SC legal residence question

[Adam Odom]

Ok I'm getting mixed responses from people and wanted to see if anyone has had a similar situation. We moved into our new home in mid January of this year and are in the process of finally selling our old residence. We got the assessment changed to our new home just in the last couple of days finally and although it's now correct, it updated our old house to the non primary rate. In Richland county that means a jump from $1700 annual to $6100 annual! I always thought/heard that it goes by the residency status as of January 1st so you technically wouldn't be penalized for selling mid year. It's going to be next to impossible for the new owners to get their application approved before the end of the year since we close on 12-30 and there's no incentive for them to do it just to help me. Is this correct or at least something I can fight/appeal? The big catch is we have to prorate taxes based on the tax bill so it's going to cost me an extra $4k in my closing I wasn't expecting if I cannot get it changed back.