The Sarasota Herald Tribune has an in-depth view of the irony unfolding in Florida where tax laws that have traditionally stuck it to snowbirds are now actually favoring them.
The Save Our Homes Amendment, which was passed in 1993, was put in place to limit changes in home valuations for full-time homesteaded residences. The purpose of this amendment was protect Floridians from being taxed out of their homes as values increased over time.
[more] →Over the past few years, I have been rather critical of the Save Our Homes Amendment as I have historically believed that it placed an unfair burden on the lifeline of Southwest Florida……..second home owners. It has always seemed very unfair to me that second homeowners, who were down here on a seasonal basis and [...]
[more] →One of the questions that buyers of a second home in Florida face is whether or not to establish residency in Florida. The Bristol Press covers this issue in a column titled, Should “snowbirds” change state residency? Although this article is written by a Connecticut attorney referring to Connecticut laws, the main themes in the [...]
[more] →Is Florida a Socialist Republic as suggested by Mathew Falconer in an American Chronicle article? Falconer presents compelling analysis of the long-term effects of the Save Our Homes Amendment on the Florida economy. The article describes Save Our Homes as a tax shift rather than a tax limit. Save Our Homes shifts the tax burden [...]
[more] →Property tax cap under fire The Sarasota Herald-Tribune recently featured a fascinating series on the controversial Save our Homes Amendment, which caps annual property tax increases at 3% for homestead residents. This amendment shifts a disproportionate amount of the tax burden to second home owners and businesses. Many existing homeowners that benefit from the amendment [...]
[more] →Tax burden shifted to new buyers A Herald-Tribune article reveals that many homeowners want to move but are staying put to avoid a major tax increase associated with a new home appraised at the current market value. In Florida, as a result of the Save Our Homes Amendment, tax increases for primary residences are limited [...]
[more] →Scofflaws costing state millions in lost revenue In 2001, a hitman gunned down Miami Subs founder Konstaantinos “Gus” Boulis in a gangland-style slaying on the streets of Fort Lauderdale. His murder made national news, was featured in a book and joined mafia lore as an unsolved murder mystery. Away from the limelight, however, no one [...]
[more] →Fort Myers MLS Map Search
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