COUNTRY LIFESTYLE WITHIN 100 MILES OF HOUSTON

Daily life just doesn’t seem to be as simple as it used to be. We are distracted by increasing traffics, the pace of life in general is faster, Covid is a disrupter, social unrest is constantly in the news and the list goes on. It seems like there are an awfully lot of people around and maybe a little more elbow room would be nice. But these are all negative reasons for wanting to move to the country. There are a lot of positive ones as well.

Why you might want to buy some land within 100 miles of Houston

• The pace is slower and not just because of traffic. There are fewer people in the store, in school and at church.
• There is a good chance that there is a possibility of a commute to work in the country is not a lot farther time wise than you are driving now.• You can work online at home in the country as well as in the city.
• Living on 5 or 10 or even more acres gives you a little more elbow room compared to an apartment complex or residential subdivision.
• There are great 4H and FFA leadership programs for your children.
• Ad Valorem tax exemptions for agriculture or wildlife uses.
• Proximity to Houston amenities (best medical center in the world)
• Potential for appreciation in value of your land
• This is some of the most beautiful countryside in Texas.
• A country lifestyle (full time or part time)
• The Hill Country is really neat but it takes a long time to get there.

If you have ever read even a single issue of Texas Monthly magazine you know the thought of owning a little piece of Texas is in the back of your mind. But how to get started? Well, now you are the right track.

Property types within 100 miles from Houston

Living in the country in a pretty general term. Obviously it can be full time or part time and it depends a lot on the type of property you are interested in. Property types can range from a historic home in Fayetteville to a weekend retreat on some acreage outside of Navasota to a full scale ranching operation near Hallettsville.

There are a lot of property types and many variations. Let’s check out some that might work for you.

• Single Family Home in a quaint little community such as New Ulm, Round Top, Anderson, Moulton or Fayetteville to name just a few is a fairly inexpensive way to test the water and see how country living appeals to you and your family. You can rent it out on AirBnB if you are using it part time. One of the pluses of this type property is a generally good resale market.

• Recreational properties including hunting, fishing and horseback riding will probably require a little more land than other categories. 50 acres and up would be good. The family will have fun with ATV four wheelers on the weekend. You may have to build a pond for fishing. This type property doesn’t necessarily require a house and could work in a more remote location. Flood plain mightn’t be a major consideration. All weather roads ( no pavement but good base ) work just fine. Leasing the land to a rancher could result in a little income but mainly provides basis for an agriculture exemption. As time goes by there may be opportunity for subdividing depending upon the size.

• Second homes for weekend getaways are always popular. Only requires small acreage with room for a few horses or cattle. Ideally the improvements would include a modest home, barn, sheds, fencing, water well or community water and possibly a pond. Great getaway for the family and gives you an excuse to have a pickup. Hunting is a maybe. Paved road frontage is a plus. This type place will give you the potential for building a permanent residence later.

• Rural Subdivisions are popular for retirement homes in the country on smaller acreage ( 5 to 10 acres ) but close to urban amenities.

• Upper income individuals are buying and developing impressive country estates often with equine or show cattle facilities. Vineyards are becoming popular particularly in Austin and Washington counties.

• Primary residences with agricultural or wildlife exemptions allowing avoidance of significant ad valorem taxes in Houston. Raise your family in a small town atmosphere. Similar to weekend retreat above. Location considerations would include school district and distance from a town with basic shopping and medical facilities. Consider 20 acres and up for 4H and FFA projects. School bus routes may be important. Community water and natural gas are also considerations. Paved road frontage is a plus.

Growth Potential for Property within 100 miles of Houston

The Houston metro area has 7,000,000 people and is expanding rapidly. While there are no certainties in real estate, rural property in the path of Houston could experience significant appreciation.

As you head out of Houston, keep driving past the billboards touting homes in subdivisions with names that suggest they somehow offer country living. They really don’t you know. Especially avoid the ones with pictures of horses. Keep on driving to the real deal. Escape Houston.

The primary direction of Houston’s growth is west and north. IH 45 (north to Dallas), US 290 (northwest to Austin) and IH 10 (west to San Antonio) are the main arteries serving the Northwest side of Houston. The counties on either side of these freeways for a distance of up to 100 miles from Houston (about a two hour drive) represent a prime potential for country living and rural property investment.

Infrastructure drives growth. The just completed Grand Parkway (SH 99) on the West and north sides of the Houston Metro Area is rapidly opening development to the Northwest. As a result rural land near Houston is becoming more accessible increasing the growth of this area. The same is true of the ‘Aggie Expressway’ which is extending SH 249 (toll) from Magnolia northwest to Navasota. This freeway will facilitate linking Bryan/College Station/Texas A&M to the Houston Metro Area and opening the greater Grimes County area to development.

Neat Little Towns and Schools.

Harris and its adjacent counties make up the metro area and virtually all of these adjacent counties are essentially urban. The potential for finding that perfect place is best in the next tier of counties especially to the North and west of Houston. These counties and their county seats are listed below together with their distance from Houston. Their public school districts are also included.

• Austin (Bellville) 70 miles. Bellville, Brazos, Sealy
• Lee (Giddings) 100 miles. Dime Box, Giddings, Lexington
• Washington (Brenham) 75 miles. Brenham, Burton
• Grimes (Anderson) 70 miles. Anderson – Shiro, Iola, Navasota, Richards
• Brazos (Bryan/College Station) 90 miles. Bryan, College Station
• Burleson (Caldwell) 100 miles. Caldwell, Snook, Somerville
• Madison (Madisonville) 100 miles. Madisonville, Normangee, North Zulch
• Colorado (Columbus) 60 miles. Columbus, Hallettsville, Rice, Weimar
• Waller (Hempstead) 50 miles. Hempstead, Katy, Royal, Waller
• Lavaca (Hallettsville) 100 miles. Ezzell, Hallettsville, Moulton, Shiner, Sweet Home, Vysehfrad, Weimer, Yoakum

Road Trips.

Within two hours of Houston, you can experience a castle, delightful little towns with historical buildings, breweries, painted churches, BBQ joints, stately courthouses, beer joints, and dance halls, creameries, bakeries, wineries and vineyards, state parks along the Texas Independence Trail, site of the first Capitol of Texas, museums, antique stores, meat markets, rolling pastures with herds of cattle and horses, County Fairs, restaurants serving any kind of fare you want and the list goes on.

Country Lifestyle.

A big part of the country lifestyle experience is the positive environment for children to include smaller schools, bigger homesites and wholesome activities. Involvement in the leadership activities of the FFA and 4H programs will almost always have a positive impact. Raising a project and showing in the annual County fair is a rewarding experience.

Summary.There are a lot of reasons why you might want to buy some rural land within 100 miles of Houston. You are not just buying land you are buying a lifestyle. This is the place, now is the time.

Let us hear from you. If you are considering moving to the country, we would be happy to answer any questions you might have. If you already live in the Houston countryside let us know about some cool places and events to visit.

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Allen Realty Advisors represents buyers and sellers of fine quality rural land near Houston. We specialize in weekend retreats, country estates, farms and ranches, recreational property and investment land. Our market area is generally within 100 miles (two hours) of Houston.