Some counties will not send a tax bill until the appeal process has been completed; however, if you receive a tax bill you should pay it before the due date. Past-due payments can result in late fees, and penalties, and in some cases, the county can cancel the ongoing appeal. 

If my appeal isn't finished, will I still need to pay my tax bill? 

Congratulations on selling your property! It’s easy to mark your property as sold in your property portal settings. 
 
To mark your property as sold, follow these steps:

Sign into your property portal at ownwell.com/sign-in.Not familiar with Ownwell’s property portal? Learn how to claim your account here.



Once in your portal, click on “Settings” in the navigation on the left side of the page, towards the bottom and then select “Properties”
Click the menu with the three dots for the property you’ve sold. 
Select “Mark as Sold” and complete the quick form. 

Keep in mind that if you have an active appeal and savings are achieved as a result of the hearing, an invoice will still be due, according to the Ownwell service agreement.

What should I do if I sold my property?

Changing the password to your property portal is easy. 
Don’t have a property portal account yet? See our article on how to claim an account. 
 
Follow these steps if you forgot your password:


 Navigate directly to the Forgot Password page by going to ownwell.com/forgot. Or click “Sign In” in the upper right corner at ownwell.com, and select “Forgot Password” below the password field. 

 Enter the email address you used to create your account.

 Check your email inbox for an email with a reset link. Click “Reset Password”Please allow up to 5 minutes for the email to hit your inbox and check your spam folder. If you are still having trouble, submit a request. 


 Enter a new password.Passwords must be at least 8 characters. 

 That’s it! Sign back into your account to continue to enjoy your personalized property portal. 

 
Follow these steps if you want to change your password in the property portal:


 Sign into your property portal at ownwell.com/log-in.

 Once in your portal, click on “Account” in the navigation on the left side of the page, towards the bottom.
In the Account Information section, enter your old password along with your new password. 
Select “Reset Password” to reset your password. 


How do I change my password?

We are so happy you want to refer a friend to our service. We believe that all people should have access to the tools, resources, and information to manage their real estate with confidence. 
Our referral program is a win-win for you and your friends! You get a $15 credit for every sign up and so does your friend.
 
Follow these steps to refer a friend to Ownwell:


 Sign into your property portal at ownwell.com/sign-in.Don’t have a property portal account yet? See our article on how to claim an account. 

 Once in your portal, click on  “Refer a Friend” in the navigation on the left side of the page, towards the bottom.

Under “Share your referral link” copy your personalized referral link by clicking on the field. 

Share the link with friends and family, making sure they sign up from your link. Please note that if they sign up later by going to ownwell.com directly, you may not get credit for the referral.
If they sign up using your link, you both will receive a $15 credit to your contingency fee if we are able to save you money on your appeal. 
Your successful referrals (referrals who signed up for Ownwell and were verified) will show at the bottom of your referral page. 


How do I refer a friend to Ownwell?

If you do not have an address or know what it is, you can still sign up to appeal with Ownwell with a Parcel Number or APN. A property’s parcel number is a unique ID number assigned to each property for tax purposes. It can be found on your tax assessment valuation notice and on the county assessor’s website. The process to sign up this way is easy, but it may take us a little longer to verify property ownership. 
 
Follow these steps to sign up a property with a Parcel Number or APN:


Select “Start Your Appeal” in the upper right corner of the website on desktop or select the three lines in the upper right on your mobile device then select “Start Your Appeal” at the button of the menu. 


Under the address entry box, select “Enter Your Parcel Number”. 

Select your state and then county. In some counties, we provide a link to the county appraisal district’s website. You can use this link to find out your Parcel Number or APN. 

Enter your Parcel Number or APN, to search for the correct property. By using our search function, we will be able to quickly match your Parcel Number or APN to the correct property. Otherwise, we may require additional information and steps to verify property ownership. 

Select “Calculate Savings” to continue. Note: We will only be able to show a savings estimate if you select an APN match from our search. 
Continue signing up by answering the questions as prompted. The questions vary depending on property type and location.

Make it official by digitally signing the Ownwell Service and Authorization Agreements. To sign on a desktop or laptop computer, hold down your mouse or trackpad and draw your signature. To sign on a mobile device, use your finger to draw your signature.Having trouble signing? We require a certain amount of complexity for a signature to be accepted. Keep drawing to complete the signature.


Your property is officially signed up! If you are signing up for the first time, be sure to confirm your email address by entering the confirmation code sent to your email when prompted.

Continue from here by setting a password for your personalized property portal and then complete your annual property survey



How do I sign up with a Parcel Number or APN?

Signing up to appeal with Ownwell is easy! After you sign up, we recommend creating a property portal account and completing your annual property survey. Customers who complete their yearly survey save 34% more on average. 
 
Follow these steps to sign up a property to appeal with Ownwell:

Select “Start Your Appeal” in the upper right corner of the website on your desktop or select the three lines in the upper right on your mobile device then select “Start Your Appeal” at the button of the menu.

 Enter your address. We recommend selecting your address from our list if it comes up in search, so we can accurately match your address to the correct property. If you do not have an address or know your APN, follow our instructions for signing up with a Parcel Number.

Answer the questions as prompted. The questions vary depending on property type and location. 

Make it official by digitally signing the Ownwell Service and Authorization Agreements. To sign on a desktop or laptop computer, hold down your mouse or trackpad and draw your signature. To sign on a mobile device, use your finger to draw your signature.Having trouble signing? We require a certain amount of complexity for a signature to be accepted. Keep drawing to complete the signature.


 Your property is officially signed up! If you are signing up for the first time, be sure to confirm your email address by entering the confirmation code sent to your email when prompted.

Continue from here by setting a password for your personalized property portal and then complete your annual property survey.



How do I sign up to appeal my property with Ownwell?

For income-producing properties, we typically need more information to fully evaluate your property for an appeal. To move forward with your appeal, we need:

Previous Year Rent Roll by Unit, by Month
Previous Year Profit &amp; Loss Statement

The information you provide will be used to create an income valuation model, which adds context to our own data, and strengthens our case for earning you a property tax reduction. Without it, we may be unable to earn you a reduction.
 
Don’t have this information readily available? No problem! We’ve made templates that are easy to use and usually take just a few minutes to complete using the information you probably have on hand already. View templates here.
 
Follow our document upload article for guidance on uploading the documents in your property portal.

How do I upload income information?

If you recently purchased a property and the county assessor does not know the purchase price, they will assume the purchase price is higher than your assessment. This can make it difficult to earn a tax reduction. By uploading your closing documents, we can fight to lower your assessment to your purchase price. We will never share documents with the assessor’s office that hurts your chance of a tax reduction.
Uploaded closing documents must include: 

Property Purchase Price
Date of the sale (typically your closing date)
Signature of Buyer
Realtor Commissions

Follow our document upload article for guidance on uploading the documents in your property portal.

How do I upload closing documents?

Uploading evidence to your Property Portal is one of the best ways to help Ownwell’s property tax professionals improve your case for a property tax assessment reduction. For appeals related to recently purchased properties, investment properties, or properties with damage or deferred maintenance, the evidence you upload can be the difference-maker, and significantly improves Ownwell’s chances of getting you a property tax reduction.
We recommend starting with your annual property survey where we guide you through the most common types of evidence and property information we use to save our customers money each year. View our article on how to complete your annual property survey. 
 
For any documents you’d like to upload outside of the property survey, follow these steps:



 Sign into your property portal at ownwell.com/sign-in.Not familiar with Ownwell’s property portal? Learn how to claim your account here.

 Once in your portal, click on “Documents” in the navigation on the left side of the page, towards the bottom.

 Start by selecting a property and document type. Then select which files you’d like to upload and click “Upload” once the files are attached. We advise uploading documents in batches based on the property type. 

 You’ll see a notification pop-up in the top right corner that confirms your documents have been uploaded.

You can see previously uploaded documents, including any documents you uploaded as part of the property survey, in the “View Documents” section at the bottom of the Documents page.



Ownwell’s property tax experts will review the uploads to use in your case for a property tax assessment reduction.

How do I upload documents?

Your personalized property portal is great for:


Tracking the real-time status of your appeal
Completing your annual property survey
Uploading and retrieving necessary files and documents
Learning more about your property and potential savings


Before you can claim an account, you need to sign up at least one property for Ownwell’s property tax appeal service by going to “Start Your Appeal” in the upper right corner. From there we make it super easy to set a password and access your property portal. 
 
If you already have a property signed up, but do not have a property portal account follow these steps:



 Navigate to our Claim Account page directly at ownwell.com/claim. Or Click “Sign In” in the ownwell.com header, navigate to the bottom of the page, and click “Claim Account”. 

Enter the email address you used when signing up your property.
Check that same email address for an email from Ownwell. In the email click “Set Password”. If you didn’t receive an email, check your spam folder and allow up to five minutes for the email to arrive. If you are still having trouble, submit a request. 

 Set a password that’s at least 8 characters long and click “Sign In”.
Explore your new property portal! If no properties are listed, you may have used another email to sign up. Please try an alternative email address to create a property portal account.



How do I claim a property portal account?

Customers who complete their annual property survey save 34% more on average. In the annual property survey, we ask a variety of questions that cover the most common types of assessment reductions that can be used to save our customers money each year. 
 
Follow these steps to complete your annual property survey:
Immediately after sign up:

 Start by signing up a property at ownwell.com/appeal.
 From the appeal signup confirmation page, select “Next” to create a property portal account by setting a password. If you already have an account, select “Sign into Property Portal”. 
 Once signed into the property portal, you will be immediately taken to the introduction page for the property survey. If you are not immediately taken to the property survey, following the steps from completing the survey from the property portal in the next section.
 Continue through the survey from here. Following the guidelines from gathering the most effective evidence listed further in this article. 

From your property portal:


 Sign into your property portal at ownwell.com/sign-in.Not familiar with Ownwell’s property portal? Learn how to claim your account here.


Once in your portal, select the property you would like to complete the survey for under “My Properties”. 


 If you haven’t completed your annual property survey, there will be a banner at the top of your individual property dashboard. Click “Maximize Savings” to begin the survey. You can also click the “Complete Survey” link under your appeal status.


 You can go back through the survey as many times as you’d like up until your hearing. You can find the completed survey by navigating to the bottom right of an individual property’s dashboard.


When completing your survey, make sure to follow our guidelines for gathering the most effective evidence. The more compelling evidence of damage, deferred maintenance, or adverse conditions at your property, the more likely we are to get a tax reduction on your behalf.
 
Below are a few Do’s and Don’t for gathering the most effective evidence:
Do’s

Upload bids, quotes, insurance claims, or construction receipts for damage
Take photos that provide context and show the full extent of the damage
Include dates on photos, documents, and other evidence
Provide evidence of any structural damage

Don’ts

Describe the damage without providing evidence
Include landscaping or fence damage — the county does not count this
Upload minor wear and tear at your property
Rely on damages where the cost of repair is less than $3,000


How do I complete the annual property survey?

We utilize several unique data sources to validate property characteristics, but they aren’t always up to date. You know your property best. Fixing incorrect information or adding new details about your property can help Ownwell’s property tax professionals improve your case for a property tax assessment reduction. If you are correcting or adding major details like purchase date/price, square footage, or property type, we encourage you to upload evidence that can support the correction to the documents tab.
 
To update your property details, follow the steps below: 


 Sign into your property portal at ownwell.com/sign-in.Not familiar with Ownwell’s property portal? Learn how to claim your account here.


 Once in your portal, select the property you would like to edit under “My Properties”. 


 At the top of the individual property dashboard, you’ll see a summary of your property details. Select “View More Details” in the bottom right corner to expand this section.


 To continue to edit or add details, click “Edit Property Details” and make any changes or additions you’d like.

 Make sure to save the changes by clicking “Save Changes” at the bottom of this page.


How do I edit or change details about my property?

To sign up on behalf of a property owner, you will need to provide the signed Power of Attorney document or a signed affidavit in the case of a caretaker. After you have completed the sign up process, please upload the necessary document(s) to your Ownwell property portal. 

What is needed to sign up if I have Power of Attorney or I am the caretaker for the property owner? 

In most cases, there is a specific deadline for appealing property taxes. This deadline is usually set by the local government or tax assessor's office and is typically within a certain number of days after the property tax bill is issued. If you miss this deadline, you may not be able to protest your property taxes.
However, there may be some circumstances under which you can still appeal your property taxes even if the deadline has passed. For example, if you can demonstrate that you had a good reason for not being able to appeal your property taxes by the deadline (such as a medical emergency or other unforeseen circumstance), the local government or tax assessor's office may allow you to file an appeal on your property taxes even if the deadline has passed.
It is important to keep in mind that each jurisdiction has its own rules and procedures for appealing property taxes, so it is best to check with your local government or tax assessor's office to determine what options may be available to you if you have missed the deadline. 

Can I still file an appeal if it's past the deadline? 

If a property owner is successful in their appeal and the value of their property is reduced, they may be entitled to a property tax refund. The process for issuing property tax refunds varies by jurisdiction, but generally involves the following steps:

The county appraisal district or local government agency responsible for property taxation will determine the amount of the refund based on the reduced value of the property.

The agency will issue a refund check to the property owner or if the property owner's taxes are paid through an Escrow, the refund will be issued back to the Escrow account.

If the property owner has already paid their property taxes in full, the refund check will be mailed to them. If the property owner is paying their taxes in installments, the refund may be applied to their remaining payments or credited to their account for future tax payments

It is important to note that property tax refunds may be subject to state and federal income taxes, depending on the jurisdiction and the circumstances of the refund. Property owners should consult with a tax professional or refer to their local tax authority for guidance on how property tax refunds are taxed.

How are refunds issued from the county? 

*For the reasons referenced below, it is of the utmost importance for owners of income-producing properties to upload a profit and loss statement and rent roll for the applicable tax year to their Ownwell property portal*
There are three primary approaches to value in real estate (income, sales comparison, and cost). The income approach is often used to value income-producing properties and can provide a more accurate estimate of a property's value than other methods, such as the cost approach or the sales comparison approach, which do not consider the property's income-generating potential.
The income approach is a method used to value properties that generate income, such as rental properties, commercial buildings, and businesses. It involves estimating the value of a property based on the income it is expected to generate over a certain period.
To value a property using the income approach, an appraiser will typically consider factors such as the property's rental income, operating expenses, and vacancy rate. For property tax purposes, these figures should be relevant to the tax year in question. They will then use these factors to estimate the property's net operating income (NOI), which is the property's income after operating expenses have been deducted.
The value of the property is then determined by applying a capitalization rate, also known as a "cap rate," to the NOI. The cap rate is a measure of the rate of return on the investment and is calculated by dividing the NOI by the property's current market value.

Can my time-share be valued based on the income approach?

Yes, it can! Time-shares can be complex assets to value, as they often involve a shared ownership arrangement and may have unique features and operating costs. While time shares are most often valued based on the sales comparison approach, income analysis can still prove useful in determining the opinion of value as either primary or supplemental evidence. 

Can my AirBnB be valued based on the income approach?

Yes, it can! Though it is important to note that the income approach is just one method that can be used to value an AirBnB. Other methods, such as the sales comparison approach or the cost approach, may also be used depending on the specific circumstances of the property and the purpose of the valuation. It is also important to consider other factors, such as the location and condition of the property, when determining its value. Nevertheless, the income approach does prove useful in determining the opinion of value as either primary or supplementary evidence.
 

What should I know before signing up an income-producing property (timeshares, Airbnb, commercial buildings, etc)?

Property tax consultants will evaluate the property prior to filing an appeal. During the process of evaluating the property, the Property Tax Consultant may reject an appeal. Reasons will vary depending on the property. To name a few, a property might be under-assessed or fairly assessed and not have a good chance of getting a tax reduction. In some states, there is a risk of an increased value, so the Property Tax Consultant may reject after reviewing relevant market data. Other reasons include: past appeal filing deadline (customer signed up after the deadline), business personal property, and change of ownership (owner sold property and we are no longer authorized as agents). You can find the specific reason in your property portal.

Why did my protest get rejected? 

Once an appeal has been filed, either by the property owner or another agent, it is very difficult for Ownwell to takeover the appeal for that year. In order to provide the best experience, we will need to manage the appeal from start to finish. If you've already started this year, you'll need to proceed with managing the process, but we'd love to help next year! 

Can you take over my appeal if I have already started it? 

We currently operate in Texas, California, Washington, Georgia, Florida, and Illinois. 

What states are you located in? 

Yes, all Ownwell Property Tax Consultants must have a certification in appraisal or hold a license in property tax or real estate. 

Does the specialist representing me have any certifications or licenses? 

Each month when you pay your mortgage, a portion of that payment is set aside for your tax bill. When your county sends out the new tax notices and the final bill for the year, these will be based on the final assessed value we attained from your appeal. At that time your mortgage company will pay the taxes now owed from your escrow account and they will adjust that account according to the results of this appeal. Depending on how your taxes have changed from the previous year this could potentially either raise or lower the amount that you pay to your escrow account with your mortgage company each month, but that will be determined by them and they will notify you about this as soon as they have all of the calculations done. You can still see these values updated online through the county portal (you may not receive the notice, as the mortgage company or bank usually gets it).
 
 

How does it work if I pay my taxes through an escrow? 

Yes, we recommend you still appeal your property taxes. The title company will prorate your taxes based on the last certified value.  If we successfully reduce your property tax bill, you will still be responsible for your Ownwell invoice regardless of the date of sale. 
It is important that you contact us If the appeal has not been completed at the time of sale and ownership of the property has changed.
 

If I plan on selling my property should I still file an appeal? 

Yes, we encourage all of our customers to pay their property taxes in full and on time. If your account becomes delinquent, the county has the right to dismiss your appeal without review. Upon a successful appeal, you will receive a refund for any overpaid taxes.
 

Should I pay my tax bill if it arrives before my appeal is complete? 

An Arm's Length Transaction is a transaction between unrelated parties who are each acting in his or her own best interest. Market value is based on the buyers and sellers being typically motivated, well-informed, and acting in their best interest. For this type of transaction, the property is exposed on the market for a reasonable length of time and payment is in cash or its equivalent, and the property sold is unaffected by the special or creative financing or sales concessions. 

What is an Arm's Length Transaction? 

Yes, in the market areas we serve, we have a dedicated Property Tax Consultant that is physically present in the market they are servicing. The specialist assigned to your property has the necessary geographical competence to provide exemplary service! 

Is my Property Tax Consultant local to my area? 

We do not currently offer any discounts but with our Savings-or-Free guarantee, you will not pay any fee if we don't successfully lower your property taxes, and our 25% contingency fee is one of the lowest in the industry. Additionally, once you have signed up, you can refer a friend with your personal invite code found in your property portal. Once your referral has signed up, you'll both receive a $15 credit on your Ownwell account! 

Does Ownwell offer any discounts?

If you are having issues with submitting a signature or signing the required documents electronically, please follow these steps:1. The signature must have enough pixels to register. Often, you can draw a bigger signature, or with more lines on it. Continue drawing your signature until it lets you submit.2. If this doesn’t work or the issue is different, close your internet browser, open a new window, and go to Ownwell.com again.3. If you are on a computer, try on a smartphone or tablet (or vice versa).4. If you are still unable to sign: It's possible you are trying to sign on the pop up PDF Contract. Sometimes customers click on "Preview Agreement", which opens a new window that cannot be signed in. Confirm you're not doing this and instead make sure you are electronically signing on the last part of the sign up flow. 

Why can't I get the signature to work on the sign up page? 

Per the service agreement, the tax rate used will be the previous year's rate since the current year's rate is typically unavailable at invoicing. It is common for tax rates to increase year over year, but if your rate decreases, we will be happy to adjust your invoice accordingly. 

What if my tax rate is different than the one on my invoice from Ownwell? 

What tax rate do you use when you bill me? 

While you do have the right to attend your hearing, it is not required or recommended. We will review, prepare, and negotiate the appeal with the county appraisal district and review board on your behalf. It is not uncommon for the hearing date and time to change, and often we are not aware of this in advance so we will not be able to communicate these changes to you. 

Do I need to attend my hearing? 

Since the documents we file to the county on your behalf require an electronic signature, all sign-ups must be completed at www.ownwell.com. The process is quick and easy and we have Customer Care Specialists available to answer any questions along the way!

Can I sign up by phone? 

We use a private national data provider that cross-references with county recorder’s offices to verify ownership. In the event our system is unable to verify the property, our team will take further steps to investigate ownership and reach out to the customer for confirmation. 

How do you verify property ownership? 

While there is little to no risk in appealing property taxes, please see below for further guidance in your state.
 
Texas No, there is no risk to protesting in Texas. Texas law prohibits increases in the taxable value of a property due to a protest/appeal being filed. 
 
WashingtonYes, there is some risk and a possibility the property's taxable value can be increased as a result of an appeal being filed. However, we review all the relevant market data before filing the appeal and once again before the hearing. If we believe there is any risk of an increased value, we will choose not to file the appeal or withdraw the appeal if it has been filed. 
 
GeorgiaYes, there is some risk and a possibility the property's taxable value can be increased as a result of an appeal being filed. However, we review all the relevant market data before filing the appeal and once again before the hearing. If we believe there is any risk of an increased value, we will choose not to file the appeal or withdraw the appeal if it has been filed. 
 
CaliforniaNo, there is no risk to appeal in California. The taxable value of a property cannot be increased as a result of the appeal due to Proposition 13 preventing values from going up more than 2% per year. 
 
FloridaNo, there is no risk to appealing in Florida. A property’s value can only be increased if the property owner requests it to be. 

Is there a risk in appealing my property taxes? 

Once the appeal is complete and we’re notified that an appeal was successful, we notify the property owner of the outcome and calculate the amount saved. Any savings achieved are sent directly to the property owner, so we’ll send an electronic invoice for payment. We charge just 25% of the savings we earn you. For example, if your tax bill goes from $3000 to $2000 you will be charged on the $1000 difference. If you save $1000 we will invoice you for 25% of the savings which would be $250.
 

How do you get paid?

Our 25% fee is applied to actual property tax savings in the year we appeal. If you have an active homestead exemption, over 65 exemption, or any other tax exemption applied to your property, we will adjust your final fee by the appropriate discounted amount. You will never be charged for a reduction in your assessed value if your final tax bill is not reduced. You won't be charged unless your final property tax bill is actually reduced, and we have a signed document from your taxing authority to prove it.

How are tax exemptions taken into account?

Our 25% fee is applied to actual property tax savings in the year we appeal. For instance, if your property tax bill is reduced from $5,000 to $4,000 our fee will be applied to the $1,000 difference. In this case, the final invoice amount would be $250.

How is your fee calculated?

Invite friends you know to sign up for Ownwell, share your invite code, which you can find in your online account. After your friend signs up and is verified as the property owner, you'll see a $15 reward as a Referral credit on your Ownwell account. Your friend who signed up will also earn a $15 reward.

How does the referral program work?

There are no up-front or hidden costs for using our service, and you only pay when we successfully reduce your property tax bill. Upon completion of the appeal, we will send the invoice to the email address we have on file. 

When do I pay? Do I have to pay anything up-front?

We manage the end-to-end process of property tax reduction, from paperwork filing to discussions with county assessors and attending appeal board hearings. We use a combination of proprietary technology and local knowledge to build the best evidence to reduce property taxes.

How do you lower my taxes?

On average, single family homeowners that earn a reduction typically save about $1,100 per year through our service  Try out our savings calculator to see how much you could save. Commercial property owners can contact sales for an in-depth analysis.

How much can I save?

There are no upfront costs, and we charge just 25% of the savings we earn you after we save you money on your next property tax bill. For example, if your tax bill goes from $3000 to $2000 you will be charged on the $1000 difference. If you save $1000 we will invoice you for 25% of the savings which would be $250. With our Savings-or-Free Guarantee, if we don’t save you money our service is entirely free!
 
 

How much do you charge?

While there is no one size fits all approach to calculating property taxes, in every state your property's assessed or fair market value is used to establish the initial value that your property will be taxed on. Depending on the state or your exemption status, you may receive an additional reduction to this value before the tax or levy/millage rate is factored in. Typically you can find you the tax or levy/millage rate on your property assessment notice or on the county appraisal districts website. 
Once you have your assessed or fair market value (minus any applicable exemptions or reductions) and the tax or levy/millage rate, covert this rate into a percentage if it hasn't been converted already and then multiply your assessed value by the tax rate. This will give you the dollar amount you owe in taxes. 
Below are a few different examples of how property taxes are calculated in different a few different states. 
How to Calculate Property Taxes in Texas
FORMULA
Assessed Value - Exemptions =Taxable Value
Taxable Value x Tax Rate =Property Tax Total
 
How to Calculate Property Taxes in Georgia
STEP 1
Fair Market Value x 40%= Assessed Value
STEP 2
Assessed Value - Exemptions= Taxable Value
STEP 3
Taxable Value x Tax Rate= Taxes Due
 
How to Calculate Property Taxes in Washington
FORMULA
Assessed Value x Levy Rate =Tax Liability
Assessed Value = Value determined by county assessor
Levy Rate = Dollar amount per $1,00 of assessed value

How are property taxes calculated?

Much like tax rates, the way property is assessed differs by county. However, while the way counties assess property might differ slightly, nearly all appraisal districts use mass appraisal technology to generate values for property as well as some variation of the following appraisal methods. 
 
Sales Comparison (Market) Approach:
Often referred to as the “Sales Comparison”, “Sales Comps”, or “Market Approach”, this approach determines a property’s value based on recent sales prices of similar properties in the area. This value is adjusted to fit differences in characteristics between the “subject property” (the property being appraised) and nearby recent sales. This is the most common approach for assessing the value of residential properties. 
Income Approach:
The Income Approach is commonly used to value multifamily, commercial, and agricultural real estate. This approach uses a property’s income and expense information to determine its current value based on its income-producing potential. Values indicated by the income approach are based on what an investor would be willing to pay for a property based on its anticipated future revenue streams.
Cost Approach:
The Cost Approach bases a property's value on its replacement costs. These replacement costs refer to the cost to replace the building with a similar improvement while maintaining equal utility. Depreciation may be applied, along with an estimate to account for land value. This approach is most commonly used to value properties which are under construction, have recently completed construction, are not yet occupied by tenants, or are otherwise difficult to value using the other approaches.
 
Mass Appraisal:
“Mass appraisal” refers to the processes used by Appraisal Districts to appraise real estate (for tax purposes) at scale. The processes use individual property characteristics, neighborhood-specific information, available sales data, and more to create statistical models for property values.
CADs are therefore required to follow the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice when using mass appraisal technology to ensure that the same appraisal methods and techniques are used to assess similar properties. Since counties are legally obligated to appraise property values most CADs use mass appraisal technology to efficiently assess the value of properties within their county.
 

How does the county assess my property?

The Assessment Notice:
The very first step to appealing your property taxes is getting your assessment. An official assessment notice by the county gives property owners the exact value in which their property will be taxed. Once you know this value, you or your property tax professional will have the most important piece of information necessary for building an appeal. In this tutorial we will cover what key information to look for when you receive your assessment notice, as well as what each value means in terms of your overall tax burden. 
Note: This assessment notice is from Harris County Texas. You assessment notice may differ in format or in the amount of information shared on assessment. This tutorial is intended to cover the basic information typically seen on assessment notices. For county specific questions about your assessment notice, please reach out to your local county appraisal district for clarification.  
 
Account Number/Property ID:
Every property and plot of land within county lines is assigned an account number or property ID by the CAD to identify the exact property for taxation purposes. This system helps the county keep track of all the properties in its taxing area and ensures that they make assessments on the correct property. For property owners, your account number is useful to have because you can use it to verify if the county properly ID'd your property when making its assessment, and it also allows for you to check your assessment and taxation information on the CADs website. 
 
Market Value:
The market value is the value in which the CAD believes your property would sell for on the open market based on market trends as of January 1st of the taxable year. Your market value will almost always be higher than your appraised value. If your appraised value is higher than your market value then you will have very strong case for receiving a reduction on your property taxes by appealing. 
 
Appraised Value:
The appraised value is the value that your property will be taxed on. While market value factors in pricing influxes and irrational purchasing behaviors within the housing market, the appraised value is based on the value in which a property would be expected to sell for within a reasonable amount of time to find a buyer, given both the seller and buyer are looking to maximize their gains in this transaction. The CAD typically uses one of three major approaches for assessing your property. These approaches are sales comparisons, income, or cost approach. 
Since fluctuating market pressures don't apply to appraised value, it frequently is lower than the market value. While this value is lower, it does not mean that your property's value on the open market is lower too. The appraised value also does not factor in any exemptions you have on your property taxes such as general homestead, age 65 or older, or disability exemptions. 
 
Appeal/Protest Deadline: 
This is an important date to make note of since it is highly rare for CADs to accept appeals after the deadline. Deadlines and submission windows differ from county to county so make sure that you pay special attention to this information to ensure you don't miss your chance to appeal. The standard timeframe to submit an appeal is typically within 30 days of the post marked date of the assessment notice. However, depending on your county or state this timeline can be anywhere from 25 to 60 days. If you intended to appeal your property taxes, it's better to file for an appeal as soon as possible. 
 

Taxing Jurisdiction: 
These are all the taxing units within your county that receive funding from your property taxes. Each unit has a specific percentage they take off your properties value for taxes. Depending on your exemption status they may only be able to base their taxes of a predetermined lower taxable value such as those put in place by a homestead exemption. That is why in this example Harris County can only base its taxes off a taxable value of $215,664 when this property's appraised value was $269,580.   
 
Taxing Units: 
While all the taxing units should be listed in the Taxing Jurisdiction or comparable section of your assessment notice, the rate in which you will be taxed by each unit is not always listed. This is typically due to the tax rates being approved after the appraised values have already been determined. Fortunately, these values can be found in your local CADs Truth in Taxation website. 
 
Exemption Amounts:
These are the amounts that can be subtracted from your appraised value prior to being taxed by the taxing unit. Exemptions are not always uniform across all units so it is important to factor this in when calculating your taxes. 
Note: These are only applicable for properties that have been granted some form exemption status. 

Calculating your property taxes:
Much like this assessment notice, more often than not your assessment notice will not include the actual dollar amount you will owe in property taxes. Fortunately, calculating them can be relatively easy.  Using the information you have on your assessment, go on to the CADs website and look up your property. Under your account they should have the tax rate from each taxing unit, if they do not have these rates go to your CADs truth in taxation website to look them up. Once you have these values, convert them into percentages then multiply the taxable value after exemptions by this percentage for each taxing unit. Add up the total values for each taxing unit to get your property tax amount.
Note: In some instances the most recent years tax rate might not be posted online yet. In this situation just multiply last years tax rate by this years assessment values then add an extra 7-10% on to that value to get a rough estimate of what you can expect to pay in taxes for the current tax year. 
 



Taxing Jurisdiction
This Years Value After Exemptions 
Tax Rate
Total


Alief ISD
$244,580
1.204800
$2,946.70



Harris County

$215,664
0.376930
$812.90


Harris Co Flood Cntrl
$215,664
0.033490
$72.23


Port of Houston Authy
$215,664
0.008720
$18.81


Harris Co Hosp Dist
$215,664
0.162210
$349.83


Harris Co Educ Dept
$215,664
0.004990
$10.76


Hou Community College 
$229,143
0.099092
$227.06


City of Houston
$215,664
0.550830
$1,187.94


 
 
 
$5,625.23




How to read your property assessment notice


Need to submit an appeal request for more properties? With Ownwell's Property Portal, adding additional properties to your account is now easier than ever before. 
Step 1: Start by signing in to your account on Ownwell.com and select the "Add Another Property" button at the top of the page.

Step 2: Type in the address to the property you would like to add to your account. 

Step 3: Review your savings estimate, and verify the property information that appears is accurate.

Step 4:Provide property owner details. 
Note: To ensure your appeal is processed accurately and in a timely manner, please provide the owner, trust, or LLC’s name as it appears on the property tax bill and county assessor's records. 

Step 5: Review our service agreement. When you’re ready, use the signature box to sign your name and complete sign up. 
Note: If you're using a touchscreen computer, tablet, or mobile phone you can sign using your finger or a stylus. For all other devices, like desktop and laptop computers, hold down the left-click button on your mouse or touchpad and drag the cursor to sign your name.

Step 6: Provide additional information about the property to help us earn you more savings.

Following submission, return to the Property Portal to confirm that your newly added property appears in the "Your Properties" section. 

 


How do I add additional properties?

When working with the County Appraiser's office, it's vital to have the most accurate information possible to improve your chances at receiving a reduction. Due to this, we make sure that your account has everything necessary to build a strong appeal. Occasionally we will need documents or information from you to ensure that we can manage your appeal. We will always reach out to you by email with requests for further documentation or updated information. Below are the most common instances where an "Information Required" alert will appear on your property portal. If you don't see one of the reasons below in your property portal, please reach out to our Customer Experience Team.
Owner/Property Verification Needed:
This typically occurs when your name does not match the name of the property owner on record in the county tax system. This issue can typically be resolved by uploading a copy of your assessment value notice you received from the county for this property to our property portal. In some instances, if you recently purchased a property, you will have to call the county and request a record update for the property. Without your name officially connected to the property in the county system we will not be able to appeal your property taxes.  
Verification Re-Sign Needed: 
Often this alert is triggered when you have signed up for an appeal with a name that doesn't quite match what is listed in the county record, such as signing as yourself when the property is owner is listed as an LLC or is in the name of a spouse or family member. Fortunately, these are easy fixes and you'll just need to re-sign the authorization exactly as listed by the county if you are the listed owner. If your spouse or family members name is on record, we will need them to sign the authorization document.  
Expired Authorization Re-Sign Needed:
Most counties have expiration dates for authorization forms on record. If you've been a customer with us for a few years, you may be asked by the county to sign a new authorization form to verify that we are still your agent on file. We will send you this reauthorization form through email. 
Trust Documents Needed:
Frequently we handle appeals that are owned by trusts. While this is not typically an issue, occasionally we receive push back from the county on an individual's association with a trust. Often the solution for this is to submit a notarized copy of the Certificate of Trust, ideally with your name and the name of the trust clearly visible on the certificate.   
Closing Documents Needed:
In some states, properties that were recently purchased require closing documents to be included with your appeal. When uploading the closing documents, please be sure the relevant page(s) include the property's purchase price, sale date, and your signature.
Income Information Needed:
For revenue producing property or properties, the county may require your to include financial information for your appeal. This may include information such as Rent Roll by Unit, by month and/or a Profit and Loss statement for the taxation year. 
Proof of authorization needed (Company/Entity):
When authorizing Ownwell to appeal property taxes for businesses, the county may require proof of authorization of the individual signing up for services if their name is not attached to the tax records with the county. For requests like these, we find that a signed Power of Attorney, property management agreement, or service agreement designating your authority and containing a signature from the property owner is usually sufficient evidence of your association.
Property Improvement Costs:
If any improvements have been made to the property between the period beginning January 1, of the tax year and December 31, of the tax year then we'll need you to upload any quotes and invoices you have for any construction performed on the property during this timespan. This helps us with building your appeal and proving inaccurate assessment of your property during this timespan. 
Suspected Deferred Maintenance:
Property damage and deferred maintenance are great ways to support claims of over assessment by highlighting aspects of the property that are in bad condition but may have been appraised under the assumption that they were in normal condition. In this situation we'll need you to upload photos and descriptions of the damage to the property, as well as any quotes or invoices you have received regarding any needed work or repairs. 
 
 

My account says information required. What does that mean?

A property tax appeal (or property tax protest) is the process of disputing a property's value with the relevant tax assessor, usually with the goal to reduce property taxes.
The steps taken to reduce a property's tax assessment vary widely across states and counties, but almost all property tax jurisdictions have a process for contesting a property's taxable value.

What is a property tax appeal?

An increase in either your property's tax assessment or your property tax rate can increase your tax bill. In this scenario, it is likely that your local tax rate went up. Property tax rates are set by local legislation, so remember to vote!

My tax assessment went down, so why did my taxes go up?

A property’s "assessed value" reflects its taxable value for property tax purposes. This taxable value is based on one or more of the following valuation approaches: comparable sales (Market Value), replacement cost (Cost), and rental value (Income).
 
 

What is a "property tax assessment" and how is it determined?

Ownwell's technology platform performs a robust comparative market analysis to determine your savings estimate. Actual savings may vary depending on individual circumstances and additional information that may support a larger reduction, such as property damage, deferred maintenance, etc. 

How are savings estimates calculated?

How do I cancel my service with Ownwell? 
After signing up, Ownwell will automatically monitor your property taxes and appeal whenever there is an opportunity to save. We will always notify you at the beginning of the tax season before filing an appeal on your behalf. Should you change your mind, you may change this preference at any time in your property portal. 
Note that if we have already earned a reduction for you this year, any outstanding balance for services already performed will still apply.
There are two ways to edit your service with Ownwell:


Pause Auto-Appeal – By pausing Auto-Appeal, Ownwell will not automatically monitor your property taxes and appeal on your behalf. A currently active appeal will stay active. This option is always available and you can reactivate Auto-Appeal at any time. 

Cancel Current Appeal – A current appeal can only be canceled before it is filed. Again, we will always notify you at the beginning of the tax season before filing an appeal on your behalf.

To cancel your service with Ownwell, follow these steps:

Sign into your property portal at ownwell.com/sign-in.Not familiar with Ownwell’s property portal? Learn how to claim your account here.

Once in your portal, click on “Settings” in the navigation on the left side of the page, towards the bottom and then select “Properties”
Click the menu with the three dots for the property you’d like to modify.


How can I cancel my service with Ownwell?

If you have specific details that can help make a more compelling appeal, please contact a representative. Generally speaking, the more information we have, the better your chances of successfully reducing your property tax bill.

My property tax appeal requires unique attention. What should I do?

Appeals are submitted before the county deadline. Once submitted, the process can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months depending on the capacity and responsiveness of your county's tax assessor.

How long does the whole process take?

Each appeal is individually assembled by our expert team using all relevant and available information about your property and local real estate market. We guarantee your appeal will be submitted before your appeal deadline.

How quickly will my appeal be filed?

Ownwell customers benefit from our complimentary property tax monitoring service. We continuously monitor your property taxes and appeal whenever there is an opportunity to save. We charge a commission on savings only for the years we successfully reduce your taxes.

What is your property tax monitoring service?

There are no upfront costs, and we charge just 25% of the savings we earn you after we save you money on your next property tax bill. For example, if your tax bill goes from $3000 to $2000 you will be charged on the $1000 difference. If you save $1000 we will invoice you for 25% of the savings which would be $250. With our Savings-or-Free Guarantee, if we don’t save you money our service is entirely free!

What are your fees? How does pricing work?

Ownwell specializes in property tax reduction for homeowners, small businesses, and real estate investors. To help save you money on property taxes Ownwell will:

Evaluate your current assessment for errors and available exemptions.
Perform a comparative market analysis to see if your property has been overassessed.
Prepare and file evidence supporting an assessment reduction with your county tax assessor.
File county-specific appeal documents with the relevant assessment review board.
Represent you in hearings with your tax assessor and present your case for a tax reduction.
Negotiate an assessment reduction with your county assessor or assessment board.

After completing your assessment appeal we'll continue to monitor your property's future assessments. If your taxes increase, or you become overassessed again, we'll notify you and prepare a new appeal to lower your property tax assessment.

What does Ownwell do?

We get to work on your property tax appeal as soon as you finish submitting your property information on our website. Once we've generated and submitted your appeal to your county tax assessor, it may take several months for us to receive a response, and for them to schedule an appointment with us to hear your case.
While we can't control how long it takes your tax assessor to respond to our appeal, we can provide you with as much information as possible about the current status of your protest. 
 
Follow these steps to check the status of your appeal:


 Sign into your property portal at ownwell.com/sign-in.Not familiar with Ownwell’s property portal? Learn how to claim your account here.


 Once in your portal, select the property you would like to check under “My Properties”. 

 Navigate down to the appeal status section under your property characteristics summary to see the current status of your appeal.


Note: If you see that any information is needed, please address these issues immediately so our property tax experts can continue with your appeal. If your appeal status has not changed in a while, please be patient. The county tax assessor may take several months to give us a response. 
 

Property Tax Basics

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