College Station TX

[AudieWyoming]

My wife took a job at the new hospital in College Station. I expect at some point I will have to follow her down there. We put her in a townhouse in College Station but if I move down we are going to have to have some acres outside of Brazo county. I don't believe I would want to try to raise any cattle there other than a few head to keep the tax exemption . I know we have several regulars on here from Texas including TexasBred and others, any thoughts or knowledge about the area would want to share would be much appreciated.

 

[Caustic Burno]

My wife took a job at the new hospital in College Station. I expect at some point I will have to follow her down there. We put her in a townhouse in College Station but if I move down we are going to have to have some acres outside of Brazo county. I don't believe I would want to try to raise any cattle there other than a few head to keep the tax exemption . I know we have several regulars on here from Texas including TexasBred and others, any thoughts or knowledge about the area would want to share would be much appreciated.

Be sure to check your county on how many ag acres you need.
I know a many got suckered here buy 10 acres and build a house.
An acre goes with the house now they don't have enough for Ag exemption.
Have to have a minimum of 10 acres here in production I don't know if that is state wide.
I know some counties are pretty aggressive in making sure you are running livestock or producing hay.
Edit Horses don't count.

 

[TexasBred]

My wife took a job at the new hospital in College Station. I expect at some point I will have to follow her down there. We put her in a townhouse in College Station but if I move down we are going to have to have some acres outside of Brazo county. I don't believe I would want to try to raise any cattle there other than a few head to keep the tax exemption . I know we have several regulars on here from Texas including TexasBred and others, any thoughts or knowledge about the area would want to share would be much appreciated.

Audie I haven't been through CS but about twice in the past 30 years. Since then it's probably quadrupled in size. (A&M has 50k students) Property values have also probably gone through the roof but I'm sure you can find a nice place. You might look into some of the smaller communities within 15-20 minutes driving distance and save some money.

 

[Texas PaPaw]

+1
Good advice on contacting the appraisal district ahead of time. Make sure property already has exemption as I think it take 5 years of ag use to get new exemption. Most of the appraisals in our county have 2 acres allocated to the house. Must also apply for ag exemption AT appraisal district, even though deed is filed with county clerk. Folks that inheirited the place next to me didn't do that and it almost cost them $2,000 in extra taxes even though place had ag exemption forever. I have been grazing the place for several years and had to tell them how many cows, etc were run on the place.

 

[Caustic Burno]

My wife took a job at the new hospital in College Station. I expect at some point I will have to follow her down there. We put her in a townhouse in College Station but if I move down we are going to have to have some acres outside of Brazo county. I don't believe I would want to try to raise any cattle there other than a few head to keep the tax exemption . I know we have several regulars on here from Texas including TexasBred and others, any thoughts or knowledge about the area would want to share would be much appreciated.

Audie I haven't been through CS but about twice in the past 30 years. Since then it's probably quadrupled in size. (A&M has 50k students) Property values have also probably gone through the roof but I'm sure you can find a nice place. You might look into some of the smaller communities within 15-20 minutes driving distance and save some money.

TB is right about the growth granddaughter is a student there, place is growing leaps and bounds.
Man I hate to say this twice about him being right there are several nice communities in the surrounding counties.

 

[Rafter S]

I work in Bryan / College Station, but live about 40 miles southeast of there in Grimes County. As I think someone else said, the ag exemption varies from county to county. I would definitely recommend getting that straight before buying anything, since if you lose your ag exemption you can probably add a zero to the end of your tax bill.

Get a real estate agent to confirm this, but I believe as you go north and west from B/CS land will get cheaper, and get higher as you go south (closer to Houston). In my part of the country (southwest corner of Grimes County) you'll probably be looking at about $10,000 per acre for ten acres. Northern part of the county and north and west of B/CS you can probably get it for 2/3 of that, maybe less. Again, I haven't bought or sold any land, so get a real estate agent to confirm when you get to that point.

Holler at me if you have any more questions.

 

[TexasBred]

SMALL-TOWN FEEL, BIG-CITY FEATURES

Ranked No. 3 on Kiplinger magazine's list of 10 Great Places to Live in 2013, College Station has also been recognized as one of the nation's best places for business, jobs, families and retirees. In addition, the city has been named America's No. 1 college town and was a finalist for the nation's friendliest. With a population closing in on 100,000, it is the largest city in the metropolitan area and boasts the fifth lowest property tax rate in the state among similar-sized communities.

College Station is home to Texas A&M University, one of the country's largest public universities and a member of the powerful Southeastern Conference, making college sports a major local attraction. A&M's international influence supplies a healthy diversity of race, culture and nationality that reflects much of the vibrancy, tradition and spirit that make the community a special place.

College Station is located in the heart of central Texas within a three-hour drive of five of the nation's 20 largest cities. A network of well-maintained highways and a regional airport served by major airlines provides convenient access from just about anywhere. College Station is one of only two cities in the country with nationally accredited departments in parks, public works, water, police and police communications, and in 2011 was ranked as the No. 4 best-performing small metro in the U.S.



QUALITY RESOURCES FOR QUALITY LIVING

Education is a major focus of the College Station community. The College Station Independent School District has received many state and national awards, including more than 100 national merit semifinalists in the last decade.

The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum is one of the region's most popular tourist attractions with more than 125,000 annual visitors. Former President George H. W. Bush and Barbara make College Station their second home and are often seen around town.

Station's 52 public parks cover more than 1,400 acres, with many providing amenities such as tennis and basketball courts, swimming pools, hiking trails, dog parks, playgrounds, picnic pavilions, walking/jogging and nature trails, along with a competition-quality skate park and a large outdoor amphitheater and festival site. The city offers a variety of adult and youth recreational programs such as softball, basketball, volleyball and kickball leagues, summer swim lessons, and a competitive swim team, just to name a few.

In addition, College Station is among the safest and most family-friendly places in Texas, consistently maintaining one of the lowest crime rates in the state. Kiplinger's has ranked College Station among the nation's 10 Great Cities to Raise Your Kids.



BRIGHT BUSINESS FUTURE

College Station is ranked No. 5 nationally and on Forbes list of the Best Small Places for Business and Careers. The city has worked closely with Texas A&M and the City of Bryan to develop the One Health Plus Biocorridor, a high-tech research area that will spark the area's economic growth for years to come.

In early 2013, pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline announced plans for a $91 million influenza vaccine-manufacturing facility that will anchor the Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing. In the next 25 years, the center is expected to create about 7,000 jobs in Texas.



NATIONAL RECOGNITION

The College Station-Bryan area has received national recognition in a variety of economic and social categories since 2010:

Finalist for America's Friendliest Small Town (USA Today/Rand McNally)
No. 3, 10 Great Places to Live (Kiplinger's)
No. 4, Best-Performing Small Metros in U.S. (Milken Institute)
No. 4, Best Cities for Military Retirement (USAA)
No. 4, Best Places to Retire (USA Today)
No. 5, Best Small Cities for Business and Careers (Forbes)
5 U.S. Cities in Full Blown Economic Expansion (MSNBC)
No. 8, Best Small Cities for Job Growth (Forbes)
Top 10 College Towns in America (Livability.com)
10 Great Cities to Raise Your Kids (Kiplinger's)
No. 23, Best Small Cities for Education (Forbes)
25 Best Places to Retire (Forbes)
Top 25 U.S. Cities for Working Retirement (Forbes)
Fifth lowest property tax rate in Texas
Lowest foreclosure rate in the U.S. (Foreclosure-Response.org)

 

[AudieWyoming]

Texas Bred I suspected you might want some input on this! thank you very much to each of the above responses. I will try to respond better when I get a little more time. Thanks again for every response good points, well taken.

 

[AudieWyoming]

Get a real estate agent to confirm this, but I believe as you go north and west from B/CS land will get cheaper, and get higher as you go south (closer to Houston). In my part of the country (southwest corner of Grimes County) you'll probably be looking at about $10,000 per acre for ten acres. Northern part of the county and north and west of B/CS you can probably get it for 2/3 of that, maybe less. Again, I haven't bought or sold any land, so get a real estate agent to confirm when you get to that point.

Yes, this is one of the observations I have confirmed so far. a lot of people looking to move out from Houston, driving land prices crazy and much of it very poor pasture land to start with! Land prices so overvalued, by the time most of these people buy their 2 to 10 acres of trashy over grown heaven, they can't afford to build a decent house on it. College Station is a really nice college town but almost every thing I have seen outside looks like Indian reservation land.

 

[bmcdonald]

Get a real estate agent to confirm this, but I believe as you go north and west from B/CS land will get cheaper, and get higher as you go south (closer to Houston). In my part of the country (southwest corner of Grimes County) you'll probably be looking at about $10,000 per acre for ten acres. Northern part of the county and north and west of B/CS you can probably get it for 2/3 of that, maybe less. Again, I haven't bought or sold any land, so get a real estate agent to confirm when you get to that point.

Yes, this is one of the observations I have confirmed so far. a lot of people looking to move out from Houston, driving land prices crazy and much of it very poor pasture land to start with! Land prices so overvalued, by the time most of these people buy their 2 to 10 acres of trashy over grown heaven, they can't afford to build a decent house on it. College Station is a really nice college town but almost every thing I have seen outside looks like Indian reservation land.

Very True your best bet to me is Robertson county around Hearne
Is mostly black land
I would stay away from Brazos or grimes county is mostly sandy soil
Needs alot lime which is expensive and high price for per acre
Doesn't pencil out to me

 

[greybeard]

I used to live in Burleson County. It was cow country back then, till everyone started raising pump jacks instead.
If I ever leave where I am now, Caldwell/Deanville/Dime Box are on my short list of places to move to.
My currenty county (San Jacinto) has set 20 acres as threshold for ag exemption and yes, unless it was previously on ag, it takes a few years to qualify for it.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Get a real estate agent to confirm this, but I believe as you go north and west from B/CS land will get cheaper, and get higher as you go south (closer to Houston). In my part of the country (southwest corner of Grimes County) you'll probably be looking at about $10,000 per acre for ten acres. Northern part of the county and north and west of B/CS you can probably get it for 2/3 of that, maybe less. Again, I haven't bought or sold any land, so get a real estate agent to confirm when you get to that point.

Yes, this is one of the observations I have confirmed so far. a lot of people looking to move out from Houston, driving land prices crazy and much of it very poor pasture land to start with! Land prices so overvalued, by the time most of these people buy their 2 to 10 acres of trashy over grown heaven, they can't afford to build a decent house on it. College Station is a really nice college town but almost every thing I have seen outside looks like Indian reservation land.

Very True your best bet to me is Robertson county around Hearne
Is mostly black land
I would stay away from Brazos or grimes county is mostly sandy soil
Needs alot lime which is expensive and high price for per acre
Doesn't pencil out to me

I don't know what the land is going for an acre Madison county has some nice places as well.
Thats not a bad drive at all to BCS.

 

[AudieWyoming]

I used to live in Burleson County. It was cow country back then, till everyone started raising pump jacks instead.
If I ever leave where I am now, Caldwell/Deanville/Dime Box are on my short list of places to move to.
My currenty county (San Jacinto) has set 20 acres as threshold for ag exemption and yes, unless it was previously on ag, it takes a few years to qualify for it.

"This." Driving around the back roads just to get a feel for the area, most has been very disappointing to me but, west of the Braso river (Burleson County) there is a narrow strip of good bottom land farms. No more than maybe 2 or 3 miles wide, with nice, well maintained farm steads, although most appear to be TA&M. Up off the river behind that appears to be more of the better ranches, maybe oil has kept them in stronger hands as they seem to have kept the pastures clean and in larger blocks.

 

[AudieWyoming]

Driving down from the N.E. into Bryan there is a quite a bit of new oil field activity, for those of you familiar, there is an older beat up paved road called OSR with a mix of new and old oil production. I figured OSR stood for Oil Service Road and was one of the first paved roads into to region. This is my third trip down here, I found out it means Old San Antonio Road. :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

 

[chippie]

I go to College Station / Bryan quite a bit (at least monthly). I've lived in the Houston area (within 30 miles) all my life (I'm 60). Several friends who work at A&M live elsewhere and commute. One lives in Madisonville.
It isn't people moving out of Houston wanting to live in the country that is driving the prices up in that area. It is the University. Apartments, rental houses for students, alumni wanting a place to stay for the games, and parents who actually buy property for their student as an investment. The traffic is worse than Houston on Game Day and pretty bad during the school year.

The advice to contact a reputable real estate agent that handles property, farms and ranch land is good advice. Ag Exemption varies from county to county. Our place was attached to a larger piece taxwise before we bought it. It was too small (less than 25 acres) to get Ag Exemption, and the county rolled back the taxes 10 years and we had to pay 10 years worth of the difference between AG and non-AG exemption. That was a shock.

I don't know what your price range is, but there are some nice small towns around the area.

Here's a search homes with acreage and acreage within 50 miles of College Station: http://tinyurl.com/landWithin50mileCollegeStation

ETA: OSR stands for Old San Antonio Road

 

[Caustic Burno]

Driving down from the N.E. into Bryan there is a quite a bit of new oil field activity, for those of you familiar, there is an older beat up paved road called OSR with a mix of new and old oil production. I figured OSR stood for Oil Service Road and was one of the first paved roads into to region. This is my third trip down here, I found out it means Old San Antonio Road. :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

You are going to have to let the Mrs. commute to get far enough away to find reasonable priced land in that area.
My part of the state you can buy an acre all day long for 3000. That is not happening anywhere close to BCS.
Chippie is right about the property being bought up as investment. Friend of mine bought a house for his daughter while in college.
After she got out he remodeled and now lease's it to 4 college students. He got to making so much off it he bought a couple more and did the same thing.

 

[TexasBred]

Chippie is right about the property being bought up as investment. Friend of mine bought a house for his daughter while in college.
After she got out he remodeled and now lease's it to 4 college students. He got to making so much off it he bought a couple more and did the same thing.

Had a friend who bought a little lot and put a simply mobile home on it about 10-12 years ago for his daughter. Rented other bedrooms to a couple of other girls. His second daughter will graduate in May/June and he plans to just keep renting the thing. Has made a killing off of it.

 

[AudieWyoming]

You are going to have to let the Mrs. commute to get far enough away to find reasonable priced land in that area.
My part of the state you can buy an acre all day long for 3000. That is not happening anywhere close to BCS.
Chippie is right about the property being bought up as investment. Friend of mine bought a house for his daughter while in college.
After she got out he remodeled and now lease's it to 4 college students. He got to making so much off it he bought a couple more and did the same thing.

When Cherie takes call she needs to be 30 minutes away, maybe could get by with 45. I know some of her co-workers live up at Caldwell. We haven't been too impressed with Grimes county or much off the Navasota river, although I saw a couple possibilities in Madison county. I saw one or two places with Iola (sp) addresses, but its too far to get around to a Navasota river crossing.

 

[tater74]

Try Normangee.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Try Normangee.

Or North Zulch