{"id":2281863,"date":"2026-02-14T12:06:27","date_gmt":"2026-02-14T12:06:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2281863"},"modified":"2026-02-14T12:06:27","modified_gmt":"2026-02-14T12:06:27","slug":"james-van-der-beek-bought-familys-rented-texas-ranch-for-4-8-million-just-1-month-before-his-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/james-van-der-beek-bought-familys-rented-texas-ranch-for-4-8-million-just-1-month-before-his-death\/","title":{"rendered":"James Van Der Beek Bought Family\u2019s Rented Texas Ranch for $4.8 Million Just 1 Month Before His Death"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Actor <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:1;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/news\/celebrity-real-estate\/james-van-der-beek-home-austin-final-days-gofundme\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:James Van Der Beek;cpos:1;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><strong>James Van Der Beek<\/strong><\/a> purchased the sprawling <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:2;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/realestateandhomes-search\/Texas\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Texas;cpos:2;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Texas<\/a> ranch that he and his family began renting in 2020, just one month before he <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:3;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/news\/celebrity-real-estate\/james-van-der-beek-dead-dawsons-creek-home-kids-wife\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:died at the age of 48;cpos:3;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">died at the age of 48<\/a>, following a battle with colorectal cancer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The &#8220;Dawson&#8217;s Creek&#8221; star and his wife, <strong>Kimberly<\/strong>, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:4;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/news\/celebrity-real-estate\/inside-james-van-der-beek-home-texas-cancer\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:moved to the picturesque 36-acre property;cpos:4;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">moved to the picturesque 36-acre property<\/a>, which is located in <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:5;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/realestateandhomes-search\/Spicewood_TX\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Spicewood;cpos:5;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Spicewood<\/a>, just outside of <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:6;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/realestateandhomes-search\/Austin_TX\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Austin;cpos:6;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Austin<\/a>, in 2020, when they relocated their family from <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:7;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/realestateandhomes-search\/Beverly-Hills_CA\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Beverly Hills, CA;cpos:7;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Beverly Hills, CA<\/a>, to the Lone Star State in a bid to give their children more opportunity to enjoy the beauty of nature.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">At the time, the couple chose to lease the lush ranch property, with Kimberly previously revealing that they had wanted to test out life in Texas before committing to laying down permanent roots in the area.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">However, James and Kimberly quickly fell in love with the property\u2014as did their six children\u2014and it was on the ranch where the &#8220;Varsity Blues&#8221; star began treatment for cancer, which he revealed he had been diagnosed with in 2024.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Property records now show that James and Kimberly officially purchased the ranch for $4.76 million on Jan. 9, just over a month before the actor died.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The couple purchased the ranch through an LLC, which is managed by a California attorney.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">It appears the deal took place off-market, and there is no record of the property being publicly listed before the sale was finalized.<\/p>\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"James Van Der Beek's Austin ranch home and interior design in Spicewood, Texas.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"884\" height=\"986\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/p653VHXyAFHIe6C4CW7atw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTEwNzE7Y2Y9d2VicA--\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/realtor_com_468\/ca1bf6b129751c7a59fcefd32f981ee7\"\/><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><\/span><\/div>\n<p>Actor James Van Der Beek purchased the sprawling Texas ranch that he and his family began renting in 2020, just one month before he died at the age of 48, following a battle with colorectal cancer. <span class=\"image-credit\">(Instagram\/James Van Der Beek)<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"James Van Der Beek's Austin ranch home and interior design in Spicewood, Texas.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"754\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/Ef0HZZh9mkvVNW7ufx5Oeg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTc1NDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/realtor_com_468\/3c03a285942b4181b4f4e78e33ba5571\"\/><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><\/span><\/div>\n<p>The &#8220;Dawson&#8217;s Creek&#8221; star and his wife, Kimberly, moved to the picturesque 36-acre property, which is located in Spicewood, just outside of Austin, in 2020. <span class=\"image-credit\">(Instagram\/James Van Der Beek)<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"James Van Der Beek's Austin ranch home and interior design in Spicewood, Texas.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"952\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/DRgdgFp8w_GXZcp4ECW81Q--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTk1MjtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/realtor_com_468\/137b776b1eea9c048b1716800e47710b\"\/><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><\/span><\/div>\n<p>The couple wanted to give their children more opportunity to connect with nature\u2014citing this as one of the primary reasons behind their decision to move from California to Texas. <span class=\"image-credit\">(Instagram\/James Van Der Beek)<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The 36-acre spread includes a main house, several cabins, a pool, and a backyard with views of the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:8;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/tpwd.texas.gov\/state-parks\/pedernales-falls\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Pedernales River;cpos:8;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Pedernales River<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">But it was the rolling fields and lush landscape that really appealed to the couple, who said after their move that they wanted their six children\u2014<strong>Olivia<\/strong>, 15, <strong>Joshua<\/strong>, 13, <strong>Annabel<\/strong>, 12, <strong>Emilia<\/strong>, 9, <strong>Gwendolyn<\/strong>, 7, and <strong>Jeremiah<\/strong>, 4\u2014to have ample room to run around as they grew up.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">\u201cThe space available in Texas &#8230; where we\u2019re at, it\u2019s expansive and there\u2019s a lot of space and I feel that for a big family &#8230; it was just really, really necessary for us,\u201d Kimberly previously said in an Instagram Live video filmed at their home.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The 5,149-square-foot main house features five bedrooms and three bathrooms. It comes with a commercial kitchen, balconies with sky and river views, an outdoor living space with a pool, and a tram to the river. The grounds include a barn perfect for throwing a party.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The waterfront residence was previously described as being the perfect place to \u201cchannel your \u2018hippie cowboy,\u2019\u201d according to an old listing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Throughout his cancer battle, James regularly shared images and videos of himself taken at the ranch\u2014and several of his celebrity friends, including &#8220;Fresh Prince of Bel-Air&#8221; star <strong>Alfonso Ribeiro<\/strong>, revealed that they had traveled to the property to spend time with the actor before he died.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I\u2019m so broken right now with the passing of my friend [James] today,&#8221; Ribeiro, who was named godfather to James&#8217; daughter Gwen, wrote on Instagram, while sharing a photo of himself with the actor sitting outside of the home.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;He was my true friend brother and life guide. I was with him through this horrible journey to beat cancer. His family and friends went on this roller coaster ride. The highs when it looked like he had it beat to the breaking lows of it coming back. I\u2019ve learned so much from James.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;He and [Kimberly] changed my life. I will forever be in debt for all they\u2019ve given me and my family. He will live forever in my heart. I will always be there for their children.<\/p>\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Instagram\/James Van Der Beek\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"754\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/v32.oe6FgeGhY8Fw4mLCKg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTc1NDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/realtor_com_468\/c21fa541c1e6885f5ed497361af14443\"\/><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><\/span><\/div>\n<p>The 36-acre spread includes a main house, several cabins, a pool, and a backyard with views of the Pedernales River. <span class=\"image-credit\">(Instagram\/James Van Der Beek)<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"James Van Der Beek's Austin ranch home and interior design in Spicewood, Texas.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"1036\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/5Si0gCLYCsnzhEm16IGZOQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTEwMzY7Y2Y9d2VicA--\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/realtor_com_468\/07863f2ef44625fd08674dc2c6d90d90\"\/><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><\/span><\/div>\n<p>Kimberly described their home\u2014and its stunning natural surroundings\u2014as having the &#8220;capacity to heal &#8230; to hug you and heal you.&#8221; <span class=\"image-credit\">(Instagram\/James Van Der Beek)<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Instagram\/James Van Der Beek\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"754\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/BYseDCYpMcLg9BQtn3w9DQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTc1NDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/realtor_com_468\/59fbfdfe99f1ccf70ec499ccc5bd4111\"\/><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><\/span><\/div>\n<p>The waterfront residence was previously described as being the perfect place to \u201cchannel your \u2018hippie cowboy,\u2019\u201d according to an old listing. <span class=\"image-credit\">(Instagram\/James Van Der Beek)<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I will always hold my role as Gwen\u2019s Goddie daddy as one of the most important roles of my life. I love you James and know I have a guardian angel watching over me. Being able to say goodbye this weekend will always live with me. RIP my brother. RIP.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">When the couple first moved to the dwelling, Kimberly gushed about how accommodating and supportive their landlords had been throughout their move, noting that the family had been given ample freedom to make the ranch their own.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;We&#8217;re going to try Texas out for a year and really give a lot of love to this property,&#8221; she said on Instagram Live.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;We have incredible landlords, they&#8217;re magical, so they&#8217;re really letting us dip into it and really steward the land as if it&#8217;s our own and go wild with it. Which is really cool,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">After she revealed the tragic news of her husband&#8217;s passing, Kimberly also opened up about the toll that the actor&#8217;s medical bills had taken on her family\u2014sharing a link to a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-i13n=\"cpos:9;pos:1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gofundme.com\/f\/support-for-james-van-der-beeks-family?attribution_id=sl:65d58359-147e-416f-a921-d662aaf67430&amp;lang=en_US&amp;ts=1770839897&amp;utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&amp;utm_content=amp17_tb&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=instagram_story\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:GoFundMe;cpos:9;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">GoFundMe<\/a> page that was set up by her friends in a bid to lessen her financial burden and ensure that she and her kids can remain in their home.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;In the wake of this loss, Kimberly and the children are facing an uncertain future,&#8221; the page description reads.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;The costs of James\u2019s medical care and the extended fight against cancer have left the family out of funds. They are working hard to stay in their home and to ensure the children can continue their education and maintain some stability during this incredibly difficult time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;The support of friends, family, and the wider community will make a world of difference as they navigate the road ahead.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;Your generosity will help cover essential living expenses, pay bills, and support the children\u2019s education. Every donation, no matter the size, will help Kimberly and her family find hope and security as they rebuild their lives. Thank you for considering a gift to support them.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The GoFundMe, which was launched with an initial target of $500,000, has since raised more than $2.3 million, with stars such as <strong>Stephen Spielberg <\/strong>and <strong>Zoe Saldana<\/strong> contributing to help the family in the wake of James&#8217; passing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Actor James Van Der Beek purchased the sprawling Texas ranch that he and his family began renting in 2020, just one month before he died at the age of 48, following a battle with colorectal cancer. The &#8220;Dawson&#8217;s Creek&#8221; star and his wife, Kimberly, moved to the picturesque 36-acre property, which is located in Spicewood, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2281864,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25173],"tags":[379275,350582,365347,22428,350581],"class_list":["post-2281863","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-artists","tag-colorectal-cancer","tag-james-van-der-beek","tag-kimberly","tag-texas","tag-van-der-beek"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/James-Van-Der-Beek-Bought-Familys-Rented-Texas-Ranch-for.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2281863","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2281863"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2281863\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2281865,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2281863\/revisions\/2281865"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2281864"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2281863"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2281863"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2281863"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}