Conservation Tips Made Easy
We constantly receive tips on how to conserve and be better stewards of the great outdoors we have inherited. If you are like me, sometimes when you read these tips, you see the first one, and say, “it’s impossible for me to do that” and don’t bother to read the rest that may be attainable. I think the first one that comes to mind is the advice to carpool or take public transportation. Great suggestion if you live in a city but for those living in rural America not only is public transportation out, for the most part carpooling is as well. Don’t dispair, there are plenty other things you can do to contribute to the conservation of this great earth….and most are things you would not think about doing…or perhaps you are doing them and haven’t realized how much it helps.
Do you turn offf the water in the sink when shaving or brushing your teeth??
Do you unplug chargers not in use…..did you realize they still use about 5 watts of p ower per hour even when they aren’t recharging equipment?
Do you keep your tires properly inflated? Automobiles lose approximately 1% of fuel efficiency for every 3 pounds of pressure less than what is recommended.
Do you print on both sides of the paper vs. one? Approximately 10,000 sheets of letter paper are used by every U.S. worker each year. Imagine the savings there!
And lastly…….gather your friends and family for a little “low tech” fun. Play a board game, take a walk, or just sit on the porch, patio or deck. Such activities don’t require a lot in the way of natural resource usage and offer a great way to enjoy the company of others.
2010
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 activities for this year took place oudoors. No matter what the season or activity, we seem to be doing it….outdoors
Just this weekend as cold as it was, we found the time to take a walk through the woods, and of course, hunt. Yes, we froze, but it felt invigorating to be out there and more importantly, memories were made, the pictures were taken for next year’s scrapbook…. and that’s all that counts. Hope you have a great year enjoying the outdoors too.
More Good News!
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!
Who Owns the Forest?
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.
An Important Message…..
I believe that land ownership (and the responsible, conservation oriented stewardship of our natural resources) provides and UNDENIABLE path for anyone to achieve BOTH their financial and quality of life goals.
Unfortunately, most people will never own a piece of land for investment or pleasure. Not because they don’t want to, but because most people lack the knowledge and experience to successfully locate, evaluate, acquire, manage, and maximize the potential of a piece of land.
They simply don’t know how.
AND….
The skill, education, and experience necessary to make an informed purchase decision can take years to develop. I understand. In fact that was my exact situation 5 years ago!
BUT…..
I figured it out, and I can help you figure it out, too!
Whether you are a prospective land buyer, OR a real estate agent representing a land buyer, this is information you NEED TO KNOW.
SO…..
To help get you started (particularly for those of you who are afraid you’re going to make a mistake). I want to send you some information, identifying what (in my opinion) are the Top Ten Mistakes most first time land buyers/investors make. Some of them are mistakes I made. I’ll also send you my Top Ten Myths of land ownership. These are things where the reality of land ownership and my dreams didn’t exactly match up. AND I’ll send you the Top Ten TRUTHS of land ownership.
Just put your email address in the sign up box below, and I’ll get this valuable information out to you right away.
Remember…..The best way to enjoy, conserve, and benefit from the great outdoors is to actually own some of it!
Show Me the Money….
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 for real estate. Unfortunately, most of these lenders have little experience or interest in raw land. For buying land, I think you will find an easier road to borrowing if you look elsewhere.
I’ve always had good luck with smaller community banks, particularly ones where the ownership is located in the same area as the land. These people know the area and usually understand land as an asset. For someone with good credit and a steady paycheck, this is a good place to start. Loans can be structured with monthly payments, quarterly payments or annual payments, and can be set up as either interest-only or principle and interest. Rates are generally higher than those for a home mortgage, and most banks are only going to finance about 75-80 percent of the purchase price.
As far as commercial lenders go, there is no better avenue (in my opinion) than the Farm Credit system. While originally oriented toward agriculture, this network of cooperatives (which are partially client-owned) offers loans on land to anyone, not just farmers. Loan structures are similar to mortgages, with 20-year amortization and 80 percent loan-to-value being the maximum. You will be required to qualify for any loan, just as you would with a mortgage, but some loans are based primarily on credit score, dramatically reducing the paperwork and speeding up the qualification process.
Some borrowers, however, just don’t look good on paper. Whether it’s due to bad credit, being self employed, or having recently changed jobs, some people appear to be marginal candidates even though they have the means to pay for the land they want.
But all is not lost. Some landowners actually prefer to owner-finance the land they are selling. You just have to ask. Typically, owners who are willing to owner-finance have an undesirable tax consequence headed their way if they leave the closing table with a pile of cash. They can mitigate this through owner financing. You are still going to need some cash, of course, but quite often there is no credit check.
Owners usually secure their loan with your down payment and the structure of the contract. Often, they will use a “contract for deed” arrangement, where you don’t actually get title until you make the final payment. If you default on the loan, they get to keep your money AND their land. For most landowners, this is a pretty good guarantee that you will pay as promised.
One final option that most people don’t consider is using your IRA as a source of cash for your purchase. In addition to financial instruments, your IRA can also invest in land. Now, most IRA trustees or “holders” don’t allow land as an investment, but some do. If you have money sitting on the sidelines waiting for the stock market to come back, you might consider this.
Of course, be sure to discuss any of these options with your attorney and financial advisor to make sure that you fully understand all the legal, financial and tax implications for your particular situation.
THIS is How to Enjoy the Outdoors
Land is a Wise Investment
Land investing has proven to be a wise and successful strategy over the years. By placing your money in land, you not only gain the financial benefits of both long term and short term investing, but you also gain the added value of use. You do not get to use your stock certificates on the weekend to cook out and your mutual funds during hunting season. It is the power and wisdom of land investment that enables you to reap benefits both now and later.
One of the core principles of the Greenwood Project is that land is an investment that is to be enjoyed. When you choose to lock your liquid assets in land, you are getting more than a piece of property, you are getting a place to experience the outdoors or create lasting memories. Land is the only investment vehicle that will bring you more than just revenue; think of the time spent riding the ATV, Cooking out with family, or just camping on the farm. The enjoyment of the land ownership experience is an important component to investing your hard earned money into land.
The problem that most of us have when it comes to buying land is we feel lost and the task seems overwhelming. The fear of failure has stopped many investment deals, some of which may have been highly profitable. The reality is we are not born with the knowledge or competency to make these investment decisions and so we back away from the opportunity. There is a tremendous gap that exist in the minds of many “would be” land investors when it comes to the HOW of land investing.
It is the purpose of Greenwood Project to bridge the gap and make the connection between “I want to. . .” and “I did it . . . .” The Greenwood Project has an entire educational series on how to buy land. Land investment is only difficult if you do not have the right resources and knowledge and “Maximizing the Land Ownership Experience” is the resource you need to acquire the knowledge necessary to make that investment in land you have always wanted.
