HCAD Hearing

[D.J.]

We saw on the HCAD site that we have a formal hearing scheduled, and we never received notice of an informal hearing. Since we've never protested before, we're wondering if this is normal. Does anyone know why we wouldn't have an informal hearing first? Should we be prepared for anything out of the ordinary?

[GREASER]

same here..no its not normal.

[cottonmather0]

I have heard anecdotally that HCAD is in a big crisis mode right now because of the sheer volume of protests this year. Property owners know from the news that the real estate market slowed down last year, they know what properties sold for recently in their neighborhoods, and they know that if they don't protest every year now that they essentially are conceding ground on next year's appraisal (due to the way the cap is calculated). Yet in spite of all of this, HCAD has been very firm in trying to raise values and thus has spurred a lot of protests that have to be dealt with.

Haven't heard of your particular problem, though, but given how Keystone Kops they seems to be over there, I'm not surprised to hear your story. Maybe they've just decided to do away with the informals and throw everyone into the formal process? I don't the the informal is a legal requirement, I think it is just a policy for HCAD to try and reduce the extra work that comes from the formals, and if everyone is just rejecting their "offer" now perhaps they're just skipping it altogether? Total SWAG, but who knows?

Then again, I could be completely off base...

[D.J.]

That makes sense, especially if most people are declining in the informal, like you said. I guess we'll just have one shot to plead our case.

[DaveMc]

Did you try the IFile-ISettle??

If so, that was your informal hearing.