by Chelsea StewartBuzzFeedBuzzFeed Staff James Van Der Beek's rep is clarifying reports about a Texas property his family had been in the process of purchasing before his death last week at 48. Andrew Toth / Getty Images The Dawson's Creek star died on Wednesday following a three-year battle with colorectal cancer. He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and six children aged between 4 and 15. Rick Kern / Getty Images Nearly six years before his death, James had relocated his family from Los Angeles to Austin, Texas, to provide a different pace of life for his kids. Alex Goodlett / Getty Images "We wanted to give them space and we wanted them to live in nature," James told City Lifestyle, while Kimberly called Texas "exactly what we needed." Jc Olivera / Getty Images On Friday, Realtor reported that James had purchased the 36-acre property in early January, noting the alleged sale appeared to be off-market and through an LLC. Alex Goodlett / Getty Images After the report circulated, James's rep issued a statement to People sharing additional context about how the property was being financed. Frazer Harrison / Getty Images "James secured down payment for the Texas ranch for the family with the help of friends through a trust so they could shift from rent to mortgage," the rep said. Phillip Faraone / Getty Images According to Realtor, the property spans over 5,000 square feet and features five bedrooms and three bathrooms. After James's death, a GoFundMe was organized for his family, saying that James's medical care and associated costs left them "out of funds." As of writing, it has raised more than $2.6 million from thousands of donors, including several celebrities. You can read more here. Comments