Purchasing a Land vs 2nd home

[escanlan]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

I will say that in Kaufman County, and in the City of Terrell ETJ, any new developments requiring wastewater facilities are on the radar. There have been significant problems with several of them in the past, and both the County and City of Terrell are very opposed to any new ones being built. The one that was recently proposed off highway 34 had significant local resident opposition, and many of us wrote to TCEQ asking that the wastewater permit be denied. Ultimately, the developer decided to sell the land.

Yes they are on the radar but unfortunately not for neighboring properties. Typically they wind up in municipal meeting minutes where the developer attempts to get approval for their project. Anyone at the meeting, or reading the meeting notes afterward, that takes time to research it then knows what is occurring. From there it tends to be a word of mouth notice to local residents and those along the creeks.


This is one of the things I am vehemently against as far as not having the requirement to notify ALL local residents of such projects and specifics of them. Today with all of the BS going on the average person just doesn't have the time to be scouring all the meeting minutes, State records, etc., etc., to see what is about to affect them significantly. That's how so many of these projects sneak into the pipeline past residents. Glad to hear in your case there was enough uproar to squash the project.


Not sure if this is true but I recently heard by a very large, local land owner that Texas is getting ready to reduce approvals on new MUD's. Apparently their is a push for whatever reason to reduce the numbers. It would be interesting to know if that was true and why they chose to do that.


On one of the points how these things happen and to add to it how they don't seem to be closely watched is a local event near me in Josephine. It is also why anyone trying to do land purchases need to be very vigilant! In 2011 the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) bought two large pieces of land just above Josephine. This is the larger 200 acre tract https://www.collincad.org/propertysearch?prop=2671410 . Way back then NTMWD was planning a sludge dump site for their water processing operations. They did all their internal studies and found this to be a prime site for what they needed.


A year or so ago NTMWD went public with their plans that were already in the works and already mostly approved by TCEQ and others as needed. The sludge dump will have run-off and it will be fed into a nearby creek which is already also being used for the affluent discharge of a very large local MUD. This creek feeds another creek and on down to Lake Tawakoni. Two more MUD's are being built on the downstream side of this sludge dump and existing MUD. Nobody was aware of their plans until fairly recently. Those that bought around the sludge dump most likely never looked at who owned the NTMWD purchased property. Also in the mean time people bought near the new sludge dump and along these creeks. One is trying to run an all natural livestock raising operation. Others already have livestock operations along the creeks. When these creeks overflow during heavy rains, and they will, that waste water is now going to be deposited on private lands.



Many people have significantly objected to the dump but those were only locals living around the dump itself. Nobody downstream has objected are most likely not even aware of it. Can you imagine how much polluted water will be forced down these creek systems as a result of the sludge dump and 3 MUD's?? A lot of money has been poured into the sludge dump project and if anyone believes it will be squashed then think again! It will continue "for the betterment of the public" and all those affected are SOL!



I'm not an environmentalist but have to wonder WTH is up at TCEQ that nobody is looking at all of these projects?? Also this is all flowing into Lake Tawakoni which is a reservoir and State Park. Where the heck are they in all of this? Isn't anyone looking at that?

[ritholtz]

I visited few around northwest ISD. Most of new developments have this extra MUD or some form of development tax. City's are not building utility services. At this point, is it better to buy a 2nd home vs property? Looks like land investment doesn't work out in most cases for small parcel of land. Although, things are working out nice with the stock market so far. Not sure if it is a safer investment to stick with it than investing in real estate? How are you guys approaching real estate investment going forward? I am kinda disappointed that i do not have another real estate investment other than primary home. I am here for past 15 years.