From the Gulf Coast to the panhandle, Texas land prices are going up fast.
According to the latest data from the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas land prices have risen by an average of 15 percent. During the first three quarters of 2004, land prices statewide rose from $1,087 to $1,252 per acre for the same period a year earlier. "The rate of increase in prices paid for Texas land continues to amaze me," says Charles Gilliland, research economist with the Texas A&M center.
"Recreational buyers are snapping up quality properties wherever they can find them. Investors have a buy now attitude as they expect interest rates will rise and because returns on alternative investments have not been too exciting. These factors have driven price gains well beyond levels seen in the past." According to the center, 20 of the 33 Texas land market areas posted significant increases in average price per acre.
The biggest price jump was along the Canadian River, where land prices increased 51 percent. Buyers, both the recreational and the investor varieties, are pouring into this part of the panhandle and competing for a limited quantity of quality properties, Gilliland says.

In the Hill Country, urban dwellers seeking a retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life are driving up prices. But some see Hill Country land as a solid investment. And a limited supply of good land on the market is causing prices to go up.
In fact, in the western portion of the Hill Country, prices are up 27 percent compared with 2003.
The Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University has provided research for more than 30 years. Funded primarily by Texas real estate license fees, the center was created by the state legislature to meet the needs of the real estate industry, instructors, researchers and the general public.

The surround cites and areas of El Paso, Texas has the lowest crime rate for the last 20 years. The near by city El Paso's and the surrounding area’s crime rate has dropped to the lowest it has been in more than 20 years. Overall crime rates were down by 16 percent in 2001. In the year 2000, the National Crime Prevention Council in Washington, D.C., named El Paso one of the “Six Safer Cities in the United States.” El Paso and the surrounding areas were also selected as the second safest city with a population exceeding 500,000 by the Morgan Quinto Research Company for the second year in a row.

The Christian Science Monitor rated El Paso and surrounding areas No. 1 in 1999. El Paso and surrounding areas have the 2nd lowest crime rate among Texas cities with a population of more than 250,000, according to year-end statistics reported by the Department of Public Safety. The reported crimes per 100,000 people last year in El Paso and other regional cities.

Topland Meadows is located near El Paso city and the surrounding areas enjoy a cost of living below the national average.  The ACCRA Cost of Living Index for 4th quarter, 2004, places El Paso at 92 (100 being the average). The near by areas a culturally diverse, affordable city nestled in the Franklin Mountains where the sun shines 302 days a year.  Low humidity and moderate rainfall combine to create a year-round climate exclusive to the region.

Mild climate accommodates outdoor sports enthusiasts year round. The surrounding areas provide plenty of parks and gardens as well as mountain and desert trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding.

Near by city El Paso has four private golf courses, two military courses, and seven public courses, including Painted Dunes Golf Course which Golf Digest ranked No. 2 in the country. Tennis players can choose from over 25 public and private facilities in the city.