Florida Homestead Exemption

In Florida, $25,000 of the assessed value of your home is exempt from real estate taxes, but you have to meet certain criteria to be eligible for the exemption. First you much have the title or record to your property as of January 1, and reside on the property. You have to be a legal and permanent resident of Florida as of January 1. When applying for the exemption status, bring along a copy of your deed or tax bill, and a Florida county voters registration or Declaration of Domicile. If you drive, you must also bring your Florida driver's license and automobile registration. New applications must be submitted in person at the appraiser's office, but renewals may be done by mail. For further information, consult the County Property Appraiser's Office.

Real Estate Taxes

All residents are subject to county taxes, but each city or special district levies taxes within its boundaries. City, special-district, and county taxes are combined in one tax bill. Real estate taxes are assessed as of January 1 each year. They are due and payable on November 1 and become delinquent if not paid before April 1 of the following year. Florida law holds the taxpayer responsible for receiving and paying tax bills in full. For additional information contact the County Property Appraiser's Office.

Establishing Residency

To establish residency, you may register to vote or file a Declaration of Domicile, which is an affidavit available at the CountyCourthouse. Filing one copy with the Circuit Court provides a record of your intention to make Florida your home. Simply moving to the State does not guarantee legal residency. For more information contact the County's Clerk of Circuit Court.

What is Homestead Exemption?
Florida Law entitles every person, who has legal or equitable title to real estate and maintains it as his/her permanent residence, to apply for a $25,000 homestead property tax exemption. A partial exemption may apply if the ownership of the applicant is less than 100%.

Am I eligible to file?
You must meet the following requirements as of January 1st:

Have legal or beneficial title to the property, recorded in the Official Records of County
Residency on the property
Be a permanent resident of the State of Florida
Be a United States citizen or possess a Permanent Residence Card (green card)

When do I file?
The deadline to file an application for exemption is March 1st. Under Florida law, failure to file for any exemption by March 1st constitutes a waiver of the exemption privilege for the year.
Regular filing is January 2nd - March 1st.
Pre-filing for the coming year is March 2nd - December 31st.

How do I file?
Take copies of the required documentation to your Exemption Department:Generally at the County or City Court House

 

Things to consider when buying any waterfront vacation home.

First off, congratulations at looking to the Keys for a possible vacation home. The good news about the Keys from an investment angle are:

1. There is only so much waterfront or Coastal property available.
2. The Keys have strict environmental laws that affect building permits. This means there are only so many homes and always will be a limited number of homes here. One big reason for this is there is just ONE Highway in and out of the Keys. (US1) If there is an emergency, people need to have the ability to leave quickly and so for this reason alone, the Keys will never be California. The other main environmental consideration is the water quality. The Keys main attraction are water sports and Monroe County is going to make sure that our waters are clean and usable.

To consider when purchasing any waterfront vacation home and how the Keys measure up:

Is there a view?
Views really do matter. An unobstructed Ocean view adds as much as 60% to the value of a home per the Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics. Proximity to Golf courses or a park can add as much as 20% to a homes value.  This is per an article by a much published author named Soren Anderson,  a writer from Manchester College.

Consider the recreational activities…
The What and the When.
For example in a Ski resort area, your options are limited due to weather considerations and the total amount of activities available is definitely less.
*In the Keys, about the only thing you cannot do year round are mountain climbing and white water rafting.

Boating access and controlling depth
Is there direct boating access on the property? If so, how large a boat can you have behind the home? This is determined by what we in the Keys call controlling draft or depth. For example: If a boat is under 30ft in most cases 3 ft draft is OK. Draft means...what is the lowest water depth you have to go through to get to open or deep water.If you have a sailboat or 50 ft boat you will need deeper draft such as 5ft.
Now..obviously if you have a 50 ft sailboat behind your home, the canals or waterways have to provide you with turn-around room.
If the access is deep draft, then expect prices to go up. If there is no water acess at the home or the draft is for kayaks only, in most cases expect a drop in price.
If there is no direct water access...how far is the nearest boat ramp or is there a boat slip available? If so, is it included and what is the draft out of the boat slip.
So the boating issue has a very direct effect on pricing here. Neighborhoods with bigger canals and deep draft boating are generally home to the Million dollar and plus homes.

Nearby Medical and shopping options
These are very important considerations. If there is an accident, how far away is a hospital?
In the Upper Keys we have Baptist hospital in Tavernier which is an excellent option.
If you need groceries or restaurants, what is nearby?
Oftentimes vacation properties can be secluded and don’t offer easy access to the above. At first being remote can seem as desirable, but in the end it can grow old quickly.
This also affects home values by the way. If you can have the vacation feel and recreation, yet have amenities nearby, the prices go up.
On thing about the upper Keys is that Miami and South Beach are just about an hour away and World famous Key West, 2 hours.

How much room do you need?
If you own a home with nearby recreation and sightseeing, expect people to come out of the woodwork. Everyone will be your friend. Larger homes, with more bedrooms, a 3/2 and up always rent better. So if you can, get a home with extra space.

 Type of Construction or is it built to last.
The age of the home will determine the building code that it was built to. In the Keys newer homes have to be built to strict specs as to wind handling characteristics.
Also, look for low maintenance homes.
Lots of homes in the Keys are made of concrete block and have pea-rock for yards and the outside is stucco over concrete or frame. This means lower maintenance, which is very important for an absentee owner.

Finding renters
Does the home have good rental potential and is there local rental management available?
This is a very important consideration, both for long term and short term vacation rentals.
Remember, even if you don’t want to rent, this can be an important consideration for a future buyer or if your situation changes.

Home maintenance.
Are there nearby electricians, plumbers, appliance stores and general contractors.
If anything does happen, the prices to have things repaired or replaced will be less if there is competition and service people are nearby.
Check with the REALTOR you are talking with to get a Vendor list of who the Real Estate company uses to service their rentals and offices.

Rules and Regulations
Make sure you are clear on and have copies of any deed restrictions or condo docs as to what is allowed and what is not. Too many rules can be appetizing for some but a turnoff for future buyers. For example if you have children who will want to use the property in the future as a college break, lots of communities can prohibit it.

In conclusion, the upper Keys offer good investment potential from an appreciation aspect and income potential from renters.
Regarding Appreciation.
Because Miami and Ft Lauderdale are a short drive away, people there look to the Keys as a getaway. Think New York and the Jersey shore. We sell a majority of homes to people from these areas.
Income potential.
About 50% of the vacation renters in the Keys are from Florida. They come here because the Keys are a completely different experience. This means as Florida grows (it is on pace to be the 2nd largest state in the USA by 2010) we will have more people looking to vacation here. This will drive prices up and make rental occupancy rates climb even more.

For more information please contact me…I look forward to helping you find the right situation.

Take advantage of a changing market

Real estate is a local issue.
Since the real estate climate in the Keys varies from subdivision to Island, it is important for you to know and understand how all the pricing fluctuations work here.
In addition, conditions can also change quickly, so you need the most up-to-date information available to make a well-informed decision. If you’re thinking of buying or selling a home, contact me for an overview of current market conditions. I can determine the value of your existing home or help you estimate the cost of a home in an area you may be considering.

Over the past five years, the United States real estate market has experienced record sales and price appreciation. The real estate boom has been especially strong in the South East, with home values doubling and even tripling in some cities.

Real estate is cyclical. In some areas, particularly those that have seen annual appreciation rates of 20 percent and more a year, the real estate market is cycling back to more normal conditions. The normalizing of home prices is a natural part of the real estate cycle. It’s also healthy for the market, serving to rebalance supply and demand, and to bring prices more in line with what consumers can afford.

Remember that housing markets are all local. At the height of the real estate boom, some areas of the country experienced annual appreciation rates in just the low single digits. And even in regions that are seeing home prices moderate today, there are properties in highly desirable neighborhoods that continue to receive multiple offers.

What’s important is how to make the best possible real estate deal in your market. That’s where I can help. Whether you’re looking to buy or sell a home, here are some strategies that will help make your real estate transaction more successful.

Tips for buyers
Now is a great time to buy a home. Interest rates are low, and buyers have more properties to choose from, so there’s room for negotiation. If you play it smart, it’s the perfect time to buy that house you’ve had your eye on. Here are a few strategies for getting the most for your money.

Know the local market
With the housing market in transition and prices fluctuating, it is important to understand what’s going on locally. Prices in some neighborhoods are being reduced; others are as hot as ever. I can do a market analysis of the communities you’re interested in and provide you with information on homes that meet your criteria. I will also look at comparable residences to determine the appropriate offer to make to the seller. In a changing market, it’s important that the data you look at is current. Properties that sold six months ago may not represent the value of a comparable home on the market today.

Identify what you want
The good news about a moderating market is that there are more homes to choose from. Buyers have the luxury of being specific about what they’re looking for. Now is the time to strongly consider that Keys getaway..

Be ready to buy
While more homes are on the market than a year ago, attractively priced homes are still selling quickly. Make sure you’re pre-approved for a mortgage and have a home inspector lined up. If you find a home you just love, don’t wait too long for the seller to reduce his price. It’s better to get a fairly priced deal than miss out on the home of your dreams.

One of the strongest benefits I offer buyers is my ability to negotiate on your behalf. Depending on the local market, we may be able to get price reductions and other concessions from the seller. I’ll work with you to identify areas in which we can negotiate so you get the greatest real estate value for your dollar.