Most homeowners are eligible for this exemption if they own and occupy their property as their principal place of residence. Property tax exemptions are savings that contribute to lowering a homeowner's property tax bill.The most common is the Homeowner Exemption. Senior Citizen Homestead Exemption. A property tax exemption is like a discount applied to your EAV. If you qualify for an exemption, it allows you to lower your EAV. The BOR accepts exemption applications for approximately 30 days, four times each year. The General Homestead Exemption is one of the many property tax exemptions offered to homeowners on their primary residence. In both dollar value and proportion of EAV, exemptions are more prevalent in suburban Cook County than in Chicago. The General Homestead Exemption is granted automatically in most cases.