Property Tax Protest Firms -- Worth It? (Texas)

[Brad Gibson]

Those who invest in Texas know that property taxes can be a significant drain on your cash flow for investment properties.  My rule of thumb is to go ahead and tack on about 2% of the value of the home as an expense for property taxes.

I have gone through the property tax valuation protest process which is fairly painless and easy when I think the county Central Appraisal District clearly has it wrong, but otherwise don't bother.  Of late, there have been several mentions in advertisement as well as among some investors about employing a firm to protest the property taxes for each home in the portfolio.  These firms claim to do all of the protests and hearings on your behalf in exchange for 33% of any tax savings they win on your behalf in a given year.

Has anyone used such a service & did you find it to be worth it to turn over the protests to an outside firm and pay the extra money for the tax savings later?