SEPTEMBER 2026 | A DATED NOTE ON THE MOVE GUIDE
Read This First
Something is on the Florida ballot this November that could change what this move is worth to you, and it has a date attached.
On November 3, 2026, Florida voters decide Amendment 3. If it passes - and it has not passed yet - it would raise the homestead exemption that applies to non-school property taxes to $150,000 starting January 1, 2027, and to $250,000 starting January 1, 2028.
Here is the part that matters to you, and the reason this page exists.
The proposal carries a residency cutoff. As written, someone who establishes Florida residency on or before December 31, 2026 would qualify for the larger exemption right away. Someone who establishes Florida residency on or after January 1, 2027 would start at a lower exemption and would not reach the larger one until the fifth year.
Two families. Same house, same street. A few weeks apart on the calendar.
I am not telling you to rush a move. I am telling you the calendar is part of the decision now, and it was not part of it last year. If Florida has been a someday conversation at your kitchen table, this is the year to find out what your numbers actually look like, because the answer may have a deadline attached to it.
The residency chapter of The Move Guide walks through what establishing Florida residency actually involves. Read that one closely.
Then talk to your CPA. Not me. Which brings me to the fine print, and I would rather over-explain this than have you lean on the wrong thing.
The fine print, and please read it
Amendment 3 has not passed. It is a proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution scheduled for the November 3, 2026 general election, and it requires approval by at least 60% of voters. Nothing on this page is current Florida law. It may never become law. If it is not approved, none of what is described here takes effect.
This is not tax, legal, or financial advice. I am a licensed real estate agent. I am not a CPA, a tax attorney, or a financial advisor. Property tax exemptions, residency and domicile carry real consequences in the state you leave as well as the state you enter, including New Jersey withholding requirements on a sale. Talk to a qualified tax professional, and where appropriate an attorney, about your own situation before you decide anything.
Nothing here is a promise or a guarantee. What any household actually sees depends on its own circumstances, the property, the taxing authorities involved, and the final form of whatever is enacted.
Figures and dates are current as of September 2026. Ballot language, implementing legislation and exemption amounts can change. Verify current figures with the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser and the Florida Department of Revenue before relying on them.
Sources for this page: Palm Beach County Property Appraiser; Pinellas County Property Appraiser summary of Amendment 3 (CS/HJR 1F); Florida Policy Institute ballot language summary.
This page will be updated after the November 3, 2026 vote.
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