Check a mailed offer to file a homestead form

Compare the offer with the official process

1. Write down what the letter says it will file, the price, and any deadline it gives. The letter's deadline may not be the official one, so check it.
2. Find your local tax or assessor's office yourself, using a website you already know or a search you start. Do not use the contact details on the letter.
3. Ask whether a homestead filing applies to your property, what the current process involves, what deadline applies to you, and whether the office charges a fee.
4. Compare the office's answers with the offer, line by line: steps, price and date. Then you know what the solicitor would actually be doing for the fee.
5. If you file, use the route the office describes and keep any confirmation with your closing papers.

Rules vary by place

Property-tax benefits and filing rules differ by location, and this page cannot tell you what applies to your property. Your local office can give you the current process and deadline.

Recorded purchase information can become public, and advertisers may use it. That is one way a solicitor could know about your purchase. Having your details does not give the sender an official role. For questions about your tax situation, contact the tax office or a qualified professional.

Put the official date on your calendar

If the office gives you a deadline, add it to your calendar first. Then either file through the official route or decline the offer. Write down which you chose and the office's answers so you can check later solicitations against them.

Official sources

• CFPB: After Closing
• FTC: Notice in the Mail About Your Property