Has Your Agent Drifted?
Despite our best intentions, it is human nature to drift over time. We may start a new fitness routine, but after a few weeks we slowly stop going to the gym. Some of us may commit to eating healthier, but we quickly become bored with broccoli and slide back into bad eating habits (fried chicken). Those who are conscious of this effect constantly check themselves to get back on track. Property tax agents are no different. When a tax agent wants your business, they will position themselves with all they can and will do for you. At first, you are the apple of their eye and will be treated like a VIP. Over time, drift begins to creep in, and you become just another number in their client pool. If you are not careful-and diligently holding them accountable-it will likely begin to be reflected in your tax savings.
Hold Your Agent Accountable
The Property Tax Agent Checklist is a free tool that allows you to rate your agent in 10 areas that impact you directly. They are:
- Frequency of updates
- Ease of communication
- Communication when there are problems
- Expertise in property taxes
- Requests for information
- Mentality for problem solving
- Investment in your success
- Capacity to meet your needs
- Commitment to physical site visits
- Current on market research
The score your agent earns from your evaluation will help you know if you should keep your agent or seek better representation. Choosing the right agent for you can mean a huge impact to your bottom line. Choosing a tax agent once and then continuing to use them simply to keep the status quo is the perfect storm to let drift set in. The phrase “set it and forget it” is for crockpots, not for tax agent representation. It allows agents to become complacent, and your results suffer. As Joyce Carol Oates said, “The great menace to the life of an industry is industrial self-complacency.”
Trust, but Verify
Your agent should focus on your best interests, but drift can cause them to go astray. Use the Property Tax Agent Checklist annually to confirm that your agent is giving you the best representation. Where there are correctable shortcomings, bring them up and hold your agent accountable to make the necessary changes. You deserve the best agent to help you and your company reduce your Texas multifamily property taxes each year.
