Frequently Asked Questions

What is a country home property and how does it differ from a standard rural listing?

A country home property in the Hortenstine Ranch Company context is a rural parcel with a primary residence that meets livable standards, combined with enough acreage to provide genuine land utility beyond a suburban lot. The defining characteristic is that the land and its uses are intentional components of the listing rather than incidental background to a house sale.

  • A 50-acre North Texas property with a 3-bedroom home, a small hay meadow, a stock tank, and good deer hunting is a country home property.
  • A 2-acre rural residential lot with a manufactured home but no meaningful land use is not.

Buyers drawn to country homes typically want the combination of a comfortable permanent or weekend residence and the ability to run a few cattle, maintain horses, keep a garden, and hunt without leaving their property. Texas country home properties in commuting range of Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin command a premium over comparable properties in more remote locations because buyers can maintain primary employment while living the rural lifestyle.

What price range should I expect for a country home with acreage in North or Central Texas?

Country home properties in commuting range of the major Texas metros carry substantial premiums over comparable properties in more remote areas.

  • In the DFW exurban ring covering Parker, Hood, Palo Pinto, Erath, and Somervell counties, a 50-acre property with a well-maintained 3-bedroom home, a small barn, and a stock tank currently lists in the 600,000 to 1.5 million dollar range depending on improvements and land quality.
  • In the Central Texas Hill Country within an hour of Austin in Blanco, Gillespie, and Llano counties, comparable properties have pushed above 2 million dollars in recent years due to intense demand.

Buyers willing to go beyond the 2-hour commute radius into Brown, Coleman, and McCulloch counties find comparable land and home quality at 40 to 60 percent lower price points. Oklahoma country home properties in the Arbuckle Mountains and Kiamichi foothills offer similar aesthetics and rural character at significantly lower per-acre prices than Central Texas.

Can I get agricultural tax exemption on a country home property in Texas?

Texas agricultural appraisal under Section 1-d-1 of the Texas Tax Code is available for country home properties that meet the active agricultural use requirement, which can include livestock grazing, hay production, crop production, orchard management, or wildlife management among other qualifying activities. The acreage threshold for qualification varies by county and land type but most Texas counties require at least 10 to 15 acres of agricultural use outside the home site.

Wildlife management use is available as an alternative to traditional agricultural activities and requires implementing at least three of seven specific wildlife practices annually including:

  • Census surveys,
  • Habitat control,
  • Predator management,
  • Erosion control,
  • Supplemental water,
  • Supplemental food, or
  • Providing shelter.

A 50-acre property in Palo Pinto County with a residence valued at 300,000 dollars and land market value of 4,000 per acre could see the land portion assessed at 50 dollars per acre under ag appraisal, saving the owner 12,000 to 15,000 dollars annually in property taxes. Hortenstine Ranch Company agents can explain current county-specific requirements.