Of course parcels with breath taking vistas are considerably more valuable than those without. Ever wonder about the art and science behind putting a value on the mountain view or river front property? MSN’s real estate section has a great article concerning the value, and valuation process, when selling or buying a tract that has a view.

Here’s a short excerpt:

• 1% - 2.5%:A home on level ground overlooking unobstructed open space. For example, a house that would otherwise cost $300,000 would go for $307,500 (a 2.5% premium).
• 3% - 5%: A home just high enough to look over rooftops with a partially obstructed view. "Not a real high-quality view," as Siracusa puts it.
• 6% - 8%: A good unobstructed view but without much elevation; a home halfway up the hill, for example.
• 9% - 12%: Atop the hill with an unobstructed view of a city or open space.
• 15% - 20%: A water view. An outstanding, unobstructed view of a big lake or ocean can command up to 25% more in a development, Siracusa says. And oceanfront can cost 25% to 30% more. For example: A $500,000 house can run $625,000 with an outstanding water view. By the same token, a $1 million house jumps to $1,250,000 or more overlooking a lake.

Read the rest of the article on MSN.

“(ATLANTA, GA) Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the approval of two Georgia Land Conservation Program (GLCP) grants and one low interest loan. Glynn and Walton Counties will receive land conservation grants. Glynn County will also receive a low interest land conservation loan.”

Read the whole article here

When: August 2-4, 2007
Where: Callaway Gardens
Who: Sponsored by the Georgia Forestry Commission for Georgia Landowners
What: Three day conference on land and resource management geared towards owners of Georgia property. Governor Sunny Perdue will be speaking on August the 3rd regarding land conservation. Topics covered include:

• Timber and wildlife management
• Land conservation
• Legislatives updates
• Cost share opportunities for land management
• Forest certification
• Estate planning
• Conservation easements
• Land use alternatives
• Forest health report for Georgia

For a complete list of topics and more information please see the Georgia Forestry Commission’s web site.

Everybody who has been on Lake Lanier on a big holiday weekend knows how crowded it can get.  To curb congestion and environmental impact, a couple years back the Army Core of Engineers decided it prudent to cut the number of permits on the lake by nearly 60%.  The end effect?  Great or horrible for property values, depending on what access rights that has been established.  The AJC’s recent article highlights this:

"The dock permits more than doubled the price they were able to get a few months later when they sold their three-bedroom, 1960s-era Lake Lanier cabin and 10 acres, she said. The right to put in docks added hundreds of thousands of dollars."

On the Georgia Power lakes to the Northeast (Rabun, Seed, & Burton), it’s just as important.  Spec. homes are replacing 1960’s era cabins every summer, but not on single slip boathouses or lots without boat access.  Depending on the lake, dock access can add tens or hundreds or thousands of dollars to value on the near term.  This will be especially important consideration in any lake investment since many of Georgia’s lakes are reaching the cap imposed on dock permits.

Earlier this summer The Land Report magazine introduced its new website, and to be honest…. It’s impressive.  The Land Report offers tons of information on conservation issues, improvements, income producing land, and much more.  Most notably, though, the home page features a news aggregator for all things land!  Owners, investors, developers, and anyone with an interest in land should take a look at this one.  I’m not involved with The Land Report in any way (read —> this is not a plug), but thought our readers should be aware of such a resource.

See the site here:  The Land Report

A smart tax saving tool that is gaining popularity among the real estate investors by enabling them to defer the entire capital gains tax is 1031 Exchange. Established in 1990 by the Internal Revenue Code Section 1.1031, it gives them an opportunity to defer their capital gain taxes on the sale of a property by re-investing the proceeds into “like kind” of property. However, one needs to have complete knowledge of the terms and conditions that apply for 1031 Exchange, and how it works.

Some very basic things that one should understand about 1031 Exchange are that only business and investment property qualify for the tax deferral under Section 1031. Also, the properties involved in the transactions should be of “like kind”. The term “like kind’ has often been misinterpreted to mean that if someone is selling an office of 1200 sq. ft. he should invest the money he gets from its sale to buy an office of 1200 sq. ft. only. However, this is not the case and this term has a very broad meaning. It actually encompasses any real estate held for productive use in a business or for investment. For personal property to qualify it must be depreciable and part of the daily operations of a trade or business, for instance automobiles, office equipment and furniture, machinery, computers, billboards, franchise licenses, and the like. 1031 Exchange does not cover cash, stock in trade or other property held primarily for sale, such as, stocks, bonds, notes or other securities or evidences of indebtedness, partnership interests, and certificates of trust or beneficial interests.

The real property to which the rules of 1031 Exchange apply includes raw land, single family homes, hotels, multi-family dwellings, factory and office buildings, shopping centers, farmland, and so on. Also, all the proceeds gained from the sale of a property should be transferred through a qualified intermediary and not by someone who is the beneficiary, so that no one can use this money for his own financial gain. To defer the capital gains tax, the proceeds should be re-invested in like kind of property, which should be of equal or greater value and equity than the exchanged property. Moreover, the time period allowed for the re-investment should be adhered to. After selling the property to be exchanged, a replacement property must be identified within 45 days and the exchange must be completed within 180 days.

Deferring all capital gains taxes is not the only benefit that one gains from 1031 Exchange. It also has some hidden benefits, such as, the provision for re-investing in another property can significantly add to one’s assets. Moreover, as the property assets appreciate in value one can easily upgrade to a property of higher value with the additional cash flow. 1031 Exchange also provides the flexibility to exchange the rental properties that have appreciated in value in hot markets and re-invest into lesser-known areas that are expected to appreciate in value and become the next sizzling markets in the approaching years.

Mansi aggarwal recommends that you visit 1031 exchange info for more information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mansi_Aggarwal

Developers and Builders are always on the lookout for their next deal, and if you are selling your land you don’t want to be passed by. Generate interest by the most active builders in your area by getting decision makers the information they need, and here is how to do it:

Gather Property Data

Zoning
This is first question any builder or developer is going to ask, what’s it zoned? Zoning is crucial to developers because it is going to determine how many houses, units, or square footage (AKA “density”) the developer can build on the tract. Find out how many units per acre and of what type are permitted. You can find most city & county zoning ordinances online at www.municode.com, but details vary between municipalities. If you are not sure what your property’s zoning is, take a look at your tax bill. If you are lucky, it will be printed on the bill. If not, jot down your parcel ID number and call your city or county zoning department for this information. And don’t forget to check with them to see if there are any zoning overlays or future land use plans affect your property!

Utilities
Find out what utilities are availale to your property, or located nearby. These include water, electricity, phone, gas, and especially sewer. Sewer access is golden, because it usually improves density and thus a developer’s bottom line.

Plat or Survey
Make sure to have a plat or recent survey handy. Builders and developers are going to want to see how the land is shaped in order to get a better idea of how a future development may lay out. If available, surveys with topography plotted are best.

Pictures
Pictures sell property! This goes for land, too. Try to get wide angle shots in good daylight with the sun at your back. If your property has unique features such as a lake, mountain views, a river/creek, etc., make sure to document them.

Maps & Aerials
It’s always good to have a bird’s eye view to put in front of interested parties. At the least include a map depicting the parcel’s location, and how to access it. There are a number of free or low cost aerial imagery applications out there including Google Earth, but high-resolution imagery is usually only available for larger cities and towns. Depending on size and price, you may want to contract an aerial photographer. Most aerial shoots cost between $300 and $600 depending on the work order and location.

Demographics
Can the local populace support a development at the price you have set for your land? Demographic data on a particular area can be used to set price points on a future housing development, and the most important two are population and household income. Try to include a one, three, and five mile radius if possible.

Area Highlights
Put a list together of area attractions, such as recreational lakes, beaches, parks, etc. Also, keep an eye out for favorable economic situations in the area. Anything that will build a job base such as a new plant opening, or corporate relocation is a selling point. More jobs means more housing demand, which means better development opportunities.

Make a Property Brochure

With the above information, you should be able to put together a professional brochure, which you can get in the hands of developers and builders that are active in your area. Make sure to produce a document that is printable and available in electronic format. Adobe PDF works best for property brochures, but MS Word should work fine too. Make sure to highlight the most desirable aspects of the property on the front page as well as the price. The cover should draw a reader in for further study, and if the property is priced correctly, you should not have to hide it. When printing, make sure to use a high quality inkjet printer or go to a local printing shop, the brochure must appear professional.

Develop a Mailing List

Yes, there are still some viable uses for snail mail. Most executives at best delete promotional email, and at worst may never receive it. Besides being highly likely that a decision maker will see it, putting a full color brochure in front of them says to them that you are serious, and you have got something that they need to see. First, you must develop a list of developers and builders that are active in your area. Visit or call the local chapter of the National Association of Home Builders, or see if members are listed on their website. Also, check with local business publications. Many of them publish lists of developers ranked by activity and size. A quick call to developer or builder can determine what kind of developments they are involved with (industry term is “product”), and who the point of authority may be. Mention that you are interested in sending a package to them concerning a piece of land, and you may even get that person on the phone! If you can’t determine who that may be, or the secretary is being difficult… send the package directly to president or CEO. Make sure to include a phone number and name that is easy to find, send them out, and be sure to follow up in one to two weeks!

Good soil information can lead to substantial savings and tighter foundation design because the design parameters are well defined. The more comprehensive the information, the more economically can a good structure be built. The object is to build a good building cheaply and not to build a cheap building. Geo-technical site investigations may cost up to 2% of the total project cost, but is very necessary as geo-technical engineers often say: you will pay for your geo-technical investigation anyway!

GEOTECHNICAL INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE

Initially one should find geological information for a specific site about the original rock type of the area and the soils which are the weathered rock. This can be done at either the government printer or your local geological board. If in doubt regarding the characteristics of the soil, consult an engineer or take soil samples from a test hole to a soil laboratory for analysis. Based on the results of this analysis, a recommendation can be made regarding the best foundation structure to use.

CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL TYPES

Sand:
Sand consists of discrete particles normally visible to the naked eye. Sand is clearly distinguishable by the presence of gritty particles which do not break down when rubbed on the palm of the hand.
Silt:
Silt consists of fine particles. In general silt particles are barely felt when rubbed with water on the palm. When this wetted soil is placed on the tongue, the particles can be felt grating the against the enamel of the teeth.
Clay:
Clay consists of very fine particles. The particles are flaky and when rubbed on the palm with water has a soapy or greasy feeling. No sensation of grittiness can be detected when tasted.
Gravel:
Gravel consists of fragments of rock. The shape of the particles should be described as: rounded shape, oval shape, rounded corners, corners slightly bevelled, corners sharp or irregular.
Boulders:
Boulders are fragments of rock larger than 200mm.

Once the soil is classified and the composition of the grain particles are determined, one can make a recommendation as to which type of foundation or pile structure should be used. There are various types of clay and not all of them may be regarded as bad. Some are soft but are still stable. Collapsible soils are usually not very dense because of the high proportion of voids present.

Heaving or active clays contain minerals which cause the soil mass to react strongly to changes regarding moisture content. These clays will swell when more moisture is added and will shrink as they dry out. The treatment of soft soils is usually to make the foundations wider to reduce the pressure to an acceptable level so that the soil will be able to withstand the load with little or no settlement. Should the soil prove to be too soft or wet then a raft foundation or piling is recommended. A pile is a concrete column driven into the earth which either carries the load down to a stronger soil or rock below or by hanging in friction on the soil around its shank.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROBLEM SOILS

Clay soils
Clay is generally smooth and has no visible particles, it retains water and does not drain well. The presence of clay is sometimes indicated by cracks on the surface of the ground. This type of soil could pose a problem although some soft clays are quite stable. Heaving clay is very problematic and changes a lot when the moisture content changes.

Recommendation: One should lay a compacted hardcore (of broken bricks, stones etc.) under the concrete foundations but for heaving clay a raft foundation will often have to be used; also, depending on the extremeness of the heaving clay, the site can be thoroughly soaked once the trenches have been dug and building can then begin when it has dried sufficiently. This ‘sealing-in’ of the moisture greatly reduces subsoil movement, minimize the wet-dry cycle and the structure will only have to copy with minimal movement. However it is essential that a structural engineer should be consulted when dealing with heaving clay.

Collapsing soils
Low density soils contain voids, which often cause them to collapse and cause serious cracks to appear in the walls.

Recommendation: Wider foundations can be laid or piling can be used.

Soft soil
Most buildings are subject to some settling but soft soils will in some, although rare, instances provoke the kind of settlement that causes the entire structure to sink.

Recommendation: Foundations should be widened in order to reduce pressure to a level that will hold the load. Brickforce should also be laid on every 3rd brick course depending on the severity of the soft soil.

Sandy soil
This type of soil feels gritty and has no plasticity and has good drainage properties. Generally, sandy soil is not a problem but on a steeply sloping site, the weathered soil from the hill gradually slides down to the bottom and one might have collapsing soil problems.

Recommendation: The area where is to be built can be re-filled with a stable soil type to a depth decided by an engineer or one could use friction piling or end load bearing piling if the soil type below is suitable. One can also make used of wider foundations. It is also common practice to flood the ground once the trenches have been dug and then to compact thoroughly. This improves cohesion and makes the soil considerably more stable to build on.

FOUNDATION CONSIDERATIONS

Foundations are important to ensure that the loads of the building above are transferred to solid ground capable of supporting these loads. Thus, the foundations should be able to carry the weight of the building without uneven settlement taking place, which would result in cracking and potential collapse.

The topsoil on the site usually contains all kinds of vegetable matter which is easily compressed and would not be suitable for foundations, but is valuable as a top dressing for gardens and may be disposed of in this matter.

You should avoid at all costs any site where there is a chance of ground or shallow sub-surface water remaining close to the base of the building, therefore:

Avoid sites that can be flooded or be left in damp conditions

Make sure that water coming off the roof and walls of the building is moved quickly away from the base of the walls. This can be done by compacting a protective sloping pavement (apron).

CONCLUSION

One should be very careful when building on unstable soils. When inadequate foundations cause cracking of walls or other problems to occur, you will have to spend a lot of money to rectify the problem, and it will not only reduce your property’s market value in future, also most house insurance policies exclude coverage against subsidence and landslip damage caused by unstable soils. Never take any chances, consult a qualified geo-technical engineer when you are uncertain of your stand’s soil conditions.

Please note: This document should be used as a guide only and the author accepts no responsibility for losses incurred as a result of advice followed in this document. The foundations of your proposed dwelling should always be discussed with your engineer.

Written by Jere Botes, architect & founder of http://www.dreamhouses.co.za, a website dedicated to provide home builders, home renovators, home owners & developers with free professional advice on all aspects of home design, building & diy. Reproductions of this article are encouraged but must include a link pointing to http://www.dreamhouses.co.za

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jere_Botes

Capital Investment in Infrastructure is always an interesting component of Real Estate investing. In my experience it can be one of the most positive influencing factors in property appreciation, however, it can never be taken for granted. During the examination period of a potential investment an investor discovers that sewer and water is going in or that a new road is being constructed, and without a great deal of consideration the investor jumps and secures as much of the surrounding property as possible regardless of the timing.

It is this investment timing that I am most interested in here today. To help determine the best timing of an investment I find it helpful to differentiate the type of infrastructure change. First, separate the target properties into Direct and Indirect Impact Investments. A direct impact investment is one that is immediately impacted by the announcement of an infrastructure project. An Indirect Impact Investment is one that is not immediately affected by the announcement or the early stages of the infrastructure but its value will be significantly improved by the completion of the project.

Lets compare two properties located outside Raleigh, NC, home of North Carolinas Research Triangle Park. The first property is a direct impact property located contiguous Interstate 85. The second property is approximately one-half mile away from the first and has frontage on a secondary road leading to the Interstate 85 intersection.

This area is considered a bedroom community for the Raleigh metropolitian area. The are is growing at a faster rate than either Durham or Raleigh. The Interstate 85 corridor had been experiencing sustainable growth substantially prior to the NC Department of Transportation announcing highway re-construction of from Raleigh north to the Virginia State Line (approximately, 40 miles of construction). The project would ultimately take eight years to complete, create major delays, re-route traffic and have a substantial impact on the local economy and expansion of the entire corridor.

The first response of most investors was to move out of the area and invest in other locations. However, for those who analyzed the potential and adjusted the price, timing and selection of properties in this area turned out to be a very profitable investment. Let me explain.

Direct Impact Sample Analysis

The first property is contiguous to I-85, was in a very active market and priced at about $100,000 per acre prior to the highway re-construction announcement. The value of the property was tied directly to the commerce generated by its access to I-85. The property value was evaluated as a Direct Impact Investment over the 8 year life of the infrastructure project determined by the duration from the project announcement until its completion.

Upon announcement of the project the value of the property dropped from $100,000 per acre to about $70,000 per acre and remained at that level for the first three years of the investment.. In the fourth year of the project life the property began to gain in value at about the same rate as other properties not aligned with the highway, still there was no positive influence caused by the highway project. The primary growth in value came toward the end of the highway project, eighteen to twenty-four months from its completion.

Indirect Impact Sample Analysis

The second property is well off the Interstate and has little or no value related to the interstate driven commerce. Its initial value was $12,000 per acre and continued to grow at a rate consistent with value driven by non-interstate factors. However during the last two years of the highway project the value grew substantially and was in fact pulled by the Interstates commerce generating capability. The transition from no impact to high impact was created by the general maturing of the area and the much increased commerce generating capacity of the improved infrastructure.

It is important to note that the investment quality is substantially higher for the land investor if the investment is made in the Indirect Impact Parcel. Furthermore, timing of the investment can make a massive difference in the rate of return. Comparing indirect impact to direct impact properties, the compounded rate of value growth with respect to the year invested through to the end of the project provides significantly higher returns for the indirect impact property.

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of these results is that for the indirect impact property, years four and five were outstanding; however, yer six fell to the lowest level of the project life. This is primarily due to finite limits of Interstate 85 to continue to drive value. Most of the growth in value was related to the investment in the highway capital improvement. The investment in Interstate 85 over the long haul created a gain in revenue generating capability which forced the property value upward. It is to be noted that growth in the interstate traffic after the completion of the project is slow and its ability to create additional value would accordingly be slow.

These properties will not see really strong growth until a commerce center is established at this intersection. With capital investment in a commerce center there will be value growth similar to the growth we saw with the highway, but it will occur in a shorter cycle time. I would therefore argue that the risk component would be higher and the timing would be more crucial.

Summary

In summary, for an investor to successfully select a high yielding land investment with changing infrastructure certain conditions are in play:

1. The announcement of the change must not directly impact the target property in a negative way. .

2. The investment property will increase in value at the local, not project, driven rate in the early years of the project.

3. The project must have more than twenty-four months of remaining life.

4. Due to its higher yield, the Indirect Impact Investment will create less risk for the life of the project.

5. Timing is of utmost importance for the investment.

6. Direct Impact Investments offer a lower yield and higher risk during the project life.

We have been able to employ this thinking over the last five years and have found that the concept applies to any long term capital project.

Wayne Machon presents an investment model to identify the difference between direct and indirect impact of capital investment in infrastructure to take advantage of market timing in land investments.

Wayne Machon is a graduate of Rollins College in Management and Economics. He is responsible for developing investment grade opportunities for the clients of Hallmark Real Estate, in the central North Carolina real estate marketplace.

In a real estate broker business, almost every thing revolves around land. Obviously it is hard to run a business centered around land without knowing where to acquire prime land and how to finance the land. Let’s take some time to familiarize ourselves with some of the key terms that drive the real estate broker industry. A good broker business often times will acquire land through land auctions and then finance these acquisitions with a land loan or a land contract. To learn how this all fits together lets suppose you are interested in investing in some real estate and developing your own little broker business to generate some extra income. Before you can really do anything in your business, you must first acquire some real estate. Now you might sift through the local papers and real estate guides looking for that ideal piece that fits all your requirements. This method could take quite some time as it is hard to come by really good deals in this manner. On the other hand, perhaps a friend mentioned in passing how he built his first house on a piece of property he purchased at a land auction and got a great deal on. Your friend may be on to something here. Have you ever thought about checking out a land auction?

If you have not been to a land auction now is the time to go check one out in your area. Thanks to the great format of auctions, the land you are bidding on will start at a relatively low bid price and the land auction will proceed just like a normal auction. Often there will not be much competition for land and you will be able to purchase a great piece of land from the land auction.

After you have got your piece of property from the land auction you must find a way to finance it. This is where the land loan comes in. A land loan is exactly what it sounds like – a loan for a piece of land. The land loan will be secured by the real estate that it pays for and you will be able to get a loan for the amount of the sale price of the real estate property. Your lender will likely dictate some terms as to what can be done with the land to ensure the value of the land remains intact and the land loan balance can be paid off. If you are into rentals then you might consider building a house or two on this property, depending on the size of the property you won in the land auction.

Once your land loan is secure and you have built the houses and landscaped the property then your energies must turn to making this acquisition profitable to you. Hopefully you have added value to the land and can sell the property at a profit. This will create a nice little return on the project and allow you to focus your efforts on the next project.

On the other hand you might consider exiting the property by selling the land and closing on a land contract with the buyer. A land contract insinuates that you are essentially financing the purchase for the buyer. Thus, when a buyer signs a land contract he is agreeing to submit monthly payments to you directly at the agreed upon terms. In turn you will pocket some of the money and turn the rest over to the bank that issued you the land loan. By using a land contract you can help somebody who has bad credit purchase the land and charge them a premium on that agreement so that you are making money on top of money. That is to say you are making interest on top of the net profit you got with the sale of the property.

About the Author

Adam Smith is an internet marketer for 10X Marketing. You can learn more about the real estate market and depreciation from OneMinuteMillionaire.com