Amendment 3 Final Week: What Sarasota Homeowners and Buyers Should Know

We are one week out. On Tuesday, November 3, Florida voters will decide Amendment 3, the homestead property tax amendment I first wrote about in September. I have had more questions about this one ballot measure than about anything else this fall, so here is a final-week update: where it stands, what it would actually do, and what it means for your plans whether it passes or not.

The usual disclaimer, and I mean it: I am a Realtor, not a tax attorney or a CPA, and I am not telling you how to vote. This is about understanding the real estate side of it so you can plan.

A Quick Refresher on What It Does

If approved, Amendment 3 would take effect January 1, 2027. The main changes:

• A much bigger non-school exemption. The homestead exemption on non-school property taxes would rise to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, then be indexed to inflation starting in 2029.
• School taxes stay mostly as they are. The existing $25,000 exemption would apply to school taxes. That matters, because school taxes are a meaningful part of every bill. This is a large cut, not the elimination of property taxes.
• A tighter cap for non-homestead property. The annual cap on assessment increases for non-homestead property, like second homes and rentals, would drop from 10% to 5%.
• A five-year wait for new arrivals. People who move to Florida after December 31, 2026 would receive a smaller exemption at first and would need to live here five years before qualifying for the full amount.

I covered the details in my original homestead amendment guide, and the basics of how Florida property taxes work today in Florida property taxes explained.

Where It Stands: The 60% Bar

This is the part people forget. Florida constitutional amendments need 60% of the vote to pass, not a simple majority. That bar has sunk popular measures before. In 2022, a separate amendment received 58.7% of the vote and still failed.

The October polls show Amendment 3 with majority support but short of 60%. A University of North Florida poll released October 21 found 50% of likely voters planning to vote yes, 30% no, and 14% undecided. An NBC6 and Mason-Dixon poll earlier in October found 55% yes, 26% no, and 19% undecided. Other October polls ranged from 42% to 53%.

In other words, it is close, and it likely comes down to how undecided voters break. Polls are not results. Nobody knows how this ends until the votes are counted, and I would be wary of anyone who tells you otherwise.

If You Already Own a Home Here

If you already have a homestead exemption on your Sarasota or Manatee home, there is nothing you need to do before the vote. You do not need to file anything new to stay eligible, and if it passes, the larger exemption would apply to homesteads starting in 2027.

If you own a second home or a rental here, pay attention to the non-homestead cap. Dropping it from 10% to 5% would limit how fast the assessed value on those properties can climb each year.

And if you live here full-time but never filed for homestead, fix that regardless of how the vote goes. The current exemption and the Save Our Homes cap are valuable on their own. The filing deadline for the 2027 tax year is March 1, 2027, with the Sarasota County Property Appraiser (or Manatee, depending on where you live).

If You Are Planning to Move Here

This is where the vote matters most for my clients. If the amendment passes, the December 31, 2026 line becomes real, and anyone arriving after it faces the five-year phase-in.

Here is the honest math on the calendar. Between election day and December 31 there are about eight weeks. In August, the median Sarasota County home took 47 days to go under contract, and contract to closing usually runs four to six weeks after that. If you are starting from zero on November 4, closing and establishing residency by year-end is possible, but only if you move quickly and the right home is available. If you are already looking, or already under contract, you are in a much better spot.

Remember too that closing on a house is not the same as becoming a Florida resident. The steps that show Florida is your permanent home, like a Florida driver license, voter registration, vehicle registration, and often a Declaration of Domicile, are covered in my guide on how to establish Florida residency. My closing before January 1 guide walks through the year-end timeline in more detail. Exactly how the phase-in would apply to someone who closes in late December is a question for a CPA or attorney, and I will connect you with one.

If It Fails

Then nothing changes, and that is not a bad outcome for anyone planning a move. Florida already has no state income tax, a homestead exemption, the Save Our Homes cap that limits annual increases on your homestead’s assessed value, and portability that lets you carry savings to your next Florida home. Those are the reasons people moved here long before this amendment existed. The December 31 pressure goes away, and you can take your time.

My advice has not changed since September: do not buy the wrong house to beat a deadline that may not exist. A good home in the right community will matter far more over the next ten years than any exemption.

If It Passes

Expect a burst of activity. Buyers who were on the fence about moving in 2027 may try to get here before year-end, and that will show up in November and December showings and offers. Expect local governments to start talking about how they replace the lost revenue, a conversation worth following if you own property here. Also expect questions about how property values respond, which I will be watching closely and will report on.

Either way, the latest Sarasota market numbers show inventory down and sales up heading into season, so the market will not be standing still while we wait.

Make Sure You Vote

Whatever you think of Amendment 3, if you are a registered Florida voter, vote. In Sarasota County, early voting runs through Sunday, November 1, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily at any of the county’s 11 early voting sites. Bring a current photo and signature ID. Mail ballots must reach the Supervisor of Elections by 7 p.m. on November 3. Check SarasotaVotes.gov for locations, or the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections if you live there.

I will post an update after the results are in. In the meantime, if you are trying to work out a timeline, reach out. I will give you a straight answer on what is realistic before December 31, and I will tell you if it is not.

Sources

Amendment details per Ballotpedia, the Florida Chamber, and the Tax Foundation. Poll figures per News4Jax (UNF), NBC Miami (Mason-Dixon), and Florida Politics. Market timing from RASM’s August 2026 report. This is general information, not tax, legal, or voting advice.