If you don’t adjust comparable sales to your property, you can’t effectively support your Texas property tax protest.  Here we’ll discuss Class.

Class defines properties which are similar in their physical characteristics.  Dallas Central Appraisal District, for example, has 23 different classifications of residences; see the list at the end of this post.

You can determine the Class of any property by reference to your appraisal district website.  Your comparable sales should be in the same Class as your own property.  Otherwise, you will need to adjust your value up if the comparable is in a less valuable class or down if the comparable in in a more valuable class.

If you go an informal hearing with an appraiser before your Appraisal Review Board formal hearing you can learn what value the district places on differences between the class of your property and classes above and below it.  You can use those values to adjust your comp sales to your own property and build an effective case.

In this series of Adjustments to Comp Sales we show homeowners how to adjust sales based on the criteria used by appraisal districts.  The most important are:

• Neighborhood
• Size
• Age or Effective Age
• Class
• Condition
• Pool / No Pool

We’ll even show you how to use logic to dispute some of the the districts’ criteria that we think are not realistic.  Search for Adjustments to Comp Sales: Lots and Logic.  You can use our argument when it fits your purpose.

To find each, just search for “Adjustments to Comp Sales” and select each one separately.

Dallas Central Appraisal District Residential Property Classes and Codes:

1. Single family frame dwelling, board and batten or siding, on post foundation or girders on grounds, sub standard.  Poor construction – 2 x 4 studs set 16” or 24” oc, roll comp roof, bath and kitchen plumbing.
2. Single family, frame dwelling, on post foundation, meets minimum property standards, fair construction, 2 x 4 studs set 16” oc, post foundation, wood siding, comp shingle roof, hardwood or linoleum flooring, plumbing for bath, kitchen, basic features, optional built in softwood cabinets and no other built ins.
3. Single family, frame dwelling, on concrete slab foundation, meets minimum property standards, fair construction – 2 x 4 studs set 16” oc, concrete slab foundation, wood siding and weatherboard, comp shingle roof, carpet or vinyl asbestos flooring, central heat.
4. Single family, frame dwelling on concrete pier and beam foundation, exceeds minimum property standards, average construction 2 x 4 studs set 16” oc, wood siding, comp shingle roof, hardwood and linoleum flooring, standard compliment of plain wood cabinets.
5. Single family, frame dwelling on a concrete pi9er and bam foundation, good quality, wood siding, comp shingle roof, carpet, hardwood, linoleum or vinyl flooring, bath and kitchen good quality plumbing, floor furnace heating.
6. Single family, frame dwelling, on concrete pier and beam foundation, very good quality, wood siding, comp shingle roof, two baths, kitchen, superior features, central heat, optional: abundant well constructed hardwood cabinets, built in bookshelves, etc.
7. Single family, frame dwelling on concrete pier and beam foundation, excellent quality, wood siding, comp shingle roof, central heat, optional: range and oven, dishwasher, disposal, range hood, elaborate milled kitchen cabinetry, built in bookshelves, cabinets, etc.  Additions for wood shingle roof, shake shingle roof, tile roof, asbestos shingle roof, aluminum siding, vinyl siding, slate roof, extra kitchen, wet bar.  Deductions for no central heat, slab foundation.
8. Single family brick veneer dwelling on concrete pier and beam foundation, meets minimum property standards, old style, 2 x 4 sgtuds set 16” oc, brick veneer and siding as trim or on second story, comp shingle roof, hardwood and linoleum flooring, interior walls of paper/canvas on shiplap or plaster, plumbing is bath, kitchen and basic features, standard complement of basic plain cabinetry.  Additions for wood shingle roof, stone veneer, central heat, extra half bath, extra full bath, extra kitchen, floor furnace, fireplace.
9. Single family, old style brick veneer dwelling on concrete pier and beam foundation, good quality, 2 x 4 studs set 16” oc, comp shingle roofing, hardwood and linoleum flooring, interior walls of paper canvas on shiplap or sheetrock, standard complement of plain wood kitchen cabinets.   Additions for stone veneer, wood shingle roof, central heat, floor or wall furnace, tile roof, extra half bath, extra bath, extra kitchen, wet bar.  Deductions for no fireplace.

10.Single family brick veneer dwelling on concrete pier and beam foundation, very good quality, old style, 2 x 4 studs set 16” oc, clay tile roof, hardwood or ceramic tile or linoleum flooring, sheetrock interior walls, 2 baths, kitchen, good fixtures, central heat, standard complement of superior cabinets with some extra cabinetry, including built in bookshelves.  Additions for stone veneer, central AC, slate roof, extra kitchen, wet bar.  Deductions for no central heat, comp shingle roof, wood shingle roof, no fireplace.

11.Single family solid masonry dwelling on concrete slab foundation, meets minimum standard, fair construction, no stud work, exterior wall is sold concrete brick, comp shingle roof, basic plumbing in bath and kitchen.  Additions for wood shingle roof, central heat, central AC, pier and beam foundation, floor furnace, extra half bath, extra bath, extra kitchen.  Deduction for comp roll roof.

12.Single family, brick veneer dwelling on a concrete pier and beam foundation, meets or slightly exceeds minimum property standards, 2 x 4 studs set 16” oc, comp shingle roof, hardwood flooring, sheetrock interior walls, plumbing bath, kitchen, basic features; standard complement of plain kitchen cabinets.  Additions for wood shingle roof, built up roof, central heat, AC, floor furnace, extra half or full bath, extra kitchen.  Deductions for concrete slab foundation.

13. Single family, brick veneer dwelling on a concrete pier and beam foundation, average quality, 2 x 4 studs set 16” oc, wood siding in second story, comp shingle roof, hardwood and linoleum flooring, sheetrock interior walls, bath, kitchen and basic features plumbed, central heat, standard complement of plain wood cabinets.  Additions for wood shingle roof, clay tile roof, built up roof, central AC, extra half or full bath, extra kitchen, fireplace.  Deductions for no central heat, concrete slab foundation.

14. Single family, brick veneer dwelling on a concrete slab foundation, average quality, typically a tract home, average 2 x 4 studs set 16” and 24” oc, brick veneer and use of wood or weatherboard, comp shingle roof, carpet and vinyl flooring, sheetrock and pre finished paneling interior walls, two baths, kitchen, good quality fixtures, central heat, range and oven, range hood, dishwasher and disposal.  Additions for wood shingle roof, fireplace, extra kitchen, wet bar.  Deductions for no central heat or AC.  Plus or minus for half bath, full bath.

15.Single family dwelling, brick veneer on concrete pier and beam foundation, good quality, comp shingle roof, carpet, linoleum, ceramic tile flooring, sheetrock interior walls, two baths, kitchen, good quality, central heat, standard complement of plain wood cabinets.  Additions for wood shingle roof, clay tile roof, built up roof, central AC, extra kitchen.  Deductions for no fireplace, no central heat.  Plus or minus for half bath, full bath.

16.Single family, brick veneer dwelling on a concrete slab foundation, better than average quality, typically a semi custom or better tract home, composition shingles roof, carpet and vinyl flooring, sheetrock and pre finished paneling interior walls, two baths, central heat, range and oven, range hood, dishwasher, disposal, better than average cabinets.  Additions for wood roof, pier and beam foundation, wet bar.  Deductions for no central heat, AC. Plus or minus for fireplace, half bath, full bath.

17.No definition.

18.Single family, brick veneer dwelling on  concrete slab foundation, good quality, good 2 x 4 studs set 16” oc, comp shingle roof, carpet or vinyl flooring, interior walls of sheetrock, pre finished paneling, decorative paper, two baths, kitchen, good quality features, central heat, standard complement of good quality cabinets, bookshelves and range and oven, range hood, dishwasher, disposal.  Additions for wood shingle roof, extra kitchen, pier and beam foundation, wet bar.  Deductions for no central heat, AC.  Plus or minus for fireplace, extra half or full bath.

19.No definition

20.No definition

21.