I am quietly trying to buy another 4-6 of these in the high desert area of southern california in the next 10 years. 

Both the GP and the lender can tell their investors that they won.To your question on how this is calculated, there’s no math formula, instead it’s more like that scene in National Lampoon’s Vacation where the Griswold Family Truckster gets repaired at the only gas station in the desert.  

Personally if the trend continues, more people will move out and it will just become more and more deserted and need to be repurposed. 

There are several large projects showing up in California desert as well and they are easily identifiable from GOOGLE map.2.

But avoiding buying in cities in deserts or relatively impoverished coastal towns might be a good idea. 

Granted, a lot of the city's geography is undeveloped desert, but the potential is there.

Some species must be relocated, some desert plants must be relocated. 

I see a tumble weed and a turtle off in the distance crossing the sun scorched sand lonely road in the desert.  

Disposition is the hard part, for desert land at least.

Find deserted, run down looking houses and contact the owners, etc....You are now describing a scenario of why no one needs agents any longer where Bird Dogs and Wholesalers are of more value.