Happy 4th of July
A July note from the broker — and what rising sales volume means for Texas ranch buyers and sellers.
Happy 4th of July! Whether it’s the ranch, the lake, the river, or just hanging out around the house, I hope you find time to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our great nation.
At the writing of last month’s newsletter, we were celebrating all the rain we’d been blessed with. Since then, the days have been long, hot, and windy, with not much rain in the forecast. Hopefully that changes as we head into the “dog days” of summer.
As we continue unpacking our takeaways from the 2026 Land Conference — and after speaking last month to what the data showed on price — this month we’ll focus on transaction volume.
- Texas ranch transaction volume — the number of ranches sold — climbed 8% statewide through Q1 of 2026.
- Buyers: more showings and calls lately. When the right ranch shows up, act with some urgency.
- Sellers: a quality property priced at market value will find buyers — folks are still bullish on rural Texas land.
- The market still feels a touch soft. The two things that could change that quickly: interest rates and the economy.
The Data: Transaction Volume Up 8%
The data shows that transaction volume — the number of ranches sold — climbed 8% statewide through Q1 of 2026. So what does this mean for buyers and sellers?
What It Means for Buyers
For buyers, I’d say it means increased competition in the market. While we’re rarely seeing multiple-offer situations take place, generally speaking there’s been more activity as of late in the way of showings and calls into the office. So if you’re a serious buyer in the market to purchase a ranch, my advice would be that when the right one is presented, it’s best to act with some level of urgency — or you just might miss out on the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.
What It Means for Sellers
For sellers, on the other hand, transaction volume being up statewide is nothing but a positive. While I’m nowhere near bold enough to say this is a seller’s market (not even close), what I am encouraged about is that buyers are still bullish on rural Texas land.
“If you have a nice product that’s priced at market value, there will be buyers for your property.”
Despite the noise in the world that’s been a mainstay of late, one thing is for certain: a quality property at the right price will find its buyer.
The Road Ahead
While the numbers show an increase in transactions statewide, the feeling that I have is that the market is still a bit soft. However, two things that can change that in a hurry are interest rates and the economy. We’ll tackle those two topics in the coming months.
See ya next month!
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Charles founded Capital Ranch Sales to serve Texas buyers and sellers of farm and ranch land.
