How to Find Comparable Sales for Your Property Tax Protest (Fast & Easy)

What Are Comparable Sales?

Comparable sales are recent transactions of properties similar to yours. The logic is simple: if three homes like yours sold for $375,000 in the last six months, but your home is assessed at $420,000, you have a strong argument that you're being overassessed.

What Makes a Good Comp?

The 5 factors that matter most:

• Distance: Ideal is within 0.25 miles, acceptable within 0.5 miles
• Sale Date: Last 3-6 months is best, up to 12 months acceptable
• Square Footage: Within 10-15% of your home's size
• Bedroom/Bathroom Count: Same or ±1
• Age and Style: Same decade built, similar construction

Where to Find Comps (Free Tools)

Zillow: Filter by Sold properties. Shows sale prices, dates, square footage, and often interior photos.

Redfin: Often more accurate than Zillow. Includes price per square foot calculations.

County Appraisal District Website: The gold standard for official data.

Making Adjustments

Common adjustments:

• Square Footage: $50-$150 per sq ft difference
• Bedrooms: $5,000-$15,000 each
• Bathrooms: $5,000-$10,000 each
• Pool: $10,000-$30,000

Example: A comp sold for $385,000 but is 200 sq ft larger and has a pool. Adjust: $385,000 - $20,000 (size) - $15,000 (pool) = $350,000 adjusted value.

The Equity Approach Alternative

In Texas, you can argue your home should be assessed similarly to comparable homes. If you're assessed at $210/sq ft while neighbors average $180/sq ft, you have a strong equity argument.