Chandler Crouch isn’t someone you’d assume would become politically active or put himself in the midst of a fight. Yet that’s exactly what he’s done when it comes to helping property taxpayers in Tarrant County and beyond. “I didn’t want to become involved with politics at all, I just wanted to help solve the property tax issue,” Crouch says. “It was just a means to an end, but I’m just not interested in politics.”
Born and raised in Grand Prairie for 18 years and then a Denton resident for six years, Crouch is a proud Texas native. “I’ve never left Texas.” In 2007, he finally settled down in north Fort Worth where his real estate company, Chandler Crouch Realtors, is located.
Crouch wasn’t fulfilled with simply making money. “I was looking for a way for our company to do more than just business. We wanted to look for a way to serve our local community.”
To that end, Crouch started helping a few people protest the increases in the appraised value of their homes as a way to address their property tax burdens. He provided help to them free of charge. Those people then referred others, and an increasingly large number came running to him for help. “Before too long, I realized the need for help was just huge.”
The need is indeed huge, as Crouch found that he and his staff have helped thousands of homeowners.
“This year I’ve helped 16,500 people,” Crouch said, adding that those numbers may double next year.
Perhaps the most amazing part of the story is that he and his staff do it all for free. “I’m fortunate enough to have a team of people in my company that believe in helping people.”
There used to be a side benefit in that he would get referrals for his real estate business from those he helped, but now that has disappeared. “There’s no personal gain for me in it anymore. I want to see the end of the increase of property taxes forcing people out of their homes.”
Chandler himself isn’t stopping with just helping protest appraisal values. This formerly apolitical real estate broker has jumped in with both feet to fight in the political arena. “I want to try and solve the [property tax] problem permanently.”
“It’s kind of interesting how God works,” Crouch mused, recalling how he had prayerfully been looking for a way to serve others through his business. “Sometimes my purpose and mentality for starting something is completely different than what it ends up being.”
During the 2019 Texas Legislative session, Crouch worked with State Rep. Matt Krause (R–Fort Worth) and wrote an amendment to the recently passed property tax reform bill, Senate Bill 2. His amendment would require, among other things, all appraisal districts to maintain a list of realtors, tax agents, and appraisers who are willing to help homeowners for free.
“It helped level the field between appraisal district and the homeowner.”
When asked what advice he would give to other Texans frustrated with their property taxes, Crouch put it very simply. “The No. 1 thing to do is protest your property taxes.”
“What [people] really need to do to solve the problem is find out when their school district and city and county have their budget meetings and get involved in holding their locally elected officials accountable. And support politicians that are sticking their neck out there to try to reform our property system.”
Chandler Crouch has been happily married since 2006, and he and his wife have two sons, ages 8 and 6, and a 2-year-old girl. He enjoys adventurous sports and improving his palate with culturally diverse foods.
