Montgomery County and other counties impose property taxes on homeowners. The funds from the collected taxes are used for various purposes such as schools and public safety. Tax jurisdictions determine the tax rates and the methods used to assess the properties. Commonly the tax assessor – or group of assessors – review property data from previous years or visit the properties in person to determine the assessed value. Generally, the assessor does not enter the home for this process. A home tax assessment is simply used to determine the value of the property for taxation purposes and may or may not reflect what you could actually get for the property if you sold it. A property appraisal, on the other hand, is a more involved process than a property tax assessment. State licensed appraisers complete the appraisal. Generally, appraisals are conducted on behalf of a mortgage lender. The appraiser visits the property and tours the inside of the home. Based on a review that looks at building materials, improvements and overall size – in addition to recent sales of comparable homes in the same area – the appraiser makes an estimate on the fair market value of the property. Conroe appraisals from a licensed appraiser can greatly vary from the assessed value from the Montgomery CAD.