Why did we miss the bull run on housing prices? (TEXAS TAXES)

Star-Telegram ^ | Oct 31, 2007 | MITCHELL SCHNURMAN

[chuckles]

In the area of east Texas I live in the property value has TRIPLED in the last couple of years. Land that cost $900 and acre 5 years ago is now $3000+. Houses aren't growing in value, but raw land is like gold. The oil leases and timber money is through the roof. The only problem now is the mineral rights no longer go with the land and the price of lumber is falling with the housing slump. They still want mucho denero for acreage.

I'm hoping for a decrease so I can get some acreage for hunting and retirement. I tell the agents that I shouldn't have to pay for mineral rights I don't get and trees are trash right now, but they just smile and sell it to another yankee snowbird that acts like it's practically free. I guess land in Delaware or New Jersey is more than $3k an acre.

[PAR35]

private school education, that *stops* when your kids graduate.

Yes, but you are still paying for the dysfunctional public schools. And when you add that back in to the private school tuition, your costs are probably going to be as high over a lifetime as you are paying for a few years of usable public schools in Texas. That being said, there seems to be a good bit of overstaffing in the non-teaching positions in the public schools. Assistant principals and counselors in the elementary schools, for example; and occupational therapists and speech therapists....