Vacation Home Property Tax Protest and Appeal

A second home gets no homestead exemption or homestead cap. Check the value, compare sales near January 1, and protest if it is too high.
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Property Taxes Too High? Fight It.

Check if you're overpaying on property taxes. 92% of Texas protests we closed in 2026 got a reduction—enrollment takes less than 3 minutes.

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Don't Miss Your Filing Deadline

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For All Properties in Texas & California

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Never Overpay Again.

Property taxes are one of the biggest expenses for any owner. Miss a single exemption or let the county over-value your property, and it could cost you thousands every year.

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The appeal process is complex and time-consuming by design. That's exactly why we handle it for you.

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Our state-licensed consultants know how to file for every exemption and build a case that gets results. With data on 158M+ properties, we know what your home should actually be assessed at—and we'll prove it.

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You've got enough expenses. Your property tax bill shouldn't be higher than it needs to be - and with our "no savings, no fee guarantee" we only get paid if you see a reduction.

Key Property Tax Stats

Last updated: October 9, 2026

  • A homestead exemption requires the home to be your principal residence, so a second home does not receive it (Texas Comptroller).
  • For 2026, the 20% circuit breaker applies to non-homestead real property valued at $5,320,000 or less and expires December 31, 2026 (Texas Comptroller).
  • Market value is measured as of January 1, and you can protest the appraised value or an unequal appraisal (Texas Comptroller; Tax Code §41.41).
  • You can ask the district for the data, schedules and formulas it will use at the hearing (Tax Code §41.461).

Biggest Pain Points

Vacation Homes Get Assessed Like Primary Residences

Ask whether the district's value reflects limited use, seasonal market factors and what vacation homes in your area actually sell for. If it does not, compare closed sales of similar homes near the January 1 valuation date (Texas Comptroller).

No Homestead Protection

A homestead exemption requires that the home be your principal residence (Texas Comptroller), so a vacation home does not get the 10% homestead cap or the $140,000 school district exemption. For 2026, a 20% circuit breaker limits yearly increases for non-homestead real property valued at $5,320,000 or less, and it expires December 31, 2026 (Texas Comptroller).

Location-Specific Challenges

Vacation home markets can swing with tourism, weather events and seasonal demand. Ask the district which sales it used, and make sure they are adjusted to your home (Tax Code §23.013).

How it Works

1. Free Vacation Home Analysis

Enter your property address. We analyze vacation home comparable sales and seasonal market data.

2. We Build Your Case

We gather vacation home comps (not primary residence sales), document seasonal market conditions, and analyze location-specific factors (beach erosion, wildfire risk, tourism decline).

3. We File Your Appeal

We handle all paperwork and deadlines for both Texas and California second home properties.

4. Know What It Costs

TaxDrop One is $129 per property, per tax year, and is refunded if the filing yields no reduction. TaxDrop Pro is 1% of the assessment reduction and is available in select Texas counties (see the pricing page). Check your estimated savings or learn more about how TaxDrop works. Read our guide on rental property tax strategies.

Hand holding Texas property tax bill showing reduced amount from $2000 to $1100 with checkmark.

End Unnecessarily High Property Taxes this Year

TaxDrop makes it easy to never pay more than you should by securing all exemptions and protesting high assessments annually. Book a call now to see if you're overpaying and how to get it back.

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