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Ken Lam Realty · Tools

Can I take my low property tax to my next home?

Prop 19 lets homeowners 55+, severely disabled owners and disaster victims move their old tax base. Anywhere in California.

Who qualifies
$
$
$
I buy the new home
months
times
Estimated property tax savings
$0 /yr
Tax you still pay Saved by Prop 19
Rule that applies 105%
“Equal value” limit (old value × rule)$0
New price above the limit (gets added)$0
New assessed value with Prop 19$0
Without Prop 19 (full price)$0
Tax with Prop 19 ~1.25%/yr$0
Tax without Prop 19 ~1.25%/yr$0
Savings over 10 years (estimate)$0
Buying first? The base can't move until the old home is sold. Until then you get tax bills on the full price. After you sell and file, the assessor corrects it. Ask them how any refund works.
Disaster victims: use the old home's value right before the fire or disaster, not the damaged sale price. Disaster transfers don't count toward the 3-time limit.
Ask Ken Watch 15-sec video

Email this estimate to yourself

Ken will reply and help you check the numbers with your tax bill. No spam.

Or text: 408-666-2825

Do you qualify? Check each one

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Your deadlines

Pick a date to see your 2-year and 3-year deadlines.

Next steps

  1. Find your factored base value on your tax bill or the assessor's site (Santa Clara: sccassessor.org).
  2. Plan the timing. Sell and buy within 2 years. Buying after you sell gives you more room (105% or 110%).
  3. After closing, get the claim form from the assessor of the county where the new home is. File the homeowners' exemption too (T131).
  4. Selling first? See what you walk away with in T21, and the tax on your gain in T22.

Giving the home to your kids instead?

That's a different Prop 19 rule. Since Feb 16, 2021, the parent-child exclusion covers only the family home, and only if the child moves in as their primary home. Value above the old assessed value plus about $1.04 million gets reassessed. This tool doesn't calculate it. Read the BOE Prop 19 page and talk to a CPA or estate attorney.

Many people get this wrong: “Prop 19 only works in the same county.” Not anymore. Since April 1, 2021, you can move your base from any California county to any other.