El Paso Property Tax Protest ARB Tax Savings over $49 MM in 2024
Informal appeals managed to be gangbusters for the taxpayers of El Paso County, succeeding at a rate of over 85%, along with an outstanding 91% for homeowners. When it came to the next step; however, things came up short. Formal hearings in front of the appraisal review board (ARB) were a harder row to toe, with only 61% of cases ending in a reduction. Business properties had an abysmal 49% chance of a reduction. These numbers show why you need the help of a professional if you are going to pursue a formal appeal. Enroll in O’Connor’s Property Tax Protection Program™ and get all the support you need. From informal appeals, formal hearings, to lawsuits, O’Connor will have your back. No hidden fees, and you only pay if you lower your taxes. 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 | 4.938 | 5.149 | 4.556 | 4.744 | 8.074 | 7.629 | 10.023 | 12.417 | 14.351 | 14.347 | 14.372 | |
| Protests single family residential | 1.013 | 1.004 | 0.726 | 1.265 | 4.457 | 3.511 | 4.966 | 6.421 | 8.908 | 7.408 | 6.704 | |
| Protests with all other | 3.925 | 4.145 | 3.830 | 3.479 | 3.617 | 4.118 | 5.057 | 5.996 | 5.443 | 6.939 | 7.668 | |
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.
El Paso County Protests with Written ARB Determination
Like many other counties built around working families and first-generation Americans, El Paso County favors resolving property tax disputes at the informal level. These simple hearings allow any taxpayer with evidence to appear before the El Paso Central Appraisal District (EPCAD) and attempt to get a reduction. Over 85% of informal appeals were successful in 2024, while over 91% of single family homes that were appealed saw a reduction. Still, if a reduction is not possible at the informal level or it was found to be inadequate, then the next step is a formal appeal with the Appraisal Review Board (ARB).
Formal appeals take more evidence, time, and expertise to pull off. While you could do it all yourself, O’Connor is here to offer to be your representative. With over 50 years in the business of property tax appeals , O’Connor has seen and done it all, taking care of 185,000 clients in 2024 alone. Let O’Connor take on EPCAD in your stead and get you the best savings possible.
EPCAD Protests by Property Type
Until 2024, informal appeals were the favored choice for landing tax savings in El Paso. This abruptly changed when formal hearings shot to the moon in 2024, easily taking first place. There were 14,372 formal appeals in 2024, the most ever seen in the county. Combined with the success rate of informal appeals mentioned earlier, the implication is that many are rejecting their informal settlements for great rewards at the second level. This means that appeals across El Paso County are getting more sophisticated.
Single family homes, like with informal appeals, have been the driving force behind the increase in ARB hearings. 6,704 family homes were protested to the ARB in 2024. While this was lower than the two previous years, it is still a large number. The biggest improvement was seen in commercial properties, which totaled 7,668 in 2024, the highest total seen for that type. Commercial properties are worth much more individually, and it is common to see more of them than residential properties in ARB hearings across Texas.
El Paso 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 | 2.132 | 3.034 | 2.491 | 2.172 | 3.949 | 3.662 | 5.569 | 7.475 | 8.185 | 8.313 | 8.779 | |
| Single Family Residential | 0.555 | 0.672 | 0.513 | 0.708 | 2.801 | 2.056 | 3.559 | 5.061 | 5.814 | 5.325 | 5.051 | |
| Commercial / All Other | 1.577 | 2.362 | 1.978 | 1.464 | 1.148 | 1.606 | 2.010 | 2.414 | 2.371 | 2.988 | 3.728 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since An annual appeal is an insurance policy to avoid major increases.
El Paso County ARB Decisions with a Reduction
It is harder to get a reduction through ARB hearings. There is more evidence required, and the taxpayer must take on EPCAD in front of a panel of three experts. The requirements for a successful ARB appeal are much narrower as well. With this in mind, there were still a record 8,779 formal appeals with a reduction in 2024. 5,051 homes and 3,728 businesses were able to reduce their taxable value. While homes had declined slightly from 2023, businesses set an all-time record in 2024.
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 | 43% | 59% | 55% | 46% | 49% | 48% | 56% | 60% | 57% | 58% | 61% | |
| Single Family Residential | 55% | 67% | 71% | 56% | 63% | 59% | 72% | 79% | 65% | 72% | 75% | |
| Commercial / All Other | 40% | 57% | 52% | 42% | 32% | 39% | 40% | 40% | 44% | 43% | 49% | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since To ensure their property taxes are at the lowest possible level.
Percent That Resulted in A Reduction
With the stringent rules in place, taxpayers found it harder to win their formal appeals. The ARB sided with taxpayers 61% of the time, which was the most seen in the county’s history. Family homes managed to win 75% of their cases, which bested the Texas average of 68%. The widest margin was for commercial and business properties, which won a reduction 49% of the time, compared to the typical rate of 63% seen across Texas. It should be noted that El Paso County has some of the highest percentages of lawsuits filed, which is the only remedy to a lost formal hearing.
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 | 1.342 | 1.608 | 1.330 | 1.151 | 0.871 | 0.989 | 1.107 | 1.007 | 0.908 | 0.961 | 2.352 | |
| Single Family Residential | 0.081 | 0.066 | 0.066 | 0.058 | 0.141 | 0.081 | 0.022 | 0.075 | 0.128 | 0.160 | 0.155 | |
| Commercial / All Other | 1.262 | 1.542 | 1.264 | 1.093 | 0.730 | 0.908 | 1.085 | 0.932 | 0.779 | 0.802 | 2.197 | |
Texas property owners should protest annually since Unequal appraisal allows protests based on neighbors having a better tax assessment.
Dollar Value Reduction from El Paso ARB Hearings
The number of formal hearings might be at an all-time high, but the value of reductions truly set records, saving more in 2024 than 2022 and 2023 combined. $2.35 billion in taxable value was stricken from the books, easily the most ever. This was thanks to an explosion in business savings, which had been declining for much of the decade. $2.20 billion in value was cut for businesses, compared to $802 million in 2023. Family homes fell just short of their record savings from 2023, notching a total reduction of $155 million.