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Hidalgo County property owners who disagree with the valuations that were assessed on their homes or other properties have a limited amount of time to contest the appraisals.
The deadline to file a notice of protest with the Hidalgo County Appraisal District is Monday, May 15.
Property owners can protest the appraised value of their land for several reasons, according to a fact sheet provided by the city of Edinburg. Those reasons include:
>> If a property owner feels their property has been appraised unequally compared to other properties;
>> If the appraisal district has denied an exemption, such as a homestead, disabled veteran or over 65 exemption;
>> If the appraisal district has denied a temporary exemption due to disaster damage;
>> If the appraisal district did not appraise a farm or ranch as agricultural land;
>> If appraisal documents list an incorrect property owner;
>> If the property is being taxed by the wrong taxing entities;
>> If the appraisal district or appraisal review board failed to send the property owner a notice they are legally required to send;
>> If the property is incorrectly included on appraisal records.
The deadline to file a notice of protest with the Hidalgo County Appraisal District is Monday, May 15.
Property owners can file their intent to protest by visiting the appraisal district’s website at hidalgoad.org.
There, they will find a prominently displayed clickable red button that reads “protest online” where they can begin the process.
If that button is not viewable, property owners can also access the protest portal via a ribbon of menus located at the top of the page.
The “protest online” menu will take property owners to another page where they will be directed to either create a username and password, or login if they already possess those credentials.
The Hidalgo County Appraisal Review Board, or ARB, will then schedule a hearing for the protest.
Property owners may attend the hearing in person, via phone or video conference, according to information provided by the district.
They’re allotted up to five minutes to present their protest, with some additional time allowed to rebut the ARB’s response.
The appraisal district recommends that property owners come prepared with evidence to support their protest. Such evidence can include: fee appraisals up to six months old, home insurance policies, sales contracts, bills of sale, deeds, certified copies of closing statements if the property was sold within the last three years, sales figures of comparable properties, or — if the property is currently for sale — a listing showing the asking price.
The ARB will review the evidence and render decisions on appraisal protests later this summer.
