Galveston Property Tax Protest ARB Tax Savings over $55 MM in 2023
While informal appeals are losing some of their luster, formal hearings before the appraisal review board (ARB) are hitting a fever pitch in Galveston County. With so much money on the line for every property, taxpayers want an impartial arbiter in their fight against the Galveston County Central Appraisal District (GCAD) . With 82% of all formal protests ending in victory for the taxpayer, there is certainly justification for wanting to take disputes to this level. Get your best chance to win when you join O’Connor’s Property Tax Protection Program™ today. There is no charge to join, and your taxes will be annually protested for you. You only pay if your taxes are lowered. Enroll, relax, and save.
Protests with Written ARB DeterminationSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Thousands | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| Total protests | 2.306 | 4.185 | 4.404 | 5.032 | 6.766 | 5.330 | 6.808 | 8.286 | 13.407 | 24.133 | 31.485 | |
| Protests single family residential | 1.827 | 3.359 | 3.138 | 3.881 | 5.944 | 4.517 | 4.711 | 4.905 | 10.433 | 19.044 | 24.742 | |
| Protests with all other | 0.479 | 0.826 | 1.266 | 1.151 | 0.822 | 0.813 | 2.097 | 3.381 | 2.974 | 5.089 | 6.743 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Hearing results depend on the appraiser assigned or the ARB; results vary widely. You do not know the appraiser or ARB panel prior to appealing.
Galveston County Protests with Written ARB Determination
While many other high-dollar counties like Travis, Denton, and Fort Bend focus on the formal appeal process, Galveston might be the most specialized of all. In the constant war between taxpayers and the Galveston County Central Appraisal District (GCAD) , the appraisal review board (ARB) has become the battlefield of choice. This three-person impartial body judges cases based on evidence and merit, typically siding with the taxpayer. In 2023, 82% of all Galveston formal appeals were decided in favor of the taxpayer.
Hearings before the ARB are more complicated than informal appeals and often require an expert and deft touch. That is where O’Connor comes in. As one of the largest firms in America specialized in property tax disputes, O’Connor has the national resources and expertise to fight GCAD. Based in Houston, the firm also has the local connections, know-how, and experience needed to get the ultimate win.
GCAD Protests by Property Type
Informal appeals may be retreating from record highs, but ARB hearings are going in the opposite direction. Since 2019, these formal proceedings have been growing in number and importance. There were 24,133 formal appeals in 2023, nearly double the 2022 mark of 13,407. The embrace of these complex protests has many reasons, but the main cause is that every property in the county is so high dollar that it is worth taking them to the next level. Galveston County has perhaps the highest number of judicial appeals as well, indicating that often even the ARB is not enough.
Single family homes led the way with 19,044 protests in 2023. This was a huge growth from 10,433 protests in 2022 and the primary reason that the overall number of hearings grew. Commercial and other properties also recorded a new record in 2023, with 5,089 of them being contested. ARB hearings are typically the target for businesses, so this is a natural outcome.
Galveston County ARB Decisions with a ReductionSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Thousands | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| Total | 0.508 | 1.336 | 1.090 | 1.534 | 1.272 | 1.957 | 3.699 | 5.441 | 9.640 | 19.897 | 24.070 | |
| Single Family Residential | 0.424 | 1.122 | 0.854 | 1.382 | 1.216 | 1.814 | 2.657 | 3.500 | 8.536 | 17.393 | 20.130 | |
| Commercial / All Other | 0.084 | 0.214 | 0.236 | 0.152 | 0.056 | 0.143 | 1.042 | 1.941 | 1.104 | 2.504 | 3.940 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since An annual appeal is an insurance policy to avoid major increases.
Galveston County ARB Decisions with a Reduction
ARB hearings have not only become commonplace, but they are also quite effective in the fight against GCAD. In 2023, the number of total reductions doubled from the previous year, going from 9,640 in 2022 to 19,897 in 2023. This was not a one-sided jump either, as both residential and commercial properties doubled in just one year. Homes went from 8,536 victories to 17,393, while businesses jumped from 1,104 to 2,504. Single family homes had seen their number double previously between 2021 and 2022.
Percent That Resulted in A ReductionSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Percent | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| Total Reduction | 22% | 32% | 25% | 30% | 19% | 37% | 54% | 66% | 72% | 82% | 76% | |
| Single Family Residential | 23% | 33% | 27% | 36% | 20% | 40% | 56% | 71% | 82% | 91% | 81% | |
| Commercial / All Other | 18% | 26% | 19% | 13% | 7% | 18% | 50% | 57% | 37% | 49% | 58% | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since To ensure their property taxes are at the lowest possible level.
Percent That Resulted in A Reduction
Not only are hearings and victories reaching record heights, but the winning percentage is reaching peak territory as well. In 2023, 82% of all formal appeals ended with a reduction. This blows the statewide average of 70% completely out of the water. 91% of residential properties were able to land a reduction, which was 75%. 49% of commercial properties saw a reduction, which is below the average of 59%. This lower number for businesses is why judicial appeals in the county are so high.
Value Reduction From Written ARB DeterminationsSource: Texas Comptroller, compiled by O’Connor, and not affiliated with any appraisal district.
| Billions of $ | ||||||||||||
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | ||
| Total $ Reduction | 0.103 | 0.157 | 0.125 | 0.418 | 0.589 | 0.760 | 1.491 | 2.196 | 1.713 | 2.636 | 3.218 | |
| Single Family Residential | 0.010 | 0.024 | 0.023 | 0.136 | 0.157 | 0.177 | 0.326 | 0.198 | 0.500 | 1.112 | 1.077 | |
| Commercial / All Other | 0.093 | 0.132 | 0.102 | 0.282 | 0.432 | 0.583 | 1.165 | 1.998 | 1.213 | 1.523 | 2.142 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Unequal appraisal allows protests based on neighbors having a better tax assessment.
GCAD Dollar Value Reduction from ARB Hearings
With all of the other historic highs, it should come as no surprise that 2023 broke records when it came to value reduction as well. $2.64 billion in taxable value was shed from the books thanks to formal appeals. Homes saw a reduction of $1.11 billion, while commercial real estate experienced a drop of $2.64 billion. This was an all-time high for residences, while it was the second highest for businesses, only being beaten by $1.99 billion in 2021.