Florida's Proposal to Eliminate Property Taxes on Primary Residences: What Parkland Homeowners Should Know

A few clients called me this past month asking about the same thing: did Florida really propose eliminating property taxes on primary residences? The short answer is yes, there is a serious legislative conversation happening. The longer answer is that the details matter a great deal, and some of what's circulating on social media is getting ahead of the actual proposal.

Here is what I know, and where the real questions still sit.

What the Proposal Actually Says

Florida lawmakers have floated a constitutional amendment that would eliminate property taxes on homesteaded properties — meaning your primary residence. This is not a minor tweak. Florida currently collects roughly $40 billion annually in property taxes, and counties depend on that revenue for schools, roads, fire, and emergency services.

For a constitutional amendment to reach voters, it needs 60% approval in the legislature, then 60% from Florida voters. That is a high bar. The proposal is real, but its path to becoming law is not guaranteed.

What It Would Mean for a Parkland Homeowner

To put real numbers on this: a home in Heron Bay assessed at $1.4 million currently carries roughly $18,000 to $22,000 a year in property taxes depending on exemptions already applied. A home in Parkland Golf & Country Club at $2.5 million could be paying $30,000 to $40,000 annually. Eliminating that bill entirely would be a meaningful change in monthly carrying costs.

For buyers relocating from New York or California, this would stack on top of Florida's already significant tax advantages. The income tax savings alone are already one of the biggest financial reasons people make this move. No property tax on top of that would be a different conversation entirely.

Florida's homestead exemption already reduces assessed value by $50,000, and the Save Our Homes cap limits annual assessment increases to 3%. This proposal would go much further than either of those existing protections.

The Funding Question Nobody Is Answering Cleanly

This is where I want people to slow down. Broward County School District, Parkland's fire rescue, road maintenance — these are largely funded through property tax revenue. The proposal talks about replacing that funding through sales tax increases or other mechanisms, but nothing is finalized.

A higher sales tax could actually hit middle-income families harder than property taxes do. The replacement funding structure is the part of this debate that deserves close attention, and it is the part getting the least coverage.

If you are a real estate investor with non-homesteaded properties — rentals, second homes, commercial — this proposal does not help you. The exemption applies only to primary residences.

How This Affects the Decision to Buy in Parkland Now

I have had buyers ask whether they should wait to see if this passes before purchasing. My honest read: I would not time a real estate decision around a constitutional amendment that still needs legislative approval and a statewide voter referendum.

What I would do is buy the home that makes sense for your family and your finances today, with the tax environment that exists today. If this amendment passes, your carrying costs drop. If it does not, you already modeled the purchase with current property taxes, so nothing changes negatively.

The Save Our Homes cap is already valuable protection once you are locked in. Every year you wait, a new assessed value resets that clock.

Where This Stands as of 2025

The proposal has vocal support from Governor DeSantis and some legislative leaders. It has real opposition from local governments and school boards who depend on the revenue. The honest answer is that this will play out over the next one to two years, and the final version — if it reaches voters — may look different from the current proposal.

I will update this post as the legislation moves. What I can tell you is that even in its current form, the conversation itself signals something about where Florida's tax philosophy is headed, and that matters for anyone considering a long-term move here.

If you want to talk through how current property taxes factor into a Parkland purchase, or how the numbers compare to what you are paying where you live now, reach out at the contact page and we can go through it together.