This Luxury Ranch in Wills Point Offers a Close-to-Home Escape Worthy of John Dutton

Rural land is experiencing a revival in a big way, and we may have the cast of Yellowstone to thank for the proliferation of Stetsons, Wranglers, and everything cowboy. Of course, because everyone wants to be John Dutton these days (or heck, Rip Wheeler isn’t a bad consolation prize) luxury ranch properties are gaining in popularity, too.

If you’re on the lookout for a close-to-home luxury ranch escape in East Texas, Realtor Kathryn Roan of Sarah Boyd & Co. has the perfect property in Wills Point for anyone who wants to live like a Dutton within an hour of Dallas.

“Many people think of East Texas as a far drive, but this ranch is an easy 45 minutes to downtown Dallas or the Park Cities,” Roan said. “It is closer than Athens, another popular East Texas weekender spot, and certainly easier than heading north with traffic these days!”

Roan says the luxury ranch in Wills Point is the best of both worlds, with a rural feel that will let you live your cowboy dreams full or part time while still being within 10 minutes of the grocery store.

A Ranch Property Perfect For Remote Workers

More than half of Americans are working from home at least one day a week and approximately 35 percent of the American workforce has been offered the opportunity to work from home full time according to a recent survey from McKinsey & Company. But as we well know, working remotely is more than just having a spot for your laptop and a decent wifi signal.

Luckily, this luxury ranch in East Texas has everything you want and need to work remotely, meaning you could live like John Dutton full time if you wanted. While many rural properties resort to satellite internet, Roan says that this home has just-installed Spectrum fiber optic lines that should be online soon, a huge plus for a ranch. 

That, plus the amenities in the second-floor office of the two-story primary suite will boost your productivity.

“I work from home full time, so I really wanted an office space I would enjoy being in every day,” said seller Kristi Gage. “It’s so therapeutic to look out over the pastures and lake from the second-story expansive windows and watch the horses during an endless conference call. It’s also a welcome break from my work day to exercise in the fitness loft next to my office or simply relax in the sauna or on the Juliet balcony off of the loft.”

Updated For The Luxury Ranch Experience

The primary suite is like a luxury ranch home in itself. It features a cast stone fireplace, dual walk-in closets, a coffee bar, a soaking jet tub for two, and heated floors. “It’s a John Dutton-worthy place, no doubt,” Roan said.

Gage went all-in updating the four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath luxury ranch, and it shows.

“The ranch was dated when we bought it, so it needed a facelift. We really spared no expense on updates and remodeling the entire house and property, including the addition of the 2,000 square foot primary suite, which is admittedly over the top,” Gage said. “A lot of time was spent in making sure there were unique features with an open feeling to maximize the natural light and amazing views everywhere you turn.”

Easy Living in East Texas

The town of Wills Point might be the best East Texas location for a luxury ranch. Roan, a longtime equestrian and ranch specialist, says that the soil, rain, and nearby lakes make for perfect horse property conditions.

“The soil isn’t the ‘black gumbo’ you’ll find in Dallas — our dirt is so much better for livestock,” Roan said. “It is so easy to keep horses out here, with our good soil, grass, and temperate weather.”

With this luxury ranch, you’ll be close to The Trace Trails and Mineola State Park for trail riding, Roan said, or you could visit the Texas Rose Horse Park for “A” circuit hunter/jumper shows, USEA Three Day Eventing, or rated Dressage. There are also many venues for team ropers, barrel racers, team penning, and more.

Plus, there’s a lot to love about East Texas, with its music culture (both Miranda Lambert and Kacey Musgraves call it home) and live music venues, the popular First Monday Trade Days in Canton, and tons of lakes where you can catch trophy-winning bass. Feeling famished? This East Texas luxury ranch is just two doors down from the former home of a Dallas Cowboys player turned luxury restaurant, the famous Four Winds Steakhouse.

A Dreamy East Texas Ranch, Now With a Price Improvement

While the home is the star of the show, there are tons of other great features on this more-than-45-acre property. There’s a shop with a one-bedroom, one-bath apartment with a full kitchen that is perfect for a ranch hand or rental income. There are also cattle working chutes and a car lift in the shop.

Roan notes that the front barn has two Priefert stalls with heated auto waterers and the back barn has five additional stalls and a feed/tack room, plus room for storing up to 25 round bales. The outdoor arena has lights set up, and team roping chutes.

“The property is ag exempt for hay production, which helps a lot with taxes,” Roan said. “It is a really dreamy place.”

If this sounds like the perfect place to set down roots and enjoy a slower pace of life, it absolutely is.

“We have loved making memories here. It’s been a fantastic property for hosting family barbeques and having friends out to ride horses, jump in the pedal boat to fish, roast marshmallows over the fire pit, go for long walks around the five-acre lake or just gaze at the magical sunrises/sunsets,” Gage said. “Everyone loves kicking back and watching the fountain from the dock. It’s just really calm and peaceful here, so different from being in Dallas.” 

The luxury East Texas ranch at 19781 FM 47 in Wills Point, Texas, is listed by Sarah Boyd & Co. Realtor Kathryn Roan for a recently improved price of $1.89 million.