County DR-504AFH Filing in Sunrise

What this filing is and when you need it

The Live Local Act property tax exemption takes two steps. First the Florida Housing Finance Corporation certifies the qualifying units. Then you file the county return with the property appraiser. For properties in Sunrise and the rest of Broward, that return goes to the Broward County Property Appraiser.

Most denials we see do not come from a bad property. They come from a return that does not match the certification, a unit count that is off by a few, or a missing attachment. So if you already have a draft or a filing from last year, we start there. We fix what is wrong and keep what is right. If the old approach was built on the wrong numbers, we tell you plainly and rebuild it.

What we handle on the DR-504AFH

Certification match check

We compare the return line by line against your FHFC certification. Unit numbers, income tiers and parcel details need to agree. If they do not, we sort out which document is wrong before anything is filed.

Unit and rent schedule

We build the list of qualifying units from your rent roll. Each unit is tied to its income tier and its rent, so the appraiser can see why it qualifies.

Parcel and ownership details

Folio numbers, the legal owner name and the property address have to match county records. A small mismatch here can stall a good application.

Review of last year's return

If you filed last year, we read the old return and any letters from the appraiser. Often a few corrections are all it takes. We do not start from scratch unless that is the better path.

Filing and confirmation

We get the packet to the property appraiser ahead of the deadline and keep proof of when it went in. You get a copy of everything filed.

Signs your county filing needs a second look

• Your FHFC certification just came in

  The certification is not the exemption. You still need the county return filed, and the clock is short once certification arrives.

• The appraiser sent a letter

  A request for more information or a denial notice usually points to a specific gap. Most of the time it can be answered without refiling everything.

• Unit counts changed since last year

  Move-outs, new leases or rent changes can shift which units qualify. The return has to reflect the property as it stands now.

• Nobody owns the deadline

  If the filing sits between your property manager, your accountant and your attorney, it can slip. We take that piece and track it.

• You are not sure the property qualifies

  Unit count, income tiers and rent limits all matter. A free eligibility check by phone tells you where you stand before you spend time on paperwork.

How a filing runs with us

1. 1

   Phone call and eligibility check

   We talk through the property, the unit count and where you are with FHFC. It is free, and you leave the call knowing whether the filing makes sense.

2. 2

   Document gathering

   You send the certification, rent roll, lease data and any past returns. We work from our office or by phone and video, so there is no site visit to schedule.

3. 3

   Draft and cross-check

   We prepare the DR-504AFH and check it against every source document. Anything that does not line up gets flagged and resolved with you.

4. 4

   Your review and filing

   You read the final packet and sign. We file it with the property appraiser and send you the confirmation and a full copy.

5. 5

   Follow-up with the county

   If the appraiser has questions, we help you answer them. Where a fix will do, we fix it rather than resubmit the whole return.

What moves the cost of a DR-504AFH filing

We quote by phone after we understand the property, and we tell you what is driving the number. Some filings are mostly a check of work you already have. Others need the unit schedule built from a messy rent roll. A free savings estimate also shows what the exemption could be worth, so you can weigh the fee against it.

Number of units

More qualifying units means a longer schedule to build and check. Large buildings take more time than small ones.

State of your records

A clean, current rent roll moves fast. Records split across systems or missing income tiers take longer to sort.

Starting point

Correcting a solid prior return costs less than building a new one. We tell you which you need and why.

Number of parcels

A development spread over several folios needs each one handled and matched to the certification.

Timing

Starting well before the deadline leaves room to fix problems calmly. A late start compresses the work.