A Texas Land Sage Quick Guide

Buying land in Texas is as much about due diligence as it is about vision. Whether you’re purchasing a homestead, ranch, recreational property, or long-term investment, these core factors will guide you toward a smart and secure acquisition.

1. Location & Access

County & region trends — Prices, growth corridors, water availability, and rural tax structures vary widely across Texas.
Ingress/egress — Confirm legal access via deeded easement, public road frontage, or private road agreement.
Surrounding land use — Check for future development, zoning limitations, or nearby agricultural operations.

2. Water: Wells, Rights & Reliability

Existing wells — Test flow rate, depth, pump condition, and water quality.
Water rights — Texas operates under a mixture of surface rights, groundwater rights, and rule-of-capture principles. Know what conveys.
Water availability — Verify aquifer type, depth, and local well logs.
Surface water — Tanks, creeks, springs—confirm if seasonal or year-round.

3. Soil, Terrain & Vegetation

Soil type — Impacts septic feasibility, crops, grazing, foundation stability, and road building.
Terrain — Rolling, flat, rocky, clay-heavy, sandy—each changes usability and development cost.
Brush & timber — Adds habitat value but may increase clearing expense.

4. Utilities & Infrastructure

Power — Availability, provider, and distance to nearest pole or transformer.
Water — Well, rural water system, shared system, or none.
Septic — Most rural Texas tracts require private systems; confirm feasibility and costs.
Internet — Starlink, fiber, or wireless towers depending on the county.
Roads — Condition of internal roads and access points, especially in wet seasons.

5. Taxes, Ag Exemptions & Carrying Costs

Ag & wildlife valuation — Huge tax savings if in place. If not, check eligibility and timeline for establishing.
Rollback taxes — Understand if changing land use could trigger a 5-year rollback.
County tax rates — Vary greatly across Texas.

6. Restrictions, Zoning & HOA/POA Rules

Deed restrictions — Mobile homes, subdividing, commercial use limitations, etc.
County zoning (rare in rural Texas but present around metros)
HOA/POA — Review all CC&Rs for build timelines, livestock limits, and architectural requirements.

7. Minerals, Easements & Encumbrances

Mineral rights — Surface-only vs. partial vs. full ownership.
Executive rights — Who controls the ability to lease minerals?
Existing easements — Pipelines, powerlines, shared roads, and utility easements.
Title exceptions — Carefully review Schedule B of the title commitment.

8. Floodplain, Drainage & Natural Hazards

FEMA flood maps — Identify 100-year and 500-year zones.
Drainage patterns — Where water naturally flows after heavy rains.
Erosion & watershed — Can impact building sites and long-term usability.

9. Improvements & Structures

Fences — Condition, boundary clarity, and livestock readiness.
Barns, shops, wells, tanks — Verify age, permitting, and functionality.
Homes/cabins — Confirm code compliance, permits, and foundation condition.

10. Investment Outlook & Long-Term Potential

County growth projections
Access to utilities or major roads
Future zoning possibilities
Ag, recreational, timber, or development potential
Resale value based on fragmentation or size

Texas Land Sage Tip:

“Don’t fall in love with a view until you’ve fallen in love with the due diligence.”
What you discover during inspections, surveys, and title review protects your investment more than anything else.

When buying Texas land, focus on the essentials: location and legal access, water availability, soil and terrain, utilities, taxes and exemptions, restrictions, mineral rights, easements, and flood considerations. These factors determine the land’s usability, cost, and long-term value.

Ready to find the right piece of Texas land with confidence? Let’s walk the property together and make sure you buy with clarity, not guesswork.

Contact:
Sage Howell – Texas Land Sage
📞 817-408-8585
📧 sage@gowestpole.com
🌐 www.texaslandsage.com