Land & acreage guide

Buying Land in the Hill Country: Water, Septic and Access

Land is not a house with a bigger yard. What you can actually do with a piece of Hill Country property is decided by water, wastewater, access and restrictions — none of which appear in the listing photos. Work through these before you fall for the view.

Water: where it comes from, and how much you can use

Outside city limits, a property may rely on a private well, a water supply corporation or rainwater collection. If there is an existing well, ask for the well log, depth, age and any recent flow or water quality testing. If you would need to drill, check with the local groundwater conservation district first — permitting, spacing and production rules vary by district and can affect what you build.

Septic: can the land support a system?

Most rural homes use an on-site sewage facility. Systems are permitted locally under state rules, and soil depth, slope and rock decide which type is possible and what it costs. For an existing home, get the permit history and an inspection. For raw land, a site evaluation before you close is money well spent.

Access and easements

Confirm the property has legal, recorded access to a public road — not just a gravel drive across a neighbor's land. A current survey shows boundaries, recorded easements, fences that do not match the lines, and any pipeline or utility corridors that limit where you can build.

Restrictions decide your plans

Deed restrictions and property owners' associations are common even on acreage. They can limit additional dwellings, minimum square footage, metal buildings, livestock, short-term rentals and further subdividing. Read them before you design anything. In parts of Comal, Bexar and neighboring counties, land over the Edwards Aquifer recharge and contributing zones carries additional state requirements for construction.

Floodplain and terrain

Creeks here are beautiful and can rise quickly. Check flood maps, ask about past flooding, and if you can, walk the property after a heavy rain. Steep slopes and shallow rock raise the cost of driveways, foundations and septic more than most buyers expect.

Agricultural and wildlife valuation

Many tracts carry an agricultural or wildlife management valuation that lowers property taxes substantially. Ask how the current owner qualifies and whether you can continue that use. If the use changes, rollback taxes for prior years can come due, so decide in the contract who is responsible.

Utilities, internet and minerals

Confirm the electric provider and what it costs to run service to your building site. Check actual internet options at the address — coverage changes from ridge to ridge. And ask whether mineral rights convey; in Texas they are often severed from the surface.

Build the time in

Give yourself enough option or feasibility period to finish water, septic, survey and restriction research before your earnest money is at risk. On land, that research is the deal.

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