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Property Taxes

Appraisals, Protests, Exemptions and Resources

As a real estate owner in Central Texas, understanding property taxes is essential to protecting your investment. Property values in Travis, Hays, Williamson, Gillespie, and Kerr counties continue to appreciate, making it crucial to stay informed about the appraisal process, protest options, available exemptions, and local resources. This guide provides you with everything you need to navigate property taxes in our region, potentially saving you thousands of dollars annually while ensuring you're taking advantage of all benefits available to Texas homeowners.

Property Tax Appraisals

Property tax appraisals for the current year's taxable values are issued in the spring in all counties. Here are a few tips to understand your statement and how to file a protest if you disagree with the value assigned to your property.

Property Tax Protests

Protesting your property's assessed value is your right as a Texas property owner
and can result in significant tax savings, especially for high-value homes.

For high-value properties, professional representation often provides excellent return on investment:

There are companies that can help you launch protests on your appraisal values. Check out these options below.

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Property Tax Exemptions

Texas offers several valuable exemptions that can substantially reduce your property tax burden. For luxury homeowners, these savings can be significant.

Homestead Exemption Every Texas homeowner should apply for the homestead exemption on their primary residence. Benefits include:

  • A minimum $140,000 reduction in taxable value for school taxes (increased from $100,000 via Prop 13, approved Nov. 2025, retroactive to 2025 tax year)
  • A 10% cap on annual assessed value increases
  • Additional local exemptions that vary by county

Application: File with your county appraisal district by April 30th using Form 50-114

Over-65 and Disability Exemptions Homeowners who are 65 or older or have qualifying disabilities receive additional benefits:

  • An additional $60,000 exemption on school taxes (increased from $10,000 via Prop 11, approved Nov. 2025 — combined with the general exemption, that's $200,000 total)
  • Property tax ceiling for school taxes ("tax freeze")
  • Possible deferral of tax payments
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Veterans and Surviving Spouse Exemptions Texas offers generous exemptions for veterans with service-connected disabilities and their surviving spouses:

  • Partial exemptions based on disability rating
  • 100% exemption for 100% disabled veterans
  • Exemptions for surviving spouses of service members killed in action

Agricultural and Wildlife Exemptions For luxury properties with acreage, agricultural or wildlife management exemptions can dramatically reduce tax liability:

  • Property is assessed based on productivity value rather than market value
  • Must meet specific use requirements and application deadlines
  • Requires annual reporting and compliance

Important Note: While agricultural exemptions offer significant savings, converting these properties later may trigger substantial rollback taxes.

Summary of changes:

Texas voters approved Propositions 13 and 11 on November 4, 2025. The general homestead exemption increased from $100,000 to $140,000, and the over-65/disability exemption increased from $10,000 to $60,000 — bringing the combined total for qualifying seniors and disabled homeowners to $200,000. Both are retroactive to the 2025 tax year.

Resources by County

Additional Resources for Luxury Homeowners

Property Tax Consultants

Remember that for luxury properties in Central Texas, even a modest percentage reduction in appraised value can result in thousands of dollars in annual tax savings, making it well worth the effort to understand and engage with the property tax system.

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Susan Barringer

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512.426.9456

Email

[email protected]

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Home Office 524 N. Lamar Blvd. Austin, TX 78701 Remote Office Texas Homes and Highways!

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