LandThink

Since I write a weekly column on country real estate, I decided to visit the websites of Senators Barack Obama (www.barackobama.com) and John McCain (www.johnmccain.com) to learn what they thought about my special interest.

1. Prices of almost all types of rural real estate will rise steadily in the foreseeable future. Rates of appreciation will vary, according to where the property is and what type of property it is. Appreciation rates will beat inflation and have less volatility than stocks. Four or five percent annual appreciation is a reasonable—and modest—forecast.

January is America’s month of endless football cliches. “Coach, how are you going to win the Super Bowl?” “Well, first, our front four has to beat theirs in the trenches. Then we have to throw the ball and run it too. Our special teams have to do a few things. And we have to make some plays.