California Proposition 19: protecting your tax base through life's transitions.

For homeowners 55 and older, severely disabled, or victims of natural disaster, California's Proposition 19 allows you to transfer your existing property tax base to a replacement home anywhere in California, up to three times during your lifetime. For surviving spouses, this can mean preserving decades of Prop 13 savings even when downsizing, relocating, or buying a more valuable home.

How it works in plain terms: if your current home has a low assessed value because you've owned it for many years, you can carry that assessment to a new home. If the new home costs more, the difference is added to your existing base; if it costs the same or less, your assessed value stays the same. The result is often thousands of dollars saved in annual property tax.

Where the strategy gets nuanced: timing matters, the replacement purchase must happen within two years of selling, and the rules around inherited property changed significantly under Prop 19. Getting the sequence right, and pairing it with the right real estate strategy, can make a six-figure difference in long-term equity.

Maureen has guided dozens of San Francisco families through Prop 19 transfers, often in coordination with estate attorneys and CPAs. Whether you are planning a move within the city or relocating to be closer to family, she will help you model the numbers and time the transaction.