Last Updated on July 2, 2022 by Cooper Hayes
The Lone Star state is well known for its rolling hills, wide-open spaces, and varied terrains. These features are a result of the state’s mammoth land-per-capita ratio and contribute to its reputation as one of the most affordable land markets to buy in today.
Houston is found in the heart of the Gulf Coastal Plain biome, offering diverse temperate grasslands in one of the flattest major metropolitan hubs in the US. Consistent with national real estate markets, the Houston land market has become hotter in the past few years. Trends are driven by an influx of urban dwellers moving to rural areas in pursuit of larger living spaces and a serene lifestyle. Yet prices are still among the lowest in the nation.
In this article, we’re going to look at land for sale in Houston, local and state-wide market trends, and how to find the perfect plot of Houston soil to build your dreams upon.
What Makes Houston Land so Desirable?
Any real estate market can transform with a couple of desirable living conditions present, including population growth, abundant job opportunities, a strong real estate market, and an attractive renter’s market.
Over the past decade, Houston TX has welcomed over a million new residents. More specifically, the population of Harris County has consistently grown by 15%. Between September and November 2021, Houston offered more than 79,000 new job positions, which is the fastest three-month job growth rate recorded since 1990.
Historically, Texas real estate prices have been low due to the abundant supply of affordable land. The cost of living is low in Texas since it’s one of the only states in America that does not levy income tax. Additionally, the land real estate market in Houston is becoming highly sought-after as new and existing residents seek a slower pace of life in the city’s rural outskirts.
If you’re looking for the perfect plot of land to purchase in Houston, get in touch with your trusted Houston realtors, San Antonio Texas Homes For Sale. We are highly trained and knowledgeable in the Houston real estate market and proficiently identify prospective properties consumers desire.
How Much Does Land Cost in Houston?
Houston city is situated in the county seat of Harris county, though outer suburbs lengthen into Mongomery and Fort Bend counties too. Recently it has become increasingly challenging for investors to find large belts of land for sale in the Houston area due to a number of Houston residents leaving the metropolitan area in search of a suburban or rural lifestyle. Accordingly, the price of non-commercial vacant land in Houston is expected to continue climbing.
In early 2021, the cost of land for sale in Harris county averaged $21,000 per acre. During 2020, small land sales in the Gulf Coast region of Texas – where Harris county is located – were $11,675 per acre on average. Sweeping the state, the average rural land price per acre in Texas in 2021 was $3,725. Texan figures mark a 25% increase over 2020’s average.
The cost of purchasing land locally and state-wide has steadily risen in the past few years which impacts the price to build a new home. At the same time, this activity reflects the national real estate market trends and is expected to continue over the foreseeable future.
How is TX Land Valued?
The diversity of Texan land means that the price per acre is determined by several factors, including demand, terrain, the size of the plot, and availability. As urban dwellers in Houston increasingly rush to purchase rural land, the demand for rural land has soared while inventory has decreased, causing prices to rise dramatically.
Location is a primary factor taken into account when determining the cost of Houston land, esteemed above terrain or aesthetics. Nonetheless, rural and small land properties that have been improved by interior roads, selective clearing, and fencing tend to sell at a higher value.
Agricultural use of land, for example cropland, in the wider Houston area is minimal. This means that small and rural land sales are valued for residential use or lifestyle farms, rather than agricultural production. Once again, this trend reflects metropolitan Houston residents’ growing tendency to escape the city bustle for a more tranquil rural lifestyle.
Rural Land vs Small Land For Sale Houston
In Texas, there is a clear division of land use and land buying trends. Accordingly, the market designates two distinct classes of land real estate: small land sales and rural land sales. The state defines small land sales as a plot comprising 200 acres or less, with the exception of Far Wear Texas, where small land sales can be up to 8,000 acres. Typically, small land sales are powered by residential, lifestyle, or recreational farming use, whereas rural land sales are driven by farming and manufacturing.
Across all seven regions in Texas, small land sales increased 34% in volume in 2020. As the quantity of land sold escalated, the average size for small land plots has decreased to an average of 30 acres in 2020. The average price per acre of small land was concurrently escalated by demand.
Find New Listings in Houston
It’s no surprise that real estate investors are flocking to Houston to snatch up land in one of the United States’ most affordable markets. Houston TX has historically offered affordable real estate and provides a secure job market, low cost of living, and diverse lifestyle opportunities for residents. In line with national trends, non-commercial land sales in Houston have been rising dramatically over the past few years which is expected to continue into the foreseeable future.
Whether you’re searching for a rural space deemed reliable for a hobby farm, or a lifestyle shift away from the high-rise hustle and bustle of metropolitan Houston, San Antonio Texas Homes For Sale can help you find the real estate you’ve been waiting for.
We have local real estate licenses to serve wider Houston and are continuously working to provide the best local information service to tend to consumers’ personal requests. We will help you discover new listings on the market that competitively rival any other local listing broker’s offer today! Contact San Antonio Texas Homes For Sale to uncover your dream real estate in Houston.
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