The Washington County Assessor's Office has been conducting state-required visual inspections of properties since September in order to update the county tax rolls. As they begin to wind down on the inspections, Todd Mathis of the Assessor's office says new property owners may not know there are ways to save on taxes.

One of them is the Homestead Exemption, which is offered to every property owner, regardless of the type or size of the property and you are guaranteed you will qualify for it. 

Mathis says applying for the exemption is as simple as making a quick trip to the Assessor's office at 400 South Johnstone Avenue and signing some paperwork. Once the exemption is granted, it is for however long you own the property and it is applied automatically to the annual billing statement.

You can find more information about the Homestead Exemption on the website of the Washington County Assessor's office.