If you are moving to Katy from out of state, the practical short version is: Texas has no state income tax, but property taxes are high and you file for the homestead exemption yourself; Katy ISD assigns schools by your exact address, not your subdivision; and you close through a title company rather than an attorney. This guide walks through each of those, plus the airports, the commute and how utilities work, with Sunterra as the lens for what a Katy move actually involves.
The short version: what surprises out-of-state buyers
Katy draws families from across the country, and most arrive for the same two reasons: a highly rated school district and master-planned communities where the everyday amenities are built in. Sunterra, where 137 Eliana Shores Dr sits, is one of the clearest examples, with two amenity villages, community lakes and a Katy ISD feeder pattern.
The parts that surprise out-of-state buyers are financial and procedural. Texas has no state income tax, but property taxes are among the highest in the country. Schools are assigned by street address. And residential closings run through a licensed title company with standardized state forms, not a lawyer's office. None of these are barriers; they are simply different, and knowing them before you shop keeps surprises off the closing statement.
No state income tax, but property taxes are the real bill
Texas has no state income tax, a genuine advantage for households coming from states that tax wages. The trade-off is on the property side. Texas property taxes are among the highest in the country, and across Sunterra's sections they typically run roughly 3.2 to 3.65 percent of appraised value. Our line-by-line breakdown of owning a Sunterra home works a full example at the current $349,900 asking price, covering taxes, insurance, HOA fees and the mortgage.
When you compare a Katy home with one back home, compare total monthly cost, not list price. The property tax line is where the two markets genuinely differ, and it is the number that shapes most monthly budgets here.
The homestead exemption: you file it, by April 30
Texas does not apply your homestead exemption automatically; you apply for it. Buyers who close after 2022 can file in the year they purchase, and the exemption takes effect from the date of acquisition. Since the November 2025 ballot measure, every Texas school district exempts $140,000 of a residence homestead's appraised value from school taxes, so a home appraised at $300,000 is taxed by the school district as if it were worth $160,000.
File Form 50-114 with your appraisal district by April 30 of the tax year: the Harris Central Appraisal District for the Harris County side of Sunterra, and the Fort Bend Central Appraisal District for the Fort Bend side. The exemption also activates the 10 percent annual cap on how much your taxable value can rise, so the earlier you file, the earlier that protection starts.
Schools: Katy ISD assigns by your exact address
Katy ISD is the top reason families pick this side of Houston, with more than 95,000 students and new campuses opening as the area grows. For 137 Eliana Shores Dr, the current feeder pattern is James & Mitzi Cross Elementary, Haskett Junior High and Freeman High School; Cross Elementary opened inside Sunterra in 2025, close to the community's neighborhoods.
Attendance boundaries are set by street address, not by community name, and they can shift when new campuses open. Run the address through Katy ISD's Find My School lookup before you make an offer, then confirm again at enrollment. Our address-specific guide to Sunterra schools walks through each campus.
The commute and the airports: plan for a car-first lifestyle
Sunterra sits roughly 29 miles west of downtown Houston, about 30 to 35 minutes on I-10 when traffic is clear, with the Grand Parkway (TX-99) and the Westpark Tollway as alternates. Weekday peaks run longer, typically 45 to 75 minutes eastbound in the morning, so drive the route at the times you would actually travel it.
For flights, George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is about 44 to 45 miles from Katy, roughly a 50 to 55 minute drive, and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) is about 46 miles, around 50 minutes. Most Katy households pick by airline and schedule; both airports are practical for regular travel, and Sunterra's position off the Grand Parkway keeps the IAH run mostly on freeways.
Closing without an attorney: how Texas residential deals work
Texas is a title-company state. A licensed title company runs the title search, issues the commitment and the policy, holds escrow, prepares the settlement statement and conducts the closing, using standardized Texas Real Estate Commission forms. You are not required to hire a real estate attorney for a typical purchase.
Buyers arriving from states where closings happen in a lawyer's office usually find the Texas version simpler: one closing agent, one set of standard documents, and contract deadlines that do the protecting, including the option period that lets you walk away within a set window after inspections.
Utilities and everyday costs: electricity, sales tax and insurance
Katy sits in deregulated electricity territory. CenterPoint Energy owns and maintains the lines and meters and delivers the power, while you choose your own retail electricity provider, so it pays to compare plans instead of accepting the first offer. Power outages are reported to CenterPoint, not your retail provider.
The combined sales tax rate on the Harris County side of Katy is 8.25 percent, made up of 6.25 percent state, 1 percent city of Katy and 1 percent special district. Homeowners insurance runs above the national norm because of hail and wind exposure, a line item our monthly-cost breakdown includes. None of this changes the appeal of the area; it belongs in the budget.
What a Katy move looks like from a Sunterra address
The payoff for the planning is the everyday life: a community lake with a fountain behind the house, a covered screened patio for the warm months, the Sol Club lagoon and The Retreat lazy river minutes away, and Katy Mills plus major grocery shopping roughly 10 minutes south. It is the lifestyle most out-of-state buyers picture when they say they want to move to Texas.
The waterfront home at 137 Eliana Shores Dr is an active listing at $349,900 as of late October 2026, with 4 bedrooms, 3 baths and 1,885 square feet on a one-story floor plan. If relocating to this area is on your calendar, the most useful next step is a conversation about schools, taxes and neighborhoods with someone who works in this market every day.
Carol Jukes, Broker/Owner of Realty Pros of Texas, guides out-of-state buyers through Katy relocations and can share current Sunterra market numbers for your budget. Call (832) 212-2772 or send a message through the contact page.