A new year is upon us, which means it's time for new homeowners to file for their homestead exemption!
If you're a first-time homebuyer, you may not know much about the homestead exemption. You definitely want to familiarize yourself with it though because it can save you a lot of money!
A residence homestead exemption removes a portion of—or the total amount of—a property's value from taxation for property tax purposes. Not every home you own will qualify though. A few important qualifications:
The home must be your principal residence.
You must have owned and occupied the property on January 1st.
You must be an individual homeowner - can't be a corporation/business.
You must file an application with your county appraisal district, no later than April 30th. Click here to apply. Once you fill out these forms, you'll need to mail them to the appraisal district for your county, along with a copy of your driver's license or state-issued personal identification certificate (your license or ID must have the same address as the home for which you're filing for the exemption). Harris County residents may also file digitally now using the HCAD digital app!
As an added bonus, once you've received the homestead exemption at that residence, you won't need to file again in future years, unless your chief appraiser sends you a new application.
Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need help filing!
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