Did you know that this November, you’re voting on your property taxes?
Amendment 3 is on the Florida ballot on November 3rd. It’s called “Increased Homestead Exemption; Lower Cap on Increases in Non-Homesteaded Property Assessments” — which is government-speak for: your homestead exemption could jump from $25,000 to $150,000 next year, and $250,000 the year after.
Let me say that again. $150,000 of your home’s value, shielded from non-school property taxes. Then $250,000. That’s not pocket change — that’s real money back in your pocket, every single year.
Now here’s the part nobody’s talking about, but every contractor in South Florida is thinking about: what are homeowners going to do with that money?
Ask any homeowner what they’d do with an extra few thousand dollars a year and the answer is always the same. The floors they’ve been staring at for five years. The pergola they’ve been putting off. The pool the kids keep asking about. The kitchen. The bathrooms. The stuff that’s been on the “someday” list because money was tight.
Someday might be this November.
What Amendment 3 Actually Does (No Spin)
I want to be straight with you, because there’s a lot of noise out there:
It does NOT abolish property taxes overnight. Anyone telling you that is selling something. Here’s what it actually does:
- Raises the homestead exemption on non-school taxes from $25,000 to $150,000 starting in 2027, then $250,000 in 2028, adjusted for inflation after that.
- Directs the state legislature to build a framework so counties can eventually exempt homestead properties up to their full assessed value — that’s the long-term path toward elimination, but it’s a path, not a switch.
- Lowers the annual cap on assessment increases for non-homestead properties (rentals, businesses) from 10% to 5%.
It needs 60% of voters to pass — that’s the bar for every constitutional amendment in Florida. Governor DeSantis pushed for property tax relief, the legislature put this version on the ballot, and he’s backed the final ballot language. The polls are close. Your vote genuinely matters on this one.
School taxes aren’t touched. This is about the rest of your tax bill.
Do the Math on Your Own House
I won’t put a specific dollar figure on your savings because I don’t know your assessed value, your millage rate, or your county — and any contractor who quotes your tax savings without knowing those is guessing.
But here’s the framework: take your home’s assessed value, subtract the exemption, and that’s the taxable base. Going from a $25,000 exemption to a $150,000 exemption wipes $125,000 off your taxable value in year one. On a typical South Florida millage rate, that’s thousands of dollars a year that stays in your bank account instead of going to the county.
Every year. For as long as you own the home.
Now ask yourself: what project have you been putting off?
The Project List Is About to Get Shorter
Here’s what I hear from homeowners every week — the projects they’re sitting on, waiting for the money to make sense:
Floors. The tile from 2004. The carpet that’s seen better decades. New flooring changes the entire feel of a house, and it’s one of the first things people do when the budget opens up.
The pergola. I just put up a beautiful louvered pergola for a customer — opens, closes, handles Florida weather. Half the homeowners who see one say “I’ve wanted one of those for years.” Years turn into action when there’s extra money in the budget.
The pool. The big one. Nothing transforms a South Florida backyard like a pool, and nothing gets postponed more often because of cost. A few thousand a year in tax savings doesn’t build a pool by itself — but it absolutely changes the financing math.
Kitchens and bathrooms. The tub you’ve been climbing over. The kitchen with the 1990s cabinets. These are the projects that add the most value to your home and your daily life, and they’re the first things people green-light when money frees up.
Impact windows and roofs. The smart money. Hurricane protection that also cuts your insurance bill — and with programs like My Safe Florida Home offering up to $10,000 in grant money on top of it, the math gets very friendly.
My Advice: Don’t Wait Until November to Plan
Here’s the thing about contractors in South Florida: when money moves, we get busy. Fast.
If Amendment 3 passes, every homeowner with a project list is calling in January. The good contractors — the ones who answer their own phone, show up themselves, and price it in person — will be booked out. That’s not a sales pitch, that’s just how this market works. I’ve been doing this for fifteen years and I’ve seen it happen with every wave: insurance payouts after a storm, grant programs opening up, rates dropping. The early callers get the schedule. The late callers get the waitlist.
So here’s what I’d do if I were you: start the conversation now. Get your measurements. Get your real numbers. Know exactly what your project costs before the rush, so that when the money frees up, you’re first in line — not watching your neighbor’s pergola go up while you’re still getting quotes.
And it doesn’t matter how the vote goes, honestly. If Amendment 3 passes, you’ve got extra money and a plan ready. If it doesn’t, you’ve still got a real price on the project you want, and financing from $120/month on small jobs through Acorn — rates as low as 4.49% APR with approved credit. Either way, you’re ahead of everyone who waited.
Beat the Quote — Ends October 1st
Right now I’m running my Beat the Quote promotion: send me your best written quote and I’ll beat anybody’s price on the same scope — or you get a $50 Amazon gift card. If I beat it, you get an additional $1,000 off the written price. Same scope, free in-home measurement, one per household.
Limited time — the promotion ends October 1st. Call or text (561) 462-9293.
Why Onel Construction
Twenty-five years. Licensed and insured. I don’t send a salesman — I come out myself, I measure myself, and I price it in person. Floors, pergolas, pools, kitchens, bathrooms, impact windows, roofs — if it’s your house, it’s my business.
When that tax money hits your pocket, I want to be the guy you call. Let’s get your project priced now, so you’re ready.
Related Reading
- Louvered Pergola in Boca Raton — the project half my customers say they’ve “wanted for years.”
- Kitchen Remodel Cost in Boca Raton — what a kitchen actually costs, no games.
- Impact Windows in Boca Raton — hurricane protection that pays you back on insurance.
Let’s Price Your Project Before the Rush
Call or text (561) 462-9293. Free in-home estimate. I’ll measure it, price it, and you’ll know your number — whether Amendment 3 passes or not.
Onel Construction LLC — Boca Raton, Florida. Licensed & insured.
