Luxe listing

Sprawling ranch in Texas bluebonnet mecca steps onto market for $7.75M

Ariel image of Big Step Ranch, with a farmhouse and outdoor fire pit in the foreground, and outdoor kitchen, outbuilding and rolling hills in the background.

Big Step Ranch, with sweeping views all the way from Chappell Hill to College Station is for sale for $7.75 million.

Josh Gremillion

Anyone in the market for wide open spaces — where the views go on for days and the hills stretch all the way to the sky — should consider Big Step Ranch.

Located in the town of Chappell Hill in Washington County, the 186-acre property is on the market for $7.75 million, represented by Tonya Currie of Compass Realty.

The ranch offers killer views that span all the way to College Station, a modern farmhouse, a metal pergola wine arbor, and a sense that there are still places in the world where the only development is the wind blowing through the trees and the lonesome cry of a hawk overhead.

Sure to be tranquil setting, an onsite pond reflects the glowing Texas sun.

Set amid a stunning vista, with New Years Creek forming part of its boundary line, Big Step Ranch offers history and modernity in one epic Lone Star package. The farmhouse is a classic design, with killer modern amenities.

Massive, double-hung windows overlook the ranch's rolling grounds. In the kitchen, Thermador appliances will delight contemporary cooks. Wide, wooden floors and planked walls pay homage to Texas ranches past.

Big Step's house home sprawls across nearly 4,000 square feet, with four bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms. A wide porch is not only a natural welcoming space, but also a spot to while away the day under the ceiling fan.

Out back, a covered summer kitchen offers seating along with ample prep space make it the perfect spot for entertaining.

There's plenty of room on this spread to add outbuildings. A guest cottage? Multicar garage? Barn? There's space for all of the above, and more.

Chappell Hill is known for its lush fields of bluebonnets, for which people make pilgrimages each spring. It annually hosts one of the most popular bluebonnet festivals in the state.

Photo by Josh Gremillion

Big Step Ranch, with views from Chappell Hill to College Station, lists for $7.75 million.

texas luxury home-for-sale

hottest zips

Surprising Dallas neighbor ranks among hottest ZIP codes in U.S.

City of Lavon/Facebook

Movers are loving Lavon for its small-town feel and proximity to the big city.

A recent analysis of American relocation trends has revealed the small city of Lavon outside Dallas was one of the top five hottest ZIP code for movers nationwide in October 2025.

Lavon's 75166 ZIP code ranked No. 5 on MovingPlace's new list ranking the U.S. cities with the highest number of new movers per 1,000 current residents during the month of October.

According to the study's data, 961,650 moves took place across the nation last month. Lavon (population: 13,800) saw 10.8 moves per 1,000 residents in October, the fifth highest moving rate out of all U.S. cities.

Lavon is located 32 miles northeast of Dallas in Collin County. It was praised as a highly sought-after locale for movers who want to live somewhere affordable outside Dallas while still reaping the benefits from a community with a small-town feel.

The report also added that Lavon's 75166 ZIP was the No. 1 hottest ZIP code in September, but relocations dipped 7.7 percent from September to October.

"When looking at the top ZIP codes in each state, it’s clear that less populated ZIP codes often show dramatic month-over-month increases, sometimes exceeding 100 percent," the report said. "Larger cities, by contrast, maintain consistently high move volumes without extreme spikes, because their larger populations dampen the impact of individual moves."

These are the top 10 hottest U.S. ZIP codes based on moves per capita in October:

No. 1 – 78616 in Dale, Texas
No. 2 – 34987 in Port Saint Lucie, Florida
No. 3 – 37228 in Nashville, Tennessee
No. 4 – 80019 in Aurora, Colorado
No. 5 – 75166 in Lavon, Texas
No. 6 – 32461 in Inlet Beach, Florida
No. 7 – 10004 in New York, New York
No. 8 – 43137 in Lockbourne, Ohio
No. 9 – 30346 in Atlanta, Georgia
No. 10 – 78656 in Maxwell, Texas

The hottest U.S. ZIP codes by total move volume
Five Texas ZIPs ranked among MovingPlace's separate analysis of the top 10 hottest U.S. ZIP codes based on total move volume.

McKinney's ever-popular 75071 ZIP code ranked No. 5 on the list after gaining 298 new residents last month, only 72 residents shy from No. 1-ranking Washington, D.C.'s new resident count.

This North Dallas suburb also previously ranked as the No. 8 most popular ZIP for movers during the first five months of 2025.

The report said McKinney's most attractive qualities are its safety, its high-performing schools, and its proximity to outdoor recreational activities. it also helps that the suburb consistently ranks as the No. 1 hottest housing market in America, and it frequently tops lists comparing the best cities for renters or the most affordable cities in the U.S.

The top 10 hottest American ZIP codes in October based on total move volume were:

No. 1 – 20002 in Washington, D.C.
No. 2 – 78130 in New Braunfels, Texas
No. 3 – 78641 in Leander, Texas
No. 4 – 77433 in Cypress, Texas
No. 5 – 75071 in McKinney, Texas
No. 6 –32256 in Jacksonville, Florida
No. 7 –77493 in Katy, Texas
No. 8 – 85142 in Queen Creek, Arizona
No. 9 – 98052 in Redmond, Washington
No. 10 – 28269 in Charlotte, North Carolina

suburb real estate housing market moving mckinney dallas