Lubbock homeowners may see property tax increase this year

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - It looks like your property taxes may go up later this year, without substantial cuts in the city and county rates.

“Looks like the median price of a home in Lubbock County is up about nine and a half percent. I think we’re going to see the same thing or close to that with our numbers,” said Tim Radloff, the Chief Appraiser/Administrator at Lubbock Central Appraisal District (LCAD).

“The number of homes that are on the market is about 20 percent less than what it was the end of the same time last year,” said Radloff.

That nine and a half percent is nearly double the increase from 2019 to 2020.

“Last year we were up just a little over 4 percent over 2019, was up about 4.2 percent over 2019 county-wide,” said Radloff, “I really kind of think that we’re going to see probably more than that this year.”

“We’re seeing people that are, that typically probably would have sold their homes may not be selling those homes they may be held in those homes and remodeling them, which causes the homes that are in inventory to go down, which makes that a seller’s market. The inventory is lower,” said Radloff.

Radloff says if you disagree with your appraisal, file a notice of protest as soon as possible.

“They’re (homeowners) given an online protest code which they can go on to our website, and they can protest their property value,” said Radloff. “If they first just want to talk to an appraiser about some of the sales in your neighborhood, they can call us, or they can email us, they can email us at info at lubbockCAD.org, or they can give the district a call and we’ll set up an inquiry, whether it be an online inquiry, or whether it be a phone inquiry, an appraiser will get back with that property owner within seven days.” The taxing districts in Lubbock County will set their 2021/2022 rates in September.

You can find a link to the Lubbock Central Appraisal District (LCAD) here.