Is buying hunting land a good investment ?

[Rooster52]

With hunting and recreation property increase in price,is it still a good investment ?
A piece of property is up for sale near my home and at first I was thinking of buying it ,then I got to thinking ,with the cost of property taxes and some liability insurance ,maybe it is not such a good investment.

 

[schmalts]

Timber value? water frontage? building sites? Tillable land? All things to consider. A property that is for only hunting might not be a good investment.

 

[Gellar]

Land usually goes up over time. If you find the right piece of property that has not been pillaged for all of its resources I.e timber, grazing, farmland, and make some improvements overtime your property should go up over time. Look at all the farmers who bought land in Iowa for $400/acre and it's worth 6 or 7000 now. Like other investments invest for the long term. Also look for incentives to not pay as much property tax, collect rent on crop and pasture, or sign up for crp for annual income opportunities.

 

[dcopas78]

Around here, the price of good land just keeps going up. Even in 2008 during the housing crisis, land here didn't really lose value, it stayed stagnant and nobody was buying it. Except for those who had money to spare. One of my dads taxidermy customers is in the timber business and I know they have been buying a bunch of land since then. Houses on the other hand took a pretty good tumble and are now starting to get back in the positive. I think land is an excellent investment, as long as you don't need a quick sell like Gellar mentioned. If it is something you want to use for the long term, it is definitely worth it.

 

[Bowhuntrben]

I agree with other posters. It depends on the land and what it consists of. In general, I feel that the land will only go up in value and is a good investment.

 

[duckhunt]

Land usually goes up over time. If you find the right piece of property that has not been pillaged for all of its resources I.e timber, grazing, farmland, and make some improvements overtime your property should go up over time. Look at all the farmers who bought land in Iowa for $400/acre and it's worth 6 or 7000 now. Like other investments invest for the long term. Also look for incentives to not pay as much property tax, collect rent on crop and pasture, or sign up for crp for annual income opportunities.

This

 

[beagle001]

The only way land isn't a good investment is if the extra financial burden of it hinders what the land can provide you and your family. Otherwise if you can swing it, it's a great idea.

 

[WestT]

I'm a big fan of land as an investment. Great thing about it is that you can use is while it appreciates unlike cash sitting in an account somewhere.

 

[Gellar]

I will also add, the amount of enjoyment my family, my friends, and their kids have all gotten from our property whether it is camping, hiking,or harvesting their first whitetail is worth the cost of the land to me even if it does not make us money some day, which it probably will not because my wife and I intend to pass it down to our kids to use with their kids.

 

[Southwind]

Well, they aren't making anymore. Nobody can predict the future but generally prices go up then down but normally stay on an upward trend.

When buying recreation property you have to ask yourself the value of having a good place of your own to hunt is and the enjoyment you will have on it and not worry about the conditions of the market in the future you can not control.

 

[Brittany Chukarman]

Will you be able to keep trespassers off? Fencing, all season access, utilities? I bought a good 10 acre rural residential piece 25 years ago. I missed a good chance to sell it during a boom and now it's worth not much more than what I paid plus 25 years of taxes. Just depends on the piece and what you have in mind.

 

[npaden]

It depends. Has land historically appreciated at the same rate as the stock market? Not unless you are in a very hot market. Especially if you factor in property taxes. So from a pure financial perspective, I would not put a large percentage of my investment portfolio in real estate. Having some can be a good idea though.

With that said, if you are buying it not only for investment purposes but also to recreate on, there aren't many things you can buy for recreational purposes that not only hold their value but also has the possibility to actually appreciate in value. I told my wife that the land we purchased was an investment, but I really bought it for recreational use. Not only has the property appreciated in value a modest amount, but the income off of it with farm programs and some other minor items has paid the property taxes with quite a bit left over. It has been a really good "investment" from that perspective.

Has it appreciated as much as my 401k plan? Nope. Not even with the big correction in 2008. But I'm very happy with it.