How Long It Typically Takes to Sell Land in Texas in 2026

Selling land in Texas rarely follows a one-size-fits-all timeline. Your property could move in weeks in a high-demand corridor—or sit for a year or more if it’s remote, oversized, or priced above the market. Recent data shows a market that’s still active, but more selective than it was at the peak.

Texas Land Market Snapshot (2024–2025): Prices, Sales Volume, and What It Means for Timing

Statewide pricing remains elevated compared to pre-2020 norms, even as transaction activity has cooled. In Q1 2025, Texas statewide rural land price per acre reached $4,827, up 2.68% year-over-year, according to the Texas Real Estate Research Center (TRERC). In Q4 2024, the average price per acre for Texas rural land was $4,751, up 1.34% from 2023, per Land.com Texas Land Markets.

At the same time, fewer deals are closing. Texas rural land sales dropped 10.3% in 2024 versus 2023, with 3,161 sales recorded, according to Land.com Texas Land Markets. Despite lower unit sales, total dollar volume in Texas land sales reached $1.35 billion in 2024—up 7.62% from 2023—also reported by Land.com Texas Land Markets. Translation for sellers: buyers are still spending, but they’re picking properties more carefully, which can lengthen time on market if your land isn’t positioned well.

Encouragingly, the Texas rural land market showed signs of stabilization in 2024 after declines in 2022–2023, according to the Texas A&M AgriLife - 2024 Texas Rural Land Value Trends Report. Looking ahead, TRERC forecasts statewide rural land prices will decline 1% through Q4 2025 and 3–4% over the next two years, per the Texas Real Estate Research Center (TRERC). If that forecast plays out, pricing aggressively and marketing strategically may matter even more for sellers who want speed.

How Long Does It Take to Sell Land in Texas? Realistic Timeframes

In practice, timelines depend heavily on location, tract size, access, and price. As a general planning guide, many sellers see ranges like these when listing on the open market:

• Major metros (Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin): ~3–6 months
• Secondary metros and suburbs: ~6–12 months
• Rural lands and small towns: ~12–24 months
• Isolated rural lands: ~24 months to 5+ years

These ranges assume you list with a real estate agent, price near market, and keep the property available for showings and due diligence. If you need certainty and speed, you may want to consider alternatives to a traditional listing (covered below).

Regional Differences: Why Some Texas Land Sells Faster Than Others

Texas is a patchwork of micro-markets, and the same acreage can behave very differently depending on the region. Here are a few recent signals that help explain why time-to-sell varies so much:

• Panhandle & South Plains: Prices increased 4.3% to $1,751 per acre in 2024, according to Land.com Texas Land Markets. Lower price points can expand the buyer pool, but distance, water considerations, and access still drive timelines.
• Northeast Texas: Prices reached $8,331 per acre in 2024 (up 2.1% year-over-year), but sales dropped 33.8%, per Land.com Texas Land Markets. Higher pricing paired with a sharp sales decline can mean longer marketing times unless the tract is exceptionally well-located and correctly priced.
• Austin–Waco–Hill Country: The region recorded 897 sales in 2024 with prices at $7,310 per acre (up 2.5%), according to Land.com Texas Land Markets. Strong demand can support faster timelines, especially for build-ready tracts with utilities and clear access.

Small Tracts vs. Large Acreage: Parcel Size Can Make or Break Your Timeline

Smaller parcels typically attract more buyers (including recreational buyers and small builders), which can shorten your time on market. In fact, the small land market in Texas averaged $10,242 per acre in 2024 with 5,006 sales volume, according to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension - Rural Land Update. More activity in small-tract segments often translates to more showings, more offers, and faster closings—assuming the property is priced and presented well.

Large rural acreages (especially 100+ acres) often take longer because fewer buyers can finance them, fewer buyers want the management responsibility, and due diligence can be more complex (survey, access, minerals, ag exemptions, fencing, water, and easements).

Key Factors That Impact How Fast Land Sells in Texas

Several variables consistently influence time on market:

• Location: Land near major metros and growth paths tends to sell faster; remote land tends to sit longer.
• Parcel size: Smaller tracts generally move quicker than large acreages.
• Access and usability: Legal access, usable topography, and a clear path for improvements reduce buyer friction.
• Utilities and improvements: Cleared entrances, driveway cuts, power nearby, water options, and fencing can materially shorten timelines.
• Pricing: Overpriced land lingers; correctly priced land attracts the first serious wave of buyers.
• Marketing exposure: Limited exposure reduces buyer discovery and extends time on market.
• Market cycle: Stabilizing or declining price expectations can increase buyer negotiation and slow decision-making.
• Method of sale: DIY listings often take longer without professional pricing, reach, and process management.

County-Level Timing: What to Expect Around Major Metros vs. Rural Counties

Time-to-sell can swing widely by county. While exact days-on-market varies by property and listing quality, these are common ranges many sellers experience:

• Harris County (Houston metro): 3–6 months
• Tarrant County (Fort Worth metro): 4–8 months
• Bexar County (San Antonio metro): 5–10 months
• Travis County (Austin metro): 4–8 months
• Dallas County: 4–8 months
• Denton County: 5–10 months
• Collin County: 4–10 months
• El Paso County: 6–12 months
• Hidalgo County: 6–12 months
• Cameron County: 6–18 months
• Rural counties in East Texas: 12–18 months
• Rural counties in West Texas: 18–24 months
• Rural counties in South Texas: 12–24 months
• Rural counties in the Panhandle: 18–24 months

Metro-adjacent counties usually benefit from deeper buyer demand, easier financing, and more builder interest. Remote counties often face a thinner buyer pool, longer due diligence, and fewer comparable sales—each of which can slow the deal.

Strategies to Sell Land Faster in Texas (Without Leaving Money on the Table)

If your goal is to reduce time on market, focus on the levers you can control:

• Price to the market (not to your target number): The market reacts quickly to value and ignores wishful pricing. Consider positioning your ask competitively against recent comparable sales rather than “testing” a high number.
• Maximize discovery: List where land buyers search, use high-quality photos, add a boundary map, highlight access and utility options, and make it easy for buyers to schedule a viewing.
• Remove buyer uncertainty: Provide survey info if available, disclose known easements, and clarify road access and deed restrictions.
• Increase financing options: Owner financing or installment-style arrangements can expand the buyer pool, especially for raw land that lenders may not favor.
• Consider subdividing when feasible: Breaking a large tract into smaller parcels may attract more buyers and increase liquidity, though you’ll need to evaluate costs, approvals, and infrastructure needs.
• Improve first impressions: A clean entry, marked corners, a mowed path, and basic clearing can help buyers “see it” and commit faster.
• Respond quickly to serious offers: Speed and clarity during negotiation keeps buyers engaged and reduces fall-through risk.

Land Contracts and Owner Financing in Texas: A Faster-Sale Tool (With Tradeoffs)

Offering a land contract or owner financing can help you reach buyers who can’t (or don’t want to) use traditional financing. In a typical land contract structure:

• The buyer makes an initial down payment (often around 20%).
• You finance the remaining balance at an agreed interest rate and term.
• The buyer pays monthly until the contract is paid off.
• The deed typically transfers when the buyer completes the payments, and you retain protections until then.

Before you choose this approach, weigh the risks: you may receive less cash upfront, you may need to manage collections, and a default can tie up the property and create legal costs. If you want simplicity and finality, a cash sale may fit better.

Why Overpricing Land in Texas Extends Your Time on Market

Overpricing is one of the most common reasons land listings stagnate. Buyers compare your ask to recent sales, current inventory, and future price expectations. With TRERC forecasting statewide rural land prices to decline 1% through Q4 2025 and 3–4% over the next two years, per the Texas Real Estate Research Center (TRERC), buyers may push harder on price—especially for properties with access, title, utility, or usability hurdles.

When a listing sits too long, it often develops a “what’s wrong with it?” stigma. Meanwhile, you keep paying carrying costs like taxes, insurance, and maintenance. Pricing realistically from day one usually produces the strongest buyer interest—and the cleanest path to closing.

Considering a Direct Land Buyer: When Speed Matters More Than Maximum Price

If you need to avoid months of listing time, showings, and buyer financing risk, selling to a direct land buyer can be a practical alternative. Companies like Land Boss focus on purchasing Texas land for cash and simplifying the transaction.

Many direct-buyer transactions offer:

• Fast offers (often within days)
• Flexible closings (sometimes as little as 7 days)
• No agent commissions
• Reduced prep work (sell “as-is”)
• Fewer financing-related fall-throughs (cash purchase)
• Help navigating title, access, boundary, or other complications

Direct buyers typically purchase at a discount in exchange for speed and certainty. For remote tracts or properties that might take a year (or longer) to sell traditionally—especially in a cooler sales environment—this tradeoff can be worth it.

Common Challenges Texas Land Sellers Face

• Long timelines: Many rural tracts take 12+ months to sell on the open market.
• Thin buyer pools: Remote, unimproved acreage can limit demand.
• Pricing mistakes: Overpricing delays momentum and can invite steeper future reductions.
• Marketing workload: DIY sales require consistent exposure, buyer screening, and follow-up.
• Financing barriers: Land loans can be harder to secure than home loans, which can reduce qualified buyers.

Get a Quick Cash Offer (If You Want to Skip the Wait)

If you’re looking to sell a Texas property quickly, Land Boss offers a streamlined option designed for speed and simplicity. With an offer process that can take as little as one business day, you can bypass the uncertainty of a long listing period and move forward on your timeline.

If you want a clear next step, reach out to request a no-obligation cash offer and see what your land could sell for without months of waiting.