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(Updated June 2016)
While land investment may not provide the instant gratification of a home purchase, this sort of venture can be quite lucrative. Land investors have different needs and concerns than those of typical real estate investors - zoning, planning, environmental issues are just a few of the challenges they must face. This Field Guide will help those who wish to take on this interesting branch of the real estate industry. (S. Hogan, Manager, Library & Archives)
E - EBSCO articles available for NAR members only. Password can be found on the EBSCO Access Information page.
Investing Basics
Don't Let Your Land Get Away, (Land Think, Mar. 22, 2016).
Questions First Time Land Buyers Need to Ask, (Land Think, Mar. 1, 2016).
5 Things to Know Before Buying Land, (MarketWatch, Feb. 25, 2016).
Farm to Market: Taking Stock of the Agricultural Land Grab, (CNBC, Jan. 21, 2016).
The Truth About Land Investing: 15 Warning Signs To Look For When Buying Vacant Land, (RE Tipster, n.d.).
Land Appraisal
Land Values: 2015 Summary, (National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2015).
How Much Is the U.S. Worth?, (Wall Street Journal, Apr. 22, 2015).
The Real Role of Land Values in the United States, (CityLab, Apr. 10, 2015).
New Estimates of Value of Land of the United States, (Bureau of Economic Analysis, Apr. 3, 2015).
Is Farm Real Estate The Next Bubble? (Journal of Real Estate Finance & Economics, Apr. 2015). E
Metro Area Land Prices [Quarterly, 1984-2012], (Lincoln Institute of Land Policy).
Land Prices by State [Quarterly, 1975 to present], (Lincoln Institute of Land Policy).
Environmental Considerations
Watershed Management Tools, (USDA Forest Service, 2016).
Working Trees, (USDA National Agroforestry Center, 2016).
Enhancing the True Value of Land – Water Resources, (LandThink, Mar. 24, 2015).
Before Buying Vacant Land: Getting an Environmental Assessment, (NOLO, 2015).
Soil Science: A Quick Primer for Land Professionals, (Terra Firma, Winter 2015, p. 16).
Check Your Flooding Risk, (Farmers Weekly, Apr. 18, 2014). E
Useful Websites
American Farm Bureau Federation
Landowner Assistance & Stewardship, (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency).
Smart Growth Program, (Government Affairs department, National Association of REALTORS®).
eBooks & Other Resources
eBooks.realtor.org
The following eBooks and digital audiobooks are available to NAR members:
Finding Good Farmland (Adobe eReader, Kindle)
Buying Country Land (Adobe eReader)
The Dynamics of Property Location (Adobe eReader)
The Back to Basics Handbook: A Guide to Buying and Working Land, Raising Livestock, Enjoying Your Harvest, Household Skills and Crafts, and More (Adobe eReader)
Be a successful green land developer (Adobe eReader)
The dynamics of property location (Adobe eReader)
Land use law for sustainable development (Adobe eReader)
Books, Videos, Research Reports & More
The resources below are available for loan through Information Services. Up to three books, tapes, CDs and/or DVDs can be borrowed for 30 days from the Library for a nominal fee of $10. Call Information Services at 800-874-6500 for assistance.
Land Development, (Washington, DC: BuilderBooks, 2006). HD 259.K66 2006
The Smart Growth Manual, (New York, NY : McGraw Hill, 2010). HT 392 D85sg
Fundamentals of land development: a real-world guide to profitable large-scale development, (Hoboken, NJ : J. Wiley & Sons, 2008). NAC 1800 J62f
Essentials of real estate investment, (Chicago, IL : Dearborn Real Estate Education, 2007). HG 4521 Si7 Ed. 8
Field Guides & More
These field guides and other resources in the Virtual Library may also be of interest:
Field Guide to Agricultural/Farm Land
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The inclusion of links on this field guide does not imply endorsement by the National Association of REALTORS®. NAR makes no representations about whether the content of any external sites which may be linked in this field guide complies with state or federal laws or regulations or with applicable NAR policies. These links are provided for your convenience only and you rely on them at your own risk.