Bexar County’s New Property Appraisal Policy: A One-Year Reprieve Explained
The Bexar Appraisal District is implementing a significant policy change for the 2025 property tax season, which will affect property owners who successfully challenge their property valuations. This newly approved policy allows successful challengers to refrain from annual reappraisal, thus providing a reprieve for property owners.
Key Details of the Policy Change
Approved by the newly elected board of directors, this policy is designed to ease the process for property owners disputing their property appraisals. Specifically, if a property owner—as part of the 2025 appraisal protests—receives a downward adjustment, they will not see an increase in their property’s market value for the subsequent tax year unless there are improvements made to the property.
- The reprieve applies to all property types: residential, business, and commercial.
- Property owners must challenge their valuations by May 15, 2025.
- Valuation notices are currently being mailed out for property owners to review.
Background and Implementation
The concept of a one-year appraisal reprieve emerged following complaints from residents who found the repeated challenge process burdensome. The Bexar Appraisal District received approximately 186,000 protests in 2024 alone, with a significant majority related to residential properties.
During the board meeting held on September 16, Chief Appraiser Rogelio Sandoval articulated that the policy will benefit property owners by eliminating the need for them to continually engage in the appraisal challenge process year after year. However, he also warned that previously contested properties, especially those with homestead exemptions, may still experience varied appraised values in 2026 depending on market changes.
Looking Ahead: The 2027 Appraisal Landscape
In even-numbered years, the state conducts property value studies, which will necessitate reappraisals in 2027. Therefore, property owners will again need to review and potentially challenge their valuations at that time. The newly established reprieve will only be applicable for the 2025 and 2026 tax years, meaning future boards could revise or discontinue this policy.
Considerations for Taxing Entities
Following the board’s approval of the policy, various public school and municipal administrators expressed concerns regarding its potential impact on local revenues. These entities had previously pushed back against more extensive changes that could have severely affected their budgets. While the reprieve decision received unanimous support, the exact financial repercussions will require careful observation over the upcoming years.
Troy Elliott, San Antonio’s Deputy Chief Financial Officer, noted that while it is premature to assess the financial implications, it remains critical for city leaders to monitor the situation closely as they begin budgeting for the 2026 fiscal year, particularly given current revenue stagnation.
Conclusion
This innovative policy from the Bexar Appraisal District reflects an effort to alleviate some of the challenges faced by property owners in navigating the appraisal process. As the 2025 property tax season approaches, property owners are encouraged to stay informed about this reprieve and its requirements.