Buying land in New Braunfels can be the first step toward an amazing new chapter in your family’s lives. Before signing any purchasing paperwork, make sure you ask the following questions so you fully understand the commitment.

Q: How Buildable Is the Lot?

If you’re buying land to build a home, you need to be sure you can actually build on the land. You’ll need to know about local wildlife, environmental restrictions from the local government, and the quality of the land itself. You also need to know how the land fares during different types of weather.

Q: What Type of Access Rights Come with the Land?

You need to know how you’ll get to your new home and what type of access you and others will have to your property. Does the land offer legal access to the property from a public road?

Q: Does the Land Have Existing Utility Structures?

Find out whether the land you’re considering buying has any utility structures such as wells, septic systems, connections to the local sewer system, or electrical lines. If not, you’re going to have to pay to have them installed so you have utilities on your property.

Q: Has the Land Been Surveyed Recently?

You want to be completely certain of the boundaries on the land you purchase. Ask whether it has been recently surveyed and whether any boundary lines are marked so you know the exact limits of your new property.

Q: What Are the Natural Resource Rights of the Property?

If your land comes with resource rights to timber, water, or gas, you need to know whether the purchase of the property conveys these rights to you as the new owner. If resources such as timber exist on the lot, you may want to research local timber mills and the value of the timber so you can plan around it in the future and possibly generate more income from your land.

Q: What Type of Zoning Exists on the Property?

If you plan to build on your new land, you need to make sure you are legally able to build the type of structure you want. Make sure the land has the zoning rights you need to complete your build.

Q: Will the Land Fall Under the Jurisdiction of a Homeowners’ or Property Owners' Association?

You may face restrictions if you build on an area under the jurisdiction of a homeowners' or property owners' association. While some HOAs and POAs are fairly lenient, others may impose restrictions on your homebuilding project that don’t mesh with your plans.

Q: What Are the Property Tax Obligations for the Land?

Property taxes can easily become one of the most expensive aspects of owning land. Before committing to a purchase, make sure you can handle the long-term cost of property taxes. It’s also worth researching the history of property taxes in the area. If they’ve been increasing over the past several years, it’s likely they will continue to increase after you buy the land.

Q: Do Any Improvements Exist on the Land that Convey with the Purchase?

Fences, gases, outbuildings, or other improvements made to the land may or may not convey with the property. It’s possible the seller will take these things after the purchase, so make sure you know exactly what comes with your purchase and what will not convey with the sale.

Q: Will the Property Come with a Clear Title?

You need to be certain that your land does not come with any liens or levies from past owners’ creditors. Otherwise, another party may have a legal claim to your new land and complicate your plans for it.

Q: How Close Are the Nearest Public Lands?

Your property could be very close to national parks, a national forest, protected state land, public waterways, or other public lands that could complicate your ownership. Make sure you know the exact boundaries of where these lands end and your new property begins.

Start Your Home Build With Confidence

These questions are just a starting point for your Texas land buying journey. Purchasing land for any reason is a significant investment, and you need to allow adequate time for research and any additional questions you have before committing to a purchase. Start building your list of land ownership questions and explore all the lots the Texas Hill Country has to offer.

For more information, visit Vintage Oaks. Vintage Oaks is a 3,900-acre masterplanned community featuring acreage properties from one to 14 acres priced from the $90s and a variety of custom and semi-custom homes, and is the fastest-growing community in the San Antonio area for five consecutive years.

Owners enjoy three pools, a lazy river, children’s playgrounds, five miles of nature trails, tennis and basketball courts, sporting fields, and the stunning Tuscan clubhouse. The year-round calendar of events and activities for all ages also includes the Summer Concert Series in Timber Ridge Park, dining out groups, Bunco groups, swim-in movies, yoga classes, Wine Night and more.

The new Fitness Club at Vintage Oaks gives owners a world-class facility right in the community, with 7,800 square feet of space including: large indoor/outdoor classrooms; a lap and fitness pool; Precor cardio and Life Fitness weight equipment; a hot tub; locker rooms; and more than 100 group exercise classes per month including yoga, water aerobics, and boot camps.

For more information about land in the Hill Country, download the Vintage Oaks interactive map below.