Admin

Before the ROI: Why the Smartest Investors Start with Dirt

By
Real Estate Agent with Coldwell Banker Realty/Coldwell Banker Commercial NRT 30SA0872839 

Before the ROI: Why the Smartest Investors Start with Dirt

Most investors start with spreadsheets. They run the numbers, compare cap rates, and chase properties with existing structures. But the smartest ones?

They start with dirt.

Vacant land isn’t sexy—until it is. Until a zoning change hits. Until infrastructure expands. Until the market finally catches up to what a sharp investor saw years ago.

By then, it’s too late for everyone else.

Land is the quiet power play of real estate. No tenants. No toilets. No roof repairs. It sits, it waits, and when the time is right, it returns.

But here’s the catch: not all land appreciates equally. You don’t invest in just any parcel—you invest in the right parcel, in the right municipality, with the right zoning, topography, BOHA approvals, and future exit strategy.

That’s where I come in.

I specialize in uncovering undervalued and underutilized land in Westchester and Putnam Counties—places where investors can build spec homes, subdivisions, multi-lot packages, or simply hold for future appreciation.

The truth is, most investors don’t have time to hike the property, sit in on town meetings, or dive into GIS data. I do. I live in this niche. I know where land has hidden value—because I’ve seen deals die over a slope percentage or septic setback. And I’ve seen others turn five acres into a $2 million flip.

You don’t need to buy 100 acres to win big. You need the right 1. You need boots on the ground, data in hand, and a strategy that’s shaped before the purchase—not after.

If you’re ready to diversify your portfolio, increase your upside, and get ahead of the wave instead of behind it—

Start with land.

I’ll help you find the dirt that makes dollars.

Before the ROI: Why the Smartest Investors Start with Dirt

Comments(3)

Show All Comments Sort:
GilbertRealtor BillSalvatore
Arizona Elite Properties - Chandler, AZ
Realtor - 602-999-0952 / em: golfArizona@cox.net

Thanks for sharing, make it a great Friday and enjoy your weekend! Bill 

Bill Salvatore, Realtor- Arizona Elite Properties

Jun 20, 2025 11:12 AM
Thomas Santore Lic Associate Real Estate Broker

Thank you,

You too,

Tom S

Jun 20, 2025 11:22 AM
Lew Corcoran
Better Living Real Estate, LLC - East Bridgewater, MA
Expert guidance. Exceptional results.

Thanks for sharing this insightful piece., Thomas Santore Lic Associate Real Estate Broker. I really appreciate how you highlight the overlooked power of land investment and the importance of doing the homework upfront. It’s a reminder that sometimes the best opportunities are the quiet ones waiting to be uncovered 😊

Jun 20, 2025 01:29 PM
Thomas Santore Lic Associate Real Estate Broker

Thank you,

Tom S

Jun 20, 2025 01:48 PM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hello Thomas - your post makes me think of a longtime favorite quote attributed to Mark Twain.  Buy land, they're not making it anymore.  

Jun 21, 2025 03:56 AM
Thomas Santore Lic Associate Real Estate Broker

I have made that statement many times over the years

thank you

Tom S

Jun 21, 2025 04:18 AM