Why is my Evidence missing?
Last year, I saw many property owners show up to protest their 2025 property taxes. They ended up protesting with no physical evidence. Many tried to upload their documents and pictures before the hearing but their physical evidence was not found in the BCAD database. And they did not have a receipt number on their email to prove they successfully submitted evidence. Because they were under oath, they were able to protest with oral testimony only. Many were not too happy with the results. It is very helpful to provide physical evidence, like contractor estimates for electrical, plumbing, foundation, exterior cracks, flooring and HVAC problems.
The Bexar Central Appraisal District eventually improved their website and physical evidence started showing up more often for the protest hearings. Please know, you MUST email your evidence before the date of your hearing. You will get a receipt #. Please keep the receipt # handy. If you don’t get a receipt #, your evidence was not received. If you send too many jpg (pictures) files or too many (word) document files … you will be sending more file storage than is allowed and your effort will fail. Since you are reading this, I will share a trick with you. Copy all your contractor estimates (documents) & photos (Jpg files) onto a “pdf” document file because “pdf” files use much less storage and you can send more evidence.
How to Send Evidence for Protest. Website: BCAD.org
Online Step by Step:
Type link: https://help.bcad.org/hc/en-us
Then click: Submit a Request, pull down menu
(click) I Need Help With … (type ): Email Address
Request Type* (pull down menu ….)
(click) – Submit or Request Evidence
(type) Name, Phone number, and Property Address,
Online protest … no ( go in-person)
(type) Your property ID # ______
(type ) Submit Evidence
(type ) Description of your request …
Attachments – copy/drag evidence …
( pdf document file ) … containing all your documents & photos together.
(click) Submit
What to do When you decide to protest your property taxes:
The Bexar Appraisal District proposed market value is the price your home should sell for on January 1st. After you complete the Notice of Protest form, sign the form and send it back before March 15th. Walk around your home. What repairs or upgrades would you need to do … to sell your home for the proposed market value amount? Call contractors, get written or oral estimates to fix or to upgrade your home to match the homes that sold the prior year your neighborhood. You must submit your evidence before your hearing date. “Be sure to get an emailed receipt # from BCAD”.
Ask a local Realtor to email you a list of all the homes that sold in your neighborhood during the prior year. Pick out homes like your home. Type all the property addresses into your internet browser. Look at the sold home photos, look at the marketing remarks, write down all the upgrades each sold homes has, especially improvements that your home doesn’t have. Knowing these details will help your protest preparation. You will be ready when the District Appraiser gives testimony that your home is the same as the sold homes, especially when the Appraiser doesn’t know the condition of your home.
Next: Schedule a (phone or zoom) Informal Hearing before the Formal hearing. Take notes at the Informal Hearing because at the Formal Hearing, the District Appraiser will use the same evidence, and you will be more prepared for the Formal Hearing. Follow these steps to increase chances for a successful Property Tax protest.