Financials & Tax
Understanding market value, equity, tax status, and what it all means for your investment analysis.
Financials & Tax
Every lead includes financial data from the county property appraiser and tax collector. Here's what each field means and how to use it.
Property values
| Field | What it means |
|---|---|
| Market Value | The county's estimate of the property's fair market value. This is the appraiser's opinion, not a sale price — actual market value may be higher or lower. |
| Assessed Value | The value used to calculate property taxes. Often lower than market value due to exemptions like Save Our Homes (SOH) cap. |
| Land Value | The appraised value of the land alone, without the building. |
| Building Value | The appraised value of the structure(s) on the property. |
Equity
The equity estimate shows the difference between the market value and the last recorded sale price (or mortgage amount when available). This gives you a rough sense of how much equity the owner has in the property.
- Positive equity (green) — The property is worth more than what was paid. The higher the equity, the more flexibility the owner has in a sale.
- Negative equity (red) — The property may be underwater (worth less than the remaining mortgage). This can indicate financial distress but also limits deal structures.
The equity percentage is also shown for quick reference.
Equity estimates are approximate. They're based on public records and may not reflect current mortgage balances, liens, or recent market shifts. Always verify during due diligence.
Tax information
Tax status
The most important field in this section. There are three statuses:
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Paid | Property taxes are current. The owner is keeping up with payments. |
| Unpaid | Taxes are due but not yet delinquent. This could be a timing issue (taxes just became due) or the beginning of financial trouble. |
| Delinquent | Taxes are past due. The property may be heading toward a tax certificate sale or tax deed process. This is a strong distress signal. |
Other tax details
| Field | What it means |
|---|---|
| Amount Owed | The current tax balance due. Shown when taxes are unpaid or delinquent. |
| Last Tax Bill | The most recent annual tax bill amount. Shown when taxes are paid. |
| Escrowed | Whether taxes are paid through an escrow account (typically through a mortgage lender). If escrowed, the lender is responsible for payment, which makes delinquency less likely unless the mortgage itself is in trouble. |
| Non-Ad Valorem | Special assessments beyond regular property taxes — things like sewer assessments, lighting districts, or special improvement districts. |
Exemptions
| Field | What it means |
|---|---|
| Homestead | Whether the property has a homestead exemption (Yes/No). See Property & Owner Info for details. |
| SOH Cap Benefit | The Save Our Homes cap benefit amount — the difference between market value and assessed value due to the 3% annual cap on assessment increases. A large SOH benefit means the owner has owned the property for a long time and is paying taxes on a much lower assessed value. |
| Homestead Since | The year the homestead exemption was first granted. |
Using financial data in your analysis
A few patterns to watch for:
- High equity + tax delinquent — Owner has value to capture but is struggling financially. Strong candidate for a quick sale.
- Low market value + multiple signals — Lower acquisition cost with clear distress. Good for fix-and-flip or rental strategies.
- Large SOH cap benefit — Owner has been there a long time. They may be elderly, dealing with health issues, or simply tired of maintaining the property.
- Not escrowed + delinquent — No lender watching the taxes, which means the owner is fully responsible and clearly falling behind.