CAMERON COUNTY, Texas (ValleyCentral) — In Cameron County, property appraisals are going up. Notices to protest go out on May 1st and you have until May 31.
The jump will be significant and means property taxes go up.
In Rancho Viejo, homeowners are not thrilled to hear property values are increasing. One we spoke with doesn’t think the county should inflate the values to have more income!
“Nobody wants more taxes, no. Especially if you’re not going to get the services,” Rancho Viejo resident, Donna Goree explained.
One homeowner told ValleyCentral it’s nothing new. Home appraisals have been going up for the ten years she has lived here.
”At that time when I came over, it was like $350,000. Right now it’s like $450,000,” homeowner, Ruby Barba, said.
Barba said that if the county doesn’t do anything to halt this enormous uptick in appraisal values.
Of course, that means an uptick in property taxes, then she has some very interesting ideas about what that means for the future of those who want to buy a home.
”In the future, for the new generation, maybe they have to buy a trailer. Live in a trailer because they’re not going to be able to afford a house,” Barba noted.
The Cameron County Appraisal District, Chief Appraiser Richard Molina told ValleyCentral the rates are going up across the board at around 31 and a half percent.
Molina stated there is a major reason for this jump.
“We have to just look at where the market value is. And, that’s what, you know, when we look at sales and how they’ve been really pushing over the last two years. That’s the indicator of what the market is doing. And, unfortunately, it is driving the valuations up higher,” Molina explained.
He also said SpaceX jobs are just one of the issues that has lead to higher property values.
“When SpaceX first came in, they were going to bring in a lot of jobs, they’re going to buy properties and stuff. So, it has helped the area. We do show that a lot of properties were bought,” Molina said.
Molina added the supply diminished during the pandemic-era and population still grew, leading to housing prices climbing. If residents feel prices climbed too high, he preferred them to contact the appraisal district rather than a property tax consultant.
“Talk to us, we’re going to be as honest as we can. You know, when somebody’s here. Just as we would to the agent that they’re going to get to represent them. We will work with them,” he added.
Molina he said, residents might have information that can help with a value adjustment on your home.
The Texas Real Estate Commission and Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board stated that the appraisals are done at the county level and not at the state level.
