Think you can’t afford to own recreational land? Think again!
Many people dream of buying their own rural land as a getaway place, a long-term investment to pass down to future generations, a future home site or for additional income. GreenStone is the vacant land lending experts. Unfortunately, land prices have increased in recent years, leaving many families skeptical of whether they can afford to own land. If this sounds like you, there are steps you can take that could help you achieve your dream more quickly than you might think.
Create your dream getaway, gradually
Perhaps you dream of a getaway property with a custom log cabin, a fish-stocked pond and a pole barn to store your outdoor toys. It’s good to have goals, but it might not be immediately attainable within your current budget. Consider purchasing the vacant land first, and start small with a tent, yurt or RV. Create a plan to then add other improvements over the next several years as your budget allows, such as a well, septic system and electricity. Eventually you might be ready to upgrade to a tiny house or cabin, or even your dream home, while adding landscape elements and outbuildings as budget allows. Gradual progress on a piece of land you own can be mentally fulfilling, budget-friendly and a great way to build fond family memories.
Create a profitable side hustle
Landowners have more options than ever before to create a revenue stream using their rural property. Services such as HipCamp and AirBnB make for renting your cabin, camper or vacant land with much less hassle – and this income might even cover the majority of your mortgage payments. Part-time farming, including fruits or vegetables, livestock or beekeeping, is another clever way to make your land work for you. Other ideas include leasing your land for hunting, solar or wind farms or crop farming. Depending on your municipal zoning laws, you may even consider using the property for a part-time retail or service business.
Buy land as a group
Many friends and family members have found buying vacation property or hunting land as a group can make payments more affordable. The key to peacefully co-owning property is to set clear ground rules and expectations in advance to avoid misunderstandings and assumptions, and to seek professional legal advice before signing on the dotted line, this could include forming an LLC. For more on this topic, see our blog, Five Tips for Buying Group Hunting Land.
Rethink your annual family vacation expenditures
The average American family of four will spend $3,580 on an annual, one-week vacation. For a similar annual expenditure, that family could make monthly payments on a nice chunk of vacant land. Loan costs and payment amounts vary based on several factors, which you will want to review with your financial services officer for more accurate and specific details, but you may be surprised when you actually calculate it out. Not only does owning land offer a potential getaway an unlimited number of times per year, but it also could represent a sound investment by building equity in the land. Purchasing a getaway place that can be passed down through generations is great for creating priceless memories for current and future family members.
Consider a Land Contract
If you identify land you want to buy, talk to the seller and see if they would consider a land contract, particularly if you already lease the land or are familiar with the owner. This option allows you to navigate directly with the seller, possibly allowing for lower down payment requirement and monthly payments that are more affordable. Many terms of a land contract are negotiable such as down payment, interest rate, term, balloon period, use of land and more.
You may consider an attorney specialized in real estate to help determine the specifics of the deal or drafting them directly with the seller. The seller acts as the financier or bank during the land contract and may require a balloon period where the loan becomes due in full after two, three or five years, but is willing to base the monthly payments on a typical 30-year repayment schedule. The payments you make each month will go partially towards the principal balance and partially to interest just like they would at a bank or credit union.
Once you are ready to payoff the land contract, your lender can evaluate the value of the property and determine your loan to value ratio. Once determined, we can look at your current land contract balance and reduce or lower the additional downpayment needed for the loan with GreenStone.
Get creative with your down payment
GreenStone typically requires a standard down payment on a vacant land loan. If you don’t have ample cash at your fingertips, get creative! In some cases, equity in a home or other owned property could be used as collateral rather than a cash down payment. Consult with lending expert to discuss options for your unique situation.
Want to get started with financing your own piece of paradise? Visit our Recreational Land webpage or Recreational Land FAQ page for more information. When you’re ready to take the next step toward purchasing your own getaway place, easily submit your loan request online or contact us at 800-444-3276 or visit one of our 35 locations.
