Kimberly Buffington is a real estate agent and an Austin, Texas-based American luxury real estate broker and entrepreneur who used to be the ex-wife of Hollywood actor Dennis Quaid.
She had had a successful career in the high-end property sales, Buffington Signature Homes, a company her father co-founded, long before her marriage garnered national attention. By 2026, Kimberly will be 54 years old, and she will be an enticing figure not only due to her celebrity status, but also because of her financial autonomy, silent power, and loyal mother of twins.
Childhood and Family History
Kimberly Kathryn Buffington was born on 17 October 1971 in Austin, Texas. She was raised in a well established family which had its foundations in the real estate business.
Her father, Thomas B. Buffington, was the founder of one of the biggest private homebuilding companies in Austin, Buffington Signature Homes. Being raised within that business provided Kimberly with a head start that most real estate agents do not have. She has worked in every sector of her father’s company including the interior design section of the company.
Her high school was the Hyde Park Baptist School and her degree was obtained at the University of Texas at Austin where she studied business. She was raised together with three siblings, Blake Buffington, Dow Wright, and Robin Banister.
Everything that followed was due to the way she was brought up. Her whole career was based on Texas business values, family loyalty, and an eye towards design.
Real Estate Career: Self-Made Career
One of the most ignored, and one of the most amazing, aspects of the story is the real estate career of Kimberly.
She came into the game when she was a mere 20 years old and she quickly made a name. She received the top sales award in the first year that she worked as an onsite New Home Sales agent with her family company, an uncommon feat at her age.
Some highlights of her career:
- More than 30 years experience in residential real estate.
- Expert in upscale and expensive real estate in Austin and the coast of California.
- Sales, marketing, advertising, and interior design knowledge.
- Formerly with Deasey Penner and Partners, in the Brentwood, Venice, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, and Santa Monica markets.
- Known for integrating a sense of design and experience in the market with a client-first service.
In her life, she had also worked in senior capacities in the fields of sales, marketing, and advertising in various international companies, prior to being fully involved in real estate. That business experience made her business savvy and provided her with a latitude few agents in Austin can equal.
To this day, she still operates in the competitive real estate market of Austin with decades of experience, professionalism, integrity, and performance under her belt.
Dennis Quaid: Marriage, Turbulence, and Divorce
In 2003, Kimberly encountered Dennis Quaid at a dinner in Austin, Texas, via a mutual friend. Their connection was immediate. They were married privately in Quaid’s ranch in Paradise Valley, Montana, less than a year later, on July 4, 2004. His son Jack Quaid was the best man.
Their union was a combination of two very different worlds, a down-to-earth Texas business life and his Hollywood career.
The Twins and a Medical Emergency
In November 2007, Kimberly and Dennis had fraternal twins, Thomas Boone Quaid and Zoe Grace Quaid, born through gestational surrogacy. Both the babies were administered a huge amount of heparin, a blood thinner, by hospital staff accidentally only a few weeks after birth. The accident was frightening. Luckily, the two children recovered after being lucky to survive.
The incident made Dennis and Kimberly strong believers in patient safety. Dennis went on to testify to the Congress and create documentaries about preventable medical errors for the Discovery Channel.
The Road to Divorce
Their marriage was subject to numerous separation attempts which ended in the ultimate break-up:
| Year | Event |
| 2012 | Kimberly petitioned to divorce in Texas, but withdrew documents. |
| Oct 2012 | Separated in California. |
| Nov 2012 | Dennis filed for divorce, couple later reconciled. |
| Jun 2016 | Both announced divorce in a joint statement. |
| Apr 27, 2018 | Divorce officially finalized. |
A lump sum spousal payment of $2 million, an additional sum of property settlements of $1 million, and a monthly payment of child support of around $13,750 were all part of the final settlement. The twins were given to Kimberly as their primary physical custody. The couple sold their Pacific Palisades house, which was initially bought at $5.1 million, at a price of $6.495 million.
Nevertheless, in spite of a very long and complex journey, both Kimberly and Dennis focused on co-parenting and mutual respect. They vowed in a combined statement in 2016 that they would still be great friends and committed partners in raising their children.
Kimberly Buffington Net Worth (2026)
As of 2026, Kimberly Buffington’s estimated net worth is approximately $3 million. That wealth is as follows:
| Source | Contribution |
| Luxury real estate sales (30+ years) | Primary income source |
| Divorce settlement (2018) | $2M lump sum and $1M property |
| Child support by Dennis Quaid | ~$13,750/month |
| Real estate business of the family | Other value and assets |
Most of her net worth was acquired by herself, both prior to and after marriage. This is what makes Kimberly stand out from many celebrity ex-spouses. She was never financially reliant on Dennis Quaid.
Read more: Who Is Louisa Kochansky? The Real Story Behind the Photographer, Model, and Digital Creator
Life After the Divorce: Where Will Kimberly Buffington Be in 2026?
In 2018, Kimberly went back to the city she has always called home, Austin, Texas, after the divorce was finalized. She has taken a break from the California celebrity scene and re-prioritized on the two things that are important to her, her profession and her kids.
In 2026, her twins, Thomas Boone and Zoe Grace, are 18 years old. Kimberly has kept them as much out of the limelight as possible, with stability and a normal upbringing being the concern.
She is still involved in real estate and is said to have a very low social media presence, only occasionally sharing snippets of her travels, family moments, and work.
She lives a lifestyle which can be described by people who know her as:
- Practicality and wellness-oriented, with fitness, good food, and meditation as everyday values.
- Design-oriented, her house depicts her passion towards architecture and traditional classiness.
- Community-oriented, she is attending community charity events and business meetings in Austin.
- Privately elegant but not in your face, she will go out when it is important, but does not want to be the centre of attention.
It is not a woman who made a media spectacle out of her divorce. Kimberly just lived her life on, and that is, perhaps, the most commendable thing about her.
Patient Safety Advocacy
The contribution of Kimberly as a patient safety advocate is one of the factors that many have never considered.
Following the heparin overdose incident in 2007, she and Dennis turned into outspoken activists in the effort against preventable hospital errors. In 2008, she appeared before the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform together with Dennis to urge Congress to uphold the rights of patients to bring claims against drug manufacturers due to negligence.
This is an important and truly meaningful part of her story, one that transcends celebrity association.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kimberly Buffington
Who is Kimberly Buffington?
Kimberly Buffington is an Austin, Texas, luxury real estate agent. She is most recognized as the ex-wife of actor Dennis Quaid and the mother of twins Thomas Boone and Zoe Grace Quaid.
What will be the age of Kimberly Buffington in 2026?
She was born on October 17, 1971, making her 54 years old in 2026.
How much is Kimberly Buffington worth?
She has an estimated net worth of about $3 million, which she gained through her 30-year career in luxury real estate and through the divorce settlement in 2018.
When did Kimberly Buffington and Dennis Quaid divorce?
Their divorce was officially confirmed on April 27, 2018, at the end of an on-and-off relationship that started in 2012.
Does Kimberly Buffington have children?
Yes. She is the mother of fraternal twins, son Thomas Boone Quaid and daughter Zoe Grace Quaid, conceived through surrogacy and born on November 8, 2007.
What is Kimberly Buffington up to?
She is a certified real estate broker dealing with high-end residential real estate. She is linked with Buffington Signature Homes, which is a homebuilding business of her family based in Austin.
Where is Kimberly Buffington staying?
By 2026, she is living in Austin, Texas, focusing on her career as a real estate agent and raising her children.
What happened to the Quaid twins at birth?
Seventeen days after birth, hospital personnel mistakenly administered a huge dose of heparin to both the babies. Both were saved and got well again. Their parents became national patient safety advocates as a result of the incident.
Final Thoughts
Kimberly Buffington’s story is bigger than her marriage to a Hollywood star. She is a woman who began to create her own career at age 20, earned the highest sales honors in her first year, gave birth to twins during a terrifying medical ordeal, smoothed through a highly publicized divorce, and emerged financially independent and professionally admired.
It is in 2026 that she is right where she wants to be, in Austin, doing what she loves, raising her children without the limelight, and living her own life. It is that silence of strength that renders her tale worth telling.
