a school in the kuntry that now requires someone to widen county roads and build a completely new road. Hope that comes from the school budget!!!!

Public school is just a racket

They need to go online for schools now of days, no need for a brick and mortar scbool.

Frisco schools start teachers with no experience at $50K per year to only work like 187 days per year, and then add the extravagant school that look like college campuses