Want to make money in country property? Buy education

The first land I bought was 60 acres about a 35-minute drive north of Amherst, Massachusetts. I paid $5,000 for the top of a mountain, much of which had recently been timbered. It had a deeded right of way easement that had never been developed. An adjoining landowner allowed us to use the traditional road into the property. This was 1970; I was 25.

I sold it about 20 years ago, regretting the need to sell. Even at 2008’s deflated prices, it would move today for at least 50 times what I’d paid, more likely 75.

Since buyer intelligence doesn’t explain my success, what does?

Time and proximity.

Time almost always appreciates land.

The other factor was proximity to a small town with a university engine powering its development…and all the land within convenient driving distance of it. Read more

10 Things That Add Value To A piece Of Land

I just got back in from showing a large parcel we’re selling up here in New Hampshire; boy was it beautiful today and a great reminder how lucky we are to be in the land business!

As we walked through the woods, I went over some of the positive attributes of the property and also the negatives - I always try to be up front about things, it’s much better than having something bite you on the ass later on. On the drive home, I thought of a few important factors to keep in mind when considering a piece of land for vacation or retirement - these are the physical components that can add value and of course make it easier to sell on the back end… here’s ten of them:

1. Exposure: Look for Southern and Western orientation of the property; this is what most people want.
2. Views: Anything with a view will add value and remember, a Winter view may be obscured by leaves in the Summer!
3. Water: Some form of water on or very near to the property enhances it’s atmosphere - year round brooks are better than seasonal ones and anything swimmable is a huge plus.
4. Quiet: That gorgeous view lot is worth so much less when there’s the sound of traffic in the background, so always listen when doing a land tour.
5. Trees: Mature woodlands are far more desirable than scrappy new growth after recent logging activity!
6. Proximity to Ameneties: Most folks want to be within an easy drive of local shops, healthcare and recreational attractions - the further out you go, the more you’re cutting down on the number of people who would buy your property on the back end.
7. Topography: Is there a good spot to build, or even better, several nice spots to choose from?Too much steepness or wetness can be prohibitive; same goes for a long and/or steep driveway for access.
8. Special Features: Such as granite stone walls, mossy escarpments, waterfalls or existing trails. Try and find out what the ’secrets’ of the property are.
9. How’s the Apporach?: Several run-down mobile homes and a half a junkyard preceeding your subject lot aint gonna help matters when looking for good value!
10. Developer Reputation: If it’s in a development, protective convenants, road maintenance and a well thought-out design, in addition to a good developer reputation are all important factors.

This is by no means a complete list and I’m sure you could add a few….. there’s actually quite a lot to it, when you think about it. Taking the time to consider some of these items will really help when making that all-important land-buying decision.

Richard is a Land Specialist at Northern Acres (www.NorthernAcres.com) and the creator of Black Widow Network (www.BlackWidowNetwork.com) for the real estate investment community.

Real-estate investing: Don’t buy a stinker

A good deal is often defined as buying something for less than the seller’s asking price.

Sometimes that’s true. Sometimes, it isn’t.

If the seller’s something is not worth the discounted sales price, the buyer has bought a bad deal. This happens.

Knowing the difference between a good deal and a bow-wow depends on research and experience.

Land investors often find that their good deals are those where they’ve paid full price for undervalued properties, not where the seller reduces his asking price on an overvalued one. Such buyers know how to figure out when a property is under-priced, their sellers don’t.

Rural property has been appreciating more or less steadily for 20 years. But here are some recent examples of a bite looking for a buyer’s backside. Read more

Mastering The Art Of The U-turn

You know the scene all too well….. you’re driving down the road and all of a sudden, you spot some really interesting piece of property - you know nothing about it, but something tells you it might be worth a closer look. Now comes the hard part. Do you keep on truckin’ or do you do what any savvy land investor does and slow down, pull over, then do a U-turn and head right back up the road, to check things out?!

This is huge, folks and it takes a monumental effort to interrupt the flow of your day,  but it could mean the difference between investor mediocrity and finding the kind of deals that people write books about. Just think how many other people have spotted the exact same parcel and probably had the exact same thought as you just did, but carried on driving. I’m here to tell you it’s time to change your behavior. Land deals generally don’t fall in your lap, but the harder you work, the luckier you’ll become.  Think of your business as a treasure hunt - it’s exciting when there’s a good chance you’re the only one going after a particular opportunity. That derelict shed at the side of the road might be sitting on 100 acres, or give access to who-knows-what to the rear of the property.

Any of you had this type of experience?

Good luck out there; keep thinking outside the box and before you make your move, check your rear-view mirror!

Richard Dale-Mesaros

Land Specialist with www.NorthernAcres.com

…..and Chief Deal Weaver at www.BlackWidowNetwork.com

Stocks vs. land: Which is the better investment?

Many more Americans own corporate stock than rural land. Why do we invest in stock, which is risky, rather than land, which is not?

Based on a statistically valid opinion survey that I conducted with the reflection on my computer screen, I offer six reasons.

First, stocks are easy to buy and sell. Second, they’re easy to follow up and down. Third, each company provides information, the quality of which, it may be said, varies.

Fourth, the numbers and ratios associated with companies and stock lend a certainty to forecasts that gives investors confidence in their crystal balls. Quantitative analysis can always be confirmed by the guy on the next barstool who says he plays the market. Fifth, much investing wisdom is free for the listening, such as Buy and Hold. All such wisdom is true, except when it isn’t. Finally, some ordinary people occasionally win, just like in Vegas. Read more

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