Property taxes are a big issue in Florida and, no matter whom you voted for in the race for governor, be glad that Charlie Crist lived up to his campaign promises and has offered some significant reform for Florida and our property taxes.

When I first started selling homes in 1998. taxes and insurance were affordable. Since then property values in South Florida have skyrocketed and taxes have skyrocketed along with them. Insurance prices went through the roof as well causing a big problem for Florida homeowners.

Several years ago we considered selling our home in Hollywood Hills and purchasing a home in Emerald Hills on the golf course. The price of the home would have been manageable for us, but because the tax laws at the time would have caused us to lose the tax advantages of prior home ownership if we purchased a new home, we were unable to make the move. The hugely increased taxes made it impossible!

Thank goodness the new tax bill has taken away this problem.

Lori Fields of KPMG and Latitude One developer Ed Fish spoke to REALTOR Association of Greater Miami & the Beach Members about the Enterprise Zone that Latitude One is in as well as other incentives for business located in the area.

Attached you will find the handout from the presentation.

Boost Your Sales with Enterprise Zones

Date: 5/6/2008
From: 9:00 AM
To: 10:30 AM

To find out more about the property tax proposal and other action, check out the Legislative News on floridarealtors.org. Just click here.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – March 18, 2008 – Florida voters will have a chance in November to approve an across-the-board property tax cut averaging 25 percent, which would dwarf two other tax relief measures enacted over the past year.

The Legislature would be required to replace an estimated $8 billion in annual revenue losses through several options, including a 1 percentage point increase in the present 6 percent statewide sales tax.

The deadline to apply for Homestead Exemption and Tax Portability was the close of business on Monday, March 3, 2008, but it's not too late to file. If you file after March 4, 2008, state law requires you to file some additional paperwork and pay a $15 late filing fee. File online, in the Downtown Fort Lauderdale or Plantation Broward County Property Assessors offices, or at any of the Property Assessors outreach events throughout Broward. Through the month of March, Property Tax outreach events will be held on Thursdays from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at Hollywood City Hall, 2600 Hollywood Blvd. Representatives will assist with homestead, senior, or other exemption applications and will answer questions about your property taxes. For additional information please visit: www.bcpa.net or call 954-357-5579.