Navigate Proposition 19 with Confidence
What Prop 19 means if you're 55 or older
If you're 55 or older and selling your home in California, Prop 19 lets you take your current property tax base with you to your next home. For someone who has owned a Westside home for decades, that can mean thousands of dollars a year in savings.
The basics
- Anywhere in California. Your next home doesn't have to be in Los Angeles County.
- Any price. If the new home costs the same or less, you keep your current tax base. If it costs more, only the difference is added to it.
- Two years. You must buy your next home within two years before or after selling the current one.
- Up to three times. You can use the benefit three times in your lifetime.
- Both homes must be your primary residence.
You have to apply for it. It isn't automatic. After you buy, you file a claim with the county assessor. File within three years of the purchase to get the full benefit.
If you're thinking of leaving your home to your children, Prop 19 changed those rules too. Your children can keep your tax base only if the home is your primary residence and they make it their own primary residence within one year, filing a Homeowners' Exemption. Rental and other properties no longer qualify, and there's a value limit.
The same benefit is also available to homeowners with a severe disability and to those who lost a home in a wildfire or natural disaster.
My free guide walks through real examples, the forms, and the timing mistakes I see most often. Because every situation is different, I always recommend confirming your numbers with the LA County Assessor or a property tax professional before you decide.
If you'd rather talk it through in person, text me at (310) 488-2158.
