2015 HCAD appraisals are released....

WTF are yall talking about having the max raise be 10%?

From 2013 to 2014 mine jumped by 23%.

 

If you applied for homestead exemption, there is a 10% cap on added value.

http://www.hcad.org/resources/exemptions/homeowners.asp

 

They do not give a ****, bro. They make YOU contest, like you're the dumbass.

 

I'm sure we did apply for the homestead exemption, unless you can't do so the first year you own the house. We bought it in April 2013.

I apparently am the dumbass.

**** me. I guess there's nothing I can do about it now.

EDIT

OK, after reading more at Bernie's link:

So there it is. Damn.

 

Absolutely ridiculous, considering oil prices and the Houston housing market right now.

 

I should've never bought a home. My tax bill this year will be more than I've ever spent on rent. I understand the tax breaks, but this is essentially the same thing.

 

well, you're building equity in the house, also.

so there's that.

 

Yup, trying to turn Houston into Chicago or NY or the ****burbs of Ohio. Part of what makes Houston great is reasonable taxes.

 

I get that, but I'm still not convinced it was the right choice considering my goal was to the move to the suburbs in the next 5-7 years after I have children. Any profit I make will be negated with these yearly taxes (and interest). I'll actually be losing money at this rate.

I guess the only thing that makes sense is to pay off this home fast and rent it out to generate some cash flow.

 

Inner Loop, right next to Memorial Park.

 

I'm happy about this. The taxes are too low here. The streets are ****, the city is just unkept in general. You can't call yourself a World Class city when your taxes you collect are closer to a Podunk county.

 

You're assuming they're going to use the taxes in an appropriate manner.

 

You assume a lot of things when you become a part of a large community with big city resources. If you don't like taxes then move to Beaumont.

 

Texas rounds out the top 5 states in the US with the highest property tax rates. Higher property tax rates than NY. I'm assuming you're in the burbs? I've been maxed out for 5 years in the loop and all I've seen in 4 years worth of construction on Kirby and Westheimer and patch work done to roads that erodes within 6 months everywhere else inside the inner loop. We do have a new dog park that floods continuously though and baby trees in the park. Money well spent.

 

Exactly. I wouldn't count on it.

 

No state income tax. Renters have a ball living here and the homeowners get screwed. Our business taxing is a joke and we cater to visitors more than citizens.

 

lol. Renters pay the tax bill indirectly through their rent payments.

 

And landlords take on all the responsibility. Ask all the landlords in here (there are quite a few) if they think renting out homes is a way to make a living here? As a former landlord I can tell you renters just kept me a float until I could unload a house like I did last year.

 

There is always work on a rent home no matter how angelic your tenant is. I have the best tenant on earth and you still have some repair to do each year.

 

You mean like paying to have an app developed that will allow you to file for a new homestead exemption over your phone...and then that app NOT WORK AT ALL? Every single review is 1 star because it doesn't work. Thank GOODNESS they spent the time and money to give us this convenience.