The Complete Guide to Real Estate Tax Strategies for DFW Investors

The Dallas-Fort Worth real estate market has been one of the hottest in the nation. Whether you're flipping houses in Plano, building a rental portfolio in Frisco, or investing in commercial properties across the Metroplex, your tax strategy can mean the difference between good returns and great ones.

Real talk: The investors who build lasting wealth aren't just good at finding deals—they're intentional about keeping more of what they earn.

This guide covers the most powerful tax strategies available to Texas real estate investors in 2026.

1. Cost Segregation: The Most Powerful Strategy You're Not Using

Potential savings: $30,000 - $150,000+ in year one

Cost segregation is hands-down the most impactful tax strategy for real estate investors, yet most don't know it exists.

How It Works

When you buy a property, the IRS requires you to depreciate it over a set schedule:

Residential rental: 27.5 years
Commercial property: 39 years

That's a long time to wait for tax benefits. Cost segregation accelerates this by reclassifying components of your property into shorter depreciation schedules:

Component	Standard Schedule	After Cost Seg
Building structure	27.5 or 39 years	27.5 or 39 years
Carpeting, appliances	27.5 or 39 years	5 years
Landscaping, parking lots	27.5 or 39 years	15 years
Fixtures, cabinetry	27.5 or 39 years	7 years

Real Example: DFW Rental Property

A client purchased a $750,000 rental property in Richardson:

Without cost segregation: ~$27,000 depreciation in year one
With cost segregation: ~$180,000 depreciation in year one
Tax savings at 37% bracket: $56,000+

That's $56,000 back in their pocket to reinvest in more properties.

When Cost Segregation Makes Sense

Consider a cost segregation study if you:

Own property valued at $500,000 or more
Recently purchased, built, or renovated property
Plan to hold the property for at least 3-5 years
Are in a high tax bracket (or have other income to offset)
Have multiple properties (economies of scale on studies)

The Process

Engineering-based study — A qualified firm analyzes your property
Component identification — They classify every element by depreciation class
Report generation — Documentation that satisfies IRS requirements
Tax filing — Your CPA applies the accelerated depreciation

Cost segregation studies typically cost $5,000-$15,000 but generate 5-10x that in tax savings. For DFW investors with multiple properties, this is often the single biggest tax optimization available.

2. 1031 Exchanges: Defer Taxes Indefinitely

Potential savings: Defer 100% of capital gains taxes

When you sell an investment property, you'd normally owe capital gains tax on the profit. A 1031 exchange lets you defer those taxes by reinvesting in a "like-kind" property.

How 1031 Exchanges Work

Sell your property — Close on the sale
Use a Qualified Intermediary (QI) — Funds go to a third party, never to you
Identify replacement property — Within 45 days
Close on replacement — Within 180 days

The Rules You Must Follow

Timing is strict:

45 days to identify up to 3 replacement properties
180 days to close on at least one

Like-kind requirement:

Any investment real estate for any other investment real estate
Rental house → commercial building ✓
Rental house → your personal residence ✗

Equal or greater value:

To defer 100%, buy property of equal or greater value
If you buy less, you'll owe tax on the difference ("boot")

Strategic Uses in DFW

Many of my clients use 1031 exchanges to:

Trade up: Sell a $300K rental in Garland, buy a $500K property in Frisco
Consolidate: Exchange multiple small properties for one larger asset
Diversify: Move from residential to commercial or vice versa
Relocate investments: Exit one market and enter another

Example: Building Wealth Tax-Free

A client bought a duplex in Carrollton for $200,000 in 2015. In 2024, they sold it for $450,000. Instead of paying ~$50,000 in capital gains tax, they did a 1031 exchange into a small apartment building in McKinney worth $600,000.

Their $250,000 gain? Still deferred. They've now got a larger, cash-flowing asset and kept their capital working.

The "Die and Defer" Strategy

Here's something most investors don't realize: if you hold 1031-exchanged properties until death, your heirs receive a stepped-up basis. The deferred gains are eliminated entirely.

This is how generational real estate wealth is built.

3. Depreciation Strategies Beyond Cost Segregation

Even without a cost segregation study, smart depreciation strategies can significantly reduce your tax burden.

Bonus Depreciation (While It Lasts)

Under current law, bonus depreciation allows you to deduct a large percentage of certain property improvements in the first year:

Year	Bonus Depreciation Rate
2023	80%
2024	60%
2025	40%
2026	20%
2027+	0%

Action item: If you're planning major improvements or acquisitions, doing them sooner captures more bonus depreciation.

Land Improvements

Certain improvements depreciate over 15 years regardless of cost segregation:

Parking lots and driveways
Fencing
Landscaping
Sidewalks
Outdoor lighting

If you're adding these to a property, make sure they're tracked separately for faster depreciation.

Repair vs. Improvement

The IRS distinguishes between repairs (deductible immediately) and improvements (depreciated over time):

Repairs (deduct now):

Fixing a broken HVAC unit
Patching a roof leak
Repainting in the same color
Replacing a few broken windows

Improvements (depreciate):

Installing a new HVAC system
Full roof replacement
Complete renovation
Adding square footage

A good CPA helps you classify expenditures correctly to maximize immediate deductions where possible.

4. Rental Property Deductions Most Investors Miss

Beyond depreciation, rental property owners can deduct a wide range of expenses. Here are the ones I see missed most often:

Travel Expenses

If you travel to manage your properties, those expenses are deductible:

Mileage to visit properties (70 cents/mile in 2026)
Flights to out-of-state investments
Hotel stays for property management trips
Meals while traveling (50% deductible)

Pro tip: Keep a travel log documenting the business purpose of each trip.

Professional Services

Property management fees
CPA and legal fees
Real estate agent commissions (for management, not purchase)
Cost segregation studies
Appraisals

Home Office

If you manage your real estate investments from a dedicated home office:

Simplified method: $5 per square foot (up to 300 sq ft = $1,500)
Actual method: Percentage of home expenses (mortgage interest, utilities, insurance)

Insurance Premiums

All insurance on investment properties is deductible:

Property insurance
Liability insurance
Umbrella policies covering rentals
Flood insurance

Loan Costs

Mortgage interest (your biggest deduction usually)
Points paid on refinancing (amortized over loan term)
Private mortgage insurance (PMI)

Entity Costs

If you hold properties in an LLC:

Registered agent fees
State filing fees
Operating agreement legal costs

5. Entity Structuring for Real Estate Investors

How you hold your properties affects both liability protection and tax treatment.

Common Structures

Single-Member LLC:

Pass-through taxation (reported on your personal return)
Liability protection for each property
Simple and inexpensive to set up
Most common for 1-5 properties

Series LLC (Texas allows this):

One "parent" LLC with multiple "series"
Each series is a separate liability compartment
One filing fee, multiple protected assets
Great for investors with many properties

S-Corporation:

Rarely optimal for rental properties
May make sense if you're also flipping or developing
Consult a CPA before electing

Partnership/Multi-Member LLC:

For joint ventures or syndications
Flexible profit/loss allocation
K-1 reporting for each partner

My Recommendation for DFW Investors

For most clients with rental properties, I recommend:

1-3 properties: Single-member LLCs (one per property or one for all)
4+ properties: Consider a Series LLC or holding company structure
Active flipping business: Separate entity from rentals (different tax treatment)

The right structure depends on your specific situation, risk tolerance, and growth plans.

6. Texas-Specific Considerations

No State Income Tax (But...)

Texas has no personal income tax, which is great for real estate investors. However, you still need to consider:

Texas Franchise Tax:

Applies to LLCs, corporations, and partnerships
No tax owed if revenue is under $2.47 million
Still may need to file a No Tax Due report

Property Taxes:

Texas has some of the highest property taxes in the nation
Factor this into your investment analysis
Property taxes are fully deductible against rental income

Homestead Exemption (Not for Rentals)

The Texas homestead exemption only applies to your primary residence, not investment properties. However, if you house-hack (live in one unit of a multi-family), you may qualify for a partial exemption.

Texas Real Estate Market Dynamics

The DFW market has unique characteristics that affect tax strategy:

Rapid appreciation: More reason to use 1031 exchanges
High property taxes: Increases importance of maximizing deductions
Strong rental demand: Supports long-term hold strategies
No rent control: Flexibility in rental pricing

7. Real Estate Professional Status: The Ultimate Tax Strategy

If you qualify as a Real Estate Professional (REP), you can deduct rental losses against your ordinary income—W-2 wages, business income, anything.

Qualification Requirements

You must meet BOTH tests:

More than 750 hours in real estate activities during the year
More than 50% of your working time in real estate

What Counts as Real Estate Activities

Property management
Acquisitions and dispositions
Development and construction
Brokerage activities
Rental operations

Who This Benefits Most

REP status is most valuable for:

Full-time real estate investors
Spouses of high-income earners who manage properties
Real estate agents who also invest
Property managers

Example: Massive Tax Savings

A couple where one spouse earns $400,000 as a physician and the other manages their rental portfolio full-time:

Without REP status: Rental losses limited to $25,000 against other income
With REP status: All rental losses (including depreciation) offset the physician's income

On a portfolio with $200,000 in depreciation, that's potentially $74,000 in tax savings annually.

8. Record Keeping Best Practices

Good records are the foundation of every tax strategy. The IRS requires documentation to support your deductions.

What to Keep

For each property:

Purchase documents (HUD-1, closing statement)
Improvement records (invoices, contracts, before/after photos)
Rental income documentation (leases, bank deposits)
Expense receipts (organized by category)

For travel:

Mileage log (date, destination, business purpose, miles)
Receipts for flights, hotels, meals

For time tracking (if pursuing REP status):

Daily log of activities
Hours spent on each task
Properties involved

Recommended Systems

Accounting software: QuickBooks, Xero, or Stessa (real estate specific)
Receipt capture: Dext, Hubdoc, or your phone's camera
Mileage tracking: MileIQ, Everlance
Document storage: Google Drive, Dropbox (organized by property and year)

Take Action: Your Real Estate Tax Checklist

Immediate Actions

Review your current depreciation schedules
Evaluate properties for cost segregation studies
Assess upcoming sales for 1031 exchange opportunities
Ensure you're capturing all deductible expenses

Annual Planning

Meet with your CPA before year-end for tax planning
Review entity structure as portfolio grows
Evaluate REP status qualification
Project next year's tax situation

Long-Term Strategy

Develop a 1031 exchange roadmap
Plan for stepped-up basis wealth transfer
Consider portfolio structure for liability and taxes

The Bottom Line

Most real estate investors are paying more tax than they need to. A strategic approach to depreciation, exchanges, and deductions can put tens of thousands back in your pocket every year.

If you own investment property in DFW and haven't done a tax strategy review, let's talk. Even a 30-minute conversation can uncover significant savings.

Ready to find the savings in your portfolio? Book a strategy session →

— Krystal Le, CPA

LeCPA helps real estate investors across Plano, Richardson, Carrollton, Frisco, and Dallas with cost segregation, 1031 exchanges, and tax planning.