Owning Your Piece of Texas: Key Laws Texas Landowners Need to Know (2024)

FAQs

What are landowners rights in Texas? ›

You may have the right to repurchase your property if your property is acquired through eminent domain and: ♦ the public use for which the property was acquired is canceled before that property is put to that use, ♦ no actual progress is made toward the public use within 10 years, or ♦ the property becomes unnecessary ...

Article I, § 17 of the Texas State Constitution provides as follows: “No person's property shall be taken, damaged, or destroyed for or applied for public use without adequate compensation being made, unless by the consent of such person.”

Texas has more than 142 million acres of working lands owned by 250,000+ private landowners, each with their own management objectives. These lands provide food and fiber, and support rural economies and recreational opportunities along with many other products and services.

Private property may only be taken by a governmental entity or private entity that is authorized by law to do so. Your property may be taken only for a public purpose. That means it can only be taken for a purpose or use that serves the general public.

Determining Urban or Rural Homesteads in Texas

Rural homesteads are limited to 200 acres for a family and 100 acres for a single adult, including improvements on the property. An urban homestead is limited to ten acres with improvements, which must be in adjacent lots.

How Long Must Trespasser Possess the Land. The default period for adverse possession in Texas is a decade—referred to as a 10-year statute of limitations.

Property rights are a form of legal ownership that allows the owner of a property to do anything they like with it. They can sell it, rent it out, or give it away.

Authorities in Texas can also enter a home without a warrant if they have probable cause to believe there is a risk of harm to those inside. This exception allows officers to take immediate action to ensure the safety of the people involved.

Texas exempt property includes: The primary residence of a debtor (the “homestead”) Cemetery plots purchased and intended for use by the family. Up to $50,000 of personal property for an individual.

A native of Kentucky and a resident of Tennessee is the Lone Star State's largest landowner. With a focus on the Trans-Pecos area of West Texas, tobacco tycoon Brad Kelley owns 940,000 acres in the state, according to the 2024 Land Report 100.

What city in Texas has the most land? ›

Houston is the largest city in the state of Texas and the fourth-largest in the United States. The city covers more than 600 sq mi (1,600 km²) and is the county seat of Harris County.

Who Owns the Most Land in the World? The largest landowner in the world currently is King Charles III of England. How much land does the Royal Family own? He and the British Royal Family own more than 6,600,000,000 acres of land around the world.

Over time, squatters can gain what's called adverse possession, allowing them to gain ownership of a property, even without the owner's permission. But there's a long process to do that, and someone can claim adverse possession in Texas only if they meet certain sets of requirements.

Unclaimed Personal Property

Once the personal property is considered abandoned under the law, it must be reported to the Texas Comptroller. Texans can search for unclaimed property in their name through the Texas Comptroller's website and submit a claim.

Can game wardens go on private property anytime they want to? Section 12.103(a), Parks and Wildlife Code, allows Texas Game Wardens to enter on any land or water where wild game or fish are known to range or stray to enforce the game and fish laws of the state.

California premises liability law states that landowners owe a duty to exercise reasonable care to prevent harm to persons occupying their land. If they fail to do so, they may be held liable for any resulting injuries.

A landlord's lien allows the landlord to take your personal property. A lien for unpaid rent is enforceable only if it's written in the lease, and is underlined or printed in conspicuous bold print.

In Texas, the law generally considers a fence built directly on a property line to be owned by both parties in equal shares, unless there is a written agreement stating otherwise.