June 2025 Downs Property Digest

Vickie A. Downs
Jun 27
3 min read

A Message from Your Property Appraiser, Vickie A. Downs

Hi friends,

It’s been another busy and exciting month here in the Collier County Property Appraiser’s Office. Our team continues to work hard to serve the community with integrity, accuracy, and transparency. We’re thrilled to share that our office renovations are coming along beautifully and are on track for completion in July. We can't wait to welcome you into a refreshed, more accessible lobby designed to better serve your needs. Also, stay tuned! We’re launching a newly enhanced website next week with streamlined navigation, new tools, and improved accessibility.

Warmly,

Vickie A. Downs

Collier County Property Appraiser

🏠 National Homeownership Month

June is National Homeownership Month!

Homeownership is more than a dream; it’s a vital part of building community, stability, and long-term opportunity. As your Property Appraiser, I want to make sure you’re aware of the many property tax savings available to homeowners in Collier County: ✔️ Homestead Exemption ✔️ Senior Exemption ✔️ Disability & Veteran Exemptions ✔️ First Responder Exemption. These exemptions can significantly reduce your tax burden and are easy to apply for. Visit collierappraiser.com to learn more and see if you qualify.

🎉 Congratulations, Abbigail Barrett!

Please join us in congratulating Abbigail Barrett, our Supervisor of Records, on reaching her 10-year anniversary with the Collier County Property Appraiser’s Office!

Abbigail’s professionalism and commitment to excellence have made a lasting impact on our team and the community we serve. We’re so grateful for her decade of service! Here’s to many more milestones ahead!

👩‍🏫 Youth Leadership Collier’s Government Day

Property Appraiser Vickie A. Downs was proud to participate in Youth Leadership Collier’s Government Day! It was an honor to join Clerk of Courts Crystal Kinzel, Collier County Supervisor of Elections Melissa Blazier, and Tax Collector Rob Stoneburner to help educate our future leaders about the important roles of local government. Youth Leadership Collier is a program specifically designed for rising high school seniors in Collier County, offered by the Greater Naples Chamber.

🎤 Right Men’s Club Engagement

Property Appraiser Vickie A. Downs and Director of Administration Patty Hisler proudly represented our office at the Right Men’s Club, where the featured speaker was former Representative Bob Rommel. It was a great opportunity to connect with so many of our residents and share the important work our office is doing for Collier County!

🤝 Statewide Collaboration to Better Serve Collier County

This month, I had the pleasure of attending the Property Appraisers’ Association of Florida Summer Conference in Orlando. It was a fantastic opportunity to meet with fellow elected Property Appraisers from across the state, share ideas, and gain valuable insights. These conferences help us stay informed on statewide issues, new legislation, and best practices, ensuring we continue to provide excellent service to the residents of Collier County.

💡FAQ Spotlight: My neighbor and I have the exact same house. Why are my taxes higher than theirs?

Homesteaded property owners benefit from the "Save Our Homes" (SOH) Benefit, which prevents their assessed value from increasing more than 3% per year beginning in the second year of homestead exemption. The SOH Benefit, reflected on the annual TRIM Notice, represents the difference between the property's market and assessed values. This amount may accumulate over time and can explain the disparity between your property taxes and those of a neighbor who has claimed a homestead exemption for several years.

✅ Need Info Now? Check Out Our Website

Whether you're a homeowner or a business owner, we encourage you to visit our office online at collierappraiser.com. You’ll find:

Tools to file for Homestead Exemption
Resources for Tangible Personal Property
FAQs, forms, deadlines, and more
Contact info, office hours, and directions
And now, the option to sign up for this monthly digest straight to your inbox!

We’re working hard to make your experience with our office as smooth and helpful as possible — 24/7. Did you know you can now do a self-service data download for your files? Learn more, along with instructions, on our website at collierappraiser.com.

Invite Us to Speak at Your Next Event

Did you know that educating our community is one of our top priorities? Property Appraiser Vickie A. Downs and our knowledgeable staff love connecting with local residents, real estate professionals, civic groups, and schools to help demystify what our office does — and why it matters. Whether it’s explaining property valuation, homestead exemptions, or how your tax dollars are calculated, we’re here to help! Interested in having a speaker from our office? Email vdowns@collierappraiser.com to request a speaker for your next meeting or event.

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