EP359 The Land Investor’s Playbook Buy Low, Sell High, Get Paid Monthly w Mark Podolsky (1)

A Canadian Investing in the U.S. with Glen Sutherland

The podcast episode is a deep dive into creative financing for land deals, focusing on strategies like land contracts, due diligence, and automation in the land investing business. Here’s a summary of the key points: Selling Land with Creative Financing The guest discusses selling land using a land contract rather than a lease option or contract for deed. A land contract ties the property to a promissory note and purchase-sale agreement, where the buyer makes payments until they fully own the land. If the buyer defaults, there’s no need for foreclosure—after a 35-day cure period, the seller keeps the down payment and past payments and resells the property. Why land contracts? They avoid the legal complexities and costs of foreclosure, which are required for contract-for-deed arrangements. Managing Seller-Financed Land Deals The guest automates payments through GeekPay.io, a software that manages payments, notifications, and prepayments. The goal is to build a scalable business, not a high-maintenance job. 90% of the process can be automated using systems, processes, and virtual assistants. Land Due Diligence & Market Selection Due diligence for land is simpler than for houses. Key factors include: Checking if utilities are available. Verifying land use permissions (e.g., whether someone can build on it). Avoiding Superfund sites (polluted land with expensive cleanup costs) using EPA.gov. Targeting rural land within 1-3 hours of a city where demand exists. Why Seller Financing Works for Land Traditional banks won’t finance land, so seller financing fills the gap. Hard money lenders also avoid land deals because they don’t want to hold the asset. Buyers often care more about monthly affordability than the total price, making payments an attractive selling point. Land Investing vs. Traditional Real Estate Compared to fix-and-flip or rental properties, land investing avoids: Tenants, repairs, and maintenance issues. Regulations like Dodd-Frank and RESPA that apply to housing. The business model is: Buy land at 25-30% of market value. Sell it at market price with seller financing. Create passive income from monthly payments. Coaching & Resources The guest started teaching land investing after helping a student make $300K on a deal. His mission is to help people escape solo economic dependency (trading time for money). He offers free resources, a done-with-you program, and a done-for-you program for different experience levels. His book "Dirt Rich" is available for free (just pay shipping). Final Takeaway Land investing through seller financing provides a scalable, low-maintenance way to generate passive income without the typical headaches of real estate investing. https://landgeek.samcart.com/products/dirt-rich?utm_source=glen-sutherland&utm_medium=podcast