Ready for country life in North Texas? Try these tips from buyers and real estate pros
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Land rush
Demand for rural property is pushing prices to record highs and straining schools, roads and water supplies. As land prices and living costs skyrocket, it’s become clear that simple country living is now a lifestyle reserved for those who can afford it.
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North Texas’ rural land rush shows there’s nothing simple about country living anymore
Ready for country life in North Texas? Try these tips from buyers and real estate pros
Tour Parker County land for sale along the Brazos River
See how rural land prices have accelerated in the Fort Worth area
This map shows where Parker County’s out-of-state transplants are coming from
Think you can hack country living? If you’re interested in abandoning the city for some extra space in rural north Texas, buyers and real estate agents agree, there are a few things you should keep in mind:
Know what you’re looking for
Make a list of what you’re looking for in a property, successful buyers recommend. Are you willing to purchase land with a homeowners association agreement? Will the plot be big enough for backyard activities?
Before you start looking, establish your property priorities.
“You can do a bit of settling, but I wouldn’t settle if you’re potentially going to be unhappy,” said Derek Ogburn, who recently built a house in the Aledo school district.
Look at several different areas
“Every area of Texas has different attributes,” said Tim Clark, president of Clark Real Estate Group in Weatherford.
Real estate agents advise keeping an open mind when exploring different spots.
Furthermore, the faces of small Parker County towns are changing rapidly due to development. What appears to be a quaint country town in 2021 could look very different in 2031.
Know your spending limits and don’t overbuy
Realtors warn you risk being house poor when you spend a massive chunk of your budget on land.
“If you’re paying so much for land, you’re very, very limited on what you can build,” said Laura Bradley, a real estate agent with Fathom Realty in Denton County.
Some housing developments establish a minimum square footage requirement and other guidelines for the type of house you’re permitted to build.
“You still want to have money to enjoy going out and doing things,” said Ogburn.
Check out a potential land purchase after a big storm
Some rural counties don’t have the cash to beef up stormwater infrastructure at the same pace as rapid development, said Renee Harvey, owner of Century 21 Harvey Properties in Paris.
To avoid purchasing land with potential flooding issues, pay the property a visit after a heavy rain.
“If you’re going to have water pooling up in the yards, things like that,” said Ogburn, “that’s something you’re going to have to potentially deal with.”
Hang tight. Everything changes
Each Realtor can rattle off countless stories of buyers getting snubbed by competitors overpaying in cash.
Prices continue to climb, but buyers’ disappointment is slightly reducing the temperature of the feverish market, said Shelby Kimball, a Fort Worth real estate agent and former president of the Greater Fort Worth Association of Realtors.
“I think we’ve seen a pull back of buyers,” he said. “Some got priced out. Some just decided to wait.”
Experts estimate new construction in the Metroplex next year will help boost housing inventory and stabilize the market.
“Texas metros are some of the leading cities in the U.S. right now in terms of construction relative to population,” said George Ratiu, manager of economic research at Realtor.com. “We’re seeing Dallas, Austin, Houston actually see an influx of permits and starts in the market.”
“That, to me, is promising.”
