Hill Country land, custom builds, negotiating, and working with me.
It varies widely with site conditions, finishes, and builder, and the land itself can add costs people overlook: well, septic, utility extension, and foundation work on rocky ground. The honest answer is a budget discussion, not a number on a website. My free Custom Home Building Guide breaks down the real cost categories, and my free class goes deeper.
Neither one first. Evaluate both at the same time. The land dictates what you can build and what it will cost. A builder's attractive per-square-foot estimate can fall apart once site factors show up: sloped terrain, distance to utility connections, or rock right where the septic needs to go. I've worked with clients who bought land without builder input and watched their budget jump by $200,000 or more because of site problems. Have a builder look at any property before you finalize the purchase. That one step prevents more cost overruns than anything else in the process.
Before you fall in love with a floor plan, get clear on the land and the budget. The lot you choose drives everything: what you can build, what the site work costs, and whether the numbers pencil out. My process starts with a conversation about the lifestyle you want, then finding and evaluating the right piece of land, then connecting you with builders and lenders who fit your project. If you want to learn the whole process first, download my free Custom Home Building Guide or come to my free class in New Braunfels.
More than the numbers suggest. Final prices often land close to the latest list price, but a large share of active listings have already cut their price at least once. Those sellers started high and watched their listings sit, and they're the most open to negotiating. Search a little above your target budget: a home listed at your upper limit may close at the number you planned on, especially if it's been on the market a while. Lowball offers rarely work here. A clean, well-structured offer on a home where the seller has had time to adjust does.
Standard listings get basic photos, a short description and MLS placement. That's the minimum. I produce professionally filmed lifestyle videos for buyers who haven't visited the area yet. A big share of local demand comes from Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and California, and those buyers research online before they make the drive. Video is what gets them here. I also coordinate neighborhood open house events that feature several homes in one area at the same time, which brings far more buyer traffic than single showings. One recent weekend event put multiple properties under contract.
More than most buyers expect: water (well or utility), septic feasibility, electric access and the cost to extend it, floodplain, deed restrictions, easements, and whether the property has an ag exemption. Any one of these can change what a "cheap" piece of land really costs. I walk clients through all of it before they make an offer.
An agricultural valuation lets qualifying land be taxed on its productive value instead of market value, which can mean much lower property taxes. You can usually keep it if you continue a qualifying use such as livestock, hay, beekeeping or wildlife management, but the rules and minimum acreage vary by county. I help buyers understand a property's exemption status before closing so there are no tax surprises.
Less than you might think. Many of my clients buy 1–10 acre tracts: enough for privacy, a shop and room to breathe without ranch-scale upkeep. It depends on the lifestyle you want. Horses need more room than a garden, and some counties and subdivisions have minimums. Tell me what you're after and I'll help you find the right size.
Plan on several months of planning (design, budget, builder selection, permits) before ground breaks, and roughly a year of construction for most custom homes, longer on complex sites. The best way to stay on schedule is to make decisions early. I stay involved from the land purchase through closing to keep things moving.
Very. Land buyers shop differently. They care about water, soil, views, fencing, access and restrictions, and many are searching from Austin, San Antonio, Houston or out of state. Marketing land well means drone video, accurate boundary and improvement maps, and pricing based on what comparable tracts actually sell for, not an algorithm's estimate. That's how I market land.
In most transactions my compensation comes through the transaction, and it's spelled out in writing up front. Texas requires a written buyer representation agreement before we tour homes, so you'll see exactly how I'm paid before we start. No surprises.
The Texas Hill Country. I'm based in New Braunfels and work with clients across Canyon Lake, Bulverde, Spring Branch, Seguin, San Marcos, Wimberley, Blanco, Boerne, Fredericksburg and the surrounding communities. Not sure if I cover your area? Just ask.