The Golden Rule of Land Investing

Before we get started, just one quick administrative detail for Dirt Report readers who have been trying to get in touch with me.

Just this week, we were notified that our main telephone line had not been re-ported correctly after switching service providers. And it’s been playing a type of telephone Russian Roulette with my callers… for the past FOUR months.

What does that mean?

It means that anyone trying to reach us at (702) 657-5111 either got through, got a busy signal or was told that the number was disconnected.

How’s that for quality service?

Whenever someone from the Las Vegas area tried to call, they could generally get through. Outside of Las Vegas? Forget it.

Bottom line… the problem is resolved. I’m still here doing what I do.

OK, enough of that. Let’s get started…

Can a Free Newsletter
Help You Make Money?

So what is the purpose of the Dirt Report?

Two answers:

1. Just think of the Dirt Report as another set of eyes and ears, (a very experienced set of eyes and ears) making sure you know the kind of stuff you need to know to become a smart land investor. There’s nothing out there like this… at all. That’s why I’m doing it. (And note: it’ll ALWAYS be free.)

2. To shed light on what I feel is the best niche market in real estate: vacant land. I wouldn’t have done it for the past 25 years or so if I didn’t think that.

But don’t think that you should just read an issue or two of the Dirt Report and then set off to invest in raw land.

It takes more knowledge and experience than that. You can either develop that yourself or work with someone who’s already got it. We provide that experience to our clients.

In upcoming issues of the Dirt Report, we’re going to really go deep into some of the questions I get asked most by clients and customers who subscribe to the Land Investing InfoBank.

Stuff like:

-Exit strategies…
-How to know if you’re getting a good deal…
-Creative financing ideas…
-Private money and how to get it…
-What to look for to discover good areas to invest…

And I’ve got quite a few interviews planned with some of the movers and shakers in this industry. Guys and gals who KNOW what they’re doing… and that will share their tips and strategies with YOU.

You’ll learn a lot.

Now it’s time for meat:

The Golden Rule
of Land Investing

They’re still mining gold…

They’re still printing money…

And I’m sure the money wizards on Wall Street will eventually hatch a new type of black hole to suck the money of Mom and Pop America into their back pockets.

But they’re not making any more land, ANYWHERE. That’s what I call the Golden Rule of Land Investing.

Now despite the fact that the government has the printing presses running overtime to print the amount of money they need to bailout anyone with his hand out, let’s consider a hypothetical situation.

Generally, when the supply of money (or anything else) decreases, the value of that money increases.

I’m not an economist here, so if there’s some little known rule that makes this a poor example, please don’t let me know. I’m dealing with economics 101 here.

That’s all I’ve needed for the last 25 years

I don’t need to know more than that. I’m in the dirt business, and economics 101 is pretty much all you need to do well.

The reason I’m bringing this principle up (again and again) is simply to counteract what is probably one of the strongest forces KEEPING you from success in your life.

That force is something I call:

The Art of Profiting
from Doom and Gloom

Turn on your TV. I challenge you to find any news report that could be classified as 100% genuine GOOD news. The type of stuff that can help you.

I’m not talking about those “last feature of the night” stories where the news anchor gets that grin on her face and gives you the funny 15 minute segment about a cat getting rescued from a tree by a 101 year old granny.

That’s not good news, that’s just fluff.

Instead, we’ve got a constant supply of death, destruction and general chaos. Especially when it comes to talk about the economy.

I’m talking about REAL good news. Stuff like, “despite the number of layoffs, here’s one story of someone taking charge and starting their own business… here’s how they’re doing it.”

Wouldn’t that do a little bit more to motivate people in the RIGHT direction? That’s our goal with each issue of the Dirt Report.

Over the past few issues of the Dirt Report, I’ve been talking about life and death. The death of my friend, Rhett, the birth of another friend’s new son… born on New Year’s Day, 2009 of all days.

Life and death are two sides of the same coin.

In the world of land investing, there are also two sides of the success coin.

One side is problems or challenges. The other side is opportunity.

Two sides… same coin. Which one you get depends on how you’re looking at the coin.

Savvy investors know that spotting problems (aka, opportunities in disguise) is how you make the largest gains in the shortest amount of time.

That’s ANOTHER reason I publish this e-Letter. To do my best to counteract the Doom and Gloom media machine with information you can actually USE.

Here’s one example… this is an article printed on January 16 in the Las Vegas Sun titled:

“Industrial Land Shortage Could Have Adverse Effect on Las Vegas Economy”

Take a minute to read this article and then come back.

OK, now most people would read that article and say, “Oh, yeah, that IS a problem… what are we going to do?”

Doom and gloom.

But I read that article and say, “There’s opportunity right there folks.”

Remember, “problem” = opportunity for the savvy investor.

This article is a pretty good example of the “Golden Rule” I mentioned: no matter which way the market goes, no one is making any more land.

So if you have TIME on your side, then chances are better than not that you’re going to be OK.

*********Highly Recommended*********

Have a question about land investing?

Get answers to 56+ (and growing) frequently asked land investing questions.

And get answers to YOUR specific questions as well!

Get the details here.

(I get a LOT of phone calls and emails asking me questions about investing in raw land. I found a better way than trying to answer each one individually. That’s why I created this service.)

************************************

Get Used to
Looking for Clues

If you’re going to be a savvy land investor, then you have to put on your detective hat and start noticing clues that you can use to make smart decisions.

Here’s just one of them:

Look at this study completed by ZipRealty on 2008’s most searched zip codes for U.S. Home Buyers.

Take a look. The Reader’s Digest version is that they found Phoenix, Irvine and Las Vegas to be the hot markets.

That means that these markets received some of the MOST searches by prospective home buyers looking online.

That’s a CLUE. Not for what’s going to happen this month or even next month.

It’s a clue for where people are looking to invest in the future.

These are the types of things you’ll get in the Dirt Report… issue after issue after issue.

Remember, in the land business, what you’re looking for is land in the path of GROWTH. Growth and TIME are the ingredients you need.

See you next week,

P.S. Take a look at these three pictures. These are photos I took, just a few days ago, of the coming construction to widen Route 93 - the road leading up to the Hoover Dam.

You’ve got:

1. A construction trailer.
2. A BRAND NEW Texaco station along highway 93… approximately 35 miles south of Hoover Dam. In the picture it sure does look like it’s in the “middle of nowhere.” But when the bypass is complete, they’re estimating over 17,000 cars per DAY passing by that Texaco.
3. A LOT of traffic control equipment.

Signs of growth. Clues for profit. These clues are everywhere. So keep your eyes peeled.