Hi everyone, Miles here.

I am getting a lot of questions about how our purchase process works. I want to address the purchase process for a new customer and make you more confident in the security your purchase.

1. Let’s have a phone conversation before anything. Just give us a call or text at 605-299-5553.
2. If you can’t reach me and you’re afraid of losing out on a property – simply submit the $350 reservation/document fee on our payment page (don’t worry it’s secured). Once that is paid, consider a “hold/reservation” on the property until I give you a call.
3. On our call, we will talk particulars of the purchase. Is this a one time purchase? Are you buying on terms/financing? Are you making a counter offer to our listed price? Do you need more of your questions answered?
4. I will gather the information I need from you to complete the paperwork. This consists of a purchase agreement, laying out the details on the purchase. Another option, would be to close with a title company or third party.
5. Paperwork is sent electronically via RightSignature. After you have a chance to review that, we expect the down payment or full purchase price by the closing date on the contract. If it is a cash sale, we will send paperwork for the county to record the land in your name. They will then mail you the deed. This process occurs after final payment in a terms/financing deal.
6. It’s time to get out there and start enjoying land. You have made a very cool investment. I would start using my land to bring friends and camp on the weekend – most of our properties are in fun outdoors areas where you can find plenty of outdoor recreation. Many customers buy our land for an investment, growing organics, and to homestead/hobby farm.

It’s time to stop contemplating, and make the first step to becoming a landowner. Give us a call today.

Until next time,
Miles McLaughlin

How do I know this is legitimate? Will I receive my product [the land].
– That is a question I ask myself when I am purchasing online as well. We send you a purchase agreement via RightSignature, which lays out the transaction, and other common details in the document.

Can Wilco Land can show you the land?
– Unfortunately, I cannot go show the property to you. We live in Sioux Falls, SD and it would be a long trek to the west coast for a visit. We buy all of our land site unseen, besides photography services who take photographs for us. We can provide an address or GPS coordinates on the property to help you locate.

What happens after I pay for the land and sign the purchase agreement?
– If you are buying cash, we will send you a pre-stamped, ready to mail, transfer of ownership certificate. You will sign that and stick it in a mailbox for the county to receive. They will then record the land in your name and mail you a new deed. We will walk you through this process when the time comes.
– If you are buying on terms, we simply collect the down payment, and start collecting monthly payments after. We are bound by the purchase agreement which both parties have. After the land is paid off, we will then record the property in your name. You are free to use the land as you wise during financing

What kind of business are we?
– We are a land investment company, who provides service above all else. As a small business we value each and every customer, and want you to feel comfortable along the way. We are easy to work with and ultimately here to help you become a landowner.

Don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and give us a call.

You might be asking yourself… Is my purchase going to be safe? How will I know my property will have no liens or overdue taxes? How does the land get transferred in my name?

Buying land can seem overwhelming, and even scary at times. Here at Wilco Land, we want to assure you that you are in good hands with us. We will do everything we can to be transparent and informative during the process.

You can expect professional and friendly service, a clear title, and warranty deed when purchasing land through us. We will handle all the paperwork, and make the process as easy as possible for you.

We believe land should be an asset everyone has an opportunity to acquire.

I like to stay up-to-date on population trends because as a landowner, those can be a big factor in how much land is worth. With a degree in Economics, I’m always thinking of how the theories I learned in school, can be applied to the industry I work in.

As an investor, when I see a state surging in population, or if I project population growth in an area because of investment pouring into a region; creating jobs and boosting an economy. I view this as an opportunity to buy and HOLD land. Maybe, I have no interest in the land at all, but if I can find a reasonable price, my money has an opportunity to grow over the years due to the economic law of supply and demand. As people move into an area, the demand for land and housing increases, and the supply starts to dwindle. This causes land to become more valuable, therefore, increasing it’s price because the demand is greater than the amount available. Yes, there is always risk in an investment, but land is historically a lower risk investment, and lets face it, your money isn’t making more of itself by leaving it under the mattress.

Looking at it from a residents standpoint. As the population increases in an area, the demand for housing increases, and again, the amount of available housing becomes limited because developers can’t keep up with the population growth rate. This creates a market, where available housing is few and far between, so renters can rent at high prices and homes sell for more. Due to the limited options, people have to pay those prices if they want a roof over their head.

High rent prices aren’t your only option. We have a lot of customers who choose to buy affordable land outside the city to escape these dramatic prices. This route has many benefits: cheaper property taxes, more space, better views, and best of all, you get to design your dream home the way you want it! Yes, it does come with some drawbacks, probably the biggest one being the commute to and from work. However, even if life takes you a different direction, and you never end up building on the land, there is a good chance the land you purchased 10 years ago, will be worth a lot more than what you paid for it. Heck, just think about how much that land could be worth in 100 years if it stays in the family!

This concept applies to any area that sees their population grow faster than the housing market can keep up with it.

Here is a good article describing Colorado’s surge in population: http://www.denverpost.com/2016/05/19/colorado-population-growth-far-outstripped-new-housing-census-says/

This is Miles McLaughlin with Wilco LLC. I have been involved in investing in Land over the past year and a half, and have come to fall in love with it for a few simple reasons:

1. Land can be resold. This is plain and simple, land very often appreciates over time and can be resold for a profit.

2. Land will carry on your name. Believe it or not, but land will carry on your name. You will have a special gift to give your loved ones after your time is done.

3. Land if FUN. I enjoy outdoor recreation, so I enjoy camping trips, and 4 wheeling on some of the land I own.

4. There is a limited amount on this Earth. Sooner or later, as the population increases, land will become more scarce, with that the value of any land you own will rise.

Due diligence. Two of the most intimidating words in the english language. It sounds so serious and official! And when you are buying vacant land, you need to be sure that you’ve uncovered all the issues that could surprise you – who knows, you could be buying a toxic wast dump!

BUT once you know what to look for, due diligence becomes a lot less scary. Keep reading to learn how to make sure that piece of property isn’t going to be a huge liability.

First and foremost, you need to have a clear picture of what you want to use the land for. This will determine what you’re most focused on and how important various aspects of the land are. For example, if you are planning to build a home, you want to make sure the zoning allows that. Oh and make sure you’re not in a flood zone – it makes getting a loan very expensive!

Once you’ve determined how you want to use the land follow this checklist to make sure you are buying what you think you’re buying:

• Call the county planning and zoning. Ask them what the property is zoned as. Can you build a house? Go hunting? Park an RV? The P&Z folks should be able to answer all of these questions. Make sure to ask about restrictions – I’ve purchased a property in Oregon that had serious building restrictions because it overlapped endangered Sage Grouse habitat. These little guys have a lot of power!

  

• Check out the neighborhood. Get the GPS coordinates and find the property on Google Maps or Google Earth.  Is there road access? Is the property on the side of a cliff? Is there a nuclear power plant next door? Many counties also have a Geographic Information System (GIS). Think of Google Earth on steroids – you can find zoning, flood zones, county roads, the names of your future neighbors, and much more. You should become very close buddies with the county GIS.

  

• If you are planning to build and want power and water, make sure you understand what you have to do. Will you be off the grid – drilling a well and using solar panels? Will you want a power line installed? If so call the local power company and ask what that will cost! Will you want sewer? Call the local water division and ask if that is possible. If you need to dig a septic system, make sure the ground percolates (aka. “percs”), otherwise you will have a stinky situation on your property!
• Check on any liens or back taxes. Occasionally property will have taxes or HOA fees that are due. Sometimes there will be liens recorded with the county. Sound bad? Well, if you are a savvy investor, this is music to your ears! You will find the best deals on properties with taxes or HOA fees owed. You can buy the property CHEAP, pay off the taxes/fees, and own it free and clear! Almost all of the property that we at Wilco buy falls under this category – that’s why we can turn around and sell it to you for pennies on the dollar!!

When you pull it apart, due diligence isn’t so scary. In fact you can do almost all of it from the comfort of your home. Just make a few phone calls and use the online resources that are available to you and you are off to the races!

If you are considering buying some property and you have any questions about Due Diligence, please give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you out!