Try not to pick flat farm ground.  

I am building ground up so any contractors that do framing, plumbing, electrical, roofing, etc.

With your boots-on-the-ground approach, you’re in a strong position to find profitable flips.

Let those be the backbones of your downside, weigh it out then hit the ground running.  

Quote from @Michael K Gallagher: Quote from @A Rao: I invest in land and have done entitlement/zoning and other DD work successfully for years.A broker called me this morning on a property I have on a busy interesection and has a QSR client who likes the location, but does not want to do a ground lease, only a build to suit. 

"Boots on the Ground" is much more valuable to you as a first time investor than looking at demographic data.

🌲🏕️ 🔹 114 acres of outdoor fun, developed in two phases:🔹 Phase 1 (60 acres) breaks ground in mid-2025, opening fall 2026🔹 Budget: $8.7M for design, permits & Phase 1 construction 🏞️ What to Expect in Phase 1:✅ 1-acre dog park (separate areas for big & small dogs) 🐕 ✅ Bike trails & nature-based playground 🚴‍♀️ ✅ Scenic rest areas, restrooms & picnic shelter🏕️ ✅ Multi-use path along Eastfield Rd + parking 🚗 📍 Location: 13729 Eastfield Rd, Huntersville, NC 28078 📊 Real Estate Snapshot (28269): 🏡 Avg Home Price: $384,732(+5.1% YoY) 🏠 Avg.

I come from a decade of experience in sales, with a client base and network grounded in entrepeneurs, and executive/partners on Bay St (Canada's Wall St).

So it's very easy to criticize these markets if you've never been here or really know anything about the area and are just making broad, sweeping generalizations, but if you have a strong team on the ground who can help you buy in the right neighborhoods and maximize your returns, you can do very well in this market, and I'm sure Detroit as well.I had a buyer who bought a duplex in Cleveland for 85k last year.  

Right now I am focusing on building a strong buyers list before I really hit the ground running on marketing for sellers.