CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Padre Island homeowners say that they have seen a substantial increase this year on their home appraisals and have concerns about how the rates were determined.
Padre Island residents like Marvin Jones have lived there for years, but he said appraisal rates never increased this much before.
"The value of my house, according to the appraisal district, has gone up over 30 percent in one year," he said.
Jones moved to the Coastal Bend from Plano seven years ago, finding out the new appraised value of his home this week. He's concerned the increase was made despite no changes to his home.
Some of the taxing authorities listed in his paperwork: the city of Corpus Christi and Flour Bluff ISD -- with Flour Bluff charging the most -- even more than he used to pay in the Dallas area.
"I don't know how they got to their numbers, but it's way overinflated and I would certainly encourage everyone to protest and try to bring these rates down," he said.
Jones said despite his tax rate being frozen, an appraisal increase can make it difficult to sell his house since the next person might have to pay significantly more. His tax rate can be frozen since he's at least 65-years-old.
"My appraised value, the market value of the house goes up and if I ever sell the house, then the next guy's going to pay through the nose," he said.
Ted Mandel moved to Padre Island from Houston six years ago and said his appraisal rose about 10 percent. Also old enough to have his tax rate frozen, he said he was surprised taxing authorities like Flour Bluff ISD were asking for so much -- more than he was paying the City of Houston.
"I take it with a grain of salt because my taxes are frozen, I know and I know the rate is not going to go up. But I feel the real issue is how much tax are you going to pay," he said.
Both Mandel and Jones said making sure the appraisal is fair is important, and to dispute the increase with your appraisal district if it seems like too much.
"Just because they can get more money, should they get more money, and they can make an adjustment in the rate where it kind of neutralizes the raise in the appraisal," he said.
Jones also said people on a fixed income that are not retired might be more affected by the appraisal increases--potentially pricing them out of the market. Others might be dissuaded from moving to the Island because of the high prices.
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