The Appraisal Review Board has entered its Order setting your new value (or denying you a reduction).  Now it’s your turn to get even!

Binding Arbitration is your last — and best — resort to get the taxable value you deserve.  My company, Property Tax Protest offers it risk free.

In 2009 all the cases we took to Arbitration were successful.   Arbitration reductions ranged from $14,010 (where the Appraisal Review Board had granted zero) to $74,000 (where the Board had granted $7,930) and our clients’ aggregate reductions from Binding Arbitration were more than three times the reductions previously granted on the same properties by the Appraisal Review Boards.

Here are two examples:

• For a Tarrant County owner the ARB reduced his $801,000 Proposed Value to $723,000.  Through Arbitration that value was further reduced to $700,000, saving a total of about $ 2,500 in first year taxes — and likely more when subsequent years are considered.
• For a Dallas owner we obtained a $7,930 reduction from the Board to $469,000.  Through Arbitration we further reduced it by $74,000 to $395,000, saving about $2,000 in first year taxes — and likely more when subsequent years are considered.

Each taxpayer invested $500 which was placed on deposit with the Texas Comptroller.  There was no risk because we were obligated to refund the difference between the deposit and the owner’s actual tax savings from Arbitration.

Arbitration is available for single-family homesteaded properties and for commercial properties up to $1,000,000 in value.  Filing deadline is 45 days after receipt of the Order from the ARB.  Arbitration can be even more productive than the Appraisal Review Board hearing process because it’s an uneven playing field tilted in the taxpayer’s favor.  Those who ignore it may end up paying more than their fair share.

More information is available at www.propertytaxarbitration.com