Moving to a new home — whether it’s a house, apartment, condo, or trailer — is always a big decision. There are many factors to consider and for most people, location is key to the success of the move. Dallas is a great city, one that benefits from a thriving business community, great eats and local entertainment, attractions and more.
Why Move to Dallas?
Dallas is the largest urban center and fourth largest city in the state of Texas. Similar to Houston, the city has a thriving business community, with multiple fortune 500 company headquarters. Some of these companies include:
- Liberty Mutual
- FedEx
- 7-Eleven
- Toyota
- Energy Transfer Equity
- HollyFrontier
- Southwest Airlines
- Tenet Healthcare
- Texas Instruments
- Dean Foods
- Trinity Industries
- Energy Future Holdings
If you’re a sports fan, Dallas is home to 6 major league sports teams. These teams include:
- Dallas Cowboys (National Football League)
- Dallas Mavericks (National Basketball Association)
- Texas Rangers (Major League Baseball)
- Dallas Stars (National Hockey League)
- FC Dallas (Major League Soccer)
- Dallas Wings (Women’s National Basketball Association)
There also isn’t any state tax in Dallas. This helps to increase personal income, especially when compared to other neighboring states.
Dallas Electricity Deregulation
Before you move, it’s important to consider many different factors like cost of living or whether or not the city is family friendly. However, we believe that one of the most critical elements to consider before you move is electricity.
In many cities within the state of Texas, energy is deregulated. Dallas is one of these cities. What this means for you, the consumer, is that you have the option to choose who provides your energy supply (your area utility, who delivers your electricity, is not changeable).
For states that are not deregulated, consumers do not have the option to choose. They must remain with the utility that provides service to their area. In many cases, this creates a situation without competition. Utilities do not need to win their consumers business when they are the only option. Therefore, rates tend to increase while customer satisfaction decreases.
In Dallas, utilities must allow you to select a Retail Electricity Provider (REP) for your supply related needs. Since there are many REPs offering similar services, they must find different ways to remain competitive in the market. If you are moving to Dallas, it means that you too can benefit from finding an REP that offers lower energy rates and better service.
Dallas Electricity Providers
While more electricity options certainly help to keep rates low and reasonable, they can also seem overwhelming. To avoid feeling this way, take the time to explore Dallas electricity rates and plans offered in your new area prior to your move. You can look into the different plans and services REPs provide by using our shopping tools. All you need is your new ZIP code and you’ll be able to different providers in Dallas, their rates, and their current plans.
Once you find a rate and plan you like, you can sign up online or contact us directly if you need assistance. We can sign you up within minutes. This way, when you move into your new home, you will have working electricity.
Getting Residential Power in Dallas
There are three ways to look at getting electricity to your new home in Dallas. They include transferring services, stopping services and starting services.
Transferring services refers to any situation where you don’t want to switch to an REP. Typically this option applies to people who are moving to a residence within the same area. In this case, it’s important to refer to your terms of service or agreement for more information. The document will tell you how many days in advance your REP needs to know that you want to transfer supply services. It will also tell you to contact your REP directly. In general, your REP requires the following information for a successful transfer:
- New Address
- Planned Move In Date
- Account Number
- Social Security Number (for identification)
- Account Changes (if any)
- Planned Move Date
Stopping services is an important action whether you are moving within the same area or to Dallas from another state. If you don’t let your REP know about the change in your address, you will not get electricity working in your new home. If you are switching to a different REP or signing up with an REP for the first time, they will want to know the REP to contact to ensure that the transition goes smoothly.
Starting services in your new home is a very important step. As mentioned above, if your REP doesn’t know you’re making a switch or stopping services, you won’t have working electricity when you arrive. Contacting your chosen REP 5 to 7 days before your move in date will ensure that you receive your services without any delay. That being said, your REP will require information from you, some of which may include,
- Name
- Contact Information
- Move in Date
- Name and Rate of Selected Plan
- Social Security Number or Driver’s License
- Date of Birth
- New Address
Tips on Signing Up with a Provider in Dallas
Don’t forget! Many Dallas REPs require you to sign a contract before they can help you transfer, stop or start any services. So, in addition to researching the REP, you also need to make sure that you understand the different services offered.
Here are a few tips to help you figure out if what you’re signing up for works for you:
- Is your move long-term? If so, signing up for something like a 10 year plan can increase the risk of higher payments.
- What kind of house did you buy? If your house has 10 bedrooms, three floors and a pool, you are going to use more electricity. Purchasing a house that fits your needs is often helps to keep the cost of electricity low.
- What type of plan is the REP offering? There are different kinds of plans like, fixed-rate, variable and even pre-paid. Understanding the pros and cons to each will help you to decide which option to choose. Fixed rate means that your electricity rates are locked in over a period of time, whereas variable means that the rate will change over time. Pre-paid gives you the option to pay upfront for your electricity usage, like a calling card.
- What are the fees? Some REPs charge fees for different things like early termination or cancellation. Other REPs also charge monthly fees on top of plans or even for online billing. Make sure you are informed of all fees before signing so that you don’t get caught paying more than you want.
Ultimately, a little bit of planning can help you save money and reduce stress. Go ahead and schedule your new electric service and you’ll have one less thing to worry about when you move!
