Jump to content

Giant Homes On The Prairie?


Recommended Posts

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/25/business...nyt&emc=rss

I guess I am too lazy to find my own articles but I thought the above link posted by editor could take a different turn than the replies to his original post. Puma made good points, but she (or is it he?) does seem a bit on the self righteous war path.

I live inside the loop and I love it because of its central location and can access anything of interest to me quickly. But what I also love about where I live is the big lot, privacy, and there is sufficient wild life around me - all things we would not typically associate with living in the city.

In this internet world where it may not be necessary to "drive" to work, and if one is willing to home school his/her kid (s) is buying a giant house in the middle of nowhere, where one can live life closer to the bone, really that far out of the question? If folks are flocking back to the cities, is it possible there would be great deals in the middle of nowhere today? As long as you have a grocery store nearby, and can informally establish your own jogging trails and driving ranges in BFE, what are you really losing out on other than the hustle and bustle of strangers around you? Sure you won't be able to see the Rockets, Astros, and Texans but they suck anyway.

Let's be objective in your responses, kids.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Firstly, allow me to profusely thank you for creating this thread. Puma's was making my head hurt.

I have considered this, myself, and I think that if I were able to acquire several hundred acres of land with a lot of topo at around $800 per acre in west Texas and could work entirely from there, I would be very much inclined to build a home there and do exactly that. Realistically, though, it would not be close to a grocery store or any restaurants, and the reliability and range of ultralight aircraft will need to be improved upon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've thought about this also. Though not on such a grand scale as TheNiche (hundreds of acres), but maybe 10 or 20 acres somewhere between here and Austin. I really like the Washington county area just for the rolling topography and wildflowers, but the cost of cleared acreage seems to be in the $10,000 per acre range that close to Houston. It gets better as you move toward Austin until you get in commute range and then prices head back north. Just based on land and house prices, there must be people that make the commute or just want to be close to Houston or Austin, but further out in the country. I wonder if these prices will come down drastically as gas prices rise.

I have a 100% telecommute job and homeschool my kids so the major roadblocks most people face aren't there. I don't think I can convince my wife to totally leave the city though (she's a confirmed city girl) so we might end up having to buy some land on the cheap and build something small as a weekend or week-at-a-time country getaway. How long I could stay out there would depend on how hard it is to get high-speed internet. Has anyone had any experience with getting internet in the country or small towns? I've also been contemplating building my own small house/shack to save money and maybe just to say I did it myself. Does anyone know if you have to have building permits and inspections if you build way out in unincorporated areas?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh, yes. I've thought about it hard and was land shopping before I left San Antonio. I prefer South Texas, b/w SA and the Valley. I'd want aerable land, so far west Texas is not a good option, for the most part. I really love the coastal plains. And I wouldn't need a plane if I could just find a way to get my company's head out if its ass with regard to telecommuting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My sister-in-law has been wanting to move to the Hill Country for years. On a semi-regular basis, she and my brother travel to different locales to survey the land, the prices and the lifestyle. Last month they went to stay the weekend with some friends who had moved not too far from Brenham, on about 10 acres of land. They spent the days working on the land, mowing, landscaping, etc. At night, they sat on the porch and stared at the land. After an hour or two of this, my brother asked his friend if this was it. The response? Yep, most days are spent working on things, and most nights are spent staring off into the sunset.

This sounds rather relaxing for a week or so, but my brother and I found ourselves wondering what in the hell you do once that wears off. As anti-social as many Americans THINK they are, most do need social contact. I know a few posters will chime in that isolation sounds great, and it may well be for them, but for the rest of us, at least a little bit of human life would be nice, as well as health care when you get old.

The reality of living on the prairie is much lonelier than the fantasy for most people. Your mileage may vary.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My sister-in-law has been wanting to move to the Hill Country for years. On a semi-regular basis, she and my brother travel to different locales to survey the land, the prices and the lifestyle. Last month they went to stay the weekend with some friends who had moved not too far from Brenham, on about 10 acres of land. They spent the days working on the land, mowing, landscaping, etc. At night, they sat on the porch and stared at the land. After an hour or two of this, my brother asked his friend if this was it. The response? Yep, most days are spent working on things, and most nights are spent staring off into the sunset.

This sounds rather relaxing for a week or so, but my brother and I found ourselves wondering what in the hell you do once that wears off. As anti-social as many Americans THINK they are, most do need social contact. I know a few posters will chime in that isolation sounds great, and it may well be for them, but for the rest of us, at least a little bit of human life would be nice, as well as health care when you get old.

The reality of living on the prairie is much lonelier than the fantasy for most people. Your mileage may vary.

All are valid points . . . but what if there was a lake nearby and what about hunting (such as hog hunting with dogs)? A cold beer from time to time could serve as entertainment. Further, assuming one had internet access one could even get on HAIF and could meet as many HAIFers as one does now.

Just out of curiosity, how much is the price per acre in and around Brenham, TX?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This sounds rather relaxing for a week or so, but my brother and I found ourselves wondering what in the hell you do once that wears off. As anti-social as many Americans THINK they are, most do need social contact. I know a few posters will chime in that isolation sounds great, and it may well be for them, but for the rest of us, at least a little bit of human life would be nice, as well as health care when you get old.

The reality of living on the prairie is much lonelier than the fantasy for most people. Your mileage may vary.

Which is precisely why I picked some spots south of SA that were all less than 10 miles from an icehouse and some semblance of a town. I'm sure I delude myself to think I could have the best of both worlds, but it still sounds good.

Hill Country land is priced out of the stratosphere now (as I imagine the greater Brenham area is), and full of a-hole Californians, anyway. And that's after you get past the a-hole retired Houston and Dallas doctors and their shiny Harleys, and new tractors they don't use themselves.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
Hill Country land is priced out of the stratosphere now (as I imagine the greater Brenham area is), and full of a-hole Californians, anyway. And that's after you get past the a-hole retired Houston and Dallas doctors and their shiny Harleys, and new tractors they don't use themselves.

What about the area around Navasota, or the area around La Grange? I think those are pretty areas, but not quite considered Hill Country, right? So not as expensive?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What about the area around Navasota, or the area around La Grange? I think those are pretty areas, but not quite considered Hill Country, right? So not as expensive?

No clue, but I was thinking aobut it recently on a trip to Austin. I've always liked the area between LaGrange and Smithville. I doubt it's as high as the hill country (Kerrville, Fredericksburg, points north), but it's hard to tell now that Austin has grown toward the East. Bastrop seems to be booming these days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All land prices are running up. I have always wanted a place to get away to for weekends and even though I have the land, I still have not built anything. I have 22.5 acres with a one acre stock tank oak and pecan trees with some rise and fall to it. It's north of College Station off of OSR in sothern Robertson County.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the least expensive land in Texas will be in deep east Texas further north than Nacogdoches where the timber has value so clearing some of it should either profit or cost nothing, west of Junction on I-10 (further west the cheaper), north west of Brownwood near Guthrie and the 6666 Ranch though it will have the least well water and rain, on the high plains which is highly farmable if you have a well though it is not that pretty, east of Uvalde on 90 or in the Guadalupe Mountians area where again you can farm with a well, but it is WAY out in BFE and not many trees

all of those areas should run 3K an acre to 5K an acre for anything decent all the way down to 500 - 1K an acre for something that will need a well and some work and possibly utilities drug in

any other area will easily be 5K an acre plus porbably closer to 8 - 10K and up.....the issues with most of the areas mentioned is the rain fall is sufficiant to run cattle on anything that is cleared and the larger the acres the easier to run cattle so anyone rancher in the area will buy up what is available in a private sale when it is available.....other areas like south of SA get closer to the beach and that drives the price and south SA goes on a LONG way......that area also has shallow wells with good water so it is great for small farmers that actually farm for a living VS someone living the country life....the hill country obviously has the pretty factor as well as the small towns that have not dried up and actually thrive

any area east of I-35 is just too crowded now unless you get to deep north east Texas so the prices will remain high

west of I-35 you still need to get away from the bigger small towns that still have jobs and an economy because people in those areas will be used to driving in to work even with the cost of fuel plus they can always front up some "farm or ranch business" to write most of that fuel off....think about it.....20 minutes in Houston traffic or 20 minutes at 60+MPH....it is still 20 minutes of a commute to work and probably less fuel at 60MPH than stop and go traffic.....then add in the 10 head of cattle for the fuel and truck write off and all those teachers and principals and factory workers and jailers can come out ahead of the game VS living right in the small town...but even in those areas west of I-35 if there is ground water available they are so easy to farm on a large scale and productive (even dry land farming) in a good year that some real farmer will pencil out the value of it way higher than anyone looking to have a country place and you start to get into areas that are less scenic to really get under 5K an acre......so you need to move further west until they flat run out of people and the farmers have all the can manage and then you buy up someones old "home place" off of a farmer or rancher that wants the "farm" but not the homestead that it came with because he already has a house and the kids want off the farm and have moved away and the hands live in town so their wife can work so the farmer/rancher has no use for it

What about the area around Navasota, or the area around La Grange? I think those are pretty areas, but not quite considered Hill Country, right? So not as expensive?

power plants, prisions, oil, and ranching because of good rain and productive hay will keep the prices higher in that area and the same reasons you are looking at it....a few hours drive from Houston, Austin and SA yet not as expensive as the hill country

Link to comment
Share on other sites

power plants, prisions, oil, and ranching because of good rain and productive hay will keep the prices higher in that area and the same reasons you are looking at it....a few hours drive from Houston, Austin and SA yet not as expensive as the hill country

Thanks for the reply, makes sense. Not as expensive as Hill Country, though still not a steal, because many people have already thought what I am thinking. It seems like your prices (starting 5k, with 8-10k /ac being more common) are for cleared land? What about uncleared land, what kind of a discount does one get? Uncleared actually is more appealing to me, as a biologist/environmental scientist by training, to have as natural a piece of Post Oak Savannah as possible, more a personal wildlife sanctuary than a ranch (though I would put in a recreational fishing pond)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the reply, makes sense. Not as expensive as Hill Country, though still not a steal, because many people have already thought what I am thinking. It seems like your prices (starting 5k, with 8-10k /ac being more common) are for cleared land? What about uncleared land, what kind of a discount does one get? Uncleared actually is more appealing to me, as a biologist/environmental scientist by training, to have as natural a piece of Post Oak Savannah as possible, more a personal wildlife sanctuary than a ranch (though I would put in a recreational fishing pond)

in east Texas where timber has value uncleared may have zero discount

in the hill country uncleared may actually be much worse for wildlife because the plants that need to be cleared are invasive

in any area where timber has no value or little value I would think uncleared would be at a 500-1500 dollar discount compared to a comparable piece of property...IE same water same water features if any same size parcel ect.

it probably will end up it will cost you about 200 an acre more to clear a piece than to purchase the same piece cleared because most that is cleared was cleared when labor was cheaper

in the true hill country even cedar stakes have little value because they are so common, but the further you get from there the cedar stakes can have value

and really it depends on what you consider "cleared" to mean....like I say often true "uncleared" is actually a detriment to most wildlife because the scrub us too thick

these days the most useful tool for clearing is an excavator over a dozer especially if the arm has a "thumb" on it and you can find some warn out excavators for pretty cheap even VS an old worn out dozer....and if you operate it right the tracks can stay on a long time even with worn sprockets and links....excavator is much more useful over all as well and easier to operate for most

a backhoe can be as useful in some cases though not as stable unless you put the bucket and outriggers down each move, but flat tires are a huge issue....and filled tires cost a ton

Link to comment
Share on other sites

in the hill country uncleared may actually be much worse for wildlife because the plants that need to be cleared are invasive

it probably will end up it will cost you about 200 an acre more to clear a piece than to purchase the same piece cleared because most that is cleared was cleared when labor was cheaper

and really it depends on what you consider "cleared" to mean....like I say often true "uncleared" is actually a detriment to most wildlife because the scrub us too thick

these days the most useful tool for clearing is an excavator over a dozer especially if the arm has a "thumb" on it and you can find some warn out excavators for pretty cheap even VS an old worn out dozer....and if you operate it right the tracks can stay on a long time even with worn sprockets and links....excavator is much more useful over all as well and easier to operate for most

a backhoe can be as useful in some cases though not as stable unless you put the bucket and outriggers down each move, but flat tires are a huge issue....and filled tires cost a ton

Well, a lot of that depends on whether one wants to use only traditional clearing techniques, or habitat management practices such as proscribed burns and the use of grazing animals to restore the habitat. I have some experience with the latter method, more on blackland prairie to control woody plants and invasives like tall feskew, but the principle is the same. The latter method takes longer - years instead of weeks - but results in a more authentic habitat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the reply, makes sense. Not as expensive as Hill Country, though still not a steal, because many people have already thought what I am thinking. It seems like your prices (starting 5k, with 8-10k /ac being more common) are for cleared land? What about uncleared land, what kind of a discount does one get? Uncleared actually is more appealing to me, as a biologist/environmental scientist by training, to have as natural a piece of Post Oak Savannah as possible, more a personal wildlife sanctuary than a ranch (though I would put in a recreational fishing pond)

You need to watch the Weather Channel's series called 'It Could Happen Tomorrow'.

They did a story on how west Austin is a fire accident waiting to happen.

They said it has similar environmental fire vunerabilities to Oakland Hills, California(1991).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ralo:

I tried to do what you're describing.

I became very bored very fast after I completed all my ATV trails, planted w'flowers, built a home, cleared brush, built a pond, stocked it, fished, etc.

It was as though I purchased a project - which I LOVED working on - that lost its thrill when I "finished". I believe I'm just hardwired for the sound of chopper rotors, auto horns, and the whole urban milieu. Never underestimate the impact of no good restaurants to speak of, if you're used to them.

On the other hand, I sincerely enjoyed visiting (non-summer) as often as possible...and i miss that.

To be honest, in the two years I tried the rural thing, my $3800/acre investment led to a $7350/acre offer (exclusive of improvements), and that was a gain I wanted to "harvest"...I wasn't torn up about the decision in the least.

The area I'm discussing is west of Bellville, about an hour from the Beltway NW of Houston in beautiful N. Austin County, which I highly recommend.

Good quality people all around.

I may consider trying it again once I pull off early retirement in a few years, but I'm still an urban animal, baby.

"...all the noise and the hurry seems to help, I know..." (Petulia Clark)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've thought about this also. Though not on such a grand scale as TheNiche (hundreds of acres), but maybe 10 or 20 acres somewhere between here and Austin. I really like the Washington county area just for the rolling topography and wildflowers, but the cost of cleared acreage seems to be in the $10,000 per acre range that close to Houston. It gets better as you move toward Austin until you get in commute range and then prices head back north. Just based on land and house prices, there must be people that make the commute or just want to be close to Houston or Austin, but further out in the country. I wonder if these prices will come down drastically as gas prices rise.

I have a 100% telecommute job and homeschool my kids so the major roadblocks most people face aren't there. I don't think I can convince my wife to totally leave the city though (she's a confirmed city girl) so we might end up having to buy some land on the cheap and build something small as a weekend or week-at-a-time country getaway. How long I could stay out there would depend on how hard it is to get high-speed internet. Has anyone had any experience with getting internet in the country or small towns? I've also been contemplating building my own small house/shack to save money and maybe just to say I did it myself. Does anyone know if you have to have building permits and inspections if you build way out in unincorporated areas?

Yeah, those big estates are also very expensive. Unless you're raising cattle or crops or have some big bank, it takes a lot of money and time in upkeep.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, a lot of that depends on whether one wants to use only traditional clearing techniques, or habitat management practices such as proscribed burns and the use of grazing animals to restore the habitat. I have some experience with the latter method, more on blackland prairie to control woody plants and invasives like tall feskew, but the principle is the same. The latter method takes longer - years instead of weeks - but results in a more authentic habitat.

some things like cedars and mesquites can't be burned or grazed down

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You need to watch the Weather Channel's series called 'It Could Happen Tomorrow'.

They did a story on how west Austin is a fire accident waiting to happen.

They said it has similar environmental fire vunerabilities to Oakland Hills, California(1991).

Proscribed burns, done properly, actually reduce the wildfire vulnerability of an area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

west Austin does not have the high winds that fuel the extreme aspect of the fires in California

there could be fires for sure, but they would not be as out of control nor would they be as likely to jump roads and other control points because the high winds will not be there

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
west Austin does not have the high winds that fuel the extreme aspect of the fires in California

there could be fires for sure, but they would not be as out of control nor would they be as likely to jump roads and other control points because the high winds will not be there

Agreed, it's the Santa Ana winds, which are especially hot and dry, that really get the S. Cal fires going.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • The title was changed to Giant Homes On The Prairie?

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...