What is meant by a “principal residence”?
A principal residence is a dwelling for which the owner/claimant has been granted, in the name of the parent or the child, either a homeowner’s exemption (claimant owned and occupied as principal residence at the time of sale or within two years of the acquisition of the replacement property) or a disabled veteran’s exemption (claimant a veteran with service-related disability and a California resident on January 1 of claim year). Only a reasonable portion of the land will be considered a part of the principal residence if the land exceeds the area reasonably necessary as a site for the residence.
