Here's an excerpt from "A Practical Guide to Buying Land" that gives a straightforward overview of what the course covers. It also lays out a road-map for success for anyone who aspires to own land for investment, conservation, or recreation. [display_podcast] . To get started on the path to land ownership...... Order A Practical Guide to Buying Land. … [Read more...]
Need Your Feedback
July 14, 2010 By 3 Comments
Hey Folks.... About a month ago, we embarked on an ambitious project to redesign the Greenwood Project website to support the goal of providing practical, down to earth information. We did so with the following "mission statement" in mind. Greenwoodproject.com is…. An online resource for landowners, aspiring land owners, conservationists, land managers, investors, real estate professionals, and outdoor enthusiasts A place for advice, tips, how-to’s and the latest news and information about land investing, conservation, and … [Read more...]
"My Tree"
June 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment
I received this essay from my mother in law the other day. Her cousin, who is 91 and living in Flushing, NY, wrote it just prior to moving out of a house she lived in for over 50 years. She calls it a "letter" to her tree, and it brings to mind that you don't have to live on 50 acres or live in rural America to appreciate the natural beauty God created. Cousin Frances lived in one of the most populated regions of this country and still understands the importance of taking care of this wonderful earth. “My Tree” From my window I watched … [Read more...]
Water Part Three: Do your homework
April 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
I think a lot of folks want a small meandering creek because they are nice to look at, but they also want them in case they want a lake at some point in the future. I’ve heard a thousand times that a tract had a creek and a “beautiful lake site” on it. Here’s some advice - unless you hear that statement from an engineer who jut performed a lake design on the property, ignore it. The simple truth is that most folks will never build a lake or pond. It is expensive, time consuming, and in most states, difficult to get permitted. … [Read more...]
Water Part Two: Don’t get caught up in terminology……
April 28, 2010 By Leave a Comment
What is the difference between a river, a creek, a stream, and a branch? When does a pond become a lake? While size can play into the answer to all of these questions, the definition of these words is less important to me than what the person saying them actually means. For example, Potato Creek in South Georgia can be a raging torrent several hundred feet across, while the Mississippi River in Minnesota is small enough to jump across. This fact was driven home to me a year or so ago when a friend purchased 100 acres with a nice “creek” … [Read more...]
Water Part One: Does the tract have water on it?
April 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment
I have been involved in land sales and purchases for many years now, and the most persistent question from land buyers (me included) is, “Does the tract have water on it?” Good question. As a land investor, water has always been important to me because it always seemed important to the folks I was selling land to. But, why? Well, a few years ago I asked an older gentleman why this was such a big deal to him. “Son, I figure a creek would be hard to add after I buy some land, so I’d much prefer to have it from the start.” Good … [Read more...]
2010
January 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment
2010….I can hardly believe it’s a new decade, my son turned 16, and the next time we face a new decade, he will be 26…..notice I didn’t mention I would be ten years older as well. It is moments like these that make me realize that the time we as family spend together is priceless and is always cherished. It also makes me realize how much the great outdoors has played a part in our family time. Each year my wife makes a scrapbook for both of our moms highlighting all of the things we did as a family and almost all of our family’s … [Read more...]
More Good News!
December 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Did you realize that forest land has increased 10% since 1920, despite a 143% increase in population!! Also, over 36 million acres of commercially suited forest land are in permanent preserves that will never be harvested. That is good news! … [Read more...]
Who Owns the Forest?
December 7, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Ever been going down the road, passing miles and miles of timberland and wonder, who owns all of this property? The answer is simple; 59% of all timberland is owned by private landowners - the you and me's of the world, 27% is owned by the public, and only 14% is owned by the forest industry. While timber products are the largest valued agricultural crop in the United States and the forest products industry employs 1.6 million people, the majority of the forests in this country are still owned by private citizens. … [Read more...]
Show Me the Money….
October 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Most of us have heard stories about the lucky guy who bought some recreational land and then paid for it all by thinning the timber or selling the mineral rights. But in reality, that just doesn’t happen very often. For most of us, if we are going to own land, we’re going to have to figure out a way to pay for it. But with a little know-how and some creativity, you may be closer to your dream than you realize. Let’s look at the options. Traditional mortgage lenders are where most of us have experience in borrowing money … [Read more...]
