Summer is right around the corner and if you enjoy boating, water-skiing, fishing, or any water activities Fleming Island waterfront homes have all that to offer. When looking for waterfront homes on Fleming Island, you have a choice of purchasing a home that  backs up to St. Johns River or Doctors Lake either choice you can't go wrong. Fleming Island waterfront homes usually come with larger lots so you can enjoy having friends and family over for BBQ's or picnics.

The Florida Homestead Exemption and how to apply for it

The Florida Homestead exemption is a property tax exemption enjoyed by legal Florida residents. The Florida Homestead exemption applies to homes, condos, townhomes, and certain mobile homes that must be approved before they qualify.

The constitution of the state of Florida provides for the homestead exemption on the first and third $25,000 of the assessed value of a home.

Florida residents qualify for the Homestead Exemption if they have made the property their home or if any legal or natural dependent have made the place their residence by the January of the year the tax exemption is applied for. January 1 is the date when a permanent residence is ascertained.

Applications for the Florida Homestead exemption for taxes is between the period of January 1 to March 1 for the year in which exemption is required. Once a homeowner has successfully filed for their Florida Homestead Exemption, it automatically is renewed annually as long as the ownership titles don't change. All the property owners should apply as Tenants in Common to claim all the coverage.

The procedure for application is as follows:

The proof of ownership

The applicant should provide proof of ownership of the home. The recorded deed or co-op proprietary lease should indicate the name of the person applying for the tax exemption. Where properties are held in trust, the owner may need to provide a copy of a trust agreement or a notarized certificate of trust.

The proof of permanent residence in Florida

The proof of residence for all applicants should show a date prior to January 1, for the year that the exemption is being filed. All applicants should also provide a Florida's Driving License or a Florida I.D. card for non-drivers. Applicants should also possess either a Florida Voter's registration or a recorded declaration of domicile. Non-US residents should additionally have proof of permanent residency, asylum or proof that one is the parent of a US-born (US citizen).

It is worth noting that the applicant or their marriage partner has a homestead exemption in another state on another home, then the applicant will not be eligible to qualify for tax exemption. Normally, the homestead exemption is granted to applicants based on their interest in the property. Applications for the Florida Homestead Exemption can be filed in person through email, online, or via mail. However, before this is done the owner should ensure that the required forms and copied documents are available and correctly filed.

The deadline to file for Homestead Exemption is March 1

Where to file for the homestead exemption if you live in Clay or Duval County FL.

Duval County

Duval County Property Appraiser
231 E. Forsyth St., Suite 270
Jacksonville, FL 32202

Office Hours: Monday - Friday
7 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Clay County

County Administration Building
Second Floor
477 Houston Street
U.S. Highway 17
Green Cove Springs, FL
32043

Tax Collector's Office
Park Avenue Branch
1518 Park Ave
Orange Park, FL
32073-4910

What is a Community Development District Fee?

 

In Northern Florida, there are countless community development districts that have popped up over the years, from big to small and everything in between. These planned housing communities oftentimes require a private or government financial bond to aid in the planning and building of the communities, traditionally these bonds are quite hefty as they provide the financial means for the development to have a sufficient budget to not only build the homes but complete the entire housing community as a whole. When a community planner accepts a financial bond it is expected that repayment of the bond loan will be covered in usually two ways: repayment from the company/firm that created the community or through CDD fees (community development district fees).
How is a CDD Fee Calculated?
Community development districts aren’t just a standard fee attached to any home in Northern Florida, they are carefully calculated based on both the overall size of the bond and the number of parcels attached to the housing community. The way the community development district fees are calculated is basically the amount of the bond minus by how much the company/firm has repaid or will repay towards the bond and then divided by the approximate number of parcels of land are in the community. From that point the community development district fees are given a set repayment plan for each buyer based upon the reasonable amount of time needed to repay the cost of the total fee, creating a set amount that needs to be paid monthly or yearly. Once that is done everyone who purchases a parcel of land in the housing community is required to pay the CDD fee over the length of the term of repayment.
What Does a CDD Fee Mean to a Home Buyer?
In the case of community development districts that establish a set fee to be repaid by the people who buy a parcel of land (home) in the community, a CDD fee is attached to the purchase of that parcel. Traditionally in areas in Northern Florida community development districts, fees are monthly/yearly payments that typically last around 20, 25 or 30 years… roughly about the length of the home loan that covered the cost of the purchase of the house. When a buyer purchases a parcel of land in the housing community, they agree to the CDD fee attached to it and it basically becomes another small expense attached to the overall costs of buying a home.

Here is a list of communities in Clay County, FL that have Community Development District fees CDD.

Neighborhoods in Orange Park, FL that have CDD fees
Eagle Landing
Oakleaf Plantation

Wilford Preserve

Neighborhoods in Fleming Island, FL that have CDD fees
Eagle Harbor
Fleming Island Plantation

Neighborhoods in Middleburg, FL that have CDD fees
Pine Ridge
Two Creeks

Greyhawk

Neighborhoods in Green Cove Springs, FL that have CDD fees
Magnolia West
Rolling Hills

Cross creek