Waterwood Watchdog has received her 2006 notice of appraised value
from the San Jacinto Country Appraisal District. If you haven't
received yours, call their office at 936-653-4479. If you have a
computer and access to the Internet, you can easily check to see if
the county's public servants have fairly and equally increased and
appraised your lot with your neighbors' lots. Some land values (lot
value only, not home value) have increased as much as 684 percent
from last year! To do the math on your lot, visit the county's
appraisal district's website at:

http://clientdb.trueautomation.com/clientdb/main.asp?id=46

If you see some jaw-dropping and astronomical differences in how your
land value compares to your neighbors' land values, you can protest.
Lot and homeowners have until June 22nd to protest – a protest form
was included with your notice. Step 4 on the protest form ("facts
that may help resolve your case") can be typed on a separate piece of
paper and attached to this form. Below are four sample "facts to
resolve your case" for four types of lot owners – "lake
interior", "lake view", "lake front" and "golf course" lot owners.
When you find your lot on the website, click on the "land" tab to see
how your lot is classified, then divide the new market value by the
noted square feet to get your per-square-foot value. To use the
sample protest form, simply insert your respective numbers first
(Property ID, square feet, market value), followed by the two
properties for comparison purposes, which are factual and correct
numbers/values. If the county agrees with your facts, you might be
able to save yourself a couple hundred bucks next year.

Have questions or need assistance in filling out your form?
Contact Waterwood Watchdog at terrier77340@...



Sample Protest for "Lake Interior" lots
Prop ID (5-digit number here)
Dick and Jane Smith
Lot Description: Waterwood, Country Club Estates #1, Block 7, Lot 22
Acct number 2301-007-0220


Facts to help resolve my case:

I own a lot at Waterwood approximately seven wooded lots away from
the third fairway of the golf course and with no view of Lake
Livingston. My lot is classified as "LI" which means "lake
interior." My appraised land value has increased 267 percent this
year to $8,500 and all my neighbors' appraised land value has
similarly increased, but not equally.

My lot is 15,878 square feet (divided into $8,500) which equals 53
cents per square foot. Yet, there are several "lake interior" lots
that are appraised at far less than 53 cents per square foot. One is
a 39,653 square foot lot (R60561) with a good view of the golf course
(also classified as "LI"), which is appraised at $8,500 which equals
21 cents per square foot. One 42,445 square foot lot classified
as "LI" with a wonderful view of the golf course (R60557) is
appraised at $5,950 which equals 14 cents per square foot. It is
extremely arbitrary and unfair and unequal, to claim that my "lake
interior" lot is valued at 53 cents per square foot while a
neighbor's "lake interior" lot is valued at 14 cents per square foot.

I believe my land value should be the same value per square foot as
R60557, which means my land value should be 15,878 square feet times
14 cents, or $2,222.



Sample Protest for "Lake View" lots
Prop ID (5-digit number here)
Dick and Jane Smith
Lot Description: Waterwood, Country Club Estates #1, Block 7, Lot 22
Acct number 2301-007-0220


Facts to help resolve my case:

I live at Waterwood with a view of the golf course and Lake
Livingston. My home is on a lot classified as "LV" which means "lake
view." My appraised land value has increased 366 percent this year
to $7,000 and all my neighbors' appraised land value has similarly
increased, but not equally.

My lot is 3,184 square feet (divided into $7,000) which equals $2.20
cents per square foot. Yet, there are several "lake view" lots that
are appraised at far less than $2.20 per square foot. One is a
10,010 square foot lot (R60898) with a far better view of the lake
(also classified as "LV"), which is appraised at $8,500 which equals
85 cents per square foot. One 40,912 square foot lot classified
as "LV" and located across the fairway from me (R60548) is appraised
at $15,000 which equals 37 cents per square foot. It is extremely
arbitrary and unfair and unequal, to claim that my "lake view" lot is
valued at $2.20 cents per square foot while a neighbor's "lake view"
lot is valued at 37 cents per square foot.

I believe my land value should be the same value per square foot as
R60548, which means my land value should be 3,184 square feet times
37 cents, or $1,178.




Sample Protest for "Lake Front" lots
Prop ID (5-digit number here)
Dick and Jane Smith
Lot Description: Waterwood, Country Club Estates #1, Block 7, Lot 22
Acct number 2301-007-0220


Facts to help resolve my case:

I own a lot at Waterwood which borders Lake Livingston. My lot is
classified as "LF" which means "lake front." My appraised land value
has increased 125 percent this year to $37,600 and all my neighbors'
appraised land value has similarly increased, but not equally.

My lot is 41,774 square feet (divided into $37,600) which equals 90
cents per square foot. Yet, there are several "lake front" lots that
are appraised at far less than 90 cents per square foot. One is a
38,773 square foot lot (R60537) on the lake (also classified
as "LF"), which is appraised at $32,400 equals 83 cents per square
foot. One 79,780 square foot lot classified as "LF" on the lake
(R60539) is appraised at $30,380 which equals 38 cents per square
foot. Although that lot's footage directly on the waterfront is less
than mine, it is extremely arbitrary and unfair and unequal, to claim
that my "lake front" lot is valued at 263 percent more than a
neighbor's "lake front" lot valued at 38 cents per square foot.

Until there is a county-wide and uniform formula for assessing square
acreage of actual "lake front" lots (by measuring widths/lengths of
lots that actually border the lake) I believe my land value should be
the same value per square foot as R60539, which means my land value
should be 41,774 square feet times 38 cents, or $15,875.


Sample Protest for "Golf Course" lots
Prop ID (5-digit number here)
Dick and Jane Smith
Lot Description: Waterwood, Country Club Estates #1, Block 7, Lot 22
Acct number 2301-007-0220


Facts to help resolve my case:

I own a lot at Waterwood which borders the golf course. My lot is
classified as "GC" which means "golf course." My appraised land
value has increased 525 percent this year to $8,500 and all my
neighbors' appraised land value has similarly increased, but not
equally.

My lot is 2,757 square feet (divided into $8,500) which equals $3.08
per square foot. Yet, there are several "golf course" lots that are
appraised at far less than $3.08 per square foot. One is a 20,177
square foot lot (R60659) on the golf course (also classified
as "GC"), which is appraised at $18,000 and equals 89 cents per
square foot. One 57,948 square foot lot classified as "GC" on the
lake (R60587) is appraised at $18,000 which equals 31 cents per
square foot. Although that lot's footage directly on the golf course
is less than mine, it is extremely arbitrary and unfair and unequal,
to claim that my "golf course" lot is valued at 900 percent more than
a neighbor's "golf course" lot valued at 31 cents per square foot.

Until there is a county-wide and uniform formula for assessing square
acreage of actual "golf course" lots (by measuring widths/lengths of
lots that actually border the golf course) I believe my land value
should be the same value per square foot as R60587, which means my
land value should be 2,757 square feet times 31 cents, or $855.