Maverick County Property Values Increased
By: Ricardo E. Calderon
An Exclusive Eagle Pass Business Journal News Story/Copyright 2013
Maverick County real property owners have been receiving their 2013 property valuations from the Maverick County Appraisal District in the mail and have noticed that their property appraisals increased significantly in some instances. One local taxpayer told the Eagle Pass Business Journal that his residential property 2013 appraisal is 22% higher than the 2012 valuation, expressing concern about the high increase of his property valuation.
The Eagle Pass Business Journal interviewed Victor R. Perry, Chief Appraiser of the Maverick County Appraisal District, to determine why some of the proposed 2013 appraisals have significantly increased for local taxpayers. Perry told the Eagle Pass Business Journal that state law requires the Maverick County Appraisal District to conduct a market value study of real property valuations every two years and this year the Appraisal District contracted with an outside independent, professional property appraising company to conduct this study on Maverick County.
The results of the independent appraisal company’s study reflected that the residential property appraisals in Maverick County were undervalued and did not reflect the current real estate sales values in the community, requiring that the residential property values be increased accordingly. Overall, the residential single family property values increased by 26.96% in Maverick County to the total of $1,124,877,173 from the previous year’s (2012) $886,015,839 for a total increase of $238,861,335.
Perry stated that the independent appraisal company found that current real estate sales of residential properties have been brisk and brought higher prices than the past due to the large number of purchases made by foreign buyers or investors, particularly from Mexico, as a result of growing insecurity in their country and seeking to buy a safe real estate investment which allows their children to attend local public schools. “Many residential properties in Eagle Pass and Maverick County are being bought by Mexicans who are fleeing the insecurity problems in their country and want a safe home for their families and children, including having their children attend local public schools,” Perry said. These foreign real estate buyers and investors are driving the price of real estate higher in Maverick County.
Perry also noted that the Eagle Ford Shale oil and gas boom is positively increasing the real estate values in Maverick County although not as much as neighboring counties such as Dimmit, Zavala, La Salle, Webb, and Karnes. Maverick County has recently seen an increase in oil and gas leases in southern Maverick County around the El Indio area. Perry also stated that local residential property appraisals had been lower due to buyers not reporting accurately their purchase prices.
Perry reported that the overall 2013 preliminary roll of all Maverick County properties shows a 8.48% increase to $3,739,407,051 from the previous year’s (2012) $3,447,007,514 for a total increase of $292,399,537.
Perry stated that if a real property owner disagrees with the proposed 2013 appraisal value of their property, the property owner should go to the appraisal district to discuss their property. Appraisers do not go inside houses and sometimes there are certain conditions that they are unaware about such as a cracked foundation or incorrect size or age of their property. If the property owner reaches an agreement with the appraisal district, then the appraised value is settled and no hearing is needed. However, if the real property does not reach an agreement with the appraisal district, then the property owner may file an appeal and request a public hearing before the Maverick County Appraisal District Board of Directors. A Property Tax Protest and Appeal Procedures notice is published on Page 8 of this newspaper.
