By Paul Domenech
It’s interesting timing. I’ve been talking about affordability and why lowering interest rates alone isn’t the solution. Lower taxes and lower insurance—that’s how you relieve pressure without pouring fuel on inflation. That’s how you protect purchasing power the right way.
Right now, Florida Governor DeSantis is calling for the removal of property taxes for Florida’s homesteaded residents, rooted in the belief that the American Dream was built on owning land free and clear. On the surface, that resonates. If you’ve paid off your home, why should you continue paying on it? Fair question. But the deeper conversation isn’t just about eliminating a tax, it’s about how we maintain what protects and supports that property.
Property taxes currently fund public schools, law enforcement, fire departments and EMS, roads and drainage systems, hurricane and emergency management, parks and beach access, libraries, courts, planning and zoning, infrastructure maintenance, and in many areas, water and sewer systems. Especially here on the Emerald Coast, where resilience and public safety are not luxuries but necessities, those services are foundational. So, the real issue isn’t simply removal; it’s what replaces that revenue and how we continue funding the backbone of our communities.
If not us, then who will pay? If we’re going to talk about removing property taxes, then we also need to have an honest conversation about who should carry the weight. I’m comfortable saying it—the companies using our beautiful Emerald Coast to generate profit should be part of that solution. We’re no longer just competing with local families building a life here. We’re competing with investment funds, short-term rental operators, and out-of-state cash that view our community as a revenue stream. To them, these aren’t homes, they’re balance sheet assets. When properties are purchased as income vehicles instead of primary residences, supply tightens for the people who actually want to homestead, raise their kids, and plant roots. In a premier destination market like ours, demand isn’t just local, it’s national and global. And when outside capital extracts profit without living here, prices rise and affordability becomes tougher for the very workforce that keeps this place running.
If we’re going to restructure property taxes, let’s be intentional. Protect the homeowners. Protect the workforce. And have the real conversation about how companies profiting from our paradise can help sustain the infrastructure, safety, and systems that make it valuable in the first place.
Let me be clear; this is not a done deal. It’s still being worked through. Nothing has been finalized. But, this is the moment to keep your ears open and start paying attention. Because, if this moves forward, it will be up to us to get behind the wheel. This isn’t a Democrat issue. It isn’t a Republican issue. This is a for-the-people, by-the-people moment. A chance for our community and our state to champion and pioneer what was once a cornerstone of the American Dream, affordable homeownership, and shape it in a way that truly works for the people who live here.
Home selling is not about a pretty picture, social media popularity, or being known as a Realtor. It’s about being worth knowing. So, before buying or selling, when you ask the question, “How is the real estate market?” If the answer starts and ends with interest rates, you might want to find the person who has much more to say. I will continue to follow up to make sure our community is informed. Until then, if you have any questions about buying or selling, feel free to reach out to me personally at 850-543-1418. I welcome all conversations that create a higher level of thinking about real estate and, really, anything.
God Bless AMERICA.
