Judah Ross

A Bastrop realtor who works homes and land east of Austin, including wooded acreage. A shout-out from us, because buying land to build on is a different job from buying a house.

Why a land agent, if you plan to build

Judah Ross works Bastrop-area homes and land, including wooded acreage. One of his recent listings was 3.26 wooded acres in Bastrop. That is the kind of property people buy when they want to build their own place in the Lost Pines, and it is where a lot of first-time land buyers get surprised.

On raw land, the questions that set your budget come before the house plan. Before you make an offer, ask:

Where do water and electric service reach, and what does it cost to bring them to the homesite?
Will the lot need a septic system, and has the soil been evaluated for one?
How much clearing does a homesite and driveway take, and what does the county require for access?
Are there deed restrictions, easements or flood-zone areas on the parcel?

A local agent who handles land can help you get those answers while you can still walk away. Once you own the lot, our guides to the seven ways to build and what to understand before you build pick up from there, and Bastrop Builder covers local builders and permits.