05/06/2020
Land Is a Viable Investing Tool April 2020
by Mike Cummings, SFR, RSPS, SRS
Broker Owner/Land Consultant
TCarea.com, LLC
I have been advising my clients that have the financial means and possible desire, to diversify their investment portfolios and that vacant land may be a solution. Through these tougher times and with the turbulence of the stock and bond markets, it makes sense to look at more tangible assets such as Real Estate.
Specifically, I am concentrating on larger parcels of raw, vacant land as an investment vehicle for a number of reasons.
Raw land has the advantage of being "lower care and maintenance" as opposed to most other Real Estate investments such as rentals, rehab projects or commercial ventures. You own it and hold it without much worry or concern. An additional benefit to the buyer is that the land can also be used by the owner and family for hunting, camping or other outdoor activities. I call this component a "Recreational Investment."
Factors to look for regarding land from an investing standpoint - In order of importance:
1) Future appreciating value.
2) Present or future development potential.
A) Can it be split into smaller parcels and sold at a profit over time?
B) Can it be developed into buildable plots? Or a site condo sub?
C) Does all or part of it have potential for commercial or farming use?
3) General aesthetics and usability... does it have a purpose for the investing owner and family?
How does the investing owner feel about it.
4) Timber and/or mineral rights value (taking into consideration #1).
In addition: Naturally the price of the vacant land (as a whole and on a per-acre basis) is always relative to other issues of concern such as location, physical and legal accessibility, natural resource factors, topography, current and potential usage and local zoning and building codes.
Analyzing each potential investment land deal to ensure that it meets both your financial and personal goals in relation to all these different factors is both necessary and important. Delving into the specific details and having a land consultant to help organize your search and analysis is also very important. Below, I have compiled some basic figures based on current MLS information for some of the counties in Northern Michigan that we serve.
Mike Cummings, TCarea.com, LLC 231-570-1111
