In the old days people generally only bought land and improved Real Estate in the areas in which they lived or traveled often. Today, thanks to the blossoming of the Internet, one can purchase land all over the United States from the comfort of home. While there are some cautionary measures to be taken, the profits that can be realized are immeasurable.

Every single day of the year land is being sold at wholesale prices on the Internet. The Internet has made it easy for owners of land to sell their parcels and many offer their land under retail value for a quick sale. The Internet is also full of sellers who own land and don’t know the real value of their land. I have seen parcels being sold for as little as 20% of their real worth!

By purchasing land online you can gain land at wholesale prices thus gaining instant equity. Additionally, you can have enough room to sell that land at a discount to another party and still make money. Cash is king, so the more you have, the better deals you will get. However, even if you have little cash, you can still get super deals on land with owner financing.

Often there are terms listed in the auction that you need to know. Make notes on paper with all the details so you do not miss any details. I often see auctions where you are bidding on the down payment only, not the full price.

Go see the property or hire a person to do it for you. Buying property unseen is just asking for problems. Check the area. Check the property sales in the area to be sure you are not being overcharged. Are there utilities available on the property? Don’t assume anything. The term "due diligence" means you have done your research and checked out what you are buying. Most property sales contain the phrase “buyer must do their own due diligence" or a statement saying as a bidder you "have done your due diligence ".

Closing, will the closing be at an attorney or a title company? I suggest using an attorney of your choice for closing. This allows you to pay for and thereby getting the advice of a real estate atty. this also is the time to get title insurance.

Title insurance: This helps protect the buyer against liens or other title issues.

Closing costs: Please read the auction carefully for the terms offered if available. I strongly suggest seeking professional assistance if you are unsure of anything.

Associated Risk

As with anything in life, there are some risks associated with buying land online. However, you can reduce or practically eliminate your risk by doing some common things. First, make sure the seller is going to issue you a WARRANTY DEED on the land you are going to by. Do not accept a quick claim deed. Ask your seller if the title has any liens, judgments, or back taxes. Sometimes the answer is yes. This is not a bad thing though. Simply figure in the amount owed into the purchase price. Many times a seller will lower the price of the land to move it before more penalties are assessed.

Be comfortable with the deal

If the seller makes any unusual requests or demands such as a unusually large cash down payment, seek assistance immediately.