6 Things Houston First time Home Buyers Need to Know About the Up Coming Property Tax Season 2023

It is almost that time of year again when property tax bill will begin to appear in mailboxes between end of October and early November and will be due by no later than January 31st. If you have a mortgage loan with an escrow account, you should call the company to make sure that your taxes will be paid on time and that you have enough funds in escrow to cover the tax bill.

In addition, if you have any overage in your escrow account, you can request to have it send back to you as well. Now, if you purchase a brand new construction, you may notice that your first tax bill is a small fraction of what it should be.

That is because the tax bill may be reflecting the land value only and not the improvement, which is the actual house. You may also receive notification from your mortgage company informing you of a new lower monthly mortgage payment.

However, please take a look at your closing disclosure and make sure you continue to put aside the estimate property tax amount shown on your closing disclosure, to avoid possible financial strain when the bill does come due.

In the meantime, below you will find 6 of the most frequently questions and answers. I hope you will find this informative.

How did the Appraisal District determine the value of my property? Please call 713-957-7800 or visit www.hcad.org

When is the protest deadline? The protest deadline is May 15, unless it falls on a weekend or holiday, in which case the deadline would be the next business day. You can file until May 15, or 30 days after the date your notice of appraised value was mailed, whichever is the later date.

How can I protest my appraised value? All protests must be directed to the Harris County Appraisal District. You may file a paper protest by mail or drop it off at:13013 Northwest Freeway. Business hours to drop off protest are 8 a.m. to 5p.m.

In addition, the protest form must be postmarked by the Postal Service on or before the protest deadline for your account. You can also file the protest online, using the i-File number printed on the Notice Of Appraised Value.

• log on to HCAD 

• fill out form 41.44,

• Property Appraisal

• Notice of Protest- under forms

• Popular Forms

What is the last day that I can pay my property tax bill without penalty and interest? Property Tax payments are due by no later than January 31st, unless the last day of the month is a Harris County holiday or falls on a weekend, then the next business day will be acceptable.

Where can I pay my property taxes? In most case your property taxes are paid by your mortgage company if you have an escrow account. However, if you do not have an escrow account., you can pay your tax bill by cash or check at any of the branch office locations throughout Harris County. Payments can also be mailed to:

Ann Harris Bennett, Tax Assessor-Collector
P.O. Box 3547
Houston, Texas 77253-3547

Can I pay my property taxes online? Yes, you may pay your full or partial payment online using credit cards or e-Checks. However, if you do decide to use a credit card, please note that a non-refundable surcharge of 2.45% (1.00 minimum) will be added to each credit card transaction. There is no charge for E-checks.

Remember, all payments made are applied to current taxes first. If you are delinquent on your property taxes, you will need to make arrangements through the delinquent tax firm.

To avoid penalty and interest, remember your tax bill is mailed and payment are due the same time each year, so, if you did do not receive a bill by the middle of December, please take the necessary steps and call the tax office and request a copy.

To make a payment, you do not need to have a statement. However you will need to know your account number and the correct amount due. You can also obtain the amount due over the phone or by looking up your account online at www.hctax.net. 

If you are behind on your property taxes and would like to set up a payment agreement, you can do so online using your account number or by contacting the Tax Office. If you go online, enter your account number before hitting search on this page.

Contact Information Harris County and Fort Bend County

• email (tax.office@hctx.net) https://hcad.org

• phone at 713-274-8000 Harris County Appraisal District at -713.597.7800

• fax at 713-368-2219

• mail at P.O. Box 4663 - Houston, Texas 77210-4663

Fort Bend County

•  Fort Bend Appraisal District 281.344.8623  - https://www.fbcad.org

• Fort Bend County Tax office 281.342.3411

• 301 Jackson St Richmond, TX 77469

As always, thank you so much for stopping by. Until next time...Diana

Source: Harris County Appraisal District: Harris County Tax Office: Fort Bend Appraisal District