Where is the Best Place to Invest Money Right Now? Buying Investment Property (PART 2)

PREFACE:

In today's chaotic economy, whether it's verbalized or not, a main topic on investors' minds is: "Where can I find a legitimate high yield investment without a lot of risk to my principal?"

Is this a fairy tale now or can investors still find good safe investments that earn solid returns?

This series of articles provides answers to these questions.

In Part One of this series (see blog below dated 2-27-09), we focused on "WHY" investors should consider buying investment property in the form of raw land development projects and "WHAT" makes them legitimate high yield investments. In PART TWO, we will now discuss "WHERE" to invest in these opportunities:

In December of 2004, the acclaimed Washington D.C. think-tank, Brookings Institution, sponsored a research project by Virginia Tech University titled: "Toward A New Metropolis: The Opportunity To Rebuild America".

This study explains that in order to accommodate U.S. Census Bureau population growth projections, the United States' future raw land development needs will require 209 BILLION square feet of new community construction between 2000-2030. This massive expansion will take place primarily in 10 major metropolitan regions the study calls "Megapolitans" and at an estimated cost of $25 TRILLION.

Not only does this study underscore the fact that buying investment property is a legitimate high yield investment opportunity, it tells us WHERE to invest! This was well-documented in a November 2005 article by Paul Kaihla in Business 2.0 Magazine titled: "The $25 Trillion Land Grab".

Here is what the 10 Megapolitans are being called and WHERE investors should consider investing right now:

1. CASCADIA: Will encompass land from Seattle, WA to Portland, OR. Vast quantities of cheap, prime property give this Pacific Northwest megapolitan tremendous growth potential. By 2030, massive land development activity will have filled in the greenspace between these cities, making this one huge, intertwined metropolitan region.

2. NORCAL: Will encompass property from San Francisco to Sacramento plus the Central Valley of Northern California. There will be much more activity buying investment property east of the Bay Area, where there is much more reasonably priced raw land. The Sacramento region, in particular, is expected to build more housing and office space than any other Western area excepting Las Vegas.

3. THE SOUTHLAND: This megapolitan will include real estate ranging from Los Angeles in the north to San Diego in the south and through the "Inland Empire" to Las Vegas in the east. Surging trade with China through the nation's busiest seaport in L.A. will spur massive expansion in logistics, warehousing and distribution centers throughout the region.

4.VALLEY OF THE SUN: Will encompass land from Phoenix, AZ to Tuscon, AZ. This will be the smallest megapolitan, but also the one with the biggest amount of "buildable" land at the lowest prices. This is why it is expected to become the fastest-growing metropolitan region in the United States. The main attraction: Palm Springs resort lifestyle at a substantial discount.

5. I-35 CORRIDOR: Will entail land spanning San Antonio to Dallas to Kansas City. No region better captures and caters to the Latino population explosion. A new generation of Hispanic business owners and industrialists will drive the growth, and the area will become a magnet for foreign companies trying to cash in on the U.S. Latino market.

6.GULF COAST BELT: Will encompass real estate running from Houston to New Orleans. Surrounding megapolitans will enjoy spillover growth because of the region's higher risk premium punctuated by Hurricane Katrina.

7.GREAT LAKES HORSESHOE: This will encompass land from Chicago to Detroit to Pittsburgh. With manufacturing's decline in this region, these industrial cities are evolving into a "service industries" region and are expected to attract a flood of new people to this megapolitan.

8.ATLANTIC SEABOARD: Will include property from Boston to New York City to Washington D.C. America's most heavily populated megapolitan is set to experience another expansion. And most of the new development is expected to "vertical" with new skyscrapers providing much of the new construction. Expect more urban growth versus suburban in this region.

9. I-85 CORRIDOR: Will involve land ranging from Raleigh-Durham to Atlanta. The expanse running from Atlanta to Raleigh is becoming a contiguous strip of homes and businesses. As the textile industry fades, financial services in Charlotte, telecom in Atlanta, and high-tech in the Raleigh-Durham Research Triangle will drive future growth.

10.SOUTHERN FLORIDA: Will encompass land from Tampa through Miami. Florida posted the nation's highest job growth in 2004, as baby boomers from the North poured in to take advantage of the job market and climate. Land scarcity will also drive urban growth in this region.

BONUS: UTAH 'MINIPOLITAN': This is an add-on to the Brooking study markets. Key areas in Utah are experiencing tremendous population and job growth and need to be added to the list.

So, that summarizes "WHERE" investors should consider buying investment property (particularly: raw land development investments), as a "legitimate" high yield investment opportunity.

PART THREE of this series will focus on the PROCESS of Raw Land Development.
PART FOUR of this series will focus on HOW to invest in Raw Land Development projects..

About the author:

John Hanlin is an Independent Investment Consultant specializing in low risk investments and retirement portfolio planning. He is a seasoned investor of over 25 years. Mr. Hanlin is the owner and contributing author of the website: www.JohnHanlin.com which provides detailed information about raw land development investments and free independent financial advice for retirement.

Where is the Best Place to Invest Money Right Now? Buying Investment Property (PART 1)

[This is the first part of a new series]

In today's economy, most investors are asking this question:

"Where is the best place to invest money right now?"

This series of articles, starting today, will set out to answer that question. Specifically, the series will explain why and where savvy investors should be buying investment property (real estate) -- our recommendation for the best place to invest money right now. Furthermore, the series will explain why these investment properties should be in the form of raw land development investments.

First, some background:

It is widely held that more riches have been created by real estate than any other form of investment. Taking that one step further, raw land development is the most profitable form of real estate.

So, you can do the math: Where is the best place to invest money right now? Raw land development.

Can you think of a better time to purchase real estate than in a down market? The golden rule of investing is to always "buy low and sell high" right?

Here's WHY investors should consider buying investment property right now:

1. More millionaires have been made by investing in real estate that any other investment.

2. Raw land development is the most profitable form of real estate investment. Per industry average: professionally managed raw land development projects increase the value of undeveloped, raw land by 2-5 times its original price. (i.e. A professional raw land developer will sell their completed raw land development project for 200-500% more than they originally paid for the property. And it can be much higher.

3. In addition to being among the most profitable forms of investment, raw land development (professionally managed) can be one of the most secure, low risk investments an investor can make. This is because the raw land developer will typically back their investors' principal with the assets of their project (the property itself). In addition, they will place their investors in 1st position for project assets and revenue.

This means that in the event of a developer default on a raw land development project (heaven forbid), the land itself can be sold so that the investors can recoup part or all of their principal plus any net profits. Also, it means that the investors, being in 1st position, are first in line to be paid if project assets must be sold -- making this one of the most secured forms of investment available to investors.

4. Property prices are reasonable right now. Buying investment property in the form of undeveloped, raw land is a 'buyer's market' today.

This is because landowners aren't any different than other folks. They have been affected by the stock markets and the overall economy like everyone else. The net effect is that many are willing to sell their undeveloped land right now for very reasonable prices because they need the money.

As a result, raw land developers are in need of investors right now to help them acquire raw land at these 'bargain basement' prices.

5. The United States population is projected to grow +29% from 2000-2030. (U.S. Census Bureau) That means the addition of 82,000,000 new people in America. And these people are going to need new homes, new schools, new stores, new communities to support them.

Where are these new homes, schools, stores & communities going to come from? Raw land development.

Are you starting to see the answer to our question: Where is the best place to invest money right now?

Look for Part 2 of this series coming soon:

"Here's WHERE investors should consider buying investment property right now"

For FREE independent financial advice about safe investing and retirement, visit my website at: www.JohnHanlin.com. I specialize in the safest money investments and the best HIGH YIELD safe investments, particularly in raw land development. (Please fill out the Contact Form on my website if you have questions that the website couldn't answer.)