Bre Meador, REALTOR®

Bastrop County Land Guide: Price per Acre, Unrestricted Land, Owner Financing and Building

This guide answers the questions I hear most from land buyers in Bastrop County: what an acre costs, what “unrestricted” really means, how owner financing works, and what it takes to build. The prices come from the MLS; the rules come from Bastrop County, the State of Texas and the Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District, linked where they appear. To see current tracts, go to land and acreage for sale in Bastrop County.

Bastrop County land: wooded acreage beside a paved road and dirt access route

How much is an acre of land in Bastrop County?

It depends most on tract size. On October 29, 2026 there were 724 active land and farm listings in Bastrop County on the MLS. The smaller the tract, the higher the price per acre:

Tract sizeActive listingsMedian asking price per acreMiddle half of listingsMedian asking price
Under 1 acre357$171,980$120,993–$231,918$57,000
1 to 5 acres135$90,332$63,475–$116,667$176,400
5 to 10 acres46$43,858$36,550–$54,894$285,750
10 to 25 acres110$31,910$25,924–$46,583$499,900
25 to 50 acres31$24,750$17,931–$38,235$900,000
50 acres and up45$22,572$16,233–$30,070$2,250,000

These are asking prices on active listings, not sale prices. Texas does not require sale prices to be made public, so a sold-price figure for one tract comes from a property-specific comparable-sales review. Farm and ranch listings that include a house are counted above, which raises the per-acre figure for those tracts.

Price per acre by area

Vacant land only (no farm or ranch listings with homes), tracts of one acre or more, by MLS mailing city:

Area1–10 acres: listingsMedian $/acre10+ acres: listingsMedian $/acre
Bastrop70$90,16614$30,000
Elgin21$103,26410$30,724
Cedar Creek16$90,42612$37,976
Smithville17$57,17312$23,973
Paige16$62,40011$23,375
Red Rock8*$35,3814*$29,140
McDade5*$51,9703*$25,600

*Fewer than 10 listings; treat as a rough indication. A “Bastrop” mailing address includes rural tracts well outside the city. Source for both tables: active listings in the Unlock MLS IDX feed, Bastrop County, October 29, 2026. Listings courtesy of Unlock MLS as distributed by MLS GRID.

What moves the price of a specific tract: road frontage and legal access, whether water and electricity are at the road, septic suitability, how much is in the floodplain, trees versus open pasture, restrictions, and whether it is inside a city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). Two tracts of the same size on the same road can be far apart in price for those reasons.

What “unrestricted land” means here

“Unrestricted” is listing language, not a legal term. In practice it usually means the seller is not aware of recorded deed restrictions or an HOA limiting use. On October 29, 2026, 83 active Bastrop County land listings used “unrestricted” or “no restrictions” in their remarks; 14 of those were marked as inside a city’s ETJ.

Even with no deed restrictions, county and state rules still apply:

  • County development permit. Bastrop County requires a development permit for all development in unincorporated areas, meaning man-made changes such as buildings, fill, grading or paving (Bastrop County floodplain and development permits).
  • Septic permit regardless of acreage. Every septic installation or modification needs a county permit (Bastrop County OSSF).
  • Splitting land. Dividing a tract outside city limits can require a plat under Texas Local Government Code chapter 232, with exceptions (for example, all lots over 10 acres with no public dedication). The county’s Land Divisions page covers the process and offers a free legal-lot determination.
  • Residential building code. New homes in unincorporated Bastrop County must substantially follow the International Residential Code (see “Building on your land” below).
  • Restrictions you don’t know about. The county states it does not place or interpret deed restrictions. Recorded restrictions and easements appear in Schedule B of the title commitment; read it during your option period. My land access and easements guide explains what to look for.

If a tract is inside a city’s ETJ, a 2023 state law (SB 2038) lets owners petition to be released, and in 2025 the Texas Supreme Court said the statute gives a city no discretion to deny a valid petition (Elliott v. City of College Station). Exceptions exist, including areas near certain military installations, so get legal advice before relying on a release.

Owner-financed land: how it works and what to check

Owner financing means the seller acts as the lender. On October 29, 2026, 44 active Bastrop County land listings mentioned owner or seller financing in their remarks, most often on smaller tracts (median about 2 acres, median asking price $174,450).

The structure matters more than the rate:

  • Deed with a note and deed of trust (preferred). You get the deed at closing; the seller holds a lien until the note is paid, like a bank would.
  • Contract for deed (executory contract). The seller keeps title until you finish paying. When the property is or will be the buyer’s residence, Texas Property Code chapter 5, subchapter D applies. Before you sign, the seller must give you a survey or plat, copies of documents for any encumbrances such as restrictions or easements, and a statutory property-condition notice. The seller must record the contract within 30 days; a recorded contract is treated like a deed with a vendor’s lien. If the contract was not recorded or converted, the seller must deliver recorded title within 30 days of your final payment. A lot of one acre or less is presumed residential. You can convert to a deed and note at any time.

Questions to ask: interest rate, term, balloon payment and when it is due, prepayment rules, who pays taxes and insurance, and whether there is an existing loan on the property (a “wrap”). Texas generally requires a mortgage-originator license for an owner who makes more than three seller-financed residential loans in 12 months, and federal rules add ability-to-repay conditions for some sellers, so a seller who finances many tracts should be using a licensed originator.

Close through a title company and have a Texas real estate attorney draft or review the note and deed of trust. The state’s own executory-contract notice tells buyers to get a title commitment, have an attorney review it and buy an owner’s title policy. I help organize the transaction; I do not give legal advice.

Building on your land in Bastrop County

Bastrop County does not issue building permits or certificates of occupancy. That does not mean there are no rules. Here is the usual sequence for a home on rural land outside city limits:

  1. Confirm it is a legal lot and buildable for your plan (county legal-lot determination; survey; title commitment).
  2. Development permit. Required for any development. The permit class (Class A, Conditional Class A or Class B) depends on where the development and the property sit relative to the mapped 100-year floodplain (Bastrop County floodplain page). You need proof of ownership, a site plan and a survey or plat. The county fee schedule adopted September 28, 2026 lists $300 for a single-family development permit, $375 with floodplain (Bastrop County fees).
  3. Septic (OSSF) permit, applied for together with the development permit when public sewer is not available. A licensed site evaluator tests the soil; a licensed installer builds the system. New aerobic systems require a two-year maintenance contract with a licensed provider. See my septic guide.
  4. 911 address from the county, which depends on where your driveway meets the road, and a driveway/culvert permit on county roads (TxDOT for state highways).
  5. Water. Ask the water supplier for written service availability, or plan a well. Wells in Bastrop and Lee counties are governed by the Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District: every new well must be registered before drilling, must be at least 50 feet from the property line, and the driller files the well report within 30 days. Domestic and livestock wells that can’t produce more than 25,000 gallons a day are exempt from operating permits on tracts over 10 acres; since October 15, 2025, such wells on smaller tracts can also be exempt, at the district general manager’s discretion. Hire a water well driller licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. See my water and wells guide.
  6. Electric service. Get a written line-extension estimate from the provider; distance from existing lines can be a major cost.
  7. Build to code. Since 2009, a new single-family home in unincorporated Bastrop County must substantially conform to the International Residential Code, with three inspections (foundation, framing/mechanical, final) by a qualified inspector the builder hires. The county is not involved in those inspections. If a city has adopted a building code for its ETJ, the city code controls there.

Barndominiums

A barndominium used as a home is a house under these rules: the same development permit, septic permit and residential code apply. Financing can be the harder part. A Texas A&M Real Estate Research Center article notes that many lenders do not treat barndominiums as standard dwellings, which can change the loan term or rate (TRERC, 2017). Talk to a construction lender and an insurance agent before you buy the land, not after. On October 29, 2026, 31 active land listings mentioned barndominiums in their remarks.

Taxes on land

Land with an agricultural or wildlife appraisal is taxed on its productivity value, not market value, and a change of use can trigger rollback taxes. Ask the seller for the current appraisal and the history of use, and read my ag exemption and rollback taxes guide before you plan to build. Check the floodplain on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and in my flood zones guide. For how county, school and district taxes work on a Bastrop County property, see my property tax guide.

Before you make an offer on land

  • Get a current survey and the title commitment, and read every exception.
  • Confirm legal access, not just a gate on the road.
  • Ask the water and electric providers for written answers for this tract.
  • Have a site evaluator look at septic suitability if the soil or slope is in question.
  • Check the floodplain, ETJ status and any ag appraisal.
  • Use an option period long enough to do all of that.

Current licensed inventory

Current listings in this area.

627 matching properties

12 current properties shown, feed refreshed Nov 4, 2026, 8:05 am CST.
Page 1 of 53

See all 627 land listings for sale in Bastrop County, TX

Listings courtesy of Unlock MLS as distributed by MLS GRID. Presented by Bre Meador, REALTOR®, All City Real Estate, Ltd. Co., (512) 993-8488.

Based on information submitted to the MLS GRID as of Nov 4, 2026, 8:05 am CST. All data is obtained from various sources and may not have been verified by broker or MLS GRID. Supplied Open House Information is subject to change without notice. All information should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy. Properties may or may not be listed by the office/agent presenting the information.

IDX information is provided exclusively for consumers’ personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed by MLS GRID. Some IDX listings have been excluded from this website. Use of MLS GRID data may be subject to an end user license agreement prescribed by Unlock MLS. Equal Housing Opportunity.

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Selling land instead? See how to sell land, a farm or a ranch in Bastrop County.

How much does an acre of land cost in Bastrop County?

It depends on tract size. On October 29, 2026, the median asking price per acre on active MLS listings was about $90,000 for 1 to 5 acres, $44,000 for 5 to 10 acres, $32,000 for 10 to 25 acres and $23,000 for 50 acres and up. These are asking prices, not sale prices.

What does unrestricted land mean in Bastrop County?

It is listing language, usually meaning no known deed restrictions or HOA. County rules still apply: a development permit for any development, a septic permit regardless of acreage, platting rules if you divide the land, and the residential building code for a new home.

Do I need a building permit to build a house in unincorporated Bastrop County?

Bastrop County does not issue building permits, but you need a county development permit, a septic permit if there is no sewer, a 911 address, and the home must substantially follow the International Residential Code with three builder-hired inspections.

Is owner-financed land a good idea?

It can work if the paperwork is right. A deed with a note and deed of trust gives you title at closing. A contract for deed leaves title with the seller until you pay off, and Texas adds disclosure and recording rules when it is for a residence. Use a title company and a real estate attorney.

Do I need a permit to drill a well in Bastrop County?

Every new well must be registered with the Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District before drilling. A new exempt well must be at least 50 feet from the property line (100 feet for a non-exempt well). Small domestic and livestock wells are often exempt from an operating permit, but not from registration.

Can I build a barndominium in Bastrop County?

Yes, outside cities and subject to any deed restrictions. A barndominium used as a home follows the same development, septic and residential code rules as any house. Line up financing and insurance before you buy the land.

Looking at a specific tract? Call or text (512) 993-8488 or send me the address and I’ll pull the records with you.

Related: Rural acreage around Paige, McDade and Red Rock · Houston toad habitat updates for 2026

Browse homes: see all land and acreage for sale in Bastrop County, or all Bastrop County homes.

Written by Bre Meador, REALTOR® — All City Real Estate, Bastrop County, TX · U.S. Army veteran · TREC #835116. Last reviewed October 2026. Price figures are MLS asking prices dated October 29, 2026. Rules were re-checked against county, state and groundwater-district sources on October 30, 2026. This is general information, not legal, tax, engineering or lending advice.

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