9 Things Buyers Look for in Central Texas Land in 2023
The Land Up Learning Series
Finding your dream land tract, in theory, sounds like a pretty straightforward process: go online, look at land for sale in Texas, find something you like, and show up on closing day. Sprinkle in some financing and sign a bunch of documents, and you’re officially a landowner (hooray!).
Usually when buyers first start thinking about their must-haves, the list may seem pretty short - space for their animals, owner financed land, and being close to a grocery store. But as buyers discover, tour, and compare properties, they’ll often come up with a much longer list. As they should! Finding Texas land that checks all the boxes is important, and exactly why we’re here.
This begs the question, “what are Texas land buyers looking for?” Here are 9 criteria we’ve seen so far in 2023:
1. Location Matters
An age-old adage, "location, location, location," is typically the very first place potential buyers start. But what makes a location a “good one”?
That answer depends on the individual, but proximity to the following typically makes a Texas land more attractive than others: urban centers, transportation, economic hubs, local attractions, conveniences like groceries and shopping, etc.
The state is growing quickly, as businesses and residents alike are leaving the expensive big cities to more charming, peaceful, and affordable areas of Central Texas and the hill country. This trend of urbanites looking to the surrounding areas of Austin for more space started with the pandemic, but we’re still seeing it today.
Many buyers are specifically looking for Central Texas land for sale in Caldwell County (Lockhart, Luling, Dale), Hays County (Wimberley, Dripping Springs, San Marcos), and Guadalupe County (New Braunfels, Waelder, Kingsbury). In fact, 30% of our buyers purchased land in Caldwell County so far in 2023. With Austin, Houston, and Dallas all still continuing to grow rapidly, we don’t see that trend changing anytime soon.
2. Being in the Zone
Well, actually, not being in the zone - or “no zoning”, that is. Many individuals are looking for a Central Texas property where they can do whatever they want. Buyers want to place mobile homes on land, put cows and goats in the fields, and even add short-term rental houses on their land. This is where things like local zoning, deed restrictions, and HOAs come into play.
While these rules don’t typically stop buyers, they do want to know exactly what they can do with their Texas land before buying. Many people are now looking for unrestricted land for sale with NO zoning only. This one acre lot near Lockhart is a great example.
With NO zoning, HOA, or restrictions, this land is your oyster. Bring your mobile home, start a business, just run around - it’s up to you!
3. Ain't No River Wide Enough, Ain't No Valley Low Enough
We’re talking terrain! The lay of the land is VERY important to buyers and their intended projects. For example, people looking for land for their home will typically consider features like cleared homesites, hill top views, floodplains, trees for privacy and shade, ponds, and space for their animals (or their ATV’s) to roam.
4. Accessibility
Sorry, no fun pun for this one. Accessibility refers to how easy it is to get to the property, including driveways, county roads, and nearby highways. The property doesn’t need to nudge up against I-35, but good road conditions and easy access to nearby conveniences are great selling points. Our best selling tracts of land in Central Texas are those where the property line butts up against a road. This typically also offers access to utility lines that run alongside the road, like electricity.
Many of our clients look for land in the peaceful hill country, but they also still want an easy drive to things like a H-E-B, local businesses, nearby amenities, etc. The bonus part about accessibility? As the surrounding area appreciates (which it is in Central Texas!), there is a better opportunity for the land to also rise in value along with it.
5. Go Ask Your Mother (Nature)
Environmental assessments help determine whether the land has environmental elements that potential buyers should be aware of, such as: natural habitats, the quality of the soil and water, and potential impacts of your intended use of the land.
These assessments boil down to 4 areas: air, water, noise, and biodiversity. Most buyers we’ve worked with enjoy things like breathing, so checking the environment is usually a priority.
TBD Gold Nugget Rd in Wimberley has got it all - unrestricted, rolling terrain, plenty of spaces to build, easy access to RR12, and the list goes on…
6. Mineral Rights and Easements
You own your land, but do you own everything? Things like mineral rights and easements may give others legal access to your property. This isn’t necessarily good or bad, as some are perfectly okay with these arrangements while some prefer otherwise.
For mineral rights, these are often sold separately from the land they are on. You may have gotten the title to these rights, or the previous owner may have sold or leased them for others to excavate. For easements, these grant the rights for someone to access your Texas land for a variety of reasons. Part of a realtor’s job is to assist buyers in understanding these sorts of access rights that are on a tract of land.
7. Setting Boundaries with Surveys
Do you know where your property starts and ends? Land surveyors do. With a survey, you are able to set precise boundary outlines for your property - down to the latitude and longitude. Having a readily available survey of the property is an essential step for potential buyers - not only so they fully understand the size and scope of the land, but also so everyone can avoid boundary conflicts when it comes to closing time. Realtors can help buyers track down surveys or often recommend companies who can perform new surveys.
8. Foresight is 20/20
A Central Texas property is more than a place for a home or business: it’s an investment and an incredible asset. They’re not making any more Texas land - which means over time, landowners have a long-term advantage to gain value, especially with future local developments. More and more visitors, residents, and businesses are making the move to Central Texas, increasing demand and resale value.
From sprawling ranches to even 1 acre lots, our realtors have helped our clients selling land to get significant returns on their investment in a short period of time. Here are some of the numbers we’ve helped our clients achieve:
Those are some Texas-sized numbers!
9. Money isn’t Funny
Purchasing Central Texas land doesn’t have to put a Texas-sized dent in your wallet. Buying real estate is often the biggest investment a person makes in their life. This makes having options when it comes to financing all the more important.
Getting a land loan can be a great first step, and we have worked with many helpful local lenders with a variety of loan options. Many buyers also specifically look for owner financed land for sale, which allows them to get a loan for the property directly with the seller instead of the bank.
Is Your Central Texas Land the Right Fit?
Short answer: it depends!
Whether you’re personally looking for Texas land or selling your own, the easiest first step is to give Land Up Realty a call. We know Central Texas, and our experienced realtors have sold thousands of acres from San Antonio to Austin to Waco.
For new buyers, we may already have exactly what you’re looking for. If not, we can definitely help you find it. For sellers, we know how to market and sell your property quickly - especially since we have thousands of potential buyers already in our database who are on the lookout for land like yours. So let’s get started: work with top land real estate agents in Central Texas by getting in touch with us today!