LOOKING FOR YOUR TAX BILL? WANT MAKE A TAX PAYMENT?

The Broward Revenue Collector mailed the property tax bills out during the first week in November 2009. You must contact the Revenue Collector directly for more information at 954.831.4000 or revenue@broward.org. The 2009 tax bills must be paid by March 30, 2010. Discounts are available for early payments. Also, for the first time ever, you may now make partial payments of your 2009 taxes through the March 30, 2010 statutory payment deadline. IMPORTANT: The Property Appraiser does not set your tax rates, does not mail the tax bills, and does not collect the tax payments.

IF YOU MISSED THE SEPTEMBER 18 DEADLINE TO FILE A VALUE APPEAL:

If you have a good cause reason (with documentation) why you missed the September 18 deadline to file a petition appealing your proposed valuation, you must directly contact the Value Adjustment Board in order to file an appeal. The VAB may be contacted at 954.357.7292 or by email at vab@broward.org or by using the VAB's online filing system.

WE'RE REDUCING ASSESSMENTS FOR HOMES WITH CHINESE DRYWALL PROBLEMS.

As has been extensively reported in the news, some homes constructed in Broward within the past few years contain contaminated Chinese drywall. This drywall -- over time -- emits sulfur odors and seemingly causes visible corrosion to copper pipes and air conditioner evaporator coils. However, until a homeowner contacts our office to notify us, we have no way of independently identifying which homes contain contaminated Chinese drywall. These drywall problems seriously impact the value of these homes. To ensure fair assessments for these damaged properties, we will reduce the building value by 50% -- subject to the owners providing us with sufficient documentation of the condition and agreeing to this resolution for the 2009 assessment. To request this reduction, please contact our Residential Department Manager Bob Zbikowski or at 954.357.5880 to notify us if your home has documented Chinese drywall issues. Also, if you missed the September 19 deadline to file for a value reduction and you subsequently learned about the drywall problems, the Value Adjustment Board has determined this is sufficient "good cause" for you be allowed to late file for a 2009 value reduction. Contact the Value Adjustment Board at vab@broward.org for more information.

PRE-FILE NOW FOR 2010 HOMESTEAD AND OTHER EXEMPTIONS.

The deadline to late file for any 2009 exemptions has closed (September 18, 2009) ... but you can already pre-file today for 2010 exemptions. This includes homestead, disability, widow/widower, granny flat, portability, and non-profits. To be eligible for a 2010 exemption, you must be on the title and make the property your permanent residence as of January 1, 2010. To pre-file for homestead, simply click here. To file for other exemptions, visit our Download Forms page to find the appropriate application. Questions? Please contact our Customer Service & Exemptions Division at 954.357.6830.

NEED HELP TO AVOID FORECLOSURE ON YOUR HOME?
Then click these links to learn more about Broward County's Foreclosure Prevention Program and the IRS's Tax Relief for Struggling Homeowners (PDF brochure).

FIRST-TIME HOME BUYER?
If you are a first-time homebuyer who purchased a primary residence during 2009, you may be entitled to claim an $8,000 credit from the federal government. No strings attached. Click here to learn more (PDF brochure).

PAYING PROPERTY TAXES.
The County Revenue Collection Division -- not part of our office -- mails out the annual tax bills during the first week of November each year. Tax bills become delinquent if not paid in full by April 1 of the following year. Discounts are available for early payments. Also, you may make partial payments of your 2009 taxes through the March 30, 2010 statutory payment deadline. If you have questions about your tax bill or making tax payments, please visit the Revenue Collector's website, or contact Revenue by email at revenue@broward.org or by phone at 954.831.4000. The Property Appraiser does NOT set your tax rate nor collect the taxes. The Property Appraiser is responsible for ensuring the fair assessment (value) of all properties and applying all exemptions. Your County Commission, School Board, City Commission, Water District, and other boards set your tax rates.

HAVE QUESTIONS FOR US?
You can probably find the answer on our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.

SHORT SALES, FORECLOSURES, ASSESSMENTS AND YOUR TAXES.

If you purchase a property in a foreclosure, your actual purchase price may not reflect the just (market) value used for determining your taxes. The Florida Department of Revenue (DOR) issued an advisory opinion that foreclosures generally should not be used for assessment purposes -- but Property Appraisers may qualify a foreclosure sale if the property was listed for sale on the MLS open market and the property is in normal/good condition. Tax Year 2009 was the first time in which DOR allowed foreclosure sales to be qualified in determining assessments. We believe -- and DOR agrees -- those MLS-listed foreclosure sales are arm's length "normal market condition" sales under the current recessionary economic conditions and reflect market values. We also qualify short sales, using the same criteria as we do for foreclosures. Regardless of your purchase price, assessments in Florida are done a year in arrears. This means your 2009 assessment was based on the sales in your neighborhood (excluding non-arm's length transactions and other "disqualified" transfers) between January 2, 2008 and January 1, 2009. Click here to read about the law concerning the appropriate assessment period under Florida Statutes. Any drop in sale prices between January 2, 2009 - January 1, 2010 will be reflected on your 2010 assessment.

Bring your children when you
file for Homestead ... we've even
got a place for them to
play when you visit
our Main Office!

PORTABILITY OF HOMESTEADED SAVINGS IS NOW AVAILABLE TO FLORIDIANS.

Florida voters overwhelmingly approved a new constitutional amendment in 2008 which granted added tax relief to property owners. The amendment gives homesteaded owners the "portability" right to move Save Our Homes benefits to a new homesteaded property. The Florida Department of Revenue (DOR) has drafted the forms, guidelines and administrative rules to implement the rest of these new benefits. Click here to visit the DOR website tracking these ongoing developments. If you had homestead on one Florida property in 2008 or 2009 and are now seeking to move your homestead to a new location for 2009 or 2010:

** Click here to download the portability application **

Please return the completed portability form to our office by mail (Property Appraiser's Office, 115 South Andrews Avenue, Room 111, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301); or (attach in PDF format); or by fax (954.357.8474).

BRINGING CUSTOMER SERVICE TO OUR CUSTOMERS.

Did you know we hold a community outreach session every Wednesday at 11:30 am in Representative Gwen Clarke-Reed's office at Pompano Beach City Hall? Property Appraiser Lori Parrish is enhancing our office's community outreach efforts. We're constantly adding new customer service outreach events at condos, city halls, businesses, and other community locations throughout Broward to our online calendar of upcoming events. If you'd like to have someone from our office meet with taxpayers at an upcoming meeting of your condo/homeowners or civic association, please contact Community Outreach Coordinator Kelly Brown at 954.357.6035 or .

WE'RE VISITING NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND BROWARD!

By state law, we must personally view each property in Broward County at least once every five years. That is why our residential appraisers are busy these days inspecting, measuring and photographing the exteriors of properties throughout Broward. Our appraisers are easy to recognize: all of them wear official shirts and bright orange vests clearly identifying them as BCPA staff, and each carries a BCPA photo identification card and badge. Feel free to ask to see an ID if you have any concerns. Important Note: Our appraisers will NEVER ask to enter your home, and we will NEVER enter locked backyards. If you have questions about these inspections, please contact our office at 954.357.6831.

If you have any suggestions for improving our office, .

Sincerely,

LORI PARRISH, CFA
Broward County Property Appraiser