HOUSTON – An upsurge of buyers – and three very recent purchases – has left only nine remaining farm estates at Wolff Companies’ Gates Ranch in Washington County.

In the past three months, the last two estates in Phase I were sold, as well as the first estate in Phase III. All of the buyers are professional families based in Houston who were looking for a Washington County retreat that provided an easy escape – Gates Ranch is only one hour away – from their busy lives in the city.

Please click to enlarge.

Forest Hill, a 35-acre farm featuring a winding, tree-lined entrance, was purchased by a family who will build a weekend residence. Their land plan takes full advantage of the fertile soil and natural water features of their new property. Another couple acquired the 30-acre Hilltop estate, which boasts a unique, 180-degree vista with spectacular long views over the Brazos River Valley. The recently retired couple plans to build a full-time residence on the property, which will allow them to live in the country while remaining active in the Houston business community. Millbrook, the first estate to be purchased in Phase III of Gates Ranch, is a 45-acre property featuring a large, restored pond and choice of building sites. It fronts FM 2726 and will initially be a weekend retreat for the young couple acquiring the estate. They are still formulating their long-term plans.

Gates Ranch estate owners make their farms uniquely their own, building stunning homes such as this one designed by Lake Flato Architects.

“Since the beginning of the year, activity has been strong in a greatly improved market. We have closed out the first two phases of the development and sold our first estate in Phase III, leaving us with only nine estates,” said David S. Wolff, Chairman and President of Wolff Companies. “Several buyers have combined estates to create larger ones, so only a few more purchasers could completely close out the community.”

Wolff introduced Gates Ranch in 2009 after carefully restoring the land and its natural beauty, replanting and nourishing overgrazed pastures, rebuilding numbers ponds throughout the property and caring for its mature hardwood trees. Wolff established a tree nursery where live oak trees are grown and subsequently transplanted throughout the community. The Gates Ranch environment has been protected through deed covenants which set high standards for development, shelter conserved land, and attract people who want to invest in upscale homes that will be in the family for generations.

“Gates Ranch is a project from the heart as my family has owned a working cattle ranch in Washington County for more than 40 years,” said Wolff. “Washington County is a beautiful, historic area with incredible countryside and charming towns. I conceived Gates Ranch as a special place where families could enjoy beautiful, private farms and establish their own family legacies.”

Located about an hour north of Houston, Gates Ranch is named after Amos Gates, who was born in 1799 and is said to be the first settler west of the Brazos River. Washington County, one of the most desirable and strategically located counties in Texas, is rich in history. Shortly after Stephen F. Austin’s “Old Three Hundred” colonists arrived in Texas in 1821, Washington-on-the-Brazos arose as the first community in the County. With the Texas Declaration of Independence in 1836, it became known as the “Birthplace of Texas.” Today, historic towns such as Independence and Chappell Hill, quiet country roads, rolling hills and spectacular wildflowers are just a few of the attractions for residents and visitors.

For more information about Gates Ranch, please call Randy Hodde with Hodde Real Estate at 979-836-8532 or toll-free at 888-882-1321.