A look at Bexar County’s surging tax bills and the pushback

The increase also led to a record number of property owners protesting their tax valuations, with some of them having to learn how to do it for the first time. 

MySA sifted through the coverage of this property value boom to help put it in perspective. 

“San Antonio never moved like this”

• The average residential tax valuation rose about 4.5% from $312,000 to $326,000 in 2022, according to Bexar County Appraisal District (BCAD). 
• Bexar County usually saw appraisal values rise between 5% and 7% each year in the late 2010s.
• From April to March, the median sales price for a home in San Antonio jumped roughly 3.7% to $338,700 from $326,500. That’s a 22% increase year-over-year and a 61% increase from five years earlier.
• Beatrice Cortez, who owns a home in Government Hill, faced a $3,000 increase in her annual property tax bill. 
• Amezquita told the Express-News that values rising across Texas could be due to a shortage in housing stock, which is a view shared by many real estate experts.

Record protests

• As of May 24, the BCAD processed 156,043 residential and commercial protests. 
• Last year BCAD received 135,487 protests. 
• The deadline to appeal was on May 16,and about 675,000 accounts were sent notices in April.
• Amezquita projected about 160,000 protests. 
• Residents are protesting about $107 billion in increased tax valuations. 

Two property tax relief propositions were approved in the May 7 election that extended relief programs for residents over the age of 65 and those with a disability. Bexar County Commissioners Court approved an increase to 20% for the county’s homestead exemption on June 7.