Amendment 3 · Passed · If you are moving to Florida
Moving to Florida? December 31 matters.
Mauryn Regueiro
Amendment 3 passed, and one date matters more to you than the rest. December 31, 2026. That is less than 8 weeks away.
What passed, in one paragraph
The homestead exemption on non school taxes rises to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, then adjusts for inflation. School taxes keep the same $25,000 exemption. It takes effect January 1, 2027.
The rule that is about you
The amendment also has a separate rule for people who become Florida residents on or after January 1, 2027. Newcomers get a smaller exemption for the first years, then become eligible for the full one. Establish Florida residency by December 31, 2026 and you are treated like everyone who already lives here.
What is at stake
The gap between the smaller exemption and the full one, applied every year to the non school part of your millage. On a house out here that is real money, not a rounding error. The exact figure depends on the address, the city line and the assessed value, which is why a calculator beats an article.
See it on a real address
Give me the address you are looking at, even if it is not yours yet, and I will send you what that house costs to own today, in 2027 and in 2028. It takes me a few minutes and it costs you nothing.
I need a name, an address, and either a phone or an email.
I use this to send you your numbers and the occasional follow up. Reply STOP at any time. I do not share your details with anyone else.
What establishing residency means
It is not the same as visiting, and it is not the same as owning. Evidence of a permanent Florida residence can include a Florida driver's license, voter registration, vehicle registration, a declaration of domicile, and moving your mailing and financial addresses here. Homestead on a house is a separate step: you own it and live in it as your permanent residence on January 1, then file by March 1. Property appraisers are still working out the details, so ask your tax or legal advisor how it applies to you.
What I would do if I were moving
Not panic, and not buy the wrong house to beat a deadline. Get your approval done first, pick which of the three areas suits you, and treat the date as one factor, not the only one. Some new homes are ready to move into, and some have closing costs paid. Offers change fast.
If the move is real, start with what is actually for sale out here.
Find my new homePlanning the whole move? Read Moving to Homestead from out of state, a step by step plan. Already own here? See what Amendment 3 saves homeowners.
Thinking about the move?
Every new construction home in Homestead, the Redland and Florida City, filtered the way you would actually shop.
Homestead · Redland · Florida City Search homesThe areas, the drive, the houses, and the parts nobody puts in a relocation guide.
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Mauryn Regueiro
I am a Realtor and a Mortgage Loan Originator here in Miami-Dade, so the home, the timeline and your monthly cost all get answered in the same conversation.
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FL Lic. #3290618 · NMLS #2515401 · Equal Housing Opportunity
Where this comes fromWLRN, Florida approves Amendment 3 · ClickOrlando, how the new property tax plan works · Bilzin Sumberg, the December 31, 2026 residency deadline · Florida TaxWatch, 2026 Amendments Guide · Florida Policy Institute, Voter Guide