If you have between 5 and 20 acres, Texas law allows you to maintain agricultural valuation with honeybees. You only need bees for one year, then you can move to wildlife management. BeePeaceful Colony Management leases and cares for honeybee colonies to help you keep your ag value.
As An Investment
This may be one of the best investments of your life. Depending on how the appraisal district values your land, this may have a 100% return in Bandera County. Unlike our saving accounts that pay us 1%, this will pay for itself in the first 2 years and continue to pay you for as long as you own your land.
Your Land Becomes More Valuable
Lower property taxes mean that a buyer will pay more for your land than for another similar property without ag value. It is likely you will get your entire investment back if you sell your lot.
No IRS Taxes
This is a savings and not income. You will not report income from this to Uncle Sam.
A Write Off
Talk to your tax professional, but beekeeping expense is a potential write off on your IRS taxes because it improves the value of your property.
Yours to Lose
Unless you act, you will beginning to lose this benefit in the first year you own the property on January 1st. If you buy mid year, you get the tax advantage until the end of that year. Your loss for doing nothing will likely be over $2500. We will all know more once the appraisal district puts a market value on your land. After 3 years with no agriculture on the property, you will not be able to qualify without having bees on for five additional years.
Show Intent!
Texas law says that a property owner should ‘Show Intent’ by January 1st of the year bees will be on your property. This email form makes that easy for you. It creates date stamped evidence if we need it.
Letter of Intent