Prop 19: Keep Your Low Property Taxes When You Move — California's 55+ Transfer, Explained
Why long-time owners don't move (and why the math changed)
If you've owned your home for 20+ years, you're likely assessed at a fraction of today's value — paying a fraction of what a new buyer pays. Before 2021, moving usually meant resetting to market value. Prop 19 changed that: the low base now travels with you, statewide, even to a more expensive home (with a blended assessment). That's why the single-story, less-upkeep move that's been on your mind for years may finally pencil.
How the transfer works — the rules that matter
- Who: 55+, severely disabled, or disaster victims. How often: up to 3 times (55+/disabled).
- Where: anywhere in California — county lines no longer matter.
- Window: buy or build the replacement within 2 years of the sale; it must be your primary residence; file the claim with the county assessor.
- Equal or cheaper replacement: your old assessed value simply carries over.
- More expensive replacement: blended — old assessed value + only the price difference. You keep most of the benefit.
What it's worth in real dollars
| Scenario | Without Prop 19 | With Prop 19 transfer |
|---|---|---|
| Assessed $250k, buy $900k replacement (equal/lesser sale) | Taxed on ~$900k ≈ $9,900/yr | Taxed on ~$250k ≈ $2,750/yr |
| Same owner, replacement $100k above sale price | Taxed on ~$900k | Taxed on ~$350k (blended) |
Illustrative at a ~1.1% effective rate; county rates and fees vary. Verify your exact numbers with the county assessor — we'll help you run them.
The other half: you don't have to sell first and move twice
Prop 19 works whether you sell first or buy first. Most 55+ owners we work with buy first — using a buy-before-you-sell bridge so their offer isn't contingent — then sell the old home vacant. One move, no living through showings, and the tax base transfers all the same, as long as both transactions land inside the two-year window.
Text "PROP19" — get your transfer numbers run before you decide anything →Frequently asked questions
What is the Prop 19 property tax transfer?
California Proposition 19 lets homeowners who are 55 or older (or severely disabled, or wildfire/disaster victims) sell their primary residence and transfer its low assessed value — and therefore its low property-tax bill — to a replacement home anywhere in California.
How many times can I use the Prop 19 transfer?
Homeowners 55+ or disabled can use the base-year value transfer up to three times in a lifetime. Disaster victims have separate rules.
Can I buy a more expensive home and keep my low taxes?
Yes, with a blended assessment. If the replacement home costs more than your old home sold for, your old assessed value transfers and only the difference in price is added to it. You keep most of the benefit rather than losing it all.
What is the deadline to use Prop 19 after selling?
You must buy or build the replacement home within two years of selling the original, and it must become your primary residence. You then file the base-year transfer claim with the county assessor.
Can I buy my next home before selling this one and still use Prop 19?
Yes. The transfer works whether you buy first or sell first, as long as both transactions complete within the two-year window. Buying first — often with a bridge loan so your offer isn't contingent — means you move once and sell the old home vacant.
How much money does a Prop 19 transfer actually save?
It depends on the gap between your current assessed value and the new home's market value. A long-time owner assessed at $250,000 buying a $900,000 replacement would otherwise be taxed on $900,000 — roughly $9,000+ per year at a typical ~1.1% effective rate versus roughly $2,750 on the transferred basis. Run your county's numbers before deciding.
Does Prop 19 apply to inherited homes?
Prop 19 also changed inheritance rules: children who inherit a home generally keep the low assessed value only if they use it as their primary residence, within limits. The move-related transfer for 55+ owners is a separate benefit.