You’ll make more money today and in the future. 

The future is not known, and yes, it very well could end badly, it's a real potential. 

Should that property be sold again in the future, the property owner would convey all rights to the buyer EXCEPT the oil rights that were no longer the landowner's to sell.

@Zeke Tessmer you mean gold?

Use these insights to refine your approach for future deals.

Nobody has a crystal ball or knows what the future holds.

Prior to pandemic we used it a lot for ourselves and did AirBNB which was a gold mine for the 90 days that you are allowed to do it in the city.

As others noted, most municipalities issue future zoning maps which indicate the direction the local planning commission or equivalent wants to take their zoning and if your plans are consistent, that's generally a good indication as well. 

I point this out not to denigrate Ray, but to illustrate how so often it's very difficult to predict the future of real estate.

If I have a trust with someone I can be paid in advance and they know the job will get done or I can do the job and get the money in the future whenever it is convenient for my client.