Kimberly Buffington is a Texas-born real estate professional who became widely known through her marriage to actor Dennis Quaid. While celebrity coverage has often focused on that relationship, Kimberly Buffington had an established professional background in real estate before and during her years in the public eye. She was born on October 17, 1971, in Austin, Texas, making her 54 years old as of September 2026.
Her story combines a long connection to the property business, a high-profile Hollywood marriage, motherhood, and a continued professional life in real estate. Here is what is publicly documented about her background, career, family and more recent developments.
Who Is Kimberly Buffington?
Kimberly Kathryn Buffington was born in Austin and grew up in a family closely connected to homebuilding and real estate. Her father, Thomas B. Buffington, was a prominent Austin homebuilder, and Kimberly entered the family business at a young age. A professional profile from Deasy Penner Podley says she began working in new-home sales at age 20 and received the company’s top sales award during her first year.
Her professional identity is therefore separate from her connection to Hollywood. She has worked in real estate sales, marketing, advertising and design, building experience across several areas of the property industry.
Today, public California licensing records identify Buffington as a licensed salesperson. The California Department of Real Estate lists her license as active, with an expiration date of June 3, 2028.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Kimberly Kathryn Buffington |
| Date of birth | October 17, 1971 |
| Birthplace | Austin, Texas |
| Age in September 2026 | 54 |
| Profession | Real estate professional |
| California license | Active |
| Former spouse | Dennis Quaid |
| Children | Thomas Boone and Zoe Grace Quaid |
Kimberly Buffington’s Real Estate Career
Real estate has been a consistent thread throughout Kimberly Buffington’s adult life. Her professional profile states that she grew up in her family’s real estate business and worked across areas including interior design, sales and marketing.
She entered new-home sales at 20 and earned recognition as a top sales agent during her first year. That early experience gave her a foundation in residential property sales that continued beyond the family business.
Her California real estate record also provides a current reference point. State records show that she has held a California salesperson license since 2004 and currently has an active license. The record lists previous affiliations with several California real estate companies, including Compass California, Home As Art, Douglas Elliman of California and The Turtlestone Group Corporation.
This career history is an important part of understanding Kimberly Buffington beyond celebrity headlines. Real estate was not simply something associated with her marriage to a famous actor; it was an established professional field in her own life.
💡 Pro Tip: When researching celebrity spouses, separate information about the relationship from independently documented career information. Professional licensing records can provide a more reliable picture of someone’s current occupation than entertainment biographies alone.
Kimberly Buffington and Dennis Quaid
Kimberly Buffington married actor Dennis Quaid on July 4, 2004. The relationship attracted attention because Quaid was already an established Hollywood actor, but Buffington came from a professional real estate background rather than the entertainment industry.
The couple welcomed fraternal twins, Thomas Boone and Zoe Grace, on November 8, 2007. The children were born through a gestational surrogate. Quaid also has an older son, actor Jack Quaid, from his earlier marriage to Meg Ryan.
The twins’ birth was followed by a serious medical incident at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after they were mistakenly given an excessive dose of heparin. The incident received widespread attention and became an important part of the family’s public history. AARP later reported on the experience and its effect on Quaid and Buffington as parents.
Divorce and Life After the Marriage
The marriage went through several periods of separation before the couple ultimately ended their relationship. Buffington filed for divorce in 2016, and the divorce was finalized in 2018. The Los Angeles Times reported at the time that the couple had previously attempted to separate before reconciling.
After the divorce, Buffington continued to maintain a professional connection to real estate. Her active California license shows that property work remains part of her professional profile.
Unlike many Hollywood figures, much of her life has remained outside the entertainment spotlight. Consequently, publicly available information about her day-to-day activities is relatively limited.
What Is Happening With Her Family in 2026?
The family became part of entertainment news again in 2026 after Thomas and Zoe reached the end of high school. According to court documents reported by major outlets, Quaid filed a petition seeking to end his $13,750 monthly child-support payments to Buffington after the twins completed 12th grade. The filing referenced the terms of their 2018 divorce agreement.
The development brought renewed attention to Kimberly Buffington, although the underlying matter concerns the terms of a divorce agreement and should not be confused with a new marriage dispute.
In June 2026, Buffington and Quaid were also photographed together at their son’s high-school graduation. Reports described the former couple attending the ceremony for their children despite the ongoing legal issue concerning support payments.
The twins have since moved into another stage of life. By September 2026, both had begun college, with Thomas attending the University of Colorado Boulder and Zoe attending the University of Virginia, according to recent reporting about their father’s transition into an empty-nester stage.
📌 Key Takeaway: Kimberly Buffington is best understood as a real estate professional with a long career of her own, as well as the former wife of Dennis Quaid and mother of their twins. Her professional record and current California license provide useful context beyond the celebrity coverage surrounding her family.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Kimberly Buffington?
Kimberly Buffington was born on October 17, 1971. She is 54 years old as of September 2026.
What does Kimberly Buffington do?
She is a real estate professional. California Department of Real Estate records currently list her salesperson license as active.
Who was Kimberly Buffington married to?
She was married to actor Dennis Quaid from 2004 until their divorce was finalized in 2018. They have twins, Thomas Boone and Zoe Grace Quaid.
Does Kimberly Buffington have children?
Yes. She and Dennis Quaid have fraternal twins, Thomas Boone and Zoe Grace, who were born in November 2007.
Is Kimberly Buffington still in real estate?
Public California licensing records currently list Kimberly Buffington as a licensed salesperson, with her license scheduled to expire in June 2028.
Conclusion
Kimberly Buffington’s public story extends well beyond her former marriage to Dennis Quaid. From her early work in her family’s Texas real estate business to her continued professional presence in California, property has remained a central part of her career. Her family life brought additional media attention, particularly during her marriage, divorce and the 2026 milestone of her twins finishing high school.
For readers researching Kimberly Buffington, the clearest picture comes from combining her documented professional history with reliable reporting about her family and public life.
