Building a Vacation Home on Texas Ranch Land

The average price of a vacation has been creeping upwards for decades and currently sits at a little over$4,000/year for a family of four traveling within the U.S. While this includes transportation costs, most of it is spent at the destination on food, lodging and activities. Building a vacation home can drastically reduce the price of family vacation, as well as give property owners a tangible asset for the money they do spend.

What goes into finding a good spot to build?

Finding the right building site is important in order to be able to easily access the property and keep costs low. Ranch land for sale in Texas provides the perfect opportunity to get a great building site at a relatively low price. Most parcels go for under $1,000/acre, which allows potential vacation home builders to spend less on the project. 

How much will a vacation home cost?

The main factors that determine how much a vacation home will cost include:

• Size of the home
• Building materials
• Land improvements

Larger homes will cost more than a fairly simple 1,000 square foot house. On average, a home will cost about $125/sqft to build, which can be lower if the house is pre-fabricated, or higher if the house is particularly large. Homes with standard features and siding are going to cost far less to build than a home with an exterior made of stone. 

Improving the land entails everything from leveling off an area to place the foundation to running water and power lines. If the house is going to be built on a flat plot of land for sale in Texas right next to a road, chances are the total spent on land improvements will be relatively low.

Can a vacation home be rented out when the owner is not present?

Vacation homes can be rented out year-round if that is what the owner wants, or just for the periods of time that they are not using the home. Owners who live nearby may be able to manage the property themselves, while those who live far away from their vacation homes should be able to find a local property management firm who can take care of renting the property for a small fee.