Austin Ranches

There's much more to Austin than it's great live music and amazing food. The companies that make Austin a great place to work and the people that make Austin a great place to live are diverse and expanding. So too is the land in and around Austin. In the past, owning a ranch in Austin could have literally meant owning large acreage inside the Austin City Limits. Heavy growth over the past decade or so has changed that definition. Now Austin ranches usually refers to a ranch within about an hour of Austin.

I-35 not only splits the city of Austin but it also splits the landscape of Austin. Austin ranches on the east side of I-35 feature sandy loam or clay soils that grow good grasses, gently rolling hills and open pastures. The Colorado River is a major landmark in the area and features great kayaking, canoeing and fishing opportunities. Thousands of years of flooding have created a fertile valley around the Colorado River which is used to grow hundreds of varieties of crops - most notably pecans, watermelon, peaches and tomatoes. Majestic oaks, cypress and pecans line the banks of this now flood controlled river which provides water for rice farmers downstream near the central coast of Texas.

West of I-35, the Texas Hill Country is the quintessential backdrop to many people's idea of Austin ranches. The tall, limestone hills create stunning vistas, the quintessential backdrop for a Texas sunset. Many ranch homes feature big, breezy porches designed to take advantage of the views. Year-round, seasonal and dry creeks and rivers carve canyons and create pools - perfect for cooling off in the hot summer. Notable waterways on Austin ranches are the Blanco River, Pedernales River, Onion Creek, Miller Creek and perhaps the most famous, Barton Creek. The Pedernales River flows into Lake Travis, recognized as one of the most beautiful lakes in Texas. Only minutes away from Austin, less developed areas on the west and north side of Lake Travis create the perfect waterfront spot for many Austin ranches.

The diversity of land in and around Austin has made Austin ranches hard to define. From the green, rolling hills of the Colorado River valley east of Austin to the majestic limestone peaks of the Texas Hill Country, there is a ranch in the Austin area that will ft just about anyone's idea of the perfect place to call home.

Dave Murray
Specializing in Austin and Central Texas Residential, Estate, Waterfront and Ranch Properties

Use our web site to search for Austin ranches, Texas Hill Country ranches, Lake Travis homes for sale and find out more about the area:
Web Site: http://www.dmtx.com/
Ranch Blog: http://www.texaswaterfrontranches.com/

http://EzineArticles.com/6369248

Hill Country Ranches

Many people think of Texas as a big desert or a dusty plain but Texas is one of the most diverse states in America. It features one of the largest coast lines of any state, old growth forests in the eastern portion of the state, great plains to the north and mountainous deserts to the west. One of Texas' most treasured features is its Hill Country located in the central part of the state and owning a piece of it is like owning a piece of heaven.

Hill Country ranches can vary from valleys with bubbling creeks to hilltops grandly displaying the countryside. Some ranches feature cleared pastures for grazing goats and cattle while others are ranch owners choose to keep their properties in a more natural state to attract wildlife.

Some of the most coveted Hill Country ranches even feature broad, clear limestone rivers such as the Pedernales, Colorado, Frio, Comal or Blanco rivers. These rivers are mostly spring fed from underground aquifers whose waters are filtered through porous limestone which gives these waterways exceptional clarity and create beautiful environments for swimming, fishing, canoeing and kayaking.

Hill Country ranches are renowned for their incredible hunting opportunities. Common wildlife on Hill Country ranches includes whitetail deer, axis deer, turkey and feral hogs. Many ranchers lease their land to give guests the opportunity to hunt for wildlife. The central Texas area is a destination for many deer hunters around the country and hunting ranches can range from brush covered back country to well-groomed forests replete with luxurious hunting lodges.

Ranches in the Central Texas area can range from just 20 acres to over 20,000 acres but they all have common features of rolling limestone hills and broad oaks. Many people see the non-native ash juniper more commonly called a "cedar" as an invasive species on Hill Country ranches but the mature trees have become home to the endangered golden cheeked warbler and black-capped vireo. Protecting these species through conservation easements is one way owners of Central Texas area ranches can gain tax benefits and protect the land from over development. The exploding populations of Austin and San Antonio have dramatically raised the value of Hill Country ranches and also sparked debate on conservation among individual property owners and developers as well as local, state and federal governments.

Owning a ranch in the Hill Country offers a place to escape the stress of everyday life and experience the diversity of scenery, waterfront, flora and wildlife that Central Texas has to offer.

Dave Murray
Specializing in Austin and Central Texas Residential, Estate, Waterfront and Ranch Properties

Use our web site to search for Austin ranches, Texas Hill Country ranches, Lake Travis homes for sale and find out more about the area:
Web Site: http://www.dmtx.com/
Ranch Blog: http://www.texaswaterfrontranches.com/

http://EzineArticles.com/6369583

Investing in Texas Hill Country Ranches

There is no better investment than a Texas Hill Country ranch. Data from the Texas A&M Real Estate Center for rural land in the Hill Country counties Bandera, Blanco, Kendall and Kerr reflects an inflation-adjusted 588% increase in the past 40 years, we have data for (1969-2009) which averages nearly 15% per year with values doubling every 6-7 years. With that interest rate, not including inflation, investing $150,000 would be worth over a million dollars of today's money 50 years later. Even in the past ten years that we have data for (1999-2009) with the dot com bubble and the current recession, there's been an over 90% increase and a 50% increase in the past five years (2004-2009) in rural land values in these Hill Country counties. Compare that with today's 30-year treasury bonds yielding around 4% per annum, 1 year bank cd's at around 1% and 0% inflation-adjusted treasury bonds issued for the first time ever in 2009 and you come to fully appreciate the incredible investment ranch land is for the smart investor.

Now take into account tax rates. Tax rates for Texas Hill Country ranches are very low in comparison to other tax rates. Taxes on Texas Hill Country ranches can range from a tenth of a percent to half of a percent. That's compared with ~2.5-3% tax rates for nearby cities. The rural land rates in these areas are roughly 1.5%, however, agriculture and wildlife exemptions (commonly referred to as exemptions but are really property appraisal valuations whereby the tax basis is reduced to a fraction of the true value because of agricultural or wildlife use) knock the tax basis down so significantly that the actual taxes are these mere fractions of a percent. As an example, a $1,000,000 ranch with wildlife management or having cattle graze part of the year may get reappraised at $10,000 because of such use, then taxed 1.5% for a total tax payment of $150.

Many owners own simply because they love the recreational aspects but there's nothing more American than avoiding the taxman with a smart investment! Save money and have fun by getting into the Texas Hill Country ranch real estate market! Ridiculously low taxes and a historically consistent upswing are just the beginning of many perks Texas Hill Country ranches have to offer, take advantage of the current low-volume ranch real estate market and get in the game because you won't find a better investment.

John Nisbet is a third generation ranch ranch broker with Nisbet Ranch Sales, LLC living in San Antonio, Texas and specializing in Texas Hill Country ranches.

http://EzineArticles.com/6337254

Texas Hill Country Ranches

West of Austin and north/northwest of San Antonio lies the Texas Hill Country, true to its namesake with rolling hills and deep valleys. Settled in the 1800s, the Hill Country offers a diverse yet rural population who enjoy living the way things used to be. Many of the early settlers were liberal minded Germans who were fleeing after the Revolution of 1848 and with them they brought Old World tastes and traditions that one can enjoy by pulling into town. Towns like Fredericksburg offer beer gardens, markets and restaurants that celebrate this diverse populace. Their stalwart rock homes of the 1800s pepper the countryside and it's much en vogue in recent years to restore these old settlements. Many of the ranch owners can trace back to these settlers and can be seen working their fields and livestock during the day and enjoying the fine dining in the evenings, true of so many of the small towns that bustle with energy. This energy has supported the establishment of extensive wineries across the region known as the Texas Hill Country Wine Trail, leading the New York Times to rank the Hill Country as the #1 travel destination and comparing it to Tuscany and the south of France. The Texas Hill Country has also been named the fastest growing wine destination by travel site away.com.

The richness in culture, heritage and Old World charm is unique in that it is only minutes from two of the largest cities in Texas: San Antonio and Austin. In fact, many CEOs and businessmen now call their ranches home and commute to their jobs in the city. Many of the area's most impressive architecture lies in the mansions and compounds built on Hill Country ranches. Local airports and landing strips make it possible for the who's who to live comfortably amongst the grand landscapes and clear, spring-fed rivers. This easy proximity to town is also the reason for the Hill Country and the ranches therein becoming fodder for recreation rather than actual ranching. Streams have been developed into large lakes for fishing and boating, exotics have been imported from Asia and Africa and hunting has become big business.

The region is exceptional for children and many children's camps have supplied the fantastic memories that feed the urge for many of these CEOs turned ranchers and city dwellers turned country-folk to have made the transition. Second only to Florida for retirees, Texas can thank the Hill Country for providing a safe-haven for everlasting youth, vigor and happiness that can only be found in the beautiful foothills and lush valleys of this spectacular region.

John Nisbet is a third generation ranch ranch broker with Nisbet Ranch Sales, LLC living in San Antonio, Texas and specializing in Texas Hill Country ranches.

http://EzineArticles.com/6408148