Farm and Ranch Land Can Be Taxed on Productivity, Not Market Value

Working farm and ranch land in Hidalgo County may qualify for special appraisal. Under the 1-d-1 rule, the land is valued by what it can produce, not by market price.

The land usually must have been in farm, ranch, or timber use for at least five of the past seven years. The owner applies through the Hidalgo Appraisal District; the Comptroller's county directory gives the office phone.

If the use changes, rollback tax can be due for the past three years that got the lower value. That is a real cost to price before buying rural land.