How does a property tax protest work at the Collin County Appraisal District?

Every year, the Collin County Appraisal District (CCAD; 250 W. Eldorado Pkwy., McKinney TX 75069; 469-742-9200; collincad.org) sends notices of appraised value to property owners. If you believe CCAD's appraised value exceeds the market value of your property, you have the right to protest. You must file a protest no later than May 15 of the tax year (or within 30 days of the date the notice of appraised value was mailed, if that deadline is later). Filing is done by mail, in person, or through CCAD's online portal. The process typically begins with an informal hearing — a meeting with CCAD staff who review your evidence (recent comparable sales, an independent appraisal, information about the property's condition or unique characteristics) and may offer a settlement below the original appraisal. If you can't agree informally, the case proceeds to a formal hearing before the Appraisal Review Board (ARB) — an independent panel separate from CCAD staff. At the ARB hearing, both you and CCAD present evidence, and the ARB issues a binding order. If you disagree with the ARB's determination, you can appeal to Collin County District Court, through binding arbitration (for properties appraised under $5 million or for residential homesteads), or — for large commercial properties — through the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH). Because Collin County values have appreciated significantly, protests are common and often successful with good comparable-sales evidence. Property tax consultants and attorneys who specialize in CCAD protests can represent owners on a contingency or percentage-of-savings basis.

What is the Texas homestead exemption, and how does it protect my Collin County home?

Texas's homestead protection is among the strongest in the country and has two distinct aspects: forced-sale protection and the tax exemption. Forced-sale protection (Tex. Const. Art. XVI; Tex. Prop. Code Ch. 41) means that your primary residence cannot be forced into a sale to satisfy most creditors, even if a court enters a judgment against you. The exceptions are narrow: the purchase-money lender (your mortgage), a valid Texas home equity loan, property tax liens, mechanic's or materialman's liens (for work done on the property itself), and a few others. This means a credit card company, a medical provider, or any other unsecured judgment creditor cannot seize or force the sale of your Collin County home to collect on a judgment — a powerful protection unique to Texas (and a few other states) that makes Texas homesteads unusually well protected from most creditors. The property tax homestead exemption (Tex. Tax Code §11.13) provides a separate benefit: a mandatory $40,000 reduction in the school district taxable value of your primary residence, plus optional additional exemptions from Collin County, your city, and other taxing units (many Collin County cities provide an additional local exemption). Homeowners who are 65 or older or who have a qualifying disability receive additional benefits including an absolute cap ("ceiling") on school district taxes, preventing them from increasing even if the property value rises. You must apply for homestead exemptions through CCAD — they are not automatic. Applications are filed by April 30 of the first year you qualify, and eligibility requires the property to be your principal residence on January 1 of the tax year.

My Collin County HOA is threatening a fine or foreclosure. What are my rights?

Texas law governing residential property owners associations (Tex. Prop. Code Ch. 209) provides homeowners with significant procedural protections, even though HOAs retain real enforcement powers. Before an HOA can fine you or initiate enforcement, it must follow specific notice and hearing procedures. Ch. 209 requires the HOA to give written notice of the alleged violation and allow the homeowner a reasonable opportunity to cure, except for certain violations that cannot reasonably be cured. For monetary fines, the HOA must follow its own recorded restrictive covenants and bylaws, and fines must not be "unreasonable." Homeowners have the right to appear at a hearing before the board before a fine is imposed in certain circumstances. For unpaid assessments (dues), an HOA can file a lien against the property — and critically, HOA assessment liens in Texas can be foreclosed through a court-ordered judicial foreclosure, which means an HOA can take your home for unpaid dues in extreme cases. This is different from some other states where HOA foreclosure is prohibited or severely restricted. Ch. 209 does provide procedural requirements before an HOA can foreclose a lien, including certain notice requirements, and the delinquent amount must meet a threshold. Homeowners also have important rights: the right to inspect and copy HOA records (with some exceptions for attorney-client communications); the right to attend open board meetings; and the right to vote on certain major decisions. If an HOA is engaging in selective enforcement — enforcing rules against some homeowners but not others in similar situations — that may be a defense to enforcement. Given the complexity and the foreclosure risk, consult a Texas real estate attorney for any HOA dispute involving a lien or threatened foreclosure.

I'm buying a home in Frisco or McKinney. What should I know about the closing process in Texas?

Texas residential closings follow a process centered on title insurance, the TREC earnest money contract, and the deed of trust. A few key points for Collin County buyers: Title insurance: Texas title insurance rates are set by the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), so premium rates are the same regardless of which title company you use. The owner's title insurance policy (typically paid by the seller in North Texas residential transactions per custom, though negotiable) and the lender's title policy (required by the lender, paid by the buyer) protect against defects in title and are highly recommended given Collin County's complex chain of title in rapidly developing areas. The title company (not an attorney, as in some states) typically handles the closing, holds earnest money in escrow, conducts the title search and issues commitments, and manages the closing and disbursement of funds. Survey: Texas lenders typically require a survey, and ALTA/NSPS surveys are common for purchase transactions. For properties in master-planned communities, the survey confirms boundary lines, easements, and any encroachments. Restrictive covenants: Collin County's master-planned communities have detailed CC&Rs (covenants, conditions, and restrictions) running with the land. Review these carefully — they govern permitted uses, architectural standards, and HOA obligations that are binding on all future owners. Property condition: The TREC-promulgated residential contract provides an option period (typically a fee of several hundred dollars paid to the seller) during which the buyer may terminate the contract for any reason. Use this period to conduct inspections — roof condition, HVAC, foundation, plumbing — before the option period ends and your earnest money is at risk. Collin County's expansive clay soils can cause foundation movement, and foundation inspection by a structural engineer is advisable.

I'm a landlord in Collin County. Can I control rent increases, and what are my rights when a tenant doesn't pay?

Texas does not permit rent control: Tex. Loc. Gov't Code §214.902 expressly prohibits any city, county, or other political subdivision from enacting an ordinance that controls the price of rent. This preemption applies statewide and prevents any Collin County municipality from implementing rent stabilization or rent control. As a landlord, you may increase rent at lease renewal or the end of a lease term subject only to the lease agreement's terms and proper notice. For non-payment of rent, Texas provides landlords with a relatively expedited eviction process. The process begins with a notice to vacate — in most cases, Texas law requires only three days' notice for non-payment of rent under Tex. Prop. Code §24.005 (lease terms may provide for longer). After the notice period expires, the landlord files a forcible detainer petition in the Collin County Justice of the Peace court for the precinct where the property is located. The JP court hearing is typically set within 10 to 21 days of filing. If the JP court rules in the landlord's favor, the tenant has five days to appeal to the county court; if no appeal is filed, the landlord obtains a writ of possession. Landlords must follow strict procedural requirements: the notice to vacate must be properly delivered, the petition must correctly identify the parties and the property, and the landlord must not engage in "self-help" eviction (changing locks, removing property, or cutting off utilities) — self-help eviction is illegal in Texas and can result in the landlord owing damages to the tenant. For commercial leases, notice and default procedures are governed by the lease terms and require careful review.

Real Estate Law in Collin County, Texas

Collin County real estate law operates in one of the fastest-growing property markets in the United States. The county has consistently ranked among the top five fastest-growing counties nationally for over a decade, fueling massive residential and commercial construction in Frisco, McKinney, Prosper, Celina, and Anna. Texas uses a deed of trust (not a mortgage) for property financing: when a buyer borrows to purchase real property, the lender, the borrower, and a third-party trustee enter a deed of trust conveying legal title to the trustee as security. In the event of default, Texas law permits non-judicial (out-of-court) foreclosure through a trustee's sale — one of the most borrower-unfavorable foreclosure processes in the country. The entire process from notice of default to foreclosure sale can be completed in as little as three weeks in Texas, leaving extremely limited time for borrowers facing default to respond. Foreclosure sale notices are posted at the courthouse door and published in a newspaper of general circulation, and sales occur on the first Tuesday of each month.

The Collin County Appraisal District (CCAD; 250 W. Eldorado Pkwy., McKinney TX 75069; 469-742-9200; collincad.org) appraises all real and business personal property in the county for ad valorem tax purposes. In Collin County's rapidly appreciating market, property tax protests have become one of the most common legal activities in the county — homeowners and commercial property owners routinely challenge CCAD's appraised value when they believe it exceeds market value or uses incorrect comparable sales. Protests are filed with the Collin County Appraisal Review Board (ARB) no later than May 15 of each tax year (or 30 days after the notice of appraised value is mailed, whichever is later). An informal hearing with CCAD staff often precedes the formal ARB hearing. If the ARB determination is unsatisfactory, the property owner may appeal to district court or through binding arbitration. Collin County property values have appreciated dramatically, and property tax burdens are a major issue for both residential and commercial owners.

Texas homestead laws provide among the strongest protections in the country for a homeowner's primary residence. The Texas Constitution (Art. XVI) protects a homestead from forced sale by most creditors — the only exceptions are the purchase-money lender (the mortgage lender), a lender providing a valid home equity loan meeting strict constitutional requirements, a tax lien, a mechanic's lien, and a few other narrow categories. This means that even a judgment creditor who wins a lawsuit against a homeowner cannot force the sale of the homestead to collect. For property tax purposes, Tex. Tax Code §11.13 provides a mandatory $40,000 homestead exemption from school district taxes, with additional optional exemptions available from county, city, and other taxing units, and an over-65 or disabled-person exemption that caps school district taxes. Collin County property owners should file for all applicable exemptions through CCAD to maximize their tax savings on primary residences.

Homeowners association (HOA) disputes are extremely common in Collin County given the prevalence of master-planned communities in Frisco (Stonebriar, Starwood, Lexington Park, and many others), Allen, McKinney, Prosper, and the newer development cities. Texas law governing residential HOAs (Tex. Prop. Code Ch. 209 for property owners associations) and condominium associations (Ch. 82) requires HOAs to follow specific procedures for assessment collection, lien enforcement, and fines, and grants homeowners rights to access HOA records, attend meetings, and challenge enforcement actions. HOA liens for unpaid assessments can be foreclosed in Texas, making timely payment critical. Texas courts will generally enforce reasonable, uniformly applied HOA restrictions, though courts scrutinize overly broad restrictions or selective enforcement. Disputes over architectural control decisions, fence rules, parking restrictions, and assessment increases are common in Collin County and are often handled through HOA dispute resolution mechanisms or mediation before litigation.

Commercial real estate transactions — leases, purchases, and development — require particular attention in Collin County given the volume of new construction. The Texas Real Estate License Act (TRELA) and the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) regulate real estate agents and brokers, and their standard form contracts (TREC promulgated forms) are widely used in residential transactions but do not cover all commercial arrangements. Title insurance is required by most lenders and is highly recommended for buyers: Texas title insurance rates are set by the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), so rates are the same regardless of underwriter, and selection of a title company depends on service rather than rate. Property lawyers, real estate attorneys, and title company representatives handle closings in Texas. The Collin County Clerk (972-548-4185) records deeds, deeds of trust, and other instruments affecting title, and the official property records are searchable online through the county's public records portal.

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