Taxable Value Protest Program Results
One of the programs we offer to our clients is coordinating the protesting of their property’s taxable value. With more than half of our clients signed up, we've helped them see some amazing savings year after year. This year, those clients saw a net reduction in their taxes of $132,171 with the largest tax savings for a single client of $3,320. This means those clients will have a lower tax bill this year, and next year they’ll be at a lower tax level than their neighbors. Leading to cumulative savings year over year.
That's great, but how does all this work?
While you're probably familiar with the term Property Taxes, do you know how the whole process works? First, the County determines what they see to be the "value" of your home, and applies the tax rate for your area to that value. From that, you get your annual property tax bill. Keep in mind, this "value" of your home has no relation to the actual sales value of your home!
So what happens if the county was incorrect in determining what they think the value of your home is? Well, now you're paying higher taxes than you should be. So, if you’re able to reduce that taxable value, you pay less in taxes. Then next year if property values go up, the base "value" of your home they apply that increase to is lower than your neighbors, so you're already saving money.
By protesting your property tax value helps ensure that the taxable "value" of your home is kept at its true rate, and not overinflated. Protesting your property taxes doesn’t mean every year you’ll have a reduction in your taxable value. Some years, the protest will tell you that your tax value is accurate. However, there is benefit in not getting a reduction as now you know you’re not overpaying.
If you’re interested in getting signed up for this invaluable cost saving service, please reach out to your property manager directly, or just click here to email our office directly and get the conversation started!
Tax Season and 1099’s
Something that’s important to our firm is our environmental footprint, and working to reduce it as much as possible. Through this, we’ve eliminated (almost!) all internal paper documents. However, as a firm our largest paper production we have each year is the production of the annual Form-1099s for our clients. We’re looking to reduce that paper impact through a fully digital process to make these forms and supporting documentation more accessible to you year-round.
We do want to thank the 43% of our clients that have chosen to go fully electronic for their annual tax paperwork. This has allowed us to almost cut our paper footprint in half each year! This also helps make the process vastly more efficient internally, and we appreciate your decision to help us reduce our paper footprint!
For the 57% of our clients that elect for paper and electronic, or paper only, Form 1099 documentation each year. We’ll be touching base in the coming weeks to revisit and see about updating your permissions for that process. There’s a form that will be provided outlining the process, and what comes with each choice. If you’d like to make this switch now, just touch base with your property manager and let them know!
Company Updates
Our property managers attended the state wide NARPM conference earlier this week. This conference, called Texas Style, is a two-day event here in Austin where residential property managers from across the state get together to learn about the most recent industry trends, legal changes, and more. It was an exciting few days!
Sales Market Statement: By Mike Minns
Some excellent news as of 9/8/2025, a bad jobs report! Well, it’s not excellent but good for mortgage rates.
We saw the average mortgage rate drop to 6.28% back on 9/8, the lowest it has been since Fall of 2024. I also think it is likely the jobs report will be revised upwards, which a few months from now will likely cause mortgage rates to rise slightly. That said, it seems very likely we will see the Fed lower the fed rate by .25% this month and perhaps another .25% this year. Mortgage rates are unlikely to go down with that news, but it fuels public perception and that is likely to bring additional buyers to the market. So even though rates are lower now, and possibly lower than when the Fed has another rate reduction later this year, the market will likely only pick up a little bit with these rates.
We are still a ways out from a recovery, likely one to three years, and this adjustment is likely to only entice a few buyers off the fence and into the market. I believe many buyers will continue to wait and see how the market unfolds in the coming months and years. Most likely, a majority of buyers will come back as the frenzy comes to a head during the recovery period (1-3 years out), and that is when we'll likely see 10-30% increase over a 6-18 month period.
Likely we will see a stronger Fall and winter than we have had for the last few years, but, the long and short of it is, you should only sell right now if you absolutely need to. If you can wait, we will likely will see a 10-30% increase in the next one to five years. In my 25 years of selling homes in Austin I have seen quite a few recoveries and they always have gone the same way. With lower inventory levels than we have had in any of the down markets, it makes sense that when the recovery period kicks in, it'll be a quick shift.
Mike Minns
Atlas Realty
Rental Market Statement
The general consensus across the rental market in the area is that the things have slowed down significantly. Prices are trending down, days on market are trending up, and there is less traffic overall. This is making it more of a renter friendly market, but this doesn’t feel out of line with the time of year and has shown a return to pre-covid rental rates.
With the slowing of the sales market, we’re seeing a trend of people who can’t sell their home turning to the rental market to try their hand at being a DIY landlord. This means inventory is up, but conditions of that inventory are highly variable in some areas. Focusing on ensuring your property is in A-Grade condition, and priced competitively, are the things that will help your home rent before the competition. To see more of the local market data, you can view the leasing report from the Austin Board of Realtors directly.
Thank you for your continued trust and business.
Christopher M. Francis
Owner / Director of Operations
Rollingwood Management, Inc.
09/18/2025