How to Look Up Property Taxes on Any Lot

When people shop for land, they look hard at the price. They look at the monthly payment. A lot of them forget about the one bill that shows up every single year no matter what. Property taxes.

The good news is you can look up the taxes on almost any lot yourself, usually for free, in a few minutes. Here's how.

Why taxes matter on land

On a house, taxes get rolled into the mortgage payment and people barely notice them. On raw land, you'll usually pay them yourself.

Taxes on vacant land can be tiny or they can be real money. It depends on the county, the value of the land, and what's around it. Some of our West Texas lots run under $20 a year. Lots in town or in busier areas can run a lot more.

If you're buying land to hold for a long time, taxes add up. If you're buying a weekend spot, you want to know what it'll cost you to keep it. Either way, look it up.

Step one is find the parcel number

Most vacant land doesn't have a street address. The county tracks it by a parcel number, sometimes called the APN, property ID or account number.

Ask the seller for it. A real seller will have it. I covered this in more detail in How to Make Sure a Land Deal Is Legit.

Step two is find the right office

In Texas, two offices usually matter.

• The county appraisal district decides what the property is worth for tax purposes.
• The county tax assessor collector sends the bill and collects the money.

In Arkansas, you'll usually deal with the county assessor for the value and the county collector for the bill.

The names can be a little different from place to place. Search for the county name plus "appraisal district," "assessor" or "tax collector" and you'll usually find the right website.

Step three is look it up

Once you're on the right site, search by parcel number, owner name or legal description. Here's what you're looking for.

• The appraised or assessed value. What the county thinks the land is worth.
• The tax amount. Usually shown by year. Look at the last few years, not just one.
• The taxing units. Your bill may include the county, a school district, and other local districts. They all add up to the total.
• Any exemptions. Some properties have special exemptions. Those might not carry over to you.

If the site is confusing, just call. In my experience the folks at these offices are helpful, and they'll tell you over the phone.

Step four is check for back taxes

This is the one people skip, and it's important.

Ask the tax collector whether any taxes are past due on the parcel. Unpaid taxes can stay with the property, and you don't want to buy a lot and find out you inherited somebody else's bill. A good seller will have the taxes current, but check anyway.

Watch out for a few things

The number can change. Taxes are based on value and on local tax rates, and both can change over time. If you build a house, your taxes will almost certainly go up because the property is worth more.

Special exemptions might not transfer. If the current owner has an exemption, ask whether you'd qualify for it. Don't assume.

POA or HOA dues are separate. These aren't taxes, but they're another yearly cost. Ask about them separately. I talked about restrictions and POAs in Restricted vs. Unrestricted Land.

Online records can lag. County websites aren't always updated right away. If something looks off, call.

How we handle taxes on our listings

On every listing, we put the approximate yearly taxes right on the page so you don't have to dig. I still encourage you to look it up yourself. Trust but verify.

Here's an example. Our lot at 331 Amherst Ct in Bullard, Texas runs about $61 a year in taxes. It's about a fifth of an acre, about a mile from Lake Palestine and not far from Tyler. There are power poles at the street and city water available, and you'd need septic. It's in a property owners association, so no RVs, no mobile homes and no camping, but new manufactured homes are permitted. It's $9,599 cash, or $50 down plus the $249 doc fee, then $220 a month for 48 months. See it here.

Pull up the Cherokee County records and check it out yourself. That's good practice for any lot you're looking at.

Jarod

Heads up. I'm not a lawyer, a Realtor, a title agent or a financial advisor. I'm just a guy who buys and sells a lot of land. This post is general information from my own experience, not legal, tax or financial advice. Every state, county and deal is different, so talk to a qualified professional about your situation before you make a decision.