TexasCHLforum.com

JALLEN wrote:As far as I could tell, there is no property on the tax rolls with the address now used, which is between the two addresses they have on the tax roll. Sneaky!

The appraisal rolls are convenient for all of us to use, but that's not their function. The function is to identify taxable property. If a minor error in the records is not material to the government collecting more taxes, getting the records technically accurate may not be worth the time and expense. Use of appraisal district records is very much caveat emptor.

Pawpaw wrote:Did you consider doing a search for the address on the county Appraisal District website? I would think a printout of that page would suffice. After all, it's based on their records.

A couple of observations:

1. When the appraisal district says a building is city owned, that is probably right. With land, that is not necessarily the case. The Bexar Appraisal District often lists the City of San Antonio as owner of property over which it has only a drainage or other easement. Even though the the appraisal district's statement of ownership is not technically correct, it's close enough for the appraisal district's purposes. If the City has a drainage easement, for example, the residual fee interest is usually (but not always) worth so little that there's no point in taxing it.

2. Real property records are online in urban counties at least. Take the legal description from the appraisal district (assuming it's a lot and block description) and then search the county deed records for the latest deed to that property. In all cases, that will be much better evidence that a given property is city owned.

If the legal description is metes and bounds, finding the property on the county clerk's website is more involved.