If you move into a new home that you built or bought in 2013 and it is your primary residence, you may qualify for homestead exemption. In order to qualify, you must be a permanent resident of Florida as of January 1st the year you apply for the exemption. Homestead exemptions are not transferable, so when a home is purchased a new application must be filed to qualify for the exemption. The window to file an application begins January 1st and ends on March 1st, 2014.
There are two very attractive benefits to having a homestead exemption. First, it allows a reduction in the assessed taxable value of a property up to $50,000. Second, it provides a 3% cap on assessment increases for homesteaded properties, also known as Save Our Homes (SOH), which limits the increase of the assesed value of homestead property to 3% or the Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is less.
Start saving on your home's property taxes by filing for a homestead exemption through the Collier County Property Appraiser's office by March 1st, 2014.
Collier County Property Appraiser