John,
I feel for you pal. You are right, there isn't much that a 'former' homesteader can do. The proposed amendment won't help, and like you said, portability is out of the equation. I would buy the home, and challenge the assessment with the County Property Appraiser based on today's value, not market value, but just or assessed value of the neighboring homes. You can also re-challenge a year or two from now if the market continues to decline. Persistence and a bit of luck may help big time in regards to the tax bill. Let me know if I can help.
John
http://www.floridahomesteadservices.com |