Real estate agents will tell you–don’t wait until you market your house to remodel or make repairs. Fix it up today so that you can enjoy the home whenever it’s yours.

The same holds true for land.

Too frequently, landowners do not bother to clean brush, replace a faulty septic system or install a new entrance gate–not until they’re prepared to put their property in the marketplace.

Making improvements now can pay off in 2 manners. You will increase the future worth of their house. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy the updates yourself.

Key Considerations

Which enhancements should you handle first?

This depends how you plan on using the property and in which it is located–a homesite in the Piney Woods or a hunting ranch at the South Texas brush country, as an example.

“The most important things are water and power,” states Jeff Bedwell, Brady and San Saba branch manager with Central Texas Farm Credit in the western Hill Country. “That may sound like a no-brainer, but people just don’t know the lack of available water in some rural locations.”

In East Texas, including a water feature and”cleaning up” treed property will normally pay off at sale time, according to Garrett Cox, appraiser with Heritage Land Bank at Tyler.

Following are a Couple of improvements which may
Pay off to you, whether financially or in personal satisfaction.

Pretty small pond on a ranch in the Texas Hill Country.

Water

Water features are generally the top choice for improvements. Installing a lake or pond may add significant value to property. And should you own creeks, clean them up to increase water flow. Does water include aesthetic appeal, it will help attract wildlife to the property, according to Cox.

“At the middle shore place, water features continue to command a high with recreational land buyers,” says Wade Kubecka, appraiser with Capital Farm Credit at El Campo. “The vast majority of buyers need water features that are already in place.” Those attributes range from beachfront properties that offer access to this saltwater bay systems all of the way to waterfowl habitat ponds developed especially using the waterfowl hunter in mind.

Whether you plan to reside on the property, increase livestock or nurture a deer herd, a reliable water source is a requirement. But in most regions of Texas, water is not guaranteed.

“Simply because there’s a water line before your property doesn’t mean that you can tap into it,” says Bedwell. It may be necessary to drill a well. However, to ensure that is even possible, go online to look at the water depth and quality of test wells in your region, he guides.

A texas barn at a meadow of bluebonnets

Structures

Twenty years ago, barndominiums weren’t ordinary –at least not by that name. Now , a”barndo”–often a metal construction that is popular on recreational properties–will generally increase a home’s value, according to Cox. He reports that even a little cabin will make a property more attractive to someone searching for a place to hunt.

“A barndominium will at least retain its worth, and it costs about the same as a mobile home, which loses value,” Bedwell states.

Furthermore, a barndo can perform double duty as a home–if fulltime or on weekends–and a workshop or equipment shed. And if you build a bigger home later, the barndo can serve as a bunk house for extra visitors.

But don’t overlook other kinds of structures that are functional. A barn, shop or well-constructed shed is going to improve your premises too, says Cox.

Fencing

Quality fencing is an integral consideration if you’ve got a hunting ranchand it is a requirement if you raise livestock. For a cattle ranch, regular area fence will cost approximately $2.50 each foot–$3 a foot if bulldozer work is needed–and that could add up quickly, Bedwell points outside.

“But if you’re going to have a really cow-calf operation, then fencing is appropriate behind water and power as an important home advancement,” he states.

On a recreational land, determine if you truly need a high fencing to keep deer if a low fence is sufficient. Though high fencing will increase the value of the house, just a small percentage of buyers are ready to pay the extra price tag of a high fencing, based on Bedwell.

Brush Clearance

In East Texas, where the plant can be dense, Cox says property buyers are often searching for a view. Thinning trees out and clearing the undergrowth involving them can make the property more attractive.

On a woodlot which you plan on using for wood and diversion, he urges making cuts throughout the timber for hunting lanes and incorporating streets for movement throughout the house. It also makes sense to plant a food plot in the center, ” he says.

“For $85 an hour, you can rent a bulldozer and wash up pockets of their property so it is possible to go around,” says Cox.

Cox, who previously was an appraiser in Central Texas, notes that clearing brush and cedar may also add to property values from the Hill Country. But do not”over-clear” the land.

Rainwater Collection

“A rainwater collection system is the way of the future in our portion of the planet,” says Bedwell. He tells the story of a little rancher who collected enough rain off a 40-by-60-foot barn to meet with the ranch’s water demands for a year.

“A complex rainwater collection system will probably cost $30,000 to $40,000, versus $125,000 to drill a deep well. So it’s relatively cheap,” he states.

Anyway, he points out,”collecting rainwater isn’t only smart, but it is perceived as a fantastic thing”–and something that he considers rural property buyers at the Hill Country will be seeking in the future.

Like water, electricity is something many first-time landowners take for granted, according
to Bedwell.

Power

“It’s really important to have power set up, particularly for a rural homesite,” he states.
“A deficiency of electricity is likely to lessen your house’s resale value and give potential buyers second thought”

Your Plan

Confused about how to boost your distinct property? Not sure where to start?

“Think about it this way,” says Bedwell. “If it is 10 years in the future, and you’re putting your property in the market, ask yourself what
You might have done to make it more usable and enjoyable.”

And remember: Improvements often can be financed as part of their mortgage, if they’re planned when you obtain the property.

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