What is needed to buy land in TX

Want to buy land in Texas? All you really need is money and a dream. But, to find the best land in Texas, it’s important to work with one of our onsite land consultants who can help you understand the process, who can introduce you to the communities that offer the best value, location, and amenities, and who can guide you through the selection, loan, and purchase process.

Purchasing your lot

When it comes to actually buying your land, you can pay cash or secure a land loan. The most important thing to know about land loans is that they differ from home mortgages in that they are not for 30-year terms. Instead, your loan will most likely have a shorter term—as little as a few years.

Expect to make a higher down payment on a land loan, which will be determined by the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio; this is calculated by dividing the amount of the loan by the property’s value or purchase price (whichever is lower). Just like a home loan, land loans can be fixed rate or adjustable, and, in the Hill Country, farm or agricultural financing may also be available depending on the lot chosen.

Additional land-related costs

The cost of the homesite itself is not all you will pay when buying Texas land, and, of course, process will vary depending on the size of the lot, the configuration, the setting, the topography, and the community in which the property is located. There are also a few additional costs related to preparing your land for construction:

• Permit Fees—Permits will need to be secured before building any structure. Depending on your builder and community, some permits may be obtained for you.
• Lot preparation fees—A more heavily treed or terraced lot may need more work to prepare it for construction.
• Utility costs—One of the advantages of buying land in Texas in a masterplanned community is that the land is already served by utility companies. If you’re buying in a remote area, there likely will be more costs involved in setting up utilities, as well as septic and sewer.

Choosing your homesite

Even if you know where you want to buy land in Texas, choosing a specific homesite can be challenging. Asking yourself a few important questions can help you narrow down your options:

• How large of a homesite do you need?
• Do you want a certain amount of road frontage or is privacy more important?
• Is the property surveyed and is the title to the property clear?
• Do you want trees or other topographical features or do you prefer a flat lot?
• Is title insurance available and what are the deed restrictions on the property?
• What are the current taxes on the property?
• How important is the view?
• Have you determined your overall budget for land and construction?

Thinking about the type of home you want to build on your land will guide the answers to many of these questions. 

Building a home on your land in Texas

If you’re buying land in Texas with the intention of building a custom home, there are additional considerations you will want to keep in mind. Thinking about your ideal home can help you narrow down the settings. For instance, some communities have square footage restrictions, architectural guidelines, and requirements for when you have to build and what builders you can use.

Land buyers are drawn to Vintage Oaks in New Braunfels for many reasons—this masterplan is the fastest-growing community in the Hill Country for five consecutive years. The fact that buyers can choose their own builder and build on their timeline are two of them. Vintage Oaks does, however, offer a Builder Match Program. This complimentary service can help land owners in the community find the right homebuilder by using the reviews and recommendations of previous Vintage Oaks land buyers.

Property Owners’ Associations (POAs) are also a factor. If you want a location where no one can tell you what to build or how to live, a remote setting may be for you. Many buyers choose to build in communities that have a POA because they generally offer amenities that are not found in other types of communities, and also because POAs help preserve the community standards and, therefore, the home values. In areas without POAs, landowners can suffer from lowered or non-existent standards that can actually harm property values.

For more information about how to buy land in Texas, visit Vintage Oaks. Vintage Oaks is a 3,900-acre masterplanned community that offers land in the Hill Country ranging from 1 to 14 acres in gated and non-gated neighborhoods as well as custom, semi-custom homes, and Quick Move homes. On-site resort amenities include multiple pools, a lazy river, miles of walking trails, ball fields and sport courts, a Tuscan clubhouse, a year-round calendar of community events, and the brand-new Fitness Club.

You can also request a copy of the interactive map below.