The mortgage is half the payment.

Three levers that change the real bill

• File the homestead exemption

  If you live in the house, this is free money: it cuts the taxable value (the school-district exemption is $140,000) and caps annual appraised-value increases at 10%. It does not transfer with the sale. New owners must file with TAD, and filing costs nothing. (Tex. Tax Code 11.13(b); $140,000 since tax year 2025)

• Protest the appraisal

  The appraised value is an opinion and you can contest it every year. The window is short: typically May 15 or 30 days after your notice arrives, whichever is later. A well-documented protest with comparable sales regularly moves the number.

• Know your taxing units

  Two houses a mile apart can carry meaningfully different rates because city, school district, and special districts stack differently. That is why this tool gives a band and not a quote. The exact stack is on the parcel's TAD page.

Source: Texas Tax Code §11.13 (residence homestead exemption), §23.23 (10% appraisal cap), §41.44 (protest deadline). Rates: TAD published 2025 rates · tad.org.

Want the full carrying-cost picture?

Taxes are one line. Insurance, HOA, and the exemption math decide whether a house actually fits the budget, and that read changes block by block. If you are pricing a purchase or wondering whether your current appraisal is worth protesting, leave your info and I will run the numbers on the specific property. No charge for the read.