By R.J. Morales – TX3DNews
Guess what, homeowner? You’re rolling in equity—at least according to the county. That same cracked driveway and leaky faucet you’ve been ignoring? Suddenly worth more than last year. Welcome to Collin County, where appraisal notices crash-land in your mailbox like flaming arrows, declaring your humble home a luxury asset and your budget collateral damage.
Across Texas’s 3rd Congressional District—including McKinney, Allen, Frisco, and Plano—homeowners are cracking open CAD envelopes and finding out that even a modest bump in home value can sting. These aren’t jackpot increases, but when your appraisal jumps a few percent and your tax bill tags along? It adds up fast—especially in a market that’s cooling while assessments keep climbing.
How Bad Is It?
In McKinney, Plano, and Allen, average home values rose a modest 2.5% to 4.4% in 2024. Doesn’t sound huge? Let’s take a closer look at the numbers.
On a $450,000 home, a 4.4% bump adds nearly $20,000 to your appraised value. In McKinney or Allen, that could mean $465 more per year. In Plano, expect around $440.
These aren’t six-figure jumps, but they still hit hard. Your 2024 appraisal? That’s what you’re being taxed on right now. And that fresh notice in your mailbox this spring? That’s your 2025 value—setting the stage for your next tax hike.
The housing market may be leveling off, but appraisals haven’t caught up. Plenty of residents say their valuations don’t reflect what homes are actually selling for—and when your tax bill’s based on inflated numbers, the impact hits where it hurts most: your budget.
The Protest Wave Is Already Building
Last year, over 100,000 Collin County homeowners stood up and said, “Not today, CAD. Not Today.” And that number’s expected to surge again as more folks get hit with higher appraisals that feel disconnected from reality
The good news? Texas law gives you the right to fight back—whether your appraisal is wildly off compared to your neighbor’s, based on inflated sales data, or just plain wrong. You don’t have to accept your appraisal as final. If something feels off—whether it’s the value, the comps, or just the timing—you can still contest it.
According to Collin CAD, the deadline to file a protest is May 15, 2025. Considering what people are seeing in their mailboxes, taking 15 minutes to push back could save you real money.
Why It Matters (Beyond Your Wallet)
This isn’t just a personal pain point—it’s a policy issue. Property taxes are the primary funding source for public schools in Texas. And with Governor Abbott successfully pushing a new school voucher law through the legislature, critics argue the system is now shifting more of the public burden onto working families—many of whom won’t benefit from the new program.
So yes, your rising appraisal may be funding a school your child can’t afford to attend—while your local school scrapes by with supply drives and underpaid teachers buying school materials out of pocket. . Meanwhile, state leaders are diverting public funds to private voucher programs—leaving public schools stretched thin and working families footing the difference with their property taxes.
What You Can Do
- File a protest by May 15. Start here
- Bring comps. You can pull similar properties in your neighborhood from real estate sites or hire a firm.
- Don’t be afraid to challenge bad data. If your roof’s original, your fence is leaning, or Zillow has better pictures than your listing—say so.
- You can also request a settlement or take it to a formal hearing with the Appraisal Review Board.
Final Thoughts
Your home isn’t a hedge fund. It’s where your life happens—and yet you’re expected to navigate tax codes like a CPA just to stay afloat. The paperwork’s confusing, the burden keeps shifting, and somehow, regular families keep getting squeezed while the policy train steers elsewhere.
This isn’t about dodging taxes—it’s about demanding a system that works for the people who actually live here. TX-03 families deserve predictability, transparency, and a fair shot at staying in the communities they helped build.
You didn’t sign up to be a “paper millionaire.” You signed up for a home, not a tax trap.
Sources:
- Collin CAD 2024 Appraisal Data: 2024 Estimated Taxable Values Report
- Collin CAD Protest Info: https://www.collincad.org/protest-procedures/