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January 20, 2012 The market is really heating up. We finished 2011 strong and 2012 is starting out the same way. Last week, we closed two ranch listings, 320 acres in Blanco County and 354 acres in Burnet County. We also escrowed 4 contracts to go along with multiple other contracts we’ve escrowed in recent weeks. As of today, we have offers pending on two other listings. Additionally, we’ve been busy showing properties of all types. A look at the data across the Highland Lakes region shows a similar trend. Let’s hope it lasts!
January 10, 2012 Jim Berry, founder of Jim Berry Hill Country Ranch Sales, passed away on January 9th, 2012, at 82 years of age. Jim will be sorely missed. But as anyone who’s ever met him will attest, he will not be forgotten. Jim “retired” to the Hill Country in 1977 after selling a flourishing real estate business in Houston that included three Century 21 offices and 120 agents. But retirement didn’t suit Jim and his wife Bette. Shortly after locating to Burnet, Jim and Bette opened a new Century 21 office. A few years later, Jim started Jim Berry Hill Country Ranch Sales as an independent broker. When I came to work for Jim in 1998, he was the broker to work for in the area if you were interested in ranch brokerage. I consider myself very lucky to have learned from Jim. His work ethic and professionalism were second to none. He set a very high standard -- by example. But Jim wasn’t all work. He was so much fun to be around. To this day, Jim Berry is the funniest person I’ve ever personally known. Rarely did we have a conversation in which he didn’t crack me up at least once. He was just naturally funny. Even when Jim wasn’t trying to be funny he made me laugh -- and not just me, but clients, friends, waitresses -- everyone. He just had one of those infectious personalities that could put a smile on anyone’s face. Jim was also quite the clown. Literally. “Clowning” as Jim called it was one of his favorite things to do. Jim was dear friends with Emmitt Kelley Jr., the world famous, sad faced circus clown. Jim fashioned his own clown character after Emmett Kelley’s sad faced clown. When Jim wasn’t clowning, he was still finding ways to have fun. Jim would sing at gatherings. He hosted countless parties and charity events. And he loved to participate in parades. I remember one time at our Marble Falls office on Hwy. 281, there was a parade going right down the middle of the highway. I forget the occasion, but it was one of the few parades Jim had not known about beforehand and thus did not participate in. But that hardly mattered to Jim. He pulled his life sized white fiberglass horse (which was a landmark in Marble Falls at the time) off the front porch towards the edge of the street, climbed up on the horse and waved at the parade as it went by. It was silly. It was spur of the moment. But that was Jim -- always part of the action. Always unpredictable. Always having fun. -- Chad Calhoun Owner / Broker, Jim Berry Hill Country Ranch Sales
December 12, 2011 TEXAS TOPS THE LIST OF THE BEST STATES FOR JOBS When it comes to which states will add the highest percentage of jobs over the next few years, Forbes reports Texas will lead the way. Forbes points to Texas' "low tax, business-friendly climate with a surging population that offers a nearly unlimited supply of young labor" as reasons for the growth. This can’t help but have a positive impact on real estate in Texas. For full story click here.
December 5, 2011 RANCHERS REGISTER FOR TAX EXEMPTION Most of us have bought farm or ranch items and been asked if it is a tax exempt purchase. The state comptroller’s office has made this more straightforward. See the link to a report by the Texas Wildlife Association. Click here for link.
October 20, 2011 NINE REASONS TO INVEST IN TEXAS While making presentations across Texas, Real Estate Center researchers frequently are aware of high-net worth investors in the audience. These people may live in New York City, Miami or San Diego, but they invest in Texas real estate. Why do investors find Texas so attractive? Let us count the reasons: (1) Texas is leading the United States in the current economic recovery, (2) Texas’ economy is big and growing, (3) Texas’ economy is profitable, (4) Texas has a growing population, (5) Texas’ economy is an international economy, (6) the tax burden is less in Texas, (7) Texas has an affordable housing sector, (8) Texans have entrepreneurial spirit, and (9) Texans are mobile. See full story here.
October 12, 2011 SOLD! We closed three ranches last week, including 245 acres in Lake Victor, a highly improved 134 acre ranch in Spicewood and 100 acres in Blanco County.
August 29, 2011 JUST LISTED! An 860 acre showplace close to Austin on the Burnet / Blanco County line. Highly improved with a classic Hill Country style main home, guest home and barn. Game fenced and meticulously managed, this ranch offers some of the best whitetail hunting around -- huge south Texas bucks! The topography is dramatic with incredible views throughout. A spring-fed creek forms a 20’ deep swimming and fishing lake, complete with a dock, rope swing and suspension bridge. This is a special turnkey ranch operation. Click here for more details. August 24, 2011 JUMPSTARTING THE ECONOMY COLLEGE STATION (Real Estate Center) – There are seven reasons business owners do not want to hire right now, according to Real Estate Center Chief Economist Dr. Mark Dotzour writing in today's REC blog.
"When business owners are unsure about their future, what do they do? Nothing," writes Dotzour. "They just try to survive until the storm is over. "They also hoard cash, like almost $2 trillion at this point. Our economy is not going to recover until businessmen and women regain confidence in the future opportunities in our country." What would a business-friendly environment look like? Read the complete blog
June 9, 2011 RECESSION: DOUBLE-DIP OR FINAL STAGE? NEW YORK (Real Estate Center) – What some people consider a double-dip recession, others view simply as the continuation of the recession that has gripped the nation for the past couple of years. Take Real Estate Center Chief Economist Dr. Mark Dotzour, for example. "We shouldn’t view this renewed softness in the economy as another downturn but just a continuation of the recession that was interrupted by a trillion dollars in federal stimulus that temporarily interrupted the cycle," Dotzour said Wednesday at the U.S. Real Estate Opportunity and Private Investing Forum in New York. He said this is the necessary and final stage of the recession where government at federal, state and local levels is finally rightsizing by reducing spending and employment to more sustainable levels. "Households and businesses have already done this," Dotzour said. "Once this adjustment to sustainable levels of government spending and employment is reached, then we will begin the slow process of real economic recovery." -- Real Estate Center Online News
May 27, 2011
Property Rights Strengthened in Texas Property owners in Texas can breathe a little easier. A new law limits the government’s ability to seize private property. The U.S. Constitution authorizes eminent domain. Those powers are limited to seizing property for “public use.” Historically, public use has been for things such as public roads, bridges, railroad tracks, transmission lines, etc. Eminent domain powers were expanded in a 2005 U.S. Supreme Court decision (Kelo). The Kelo decision determined that government could take property from one private owner for the benefit of another private owner, so long as the new owner had a higher and better use for the property. In the case of Kelo, real property (including Mrs. Kelo’s home) was condemned and given to a developer who had proposed to build a hotel / retail / condo project. The justification was that the new development would create jobs and increase tax revenue. Ironically, after the condemnation, the developer was unable to attain financing for the project and the previously occupied homes sit vacant to this day. Thanks to the new law, Texans no longer have to worry whether a politician or bureaucrat will someday decide that their property is better off in the hands of another private party. Story here.
May 16, 2011 Just Listed! We’ve listed another gorgeous LLano County Ranch. 93 acres of tree covered gently rolling terrain located just across the street from Lake Buchanan. When the lake is near its full level, the ranch has lake access from an inlet that comes under the road. The recently built custom home has 3,900 sq. ft. and features quality craftsmanship throughout. There is also a 3,200 sq. ft. RV barn which includes a fully functional 1,000 sq. ft. apartment. Click here for more details.
May 5, 2011 Access Easements 101 Access easements affect many ranch owners in one way or another. Here is an informative article in the latest Tierra Grande about access easements: “As large Texas tracts are broken into smaller ones, landlocked properties increase. Before purchasing land, buyers should investigate whether easements exist and, if so, what type they are. One attaches to property and benefits the buyer and subsequent owners. Another attaches to the person who receives it and may stay with them even if ownership changes." Read full Tierra Grande article here.
May 2, 2011 Oil and Gas...and Groundwater
May 1, 2011 Market Activity: April
April 27, 2011 Same Name, New Design
Today we bring you our newly designed website. The name stays the same, but the design has been upgraded and we hope you like it. We’ve long appreciated the impact the Internet has had in helping us market and sell our listings. Our site was originally created in 1997. This long history on the ‘net gives us tremendous presence and search engine results. Thus, a user friendly site has always been our focus. During this redesign process we have strived to make our site as easy to navigate as ever. And, of course, we will continue to update it daily. Our goal with this section of the site is to bring you news about real estate. Most news will relate to the local market and include updates on company sales and new listings. We will also provide periodic updates on state and national trends in the world of real estate.
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