HOW TO DETERMINE AND PROVE YOUR HOUSE HAS A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION

The postcard that you get by mail from the county property appraiser's office each year is proof of homestead exemption if it shows an "exemption" of at least $25,000.

Most homeowner's get a document every year from their County Tax Collector, showing their proposed real estate taxes for the following year.  The document may have a heading such as "Notice Proposed Property Taxes."  If you can find a copy of that document that is not more than one year old, look it over. Usually it will have a box labeled "Exemptions," with a dollar figure in that box.  If the box shows a value of at least $25,000, your house has a homestead exemption.   The document needs to show your name, the address of the property, and *IMPORTANT* it needs to show the parcel number or folio number or other unique number the Tax Collector's office uses to identify your real estate in their records.  If the document meets the above criteria,  you can mail us a copy of that form as proof of your homestead exemption.

Most County Property Tax Appraisers have websites you can go to online and find and print the needed information to prove that your house has a homestead exemption.  Most of the websites will allow you to search for and find your house and its tax records by entering your name and/or address in a Search box.  Once you find the record that relates to your house, look it over.  Usually it will have a box labeled "Exemptions," with a dollar figure in that box.  If the box shows a value of at least $25,000, your house has a homestead exemption. The document needs to show your name, the address of the property, and *IMPORTANT* it needs to show the parcel number or folio number or other unique number the Tax Collector's office uses to identify your real estate in their records. If the document meets the above criteria, print the whole form out and send us the entire form.

If none of the above methods are available, call or visit your County Tax Collector's office, and ask them how you can get a printed document from their office that shows that your home has homestead exemption.  The document needs to show your name, the address of the property, and *IMPORTANT* it needs to show the parcel number or folio number or other unique number the Tax Collector's office uses to identify your real estate in their records.