How to Beat Unfair CRE Tax Assessments via GlobeSt.com

In North Texas, it’s the time of year during which the frigid, 55-degree temperatures give way to the more temperate weather and the Bradford trees begin to flower. And, for commercial real estate owners throughout the Lone Star State, it’s that time of year to ensure the right paperwork, numbers and other information are on hand and ready in the event a property tax appeal need to be filed.

Experts tell Globest.com that, no matter when the assessment date or appeal date in a particular taxing jurisdiction, the best way to beat unfair tax rates is by having information ready. “What we’re doing at this point in time is assembling support data from our clients to build cases so we can determine if appeals are warranted,” says Jeff Kurz with locally based Kurz Group Inc. In other words, from the moment a commercial real estate owner receives his or her notice of appraised value, it’s a race against the clock to determine if a value is fair, and if an appeal is necessary.

Let’s take a look at Texas. January 1 is assessment day for the coming year with CRE owners receiving valuations by spring. After those valuations are received, commercial real estate owners have an eight-week window to file any kind of appeal, with that window snapping shut in July. Overall, it seems as though owners with commercial property in Texas are in luck -- Rick Kurz, also with the Kurz Group says that, during the past three years, tax values have trended downward, with most of the county appraisal districts recognizing the impact of the economic downturn on real estate values.

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