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Hey there, Texas dreamers! 🌟

First, we want to extend our heartfelt condolences to all who have been affected by the floods.

We hope our newsletter can offer an entertaining and uplifting distraction for this difficult time.

This week’s roundup has something for everyone with a taste for Texas charm, smart investing, or smoky BBQ dreams.

From a $23.5M West Texas ranch sitting pretty near an AI boomtown to land-flipping strategies that don’t require swinging a single hammer, it’s clear: opportunity in the Lone Star State isn’t just knocking—it’s hollering. Oh, and did we mention Patrick Mahomes' childhood home just sold?

Let’s dig into the deals, the food, and the fascinating corners of Texas you might’ve missed.

📰 Upcoming in this issue

• $23.5M Ranch Near AI Boomtown Marries Frontier Grit with Tech-World Glamour 🌄

• Where to Move in Houston in 2025? A Local’s Surprising Take 🏡

• Patrick Mahomes’ Childhood Home Finds Buyer After Price Slash 🏈

• Austin’s Best New BBQ Collab Is Hiding in a Parking Lot 🍖

• The Land Flip: How to Turn a Raw Acre into a Smart Investment

📈 Trending news

• Texas’ Most Jaw-Dropping Homes on the Market Now

• These Tiny Amazon Homes Are Big on Light, Style, and Space

• Dallas’ Most Jaw-Dropping Homes on the Market

• What It Really Costs to Build a Barndominium in Texas (2025)

• Celebrity Chef Tiffany Derry Expands Roots Chicken Shak Across Texas

$23.5M Ranch Near AI Boomtown Marries Frontier Grit with Tech-World Glamour 🌄 read the full 1,011-word article here

Article published: June 28, 2025

I just read Chron’s fascinating article, "$23.5M historic west Texas ranch hits the market near AI hub," and it’s part time machine, part corporate playground.

Welcome to Spring Mesa Ranch: 3,173 acres of rugged elegance located just 20 miles from Abilene—now a surprising tech hotspot, thanks to OpenAI and Oracle’s Stargate AI project.

Once part of the 50,000-acre Cross Bar Ranch, this $23.5 million property is pure Texas legend with modern twists: a mountaintop mansion, skeet pavilion, and even a guest home called "The Happy House."

It’s not just for cattle drives anymore—agents say it’s ideal as a luxury retreat or executive HQ with jaw-dropping views and serious historical soul.

Key Takeaways:

• 🧠 Tech meets tumbleweed: Just 20 miles from Stargate AI hub, the ranch offers execs frontier privacy next to bleeding-edge innovation.

• 🏞️ Mountains, tanks, and trails: The property includes a 2,182-ft peak, 35 stock tanks, 12 water wells, and miles of all-weather roads.

• 🏰 Historic-meets-luxury living: The 16,770-sq-ft main house includes fireplaces, a sauna, pool, and 360° hilltop views.

• 🪦 Frontier footprints remain: Ruins of String Town, an 1895 pioneer gravesite, and hand-dug wells connect the land to Texas' rugged past.

Where to Move in Houston in 2025? A Local’s Surprising Take 🏡 watch the full 14-min video here

Video published: June 30, 2025

I just watched Living In Houston Texas’s video, “If I Were Moving to Houston TX in 2025, I'd Move Here,” and local realtor Natasha Tessier lays out a compelling case for moving out—way out.

Forget the inner loop buzz for a second: Tessier says the real magic lies in master-planned communities for families, hidden estate-style neighborhoods for retirees, and off-the-grid ranch properties for ultimate peace and tax savings.

From neighborhoods where kids think they’re at Disney World (yes, really) to over-55 havens with wineries and manned gates, the diversity of Houston living is staggering.

What shocked me? It's not just about where you live—but how your tax rate and access to privacy change depending on the community.

Key Takeaways:

• 🏘️ Master-planned = built-in friends (1:00): Kids instantly plug into sports teams, parades, pools, and community events in neighborhoods like Woodforest and Colton Farms.

• 🌲 Hidden gems for retirees (3:15): High Meadow Estates and The Cedars offer low tax rates, custom homes, and serenity—with zero HOA headaches.

• 🏞️ Land over luxury (10:00): Buying acreage farther out may score you ag exemptions—saving tens of thousands in taxes each year.

• 🚶 City buzz vs. space tradeoff (12:30): Areas like The Heights, Montrose, and Midtown offer walkability and nightlife—but much smaller homes for the price.

Patrick Mahomes’ Childhood Home Finds Buyer After Price Slash 🏈 read the full 1,120-word article here

Article published: June 24, 2025

I just read realtor.com’s exclusive piece, “Patrick Mahomes’ Childhood Home in Texas Finds a Buyer After Mom Randi Slashed Her Asking Price,” and it’s as heartwarming as it is revealing.

Randi Mahomes—Patrick’s mom—found a buyer for the Tyler, TX home where the Chiefs quarterback grew up, just days after shaving $5K off the price.

Originally listed at $285,000, the 1,475-square-foot property landed under contract at $279,000—shortly after Mahomes and his siblings gifted Randi an $825K new home.

The listing itself leans hard on nostalgia: from childhood height measurements on the walls to its shoutout as “a piece of East Texas history.”

Turns out, even NFL legends have humble beginnings—and property taxes.

Key Takeaways:

• 🏡 The price drop worked: A $5,000 reduction on the Tyler home sealed a deal after weeks without offers—proving sentiment doesn’t sell alone.

• 👨‍👩‍👧 Family-funded fresh start: Mahomes gifted Randi a new $825K home in March, prompting the “bittersweet” sale of their old one.

• 🛠️ Modest but modern: The home features a refreshed kitchen, updated showers, and a sought-after location in Whitehouse ISD.

• 📏 Sentimental real estate sells: Childhood height markings and two decades of memories added emotional weight to a 1,475-square-foot footprint.

Austin’s Best New BBQ Collab Is Hiding in a Parking Lot 🍖 read the full 870-word article here

Article published: June 27, 2025

I just devoured Eater’s deep dive into “Austin’s Salty Sow and Waylon J’s Combine Forces for a Smoke Break Barbecue Lunch,” and wow—this is more than a pop-up. It’s a smoke-scented handshake between a seasoned bistro and a barbecue trailer aiming for the big leagues.

Chef Harold Marmulstein saw his unused parking lot as an opportunity. Enter Chad Deen of Waylon J’s with a 1,000-gallon smoker and a sausage called “Psycho.” Together, they launched Smoke Break—a Friday-to-Sunday lunchtime BBQ fest with sides by Salty Sow and meat magic by Waylon J’s.

These aren't your average sandwiches—think sliced brisket au jus, cracklin’ pork belly kissed with whiskey maple mop, and butter-basted turkey with Alabama white sauce.

This isn't just a collaboration—it's a slow-cooked blueprint for barbecue stardom.

Key Takeaways:

• 🔥 Brisket gets the fine-dining touch: Sliced, not chopped, brisket on a toasted potato roll with au jus elevates the humble BBQ sandwich game.

• 🐖 Whole hog, whole lotta flavor: Pulled pork plus cracklin’ pork belly gets hit with a whiskey-maple mop and golden BBQ sauce.

• 🌶️ Fusion ribs, Texas-style: Sichuan bacon ribs soaked in chili crisp and Andalusia whiskey deliver a fiery, East-meets-West twist.

• 🧁 Sides are Salty Sow-crafted: Classic coleslaw, pinto beans, and mac 'n’ cheese round out the menu—with dessert also made in-house.

The Land Flip: How to Turn a Raw Acre into a Smart Investment

Flipping land isn’t just for real estate pros—it’s something everyday buyers are doing in Texas right now. And the best part? You don’t need to build a single thing.

The basic idea is simple: buy low, add value, sell higher.

Let’s say you find a great property that’s raw and undeveloped. With a little vision and some low-cost upgrades, you can dramatically increase its market appeal. Here’s how buyers are flipping land right now:

• Clear a portion of the lot to show its potential.

• Add a gravel drive or culvert to improve access.

• Install a gate or fencing to create visual appeal and security.

• Survey or mark property lines for clarity and confidence.

In many cases, just making the property more “ready to use” is enough to bump the resale value. Some buyers even subdivide larger tracts into smaller parcels for resale.

It’s not instant, and it takes some effort, but land flipping can be a low-risk, high-reward strategy—especially in growth markets like Texas, where demand is climbing fast.

Take This Edition’s Poll 📊

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Why It Matters

Texas isn’t just growing—it’s evolving. Whether it’s a tech billionaire’s ranch, a barbecue pop-up in a parking lot, or a modest home with a superstar legacy, each story shows how lifestyle, legacy, and investment are blending in new ways.

Understanding these trends—land use, community shifts, real estate opportunity—means getting ahead while others are still catching up. Here's to making smart moves, tasty discoveries, and bold dreams—Texas style.

See you in the next edition.

Stay safe and healthy.

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

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