Skip to content
ClosingCodeClosingCode
ENES

Property tax · FL, TX, CAProperty taxes after buying a home: why the seller's bill is the wrong number

The tax bill in the listing is the seller's bill – with the seller's exemptions and, in many states, a value kept low by an annual cap. After a sale the cap resets. In Florida a homestead is assessed at just value on January 1 of the year after a change of ownership (Fla. Stat. §193.155(3)), and the buyer must file for the homestead exemption by March 1 (§196.011). In California the purchase sets a new base year value and the assessor sends supplemental bills for the difference from the purchase date (Rev. & Tax. Code §§75.10, 75.11). In Texas the 10% homestead appraisal cap starts again with the new owner's exemption (Tax Code §23.23), which the buyer applies for within a year of buying (§11.43(d)).

What changes and why

  1. Florida

    Just value on January 1 after the sale; then up to 3% or CPI a year with homestead (§193.155(1), (3)).

  2. California

    New base year value at purchase; supplemental bills for the rest of the year (§§75.10, 75.11).

  3. Texas

    10% annual cap on homestead appraisal starts after the new owner qualifies (§23.23).

  4. Exemptions

    FL $25,000 + up to $25,000 more; TX $140,000 school; CA $7,000 – each must be claimed by the buyer.

What the buyer files and when

  • Florida: homestead application by March 1 of the year after purchase (§196.011).
  • Texas: homestead application within a year after acquiring the home (§11.43(d)).
  • California: homeowners' exemption claim by February 15; until December 10 for 80% (§§255, 275).
  • Everywhere: budget from the new value, not the seller's bill, and expect the escrow payment to change.

The budgeting trap

  • The seller's tax bill reflects the seller's exemptions and capped value – not what the buyer will pay.
  • Escrow for taxes is set from that bill, so the payment can jump after the first year.
  • Exemptions do not move with the deed: the buyer has to apply.

Questions buyers ask

Why did my property tax go up after I bought my house?

Because the cap and exemptions belonged to the seller: the sale resets the value (Florida, California) or restarts the cap (Texas), and the buyer's own exemption has to be filed.

What is a supplemental tax bill in California?

A bill for the difference between the new base year value set at purchase and the old value, for the rest of the fiscal year (Rev. & Tax. Code §§75.10, 75.11).

When do I file for homestead after buying?

Florida by March 1 of the next year; Texas within a year after buying; California's homeowners' exemption by February 15.

Related guides

Add the buyer's exemption filing to the post-closing checklist as a task with an owner and due date in ClosingCode, so the reminder goes out before the deadline.

Start free trial

Sources: Fla. Stat. §§193.155, 196.011, 196.031; Tex. Tax Code §§11.13, 11.43, 23.23; Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code §§75.10, 75.11, 218, 255, 275 (official statute sites, read October 25, 2026).

General information, not legal or tax advice. ClosingCode is software; it is not a law firm or brokerage.