This message is for those of you who purchased and occupied a home during 2011 that will be your permanent (homestead) residence. Or for those who have now decided to live in their vacation homes on a permanent basis and are no longer declaring a home in some other state as their homesteaded residence.
Do be aware that homeowners who plan to make their homes their permanent residences, or in other words, their homesteads, should apply for the exemptions just has they have in the past. That means that they had to close on the purchase of their home and occupy it before the end of 2011.
Then they need to file for their exemption(s) by the close of business on March 1, 2012. You need to check with your local property appraiser to see what ALL of the requirements are. Having a Florida drivers license and car registration are just a couple of them. Your appraiser can give you the complete rundown.
Do note that in addition to the Homestead Exemption, there are others for: widowed persons, disabled persons, diabled veterans, blind individuals, and active military personnel. Your local property appraiser can give you more details about what is available and which exemptions you might qualify for.
All of the exemptions you qualify for will apply to those persons who requested and got their homestead exemption by the deadline. But again, I suggest strongly that if you have any doubts at all, you should contact your local county property appraiser as soon as possible! Time is running out quickly! The appraisers are the experts in these matters and their offices can answer all of your particular questions.
The main thing is to be sure you apply in time. If you meet the legal requirements, you have nothing to lose by declaring your homestead with the county. If you do not do so, you could be making a very costly mistake.
If you go to my website you will also find a menu button for our local county Property Appraisers. To get there just click on the following link: www.jelwell.century21bnr.com Then click on the button for Property Appraisers. If you find your county listed, just click on that link. If your county is not there, then click on the bottom link that will show you a list of all of the counties that exist in Florida.
Each of the appraiser's sites will have information concerning Homestead Exemptions and also contact telephone numbers if you wish to speak with someone in the appraiser's office. I am sure they will be happy to answer any questions that you may have. I have always found them to be very helpful.
If you like, you can click on the following link to download a brochure in Adobe PDF format that is currently on our Pasco County site. Your own county may also have similar documents. Click here if you would like to review this document: Download Homestead Exemption Brochure 2011 for Pasco County, Florida
So if you believe that you qualify for a Homestead Exemption or one of the many others, I suggest that you start making some calls right now so you can be sure that everything is done correctly and in time. Do not wait until the last minute. In this way you will get all of the exemptions that you deserve!
For more information or questions about this topic you can call JOHN ELWELL - REALTOR at CENTURY 21 Bill Nye Realty, Inc. 813-783-4444 or e-mail me at: jelwell1@tampabay.rr.com
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