This article is featured in the Winter 2025 issue of LAND magazine. Click here to find out more.
Mike Bacon
Broker/Partner
Texas Ranch Brokers, LLC
Where do you live?
Cedar Park, northwest of Austin. When I first started in the business, it was a sleepy little town and now it’s an extension of Austin.
Where do you work?
Our office is in Burnet. Although we work all over the state, our primary focus is the Central Texas and the Hill Country.
What makes the corner of the world where you work special?
I think every part of Texas is special, but Central Texas is so diverse. You get a little bit of everything from gently rolling, productive land to the diverse topography, stunning live-water properties in the Hill Country, all without driving too far. Plus, we’re close to metropolitan areas so the pool of buyers is substantial.
What are the three most important tools in a ranch broker’s kit?
Knowledge of the land, of the industry and of your clients’ goals. Integrity, which is important in all aspects of life. And a work ethic. If you bust your tail and do the right thing, success will come.
If you could call anywhere on the planet home, where would it be? Why?
I like exactly where I am, but if I had to move, my new home would be in a place where there is a good fishing hole—and it would be in Texas.
What is your favorite way to enjoy time in the outdoors?
Bay fishing. I love chasing reds and trout. .
Listener or talker?
If I’m just shooting the bull, I’m a talker. When I’m working, though, I’m a listener. My job is to understand what my clients want and deliver it.
If you could only eat one food every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Barbecue. I love smoked meat—and there’s a lot of variety, brisket, sausage, ribs, turkey, chicken. The real test of a barbeque place is their brisket.
If you could give a one sentence piece of advice about how to live life, what would that be?
Do your best, have integrity and treat people right. It’s just common sense and common decency.
What is your most memorable deal to date?
It would be when I first went out on my own, just after the real estate bust of the ‘80s. There were a handful of big ranch brokers who did a lot of business—and I wasn’t one of them. There was a gentleman who gave me the opportunity to list his 1,200-acre ranch. He told me, “Those other guys have a lot of big listings. You’ll only have mine, so you’ll work your tail off for me.” I did. It sold, and it got the ball rolling for me. I’ve always been grateful to him for taking a chance on me.
What is the best part of being a ranch and recreational real estate professional?
Seeing God’s handiwork in the land He created. So many times, I’ve been out on places, looked around and said, “There’s no way there is not a higher power.” And, of course, the people. This industry is full of great people.
Learn more about Texas Ranch Brokers, LLC at TXRanchBrokers.com
