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Hey there, Texas dreamers! 🌟

This week’s Texas stories look past the headlines to show how place shapes people, property, and flavor.

Dive into the articles below for the full stories. See Patrick Fugit trade L.A. pressure for goats, garden, and room to raise his kids, a $16M Lake Austin lodge with 115 feet of private waterfront and a century of family history, and a 142-acre Hill Country estate with a 10,708 square foot home and a 15-seat theater, plus iShowSpeed’s 2 million-view BBQ blitz in Austin.

Let’s get started!

📰 Upcoming in this issue

• Patrick Fugit’s Great Texas Escape 🌵

• The $16M Lake Austin Lodge Hiding a Slice of Texas Retail History 🏞️

• A Mansion, a Movie Theater, and 142 Acres of Hill Country Dreams 🏰

• Shelley Duvall’s $699K Blanco Ranch Is More Than Just a Fixer-Upper 🌾

• iShowSpeed Livestreams His Way Into Texas BBQ Lore 🔥

📈 Trending news

• Austin’s Texas-Sized Fall Festival Guide

• The Texas Hill Country Gets Costco, Work Begins in Mayfair

• West Texas Barndominium: Site Prep, Roadwork, Range Berm

• Fireballs Light Up the Texas Sky

• Resort-Style Tiny House You Can Customize

Patrick Fugit’s Great Texas Escape 🌵 read the full 665-word article here

Article published: September 20, 2025

Patrick Fugit didn’t just move to Texas — he disappeared into it, and he sounds thrilled about it.

Raised in Utah, Fugit always felt like a fish out of water in L.A., where the pace and pressure never quite fit.

Now, on a rural patch of North Texas, he’s got goats, chickens, a garden, and the space to raise his kids the way he always imagined.

What drew him wasn’t a career reset — it was land, quiet, and freedom.

Turns out, Texas wasn’t a fallback — it was the plan all along.

Key Takeaways:

• 🐐 “Chickens, goats, and a trampoline”: Fugit’s Texas life includes livestock and backyard joy — a dream he says L.A. simply couldn’t offer.

• 🏡 Rural life, real roots: The slower pace and wide-open spaces of North Texas gave him what L.A. never could: peace and physical room to breathe.

• 📦 Moved mid-pandemic: After 2020 shook things up in L.A., he and his wife packed up with their new baby and never looked back.

• 🌾 Not fame, but fulfillment: Even recognized in local shops, Fugit values being part of a tight-knit rural community over Hollywood’s spotlight.

The $16M Lake Austin Lodge Hiding a Slice of Texas Retail History 🏞️ read the full 665-word article here

Article published: September 20, 2025

This hand-hewn limestone estate on Rivercrest Drive was the very first home in one of Austin’s most exclusive enclaves.

Originally built in the 1930s by Walter Bohn — heir to the legendary Bohn Brothers Department Store — the property has stayed in the same family for nearly 100 years.

Matthew McConaughey used to jog past it, chatting with longtime owner Conrad Bohn, who lived there until his death in 2024 at 97.

Today, it spans five parcels, with a stone boathouse, 115 feet of private lakefront, and pecan trees older than most states' infrastructure.

This listing is less about luxury and more about legacy — with a Texas twist.

Key Takeaways:

• 🪵 Built by retail royalty in the 1930s: Walter Bohn, from the Bohn Brothers empire, built this lodge as a weekend escape and pecan grove.

• 🏡 First home in star-studded Rivercrest: The property predates the neighborhood, which later drew celebs like McConaughey — who lived next door.

• 🌳 Still shaded by century-old pecan trees: Mature trees line Rivercrest Drive, forming a leafy, iconic tunnel over this historic stretch of Austin.

• 🚤 Includes rare Lake Austin frontage: One parcel has 115 feet of private waterfront with a dock and boathouse — nearly unheard of in 2025.

A Mansion, a Movie Theater, and 142 Acres of Hill Country Dreams 🏰 read the full 947-word article here

Article published: September 20, 2025

Tucked away on 142 acres just minutes from downtown New Braunfels, this $8.9 million estate is the definition of over-the-top Hill Country luxury.

At the center is a 10,708-square-foot mansion wrapped in antiques, designed with soaring ceilings, and outfitted with everything from a cigar bar to a 15-seat movie theater.

But it’s what surrounds it that really stuns: a full-blown pool house, a 10,000-square-foot garden, livestock-ready pastures, and even a private pond.

It’s the rare kind of listing that feels both lavish and grounded — a personal theme park with rancher energy.

And yes, there’s an ice cream parlor.

Key Takeaways:

• 🛋️ Antique elegance meets Texas scale: The 10,700+ sq ft home was custom-built around the owners’ antique collection — including vaulted ceilings and museum-like finishes.

• 🎬 Entertainment like no other: A cigar bar, billiards lounge, wine room, and 15-seat private theater turn every night into an event.

• 🐄 Room for livestock and luxury: 133 acres are AG-exempt; the land includes a pond, chicken coop, garden, and a massive climate-controlled workshop.

• 🌄 Secluded yet central: Just 15 minutes from downtown New Braunfels, this estate offers total privacy without losing access to the city.

Shelley Duvall’s $699K Blanco Ranch Is More Than Just a Fixer-Upper 🌾 read the full 782-word article here

Article published: September 22, 2025

Just minutes from downtown Blanco and under an hour from Austin and San Antonio, the nearly 11-acre estate once belonged to the late The Shining star and her husband, musician Dan Gilroy.

The modest three-bedroom home needs repairs — but what it lacks in polish, it makes up for in story.

This was Duvall’s sanctuary in her semi-retirement, filled with pets, antiques, and the echoes of Hollywood past.

Now on the market for just $699,000, the property includes multiple outbuildings, a butler’s pantry, and a sunroom — plus the chance to own a piece of cinematic history.

For fans or dreamers, it’s not just real estate — it’s a legacy with room to grow.

Key Takeaways:

• 🏡 Former home of a Hollywood icon: Shelley Duvall’s Blanco ranch is up for grabs — rustic, private, and packed with personal history.

• 🧱 Needs work but holds promise: The 3-bed, 2-bath home needs repairs, making it ripe for a creative revival by a fan or investor.

• 🌄 Perfectly placed in the Hill Country: Just minutes from Blanco and an hour from Austin or San Antonio — rural peace meets urban access.

• 🎥 Estate auction coming soon: Personal memorabilia, vintage clothes, and rare keepsakes will be auctioned from the home on October 30.

iShowSpeed Livestreams His Way Into Texas BBQ Lore 🔥 read the full 807-word article here

Article published: September 17, 2025

During his 35-day “Speed Does America Tour,” iShowSpeed (aka Darren Watkins Jr.) hit Terry Black’s BBQ in Austin during a 24-hour livestream that’s already racked up nearly 2 million views.

At the 6:20:00 mark, fans mobbed the star as he toured the legendary joint, pointing out Texas cities on a wood map — wildly misplacing Houston near Uvalde.

Still, it was classic Speed: part chaos, part comedy, all viral.

He ordered everything — dino ribs, brisket, sides galore — and devoured it while signing autographs and dodging tween superfans glued to their parents’ phones.

Barbecue may be slow-smoked, but this moment cooked fast.

Key Takeaways:

• 🎥 2 million views and counting: Speed’s livestream from Terry Black’s BBQ brought barbecue fame to a whole new generation — in real time.

• 🗺️ Geography fail, internet win: He misplotted all of Texas’ major cities on a wooden map, and nobody corrected him — it was peak live chaos.

• 🍖 Ordered the full meat lineup: From dino ribs to potato salad, Watkins tried every dish on the menu during his 24-hour Austin stream.

• 🔥 Terry Black’s BBQ is expanding: The iconic Austin joint now has eyes on Houston, San Antonio, and even Nashville. Speed's visit only boosted buzz.

Take This Edition’s Poll 📊

Presented by Post Oak Preserve: New Home w/ Appliances on 10 Wooded Acres for $248,900

This is the one you don’t miss. At Post Oak Preserve, get a new, fully finished home with appliances on 10 wooded acres for $248,900—and no HOA. Quiet, treed, and minutes from Cedar Creek Lake.

You’re close to everything that matters: 5 minutes to town, about an hour to Dallas, with paved roads, electric, and high-speed internet ready. Use the land your way, build now or later, bring your own builder.

Price is $248,900 (well and septic not included; Brio Homes builder). Tour spots go fast—click below or call (877) 333-9414 to grab your date.

Why It Matters

These pieces track how choices about land, lifestyle, and attention ripple into time, money, risk, and reputation.

The right move can buy breathing room or saddle you with hidden costs, and the stories here show how Texans weigh privacy, history, and hype to protect what matters most.

Until next time,

Hannah Collinsworth
Editor-in-Chief
Houston, Texas
Texas Property Round Up

P.S. Ready to walk it under the live oaks? Click here to schedule or call (877) 333-9414. We’ll send the map, directions, and financing options before your visit.