“I was first introduced to Kenny in early 2025. I was relocating from Florida, for a new job, and really had no clue as to where to start. I was in a foreign land, but Kenny listened, he was patient and worked tirelessly to ensure that I found a place to call home.
Relocating to Dallas–Fort Worth
You don't have to be here to buy here.
Most of my relocation clients see their home in person twice — once on a video call, and once at the final walkthrough. That works because the search happens before you land, not after.
Revenos Relocation Certified through eXp Realty, and a Military Relocation Professional through the National Association of REALTORS.
The sequence
How a remote purchase actually works.
The intake call
Thirty to forty-five minutes that define the target precisely: where you'll be working and how you want to travel to it, the price you're actually comfortable at once Texas property tax is in the payment, the property type, the non-negotiables and the things you'd trade. Everything downstream depends on getting this right.
A curated shortlist, honestly filmed
Not a feed. A short list, each with a video walkthrough I record myself — including what's wrong with it. The road noise, the awkward layout, the deferred maintenance, the assessment that isn't in the list price. You cannot judge a home from a listing gallery, and you shouldn't have to.
The scouting trip, built as an itinerary
If you're coming in, the trip is planned as a route rather than a scramble: which homes, in which order, with drive times between them so you feel the geography as well as see the houses. Most clients confirm on one weekend because the narrowing already happened.
Offer and negotiation while you're back home
Offers are written, signed and negotiated electronically. Price is one term of several — option period, repairs, credits, closing date, leaseback and rate buydowns all move, and they matter more when you're coordinating a start date and a move.
A closing you can complete remotely
Texas closings can be completed by mail-away, and where your attorney advises it, by power of attorney. Documents are couriered or signed remotely where permitted, funds are wired, and keys are handled here. You do not have to fly in twice.
Before you sign anything
What nobody tells you about moving to Texas.
No state income tax — but the property tax line is bigger
Texas levies no state income tax, which is usually the headline. The counterweight is that property tax rates here are meaningfully higher than in most states, so a Dallas–Fort Worth monthly payment is weighted differently than the one you have now. Compare payments, not prices. I'm not a tax advisor — your accountant should confirm your own position.
The homestead exemption — you have to file it
For your primary residence, the homestead exemption currently includes a $140,000 school-district exemption and a 10% annual cap on increases in your homestead's appraised value. It is filed with the county appraisal district where the home sits, and it is not automatic — new owners regularly miss it in the first year. Amounts and rules change; the current figures are published by the Texas Comptroller.
MUD and PID districts
Municipal Utility Districts and Public Improvement Districts fund infrastructure in many newer master-planned communities, and the assessment does not appear in the list price. Two homes with identical prices can carry very different monthly costs because of it. Every property we look at gets checked.
Insurance costs more here than most people budget
North Texas sits in a hail and wind corridor, and homeowner's premiums reflect it. Quote coverage early rather than in the final week — your lender needs the binder in the file before they fund, and a late surprise can move your monthly number.
Vehicle registration and inspection
New Texas residents have a deadline to register their vehicles, and registration requires a Texas safety inspection and proof of Texas liability insurance. It's a small errand that becomes a headache if it's forgotten in the move.
Utilities
Much of Texas is a deregulated electricity market, which means you choose a retail provider rather than being assigned one, and plans vary widely. Water, gas and waste are usually municipal. Set them up before closing so the house is live the day you arrive.
General information only, current at the time of writing. Tax amounts, exemption figures and deadlines change — confirm them with the Texas Comptroller, your county appraisal district, and your own tax and legal advisors before relying on them.
Run your own numbers
Will the move actually save you money?
No state income tax is the headline. Higher property tax is the part that arrives later. The relocation cost comparison puts published state rates against an estimated Texas bill on the home you expect to buy — and it will tell you plainly when the move costs you more each year. Nothing gated, no email required.
Orientation
The DFW geography, plainly.
Two cities, one metroplex
Dallas and Fort Worth sit about thirty miles apart with a continuous band of cities between them. They are genuinely different in character and in architecture — Dallas leans contemporary and dense toward its core, Fort Worth keeps a lower, older, more traditional grain — and most people orient themselves around which of the two they'll be working near.
The northern corridor
Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Prosper and Celina run north up the Dallas North Tollway and US-75. This is where most of the corporate relocation activity sits — Legacy West and the Frisco business corridor in particular — and where most of the new construction is. Prices generally step down as you move further north, and lot sizes step up.
The western side
Southlake, Westlake, Colleyville and Grapevine sit between the two downtowns and around DFW International. Larger lots, more traditional and transitional architecture, and a higher share of custom homes. This side is favoured by people who travel constantly, because the airport is minutes away.
Two airports, and what that means
DFW International sits centrally on the western side and carries the long-haul and connecting traffic. Dallas Love Field is small, close to central Dallas and mostly domestic. Which one you'll use weekly is one of the better predictors of where you should be looking.
Where the work is
Employment is spread rather than concentrated in one downtown: the Legacy and Frisco corridor to the north, Las Colinas and the Irving corridor in the middle, downtown Dallas and Uptown, the medical district, Alliance in north Fort Worth, and downtown Fort Worth. Traffic here is directional, so a commute that looks equal on a map often isn't.
Area by area — architecture, property types, price ranges and what sits nearby — is set out on the communities pages.
In their words
Clients who bought from away.
Reviews published on Google.
“I wanted to take a moment to share with my exceptional experience working with Kenny. From the beginning to the end of our collaboration with him was amazing. Kenny's sharpness, professionalism, personable personality, and strategic approach to real estate stood out.
“Kenny helped my family tremendously getting into our new home. He was there every step of the way and even personally came down to Colorado to make sure everything went through.
I am so grateful to him”
“Kenny was absolutely exceptional to work with. From start to finish, he went above and beyond to help secure a rental for me in Dallas. What truly stood out was his dedication, even while away on vacation. He remained fully engaged and continued working to ensure everything was handled seamlessly.
“Kenny is great to work with! He professional, knowledgeable, patient, and goal-oriented; overall just the kind of person you need to get the job done. Highly recommended.”
Relocation intake
Tell me where you're coming from.
The more of this you can answer, the more useful the first call is. Nothing here is binding, and nothing is shared outside my brokerage.
Relocation questions
Asked and answered.
- Can I buy a home in Dallas–Fort Worth without living here yet?
- Yes, and most of my relocation clients do. The search happens before you land: we define the target on an intake call, I send video walkthroughs that show the problems as well as the finishes, and we narrow to a short list. You either confirm on one scouting trip or, if travel isn't possible, we proceed on video. Texas closings can be completed remotely by mail-away or, where your attorney advises it, by power of attorney.
- Texas has no state income tax — so is it cheaper?
- It depends on your numbers. Texas has no state income tax, but property tax rates here are meaningfully higher than in most states, so the monthly payment math is different from what people expect. Run the property tax line before you compare a Texas payment to your current one. I'm not a tax advisor — your accountant should confirm your own position.
- What is the homestead exemption and do I get it automatically?
- It's a reduction in the taxable value of your primary residence, and it is not automatic — you file it with the county appraisal district where the home sits. It currently includes a $140,000 school-district exemption and a 10% annual cap on increases in the appraised value of your homestead. Amounts and rules change; confirm the current figures with the Texas Comptroller and your appraisal district before you rely on them.
- What are MUD and PID districts?
- They are additional assessments used to fund infrastructure, common in newer master-planned communities. They don't appear in the list price, and they can change the monthly cost of a home materially. I check for them on every property we consider and tell you what it means for that specific address.
- How does the Texas homestead exemption lower my property tax?
- For a primary residence, the school-district portion of your taxable value is currently reduced by a $140,000 exemption, and once the exemption is in place the appraised value used for taxes cannot rise more than 10 percent a year. It is not automatic — you file with the county appraisal district where the home is located, and the exemption applies to a home you own and occupy as your principal residence. Exemption amounts change with legislation, so confirm the current figures with the Texas Comptroller or your appraisal district.
- What does a MUD or PID district add to my monthly cost?
- A Municipal Utility District funds water, sewer and drainage infrastructure through an additional tax rate, and a Public Improvement District funds specified improvements through an assessment. Either can raise the real monthly cost of a home noticeably compared with an identical home outside the district, and MUD rates commonly decline over time as the underlying debt is repaid. I check the district status and the current rate before you write an offer, not after.
- How much of a scouting trip do I actually need?
- One well-built weekend is usually enough when the shortlist is already made. I build the trip as an itinerary — routes, timings and a clear order — rather than a scramble of showings booked around whatever was available.
- What do I need to sort out after I move to Texas?
- Vehicle registration and a state inspection within the deadlines that apply to new residents, a driver's licence, utility setup at the new address, and homeowner's coverage bound before closing. North Texas insurance premiums are typically higher than buyers expect, largely because of hail and wind exposure, so quote it early rather than in the final week.
Begin
Let's map it before you land.
A relocation call to orient you on geography, budget and timing — before the search starts.
“Kenny is great to work with! He professional, knowledgeable, patient, and goal-oriented; overall just the kind of person you need to get the job done. Highly recommended.”