EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — An El Paso home inspector and Realtor say homeowners should protest their property taxes, that it can benefit you in the long run.

Edgar Aguero, an El Paso Realtor with the Jackie Stevens Home Team, told KTSM homeowners should petition or protest the appraisal on their home. If not, they could be losing out, he said.

The deadline to protest your property taxes with the Central Appraisal District is Wednesday, May 15.

“You should be able to make a strong case when fighting your property taxes,” Aguero said.

Aguero said a lot goes into how your appraisal is calculated, depending on different factors.

All the local taxing entities, like the City of El Paso, the County and the school districts, play into how much you are taxed, he said.

Aguero said an important step is to compare your home to similar properties to get a better idea of what it should be valued at.

KTSM reached out to a local home inspector who agreed with Aguero — how property owners should protest with the Central Appraisal District (CAD) to keep their property taxes lower.

Jeffery Michel, a home inspector with Integrity Property Inspections, said when challenging your property taxes, getting an inspector can potentially help.

“I think more documentation, the better, just going in there and saying, ‘Hey, I think it’s too high.’ It’s probably not going to work. If you do the due diligence and get an inspector in there that’s reputable, that can give them a very detailed report,” Michel said.

Michel told KTSM if a property owner gets with the correct parties and provides the necessary information to take to the CAD, it could possibly help, which is something his company has seen in the past.

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