Jefferson County Home Appraisals Increase an Average of 15%

KFDM News has learned home values are up an average of 15 percent this year in Jefferson County.

They're much higher in many parts of the county, according to preliminary numbers KFDM News has obtained from the Jefferson County Appraisal District.

The following is a list of the average increase in the most populated areas:

*Hardin-Jefferson ISD (31%)

*Hamshire-Fannett ISD (22.5%)

*Port Arthur ISD (19%)

*Nederland ISD (15%)

*Port Neches-Groves ISD (14.3%)

*BISD (13.3%)

*Sabine Pass (10%)

The Jefferson County Appraisal District has just about finished mailing 150,000 appraisal notices to homeowners. The owners of commercial and industrial properties will get their notices at a later date.

Many homeowners saw the appraised values increase last year, after declining in 2006 because Hurricane Rita damaged many homes.

Jefferson County Chief Appraiser Roland Bieber says values are up again this year because the housing market is "hot."

That's not the case in California, New York and many other parts of the country.

The economic boom here has led to the building of more homes. Those homes, and existing homes, are selling for more money.

"The great news is that if you consider the home being a person's number one investment, that investment has done very well this last year," said Bieber.

Bieber says his office must appraise at market value.

If you believe the appraised value of your home is higher than the going rate for your neighborhood, you can file a protest by calling the appraisal district, mailing a notice of protest, or coming in.

Bieber tells KFDM News residential property owners have until the end of May to file a notice of protest. He says the phone lines are jammed this week, so if you try to call and can't get through, you might want to wait until next week.

"You'll have plenty of time and we'll accomodate everyone," Bieber told KFDM.

Bieber says the Appraisal Review Board will begin hearing appraisal protests in mid-May and the hearings will probably continue until early August.

"We'll try to do our best to close them out in a timely fashion so the taxing entities can prepare their tax rolls. I'm supposed to approve the tax roll by July 25, but the last few years it's been the first of August."

Taxing entities use the information to help finalize their tax rates.

The Appraisal District office is located at 4610 South 4th Street in Beaumont.

The main phone number is (409) 840-9944.   People in Mid and South County can call (409) 727-4611. 

The mailing address is: 

Jefferson County Appraisal District 

P.O. Box 21337

Beaumont, Texas   77720-1337