Kerrville & Fredericksburg Local Guide
Meet the people who make the Hill Country home
Before you build here, it helps to know who you’ll be living next to. On the Texas Hill Country Insider podcast, Steven Butcher of Butcher Behrens and Realtor Ryan Rendon sit down with the bankers, land agents, stone fabricators, coaches, pastors and shop owners of Kerrville and Fredericksburg.
Each guide pairs an episode with what it means for someone thinking about building or moving here. You can watch the full conversation or listen on your phone.
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These are the episodes most useful if you’re planning to buy land, build a custom home or move to Kerr or Gillespie County.
All episodes
Financial Planning in Fredericksburg: Jarrid Dietert on Money, Family & Local Legend Apparel
A Fredericksburg financial pro on teaching kids about money and protecting family time.
Private School in Fredericksburg: Russ York on Ambleside School and the Charlotte Mason Approach
For families moving here: how Ambleside approaches education, habits and faith.
Main Street Fredericksburg: Kelsey Morgan on Building Felt Boutique
From middle school math teacher to owning a Main Street building and a custom hat bar.
Tivy High School Football: Coach Curtis Neill on Culture, Academics and Kerrville
For Kerrville ISD families: what Tivy’s athletic director is building on and off the field.
Working With a Hill Country Real Estate Broker: John Sawyer of Hill Country Legacy Partners
What a good agent does when you’re buying land or a home in Kerr County.
Treehouses and Short-Term Rentals in Fredericksburg: Jacob & Katie Rhodes of HoneyTree
Designing unusual builds, and what’s changing in the Fredericksburg rental market.
Driveways, Asphalt and Drainage in the Hill Country: Montana Martin of Sealcoat Specialists
Long driveway on acreage? A Kerrville paving pro on drainage and asphalt upkeep.
Hunting and Outdoor Media: Will Cooper of GSM Outdoors and HuntStand
Western hunting, bow setup and getting kids into the outdoors.
From Army Ranger to CEO in Fredericksburg: Chuck Alvarez of Cameron-Brooks
The Fredericksburg firm that helps military officers move into corporate careers.
Community Banking in the Hill Country: Dan Kemp of Security State Bank & Trust
Why a local bank matters when you’re financing land and a custom home here.
Public Safety in Gillespie County: Sheriff Chris Ayala on Serving Fredericksburg
Safety, youth outreach and flood preparedness from the county’s sheriff.
Boxing in Kerrville: Javier Vargas of Diamond Boxing Club
A Kerrville gym that trains fighters, kids and women in self-defense.
Choosing Countertops for Your Hill Country Home: Granite, Quartz and Quartzite with Schumann Granite
Granite, quartz, quartzite and porcelain compared by a Fredericksburg fabricator.
Retiring to the Texas Hill Country: Planning Advice from Greg Schorp
What to know about retirement and taxes before you move to the Hill Country.
Diesel Trucks and Small-Town Reputation: Ross Dunagan of Flyin Diesel in Kerrville
Kerrville’s diesel shop on maintenance, diagnostics and earning trust.
Building With Integrity in Boot Ranch: Matthew Mabery on Hill Country Construction
Two builders talk about choosing the right builder and earning trust.
Faith Community in Fredericksburg: Father Ian of St. Mary’s Catholic Church
St. Mary’s parish and school, and Fredericksburg’s faith community.
Buying Land in the Texas Hill Country: Water, Ag Exemptions and Ranch Strategy with Weston Jenkins
Water, exemptions, ranch taxes and what people get wrong about buying Hill Country land.
Behind the Scenes at Butcher Behrens: Who Builds Your Custom Home
Meet the superintendent and field team: selections, waterproofing and quality standards.
Faith and Business: Identity, Purpose and Surrender with Joshua Del Way
Steven and Joshua on anchoring your identity in something other than business success.
What a Colorado Elk Hunt Teaches You: Hill Country Hunters on the Trip
Planning, gear and lessons from a Hill Country crew’s public-land elk hunt.
From Fourth-Grade Teacher to Youth Pastor in Fredericksburg: Justin Hagendorf
Youth ministry, family and why the Hill Country pulls people in.
Building a Pool in Fredericksburg: Leann Rominger Scott of Staycation Pools and Outdoors
Pool and outdoor living expectations from a builder who moved here from Austin.
Moving to Fredericksburg: Joshua Del Way on Faith, Marriage and Family
Why one family moved to Fredericksburg and what kept them here.
Build or Buy in the Texas Hill Country? Realtor Ryan Rendon Explains
A Kerrville-raised agent on who should build and who should buy.
How a Custom Home Gets Built in the Hill Country: Fixed Price vs. Cost Plus with Steven Butcher
What a builder does, fixed price vs. cost plus, and designing a forever home.
Local businesses featured
Every Hill Country business and organization we’ve sat down with, by town.
Kerrville
- Diamond Boxing ClubJavier Vargas
- Flyin DieselRoss Dunagan
- Hill Country Legacy PartnersJohn Sawyer
- Sealcoat SpecialistsMontana Martin
- Texas LandmenWeston Jenkins
- Tivy High SchoolCoach Curtis Neill
Fredericksburg
- Ambleside School of FredericksburgRuss York
- Cameron-BrooksChuck Alvarez
- Felt BoutiqueKelsey Morgan
- Gillespie County Sheriff’s OfficeSheriff Chris Ayala
- GSM Outdoors / HuntStandWill Cooper
- Hill Country ChurchJustin Hagendorf
- HoneyTreeJacob & Katie Rhodes
- JDW MinistriesJoshua Del Way
- Local Legend ApparelJarrid Dietert
- Mabery ContractingMatthew Mabery
- Schumann GraniteRansom Rust
- Security State Bank & TrustDan Kemp
- St. Mary’s Catholic ChurchFather Ian
- Staycation Pools and OutdoorsLeann Rominger Scott
Hill Country
- Texas Retirement HeadquartersGreg Schorp
Know someone we should talk to?
Texas Hill Country Insider features the people who shape Kerrville, Fredericksburg and the towns around them. If you know a business owner, leader or neighbor with a story worth hearing, tell us about them.
Nominate a guestReady to build where these folks live?
We build custom homes in Kerrville, Fredericksburg and across the Hill Country, and it starts with a walk of your land. Pick a time with Steven below. If you don’t have land yet, he can help you find some. You can also see where we build or call 210-636-5387.
