As a real estate agent, I talk about property taxes every single day. They affect monthly payments, affordability, and long-term home values. As someone who benefited from a strong public school system, I also understand that those taxes don’t just disappear into thin air — they support the communities we live in.

That’s why recent proposals to eliminate school property taxes for people without children in public schools gave me pause. On the surface, the idea sounds appealing. Property taxes are one of the largest ongoing costs of homeownership, and any relief feels welcome.

But when you look at how Michigan’s property tax system actually works, the conversation becomes more complicated — and more revealing.

Michigan Already Exempts Most Owner-Occupants From School Operating Taxes

One important fact often missing from this discussion is the Principal Residence Exemption (PRE).

In Michigan, homeowners who live in their home as a primary residence are already exempt from most local school operating taxes — regardless of whether they have children, don’t have children, or send their kids to public school. This exemption exists because owner-occupancy is seen as a public good that stabilizes neighborhoods and communities.

In other words, many homeowners are already not paying the school tax people assume they are.

So when we talk about further eliminating school taxes, the real question becomes:

What funding is actually being removed — and who is really paying (or not paying) today?

The Bigger Problem I See Every Day: Improper PRE Use

As a real estate professional who regularly reviews tax records, I see a much bigger issue hiding in plain sight: non-owner-occupied properties improperly claiming the PRE exemption.

This includes:

• Rental homes still listed as principal residences
• Former primary homes converted to rentals without removing PRE
• Investors claiming PRE on multiple properties
• Properties owned by LLCs or trusts incorrectly receiving the exemption

When this happens, those property owners are paying significantly less than they should — and everyone else picks up the slack.

That’s not tax relief. That’s tax shifting.

Why Enforcement Beats New Carve-Outs

If the goal is fairness and affordability, cracking down on improper PRE exemptions is one of the most effective solutions available — and it doesn’t require rewriting the tax code or redefining who “deserves” relief.

Better enforcement would:

• Restore revenue without raising tax rates
• Protect school funding
• Avoid penalizing families with children
• Reduce the burden on law-abiding homeowners
• Preserve property values by maintaining strong school districts

By contrast, proposals that remove school taxes based on whether someone has children risk doing real harm:

• They weaken school funding
• They increase costs for families already struggling with affordability
• They shrink the buyer pool
• And a smaller buyer pool almost always leads to softer prices and lower home values

Even homeowners without children feel that impact when it’s time to sell.

Public Schools Are a Community Asset, Not a User Fee

I don’t currently have children in public schools — but I benefited from them growing up, and I benefit today from living in communities where strong schools support stability, demand, and long-term value.

Public schools aren’t a subscription service. They’re infrastructure. Just like roads, fire protection, and utilities, they support everyone who lives in the community — whether or not they personally “use” them.

A Real Estate Perspective on Tax Reform

Lower property taxes are a worthy goal. But how we pursue that goal matters.

Policies that quietly erode school funding or shift costs onto families risk undermining the very things that protect home values in the first place. Enforcing existing rules — especially around the proper use of the PRE — is a far more practical, fair, and market-friendly solution.

As a real estate professional, my focus is always long-term value, not short-term wins. Strong schools, fair tax enforcement, and stable communities are what keep housing markets healthy — for everyone.