What on earth do you do with vacant land in C class neighborhoods?

[Ryan Dossey]

We had a seller bring us a package with 4 homes and a vacant lot in it. Seems like they are trying to pass off the land so they don't have to deal with it. They value it at 15k. 

You can't build on it as I don't think you can build a house cheap enough that would make sense in the area. Properties around it are worth 45k or less. 

I imagine it would just be an alligator to my cashflow. 

Tax write off? Maybe?

[Dawn Anastasi]

Originally posted by @Dan C.:

I've seen these random lots for sale, either packaged with an adjacent home, or sometimes sold on their own, in C and D neighborhoods in Milwaukee.  I have no idea what you would do with them.  You could not place a manufactured home or make them into a parking lot because they are on a city block and zoned for residential, SF or duplex.  So your only choice is to build or leave it vacant, at least in our city.

I've seen them too; usually they seem to go for $1,000 or somewhere around there. Milwaukee actually publishes a "Vacant Lot Handbook" that gives people ideas about what to legally do with vacant lots.  

The guide covers organizations that can help with vacant lot use, recommendations for fences/borders, plant recommendations, ideas for neighborhood pathways, food forests, outdoor classrooms, community gardens, orchards, and vineyards.  Other ideas: active park, small playground, public art and outdoor galleries, rainwater capture, composting, garden sheds, and tool sheds.