James Van Der Beek has left Los Angeles behind. The actor and his wife, Kimberly, announced on Instagram in September that their family was moving out of Beverly Hills, CA, to Texas.

Their large family is now living on a 36-acre property outside of Austin.

Their journey to the small town of Spicewood, TX, was chronicled on Instagram videos and images.

“I’ll tell you a secret: This cost less than it cost to live in Beverly Hills,” Kimberly said recently of their new home in the Lone Star State.

Their wooded property includes a main house, several cabins, and a pool and backyard with views of the Pedernales River.

View this post on Instagram

Our new home sweet home. #Texas. We have A LOT of unpacking, organization and projects with our new house and training for the two new rescue puppies we got to keep our other small rescue dogs safe on the property. Moving to the country is a dream I’ve had for years. Will give you peaks on our journey along the way.

A post shared by Kimberly Van Der Beek (@vanderkimberly) on Oct 13, 2020 at 4:50pm PDT

“The space available in Texas … where we’re at, it’s expansive and there’s a lot of space and I feel that for a big family … it was just really, really necessary for us,” she said in an Instagram Live session.

The 5,149-square-foot home the Van Der Beeks are leasing has five bedrooms and three bedrooms. Although not currently on the market, the waterfront residence is a place to “channel your ‘hippie cowboy,’” notes an old listing.

The main house features 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.

The property includes caretaker quarters and guest cabins.

A recent Airbnb listing priced the entire property at $1,250 a night. Although we don’t know what Van Der Beek is paying, the family probably cut a sweeter long-term lease.

According to People magazine, the Van Der Beeks say they are “going to try Texas out for a year and really give a lot of love to this property,” before deciding on where to settle permanently.

The family likely need a change of scene for both personal and professional reasons, including the loss of Van Der Beek’s mother, a cancer scare, and a business deal gone sour. Add the coronavirus pandemic to those factors, and their decision becomes clearer.

Months of sheltering in place inspired the couple and their five children to rethink their lifestyle.

“All of that led to some drastic changes in our lives, and dreams, and priorities … and landed us here,” Van Der Beek noted

And with the migration east, their former two-story home in Beverly Hills, recently featured in Architectural Digest, is available to lease for $12,000 a month.

Recently remodeled, the four-bedroom, Mediterranean-style residence offers 3,134 square feet of living space. The floor plan includes a chef’s kitchen and oversize living room. The secluded backyard comes with a guesthouse, spacious wood deck, pool, spa, and built-in barbecue.

Van Der Beek is best known for his role on the WB show “Dawson’s Creek,” which ran from 1998 through 2003. He has also appeared in TV shows and movies, including “Varsity Blues,” “The Rules of Attraction,” and “CSI: Cyber.”

Terri Scheid with Rexford Realty holds the listing on the Beverly Hills home.

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