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Dallas Central Appraisal District Chief Appraiser Shane Docherty provided insights into the residential reappraisal process during a workshop meeting Thursday, April 10, at Farmers Branch City Hall.
Docherty, who has been with the agency for nearly 40 years and was appointed chief appraiser about a year and a half ago, explained how DCAD determines property values and addressed residents' concerns about the upcoming tax season.
"Our mission is to establish the fair market value of all properties within our district," Docherty said. "We're trying to estimate what you could sell your home for in its current condition as of January 1 of every year."
DCAD will soon mail over 700,000 property appraisal notices, which should reach homeowners' mailboxes by April 18. The protest deadline is May 15.
Docherty explained the complex system DCAD uses to value Dallas County's approximately 650,000 residential properties. The district maintains over 14,000 valuation models based on neighborhoods and building classifications.
"We have 5,000 neighborhoods and 28 different building classifications," Docherty said. "We're building models by neighborhood and by building class."
These models are adjusted three times a year based on ratio studies comparing appraised values to actual sale prices. DCAD aims to appraise homes between 95-103 percent of their market value.
For gentrifying neighborhoods with new construction among older homes, Docherty explained that DCAD establishes land values based on what builders are paying for teardown properties, which can significantly affect valuations for older homes that remain standing.
"When we have homes that are selling and being torn down, we're going to look at those sales for homes that were bought and torn down, and that's going to be the basis of our land value," Docherty said.
Docherty emphasized the importance of the informal protest process. When property owners file protests and submit documentation supporting their opinion of value, DCAD will provide all evidence concerning the valuation and comparable sales used to determine the property's value.
"When you file your protest and submit your evidence, the next day we're going to flag that and send out to the website all the evidence that we have concerning the valuation of your property," Docherty said.
He encouraged residents to be proactive between January and April by consulting with local real estate agents for a broker's opinion of value before receiving their appraisal notices.
"Seek out a real estate professional who is actively selling homes in your neighborhood and ask them to give you a market analysis or broker's opinion of value," Docherty said. "They'll do it for free."
Docherty also clarified several points about exemptions, noting that homeowners who turn 65 have their school district taxes frozen at that year's amount. While DCAD is required to audit homestead exemptions at least every five years, homeowners don't need to reapply unless specifically requested.
Regarding building permits, Docherty confirmed that DCAD picks up permit information monthly from cities and inspects properties when permits might affect property condition or value. He noted that DCAD can go back three years to add previously undiscovered improvements to the appraisal roll.
Throughout the meeting, Docherty emphasized that DCAD doesn't collect taxes or set tax rates. The agency provides the appraisal roll to 63 taxing jurisdictions by July 25, who then set their tax rates to fund their budgets.
"All we do is say what the property is worth as of January 1 in its current condition," Docherty said. "We don't set rates; we don't collect."
Residents with questions about their property valuation can visit the DCAD website at www.dallascad.org for information about the informal review process. Property owners are encouraged to call after May 15 to speak directly with an appraiser about their protest.
The deadline to file a protest is May 15, 2025.
