If you've owned your home in Stuart or Palm City for more than a few years, there's a good chance your property tax bill looks nothing like what a new buyer would pay. That gap is your Save Our Homes benefit, and it's probably worth more than you realize.
A significant share of sellers ask the same question: does selling mean I lose it all? The honest answer is: sort of. The protection ends for your property the moment you sell. But here's what most people don't know. You may be able to take a meaningful chunk of it with you to your next Florida home.
That's what this article is about.
Key Takeaways
The buyer does not inherit your tax bill. Once you sell, the property gets reassessed at market value. Your Save Our Homes cap stays with you, not the home.
Portability lets you transfer your benefit to a new Florida homestead, up to a maximum of $500,000 in assessment difference.
Downsizing changes the math. Moving to a lower-value home means a proportional transfer, not a full one.
You have a three-year window from the year you abandon your homestead to establish a qualifying replacement.
March 1 is the filing deadline. Miss it and, in most cases, you're waiting another full year.
Timing your sale around January 1 matters more than most sellers expect.
The Martin County Property Appraiser has a free estimator so you can run the numbers before you ever list.
What Happens to Save Our Homes When You Sell?
Here's what Save Our Homes actually does: once you have a homestead exemption in Florida, the state limits how much your assessed value can increase each year. In 2026, that cap is 2.7%. The market can do whatever it wants; your assessed value stays close to where it was.
If you've been in your home for ten or fifteen years, that difference between your just value (what the appraiser thinks your home is worth) and your assessed value (what you're actually taxed on) can be enormous. That's real money sitting in your tax bill every year.
When you sell, that protection does not pass to the buyer. The Martin County Property Appraiser reassesses the property at just value as of January 1 of the year after the sale. A buyer closing in 2026 should expect a reset effective January 1, 2027. Their taxes will likely look very different from yours.
I focus on this with both buyers and sellers from day one. With buyers, I walk through it during the purchase and put the homestead filing details in writing right after closing so nothing falls through the cracks. With sellers, it matters in reverse: know what your benefit is worth before you decide to move, because with portability, it can go with you.
What Does Portability Move to Your Next Home?
This is the part that surprises people most. When you sell and buy another Florida home as your primary residence, you can take the assessment difference with you. Florida calls this portability.
What actually moves is the gap between your home's just value and its Save Our Homes-capped assessed value. Not the homestead exemption itself (that gets re-applied fresh at the new address), and not a specific dollar amount of taxes. What transfers is the assessment reduction, which then lowers the taxable base on your next home before exemptions are applied.
To qualify, the replacement property has to be your primary Florida residence. A rental or vacation home won't work.
One thing worth saying clearly: portability applies anywhere in Florida. You don't have to stay in Martin County. Selling in Palm City and buying in Palm Beach Gardens or Juno Beach? Still eligible, as long as you meet the requirements and file correctly.
How Much Save Our Homes Benefit Can You Transfer?
It depends on whether you're moving to a higher-value or lower-value home.
If your replacement home has an equal or higher just value, you can generally transfer the full assessment difference, up to the $500,000 cap. If you're downsizing, the transfer is proportional based on the ratio of the new home's just value to the old one's.
Here's a straightforward example. Say your Palm City home has a just value of $800,000 and a Save Our Homes assessed value of $500,000. Your portable difference is $300,000.
Replacement Scenario | New Just Value | Portable Reduction | Assessed Value Before Exemptions |
|---|---|---|---|
Higher-value home | $1,000,000 | $300,000 | $700,000 |
Same-value home | $800,000 | $300,000 | $500,000 |
Lower-value home | $600,000 | $225,000 | $375,000 |
The lower-value math: $600,000 divided by $800,000 is 75%, and 75% of $300,000 is $225,000. That's what carries over.
Most sellers don't know where to find their actual Save Our Homes credit, or that it is on their TRIM notice. I point it out when we list the home, and I remind them again when we go shopping for their next one, so they are always in the loop.
Which Save Our Homes Deadlines Matter Most?
There are two dates that matter, and they work differently.
January 1 is the eligibility date. Your new home needs to be your primary Florida residence on January 1 of the year you want to claim homestead and portability. This is why closing timing can actually shift your financial outcome. A December closing gives you a full year's head start. A January closing pushes your eligibility to the following tax year.
The three-year window runs from the year you abandon your prior homestead, not from your closing date. If you leave your homestead in 2026, you generally have until January 1, 2029 to establish a qualifying replacement. That's more breathing room than most people expect, but it still runs out.
March 1 is the application deadline. You file for homestead exemption and portability (forms DR-501 and DR-501T) with the destination county's property appraiser by March 1 of the year you want the benefit to apply. Miss that date and, in most cases, you're waiting a full year.
If you're moving to another county, the destination appraiser coordinates with Martin County to verify your prior benefit. You don't have to gather everything yourself, but you do have to initiate the filing.
What Should Martin County Sellers Do Before Listing?
Before you talk price, pull up your TRIM notice (the Truth in Millage notice the county sends every August) or look up your property directly through the Martin County Property Appraiser's website. You want three numbers: your just value, your assessed value, and the difference between them.
That difference tells you what you're potentially carrying to the next home. Once you have it, you can model replacement scenarios using the Martin County homestead and portability estimator before you write a single offer.
The credit can change year to year, so if you sell and buy again near the end of the year, closing before or after December 31 can mean you make money or lose money when the Save Our Homes credit readjusts. It is critical to know what is on your TRIM notice, especially at year end.
A few things worth checking before you list:
Ownership structure: Jointly owned homes or situations involving divorce can split the portability benefit. Don't assume the full amount is yours without checking.
Replacement location: Portability works anywhere in Florida. Moving to Tequesta, Delray Beach, or anywhere else in the state? Still potentially eligible if you qualify and file correctly.
Closing timeline: Work backward from January 1 and map out your seller closing timeline early. Your sale and purchase windows both need to account for that date, not just your preferred listing season.
This is where I spend real time with sellers before we ever talk about what to price the home at. Knowing what your Save Our Homes benefit is worth on the next purchase completely changes how you think about the timing of your move.
If you are buying next, read Before You Rule Out That Florida Home, Run the Save Our Homes Numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Use Portability if I Move to Another Florida County?
Yes. Portability applies to any qualifying new Florida homestead, regardless of which county you land in. File with the destination county's property appraiser and they'll coordinate with Martin County directly.
Do I Have to Sell My Former Home Before I Claim Portability?
No. What matters is abandoning the homestead exemption on the prior property, not the sale itself. If you're thinking about keeping the old home as a rental, confirm the timing with the property appraiser before you drop the exemption.
What Happens if My Former Homestead Was Jointly Owned?
Ownership shares matter. If two people owned the home but only one is buying the replacement, the portability benefit may be split proportionally. Divorce situations follow their own rules, so it's worth a direct conversation with the Martin County Property Appraiser's office before you assume anything.
What Should I Do if I Miss the March 1 Filing Deadline?
Contact the destination county's property appraiser as soon as you realize it. Florida law allows for late filing approval in some situations. If approved, it applies to the current year only. There are no refunds for prior years, so the sooner you reach out, the better your options.
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