Moving to Texas: the practical checklist that makes it smoother

Why the Texas money math works in your favor

Texas has no state personal income tax, so your paycheck, retirement income, and investment earnings keep more of themselves than they would in most states. That advantage shows up in the numbers. According to the C2ER Cost of Living Index for the second quarter of 2026, cited by the Greater Houston Partnership, Houston ranks with the lowest living costs among the country's most populous metros: overall costs run about 6.3 percent below the national urban average, and housing costs run about 24.8 percent below it. For a family moving from a coastal metro, that gap is often the single biggest line item in the budget.

The trade is property tax. Texas pays for its schools and services through local property taxes instead of income tax, so the rates are above the national average. On owner-occupied homes, the effective rate in Harris County is roughly 1.6 percent of value, and in Galveston County it is roughly 1.4 percent, with the exact number varying by city, county, and school district. That is not a reason to skip the move. It is a reason to build property tax and homeowners insurance into your monthly payment from the start, which is exactly what we do when we run your numbers together.

Your vehicle, within 30 days

Texas gives you 30 days after moving to register your vehicle with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. The process is straightforward: go to your county tax assessor-collector's office, bring proof of insurance and your out-of-state title or registration, and complete the title and registration application. New residents pay a flat $90 new resident tax in place of the state's 6.25 percent vehicle sales tax, plus the base registration fee of $51.75 and whatever local fees your county adds.

One welcome change: as of January 1, 2025, Texas no longer requires the annual safety inspection for non-commercial vehicles. A $7.50 inspection replacement fee is simply collected at registration instead. The one catch for our corner of the state is emissions. An emissions inspection is still required before you register in 17 counties, and they include Harris, Galveston, Fort Bend, Brazoria, and Montgomery, which covers most of the communities I serve. Budget a little time for that step and the rest goes quickly.

Your driver's license, within 90 days

You can legally drive on a valid, unexpired out-of-state license for up to 90 days after moving. Before that window closes, apply for your Texas driver license in person at a DPS office. If your license is from another U.S. state, a U.S. territory, or Canada, you surrender it and take no knowledge or skills tests; the exchange is paperwork, not an exam.

Bring proof of citizenship or lawful presence, proof of identity, your Social Security number, and two documents showing Texas residency, such as a lease or mortgage statement, a utility bill, or voter registration. DPS also checks that your vehicle is registered in Texas before it issues a license, so the 30-day vehicle step comes first in practice. The Class C license fee is $33, and the whole appointment usually moves faster than people fear.

Property taxes and the homestead exemption

If you buy and live in your home as your principal residence as of January 1, file for the residence homestead exemption with your county appraisal district. It is free, it takes one form, and it is one of the most valuable documents a Texas homeowner signs.

• The school district exemption: $140,000 of your home's appraised value is exempt from school district property taxes, a figure that took effect for the 2025 tax year. Cities and counties may add their own local exemption of up to 20 percent of value, with a $5,000 floor.

• The 10 percent cap: with a homestead exemption in place, the taxable appraised value of your home cannot rise more than 10 percent per year for school taxes, which keeps annual increases predictable.

• The deadline: the general filing deadline is before May 1 of the tax year, and late applications are generally accepted for up to two years. Homeowners 65 and older or with a disability get an additional $60,000 school district exemption plus any local options.

The form is the Comptroller's Application for Residence Homestead Exemption, and your county appraisal district walks you through it. I remind every buyer I close to file it at closing, so the savings start in the first tax year.

What the housing market looks like right now

For the Greater Houston area, the Houston Association of Realtors reported a median single-family home price of $325,000 in September 2026, essentially flat from $325,990 a year earlier, with the average price at $421,311. Sales eased to 7,030 single-family homes as mortgage rates rose, and the association put inventory at 5.5 months of supply, up from 5.1 months a year ago, with more than 40,000 single-family homes on the market. In Galveston County, the median sale price ran about $356,000 over the spring months of 2026, roughly 3 percent above the year before.

For a relocating family, that combination is welcome news. More homes on the market means more time to compare neighborhoods and fewer bidding wars, and flat prices take the pressure off arriving with an offer ready on day one. You still want your financing in order before you shop, because a pre-approval makes your offer competitive and tells you the number a lender will actually lend. But you have room to choose well rather than to choose fast.

The checklist I guide relocating clients through

The families who settle in with the least stress do the same handful of things, in the same order:

• Register your vehicle within 30 days. County tax office, $90 new resident tax, base fee of $51.75, and an emissions check first if you are in Harris, Galveston, Fort Bend, Brazoria, or Montgomery County.

• Swap your driver's license within 90 days. No tests if you are licensed in another U.S. state, a territory, or Canada; bring the residency documents and your Texas registration.

• Start the home search before you move. Browse the free property search at sandramcduffie.exprealty.com to get a feel for price ranges, and get pre-approved so you are ready to move when the right home shows up.

• Budget the full monthly number. Property tax and homeowners insurance belong in the payment from the start, not as surprises in year two. We build them in when we run the numbers.

• Tour neighborhoods before you commit. Commute, schools, and weekend life decide more of your happiness than the floor plan does. Our community guides cover the towns I serve, from Friendswood and League City to Pearland and the Clear Lake area.

• Ask for the relocation guide. I keep a free relocation guide for Texas newcomers, in English and Spanish, and I am happy to send it your way when we talk.

The honest bottom line

Relocating is equal parts adventure and logistics, and the logistics are the part that keeps people up at night. The good news is that Texas made most of them simpler than they look from a distance: a 30-day vehicle window, a 90-day license window, a free homestead form that saves real money, and a housing market with more than 40,000 homes to choose from. Warm by nature, sharp by practice, I have been guiding families into Greater Houston and Galveston since 2014, and I will be with you every step of the way, in English or Spanish.

Start by browsing what is out there at sandramcduffie.exprealty.com, then call or text me at (346) 222-4996. We will map your move, your timeline, and the neighborhoods worth your attention, and you will have a plan before the boxes arrive.