Finally bought a piece of Texas

[markc]

Well guys having been born and raised along the gulf coast I have been wanting to buy a piece of land in the hill country for years.  Unfortunately the price per acre is getting out of hand and it seemed that I was looking at being able to afford smaller and smaller pieces.  So, not being able to afford a place of a couple hundred acres, but also not wanting a few acres in a resort or tourist area, my wife and I decided on a tract in a mountanious area N/E of Del Rio this past week and bought 71.46 acres for our recreation/retirement place. 

Now I can't wait to get out there and start working on a camp site, etc....

Anyone else buying a retirement spot in Texas?

[Graybeard]

Congratulations Mark on finally finding a spot. I know it has to have disappointed you that you couldn't find a larger range in your price range but these days prices are soaring way faster than our incomes are. I sure had hoped to move west when I retired but getting out five years early the money was just not there. I guess I don't see me ever being able to make it happen now.

But I am looking forward to coming out to visit with you guys when you get set up out there. I'll have to look at where Del Rio is on the map but it seems to me like that's kinda far west of the Hill Country isn't it? I sure fell in love with that area around Kerrville when we were out there and sure would like to have me a ranch in that vicinity.

[Ironwood]

Congratulations on your purchase.  That's sure some ruggedly beautiful country down there.  You are a very lucky man.

[markc]

Thanks guys.   If you look on the map, we are about 9 miles or so south of Carta Valley Tx.   It is quite rugged with some nice tall hills, and beautiful views.  I have since purchased a digital camera and will take some good pics when we go back out there.   We are  going to have the north side fenced first just so we can tell exactly how much of the deep draw is ours.  Kind of hard to tell since it is kind of mountanious and theres no way to see from the front to the back corners..  Bill, we hope to begin setting up a nice camp site on our next trip but won't actually build a house for some time.  But a nice small cabin etc... is in the works now.   I think you would enjoy it out there..

[S.E.Ak]

If its like most of the land around there you probably got about 125 acres on the curve.

[markc]

Amigo Will, if by on the curve you mean the up and down the hils, then you are probably correct.  It is quite steep, with a really nice tall hill in the center.   It is interesting that hills like that seem to make the property 10 times what it would be if it were simply flat.   We hope that the adjoining 59.2 acres goes up for sale at some point.  We would love to have that tract as well...

[Dillohide]

Boy that's good looking deer country. You should have some Axes Deer there too. Couple of guys in our San Antonio office have a lease at Carta Valley. They limit out every year. I'm waiting for somebody to get off the lease so they can get me on. It's a long way from Dallas/Ft. Worth but I don't care. Nice find 

[markc]

Dillonhide,  thanks.  To the right of that big hill is a deep draw that runs nearly 3000' to just short of the back property line of our place.  Behind that feeder at the base of the hill is a nice dry creek bed.  It is really thick down there and I found a couple of really nice rubs.   

Hope to see some critters when I get there in a couple of days.   There have been some axis shot out there, so hoepfully we will see some too..

[Mohawk]

  Hey Mark. When you get out there and you want several water troughs for the dry months let me know. We got ours in bulk and not using them all. 30 gallons each and I have 4 left. If you want them, they're yours. I just have them sitting in storage.

[rockbilly]

During the past thirrty years I have watched $350. an acre land jump to over $3500. an acre.  Seems everybody wants a little piece of Texas.

There is still some fairly good hunting properties to be had in the Dryden, Snaderson area at a reasonable price.  Only problem with most of the west Texas land is there is little or no water source.  The cost of a well in some of these areas cost more that a tract of land does.  There is litle rain, so not much of a chance of capturing run-off.

Many of the places near Dryden.Sanderson have (some) water, and there is an abudance of game, Quail, (Blue and Bob), Turkey, dove, Mule and white tailed deer, some big cats, and hogs.  It may ber worth the price for an long termed investment.

[markc]

Mohawk would love a water trough or two....  Not sure how or when I could get them from you though..
rockbilly, we actually looked over some land outside of Sanderson.  It was nice looking and cheaper than most to be sure.   Decided to buy more east though.

[ms]

Enjoy 

[Mohawk]

Just let me know, Mark. We can meet up. They should fit in the back of a pick up truck or SUV, they stack on top of one another. You ain't that far away. Hope you guys have a good Christmas.