Revealed: one of the industry’s best kept secrets – How you can make a life-changing income from land without purchase or ownership…
I’m really excited about this! I’ve been extremely busy over the last few weeks working on a very special “something”. I can now reveal that the “something” is a FREE report which should help you emulate my success in securing life-altering profits through land deals.
I’ve never done anything like this before, so I hope you’ll find it useful…
Since I started this blog, I’ve been inundated with enquiries about my multi-faceted approach to property. It seems that I’m not the only one that thinks that there’s more to the world of property than buy-to-let and it also seems that a lot of you out there are eager to find out more.
So that’s why I’ve decided to reveal one of my most profitable – and easily replicated – money-making techniques within this free report: “Land Finder Fortunes – How you can make life-changing profits from land without purchase or ownership”. It reveals the very same methods I myself use to secure successful land deals throughout the UK.
It’s available to download right now. Just click here, and you’ll not only discover how you can make substantial regular income using these little known property secrets, you’ll learn how to do it part-time, around existing commitments, laying down very little capital… if any!
As regular readers will be aware, I encourage anyone seeking substantial income to explore a broader, more rounded approach to property. Out of all my techniques, land trading is the most effective method I’ve found to generate quick FIVE and SIX FIGURE PROFITS.
For example, my recent land trading deals include £80,000 profit for a former public house, £300,000 profit for a former tyre and exhaust garage and £140,000 profit for a one-acre field.
As you’ll discover, land trading is relatively easy, requiring minimum time and effort…
In fact, once you know how to go about it, trading in development land is actually a very simple process. Actually, it’s so simple that even a novice can put together two or three deals a year to generate exceptional profits, fitting the ‘work’ around their existing commitments.
Best of all, it can be done part-time, with hardly any capital or previous experience. Strangely enough, you don’t even have to buy or own any land – which is why it’s particularly useful in today’s climate…
Luckily, the credit freeze needn’t prevent you from making healthy profits as land trading requires next to no capital. The report details just how easily you can source simple development opportunities on your doorstep and turn them into deals worth tens – or even hundreds – of thousands. The report also reveals:
- What an ‘Option Agreement’ is and how it will transform the way you think about land ownership.
- How you can take control of profitable land without actually owning a centimetre of it.
- How to sell that control onto developers for profits ranging from £20,000 to £Millions.
- Where and how to look for lucrative development sites on your very own doorstep.
- The skills you need to assess the potential of a piece of land and how you can work out what it is worth.
- The online resources and tools you’ll need to conduct your searches.
- How to tap into the ready-made market of eager developers desperate to secure quality sites.
I’ll show how to start taking relatively modest profits of £20,000 to £50,000 per site and how to repeat that success over and over again. I’ll also reveal how I myself go about generating hundreds of thousands of pounds in profits from a single deal.
Sound too good to be true? It really isn’t.
As you’ll see, it’s simply the application of sound principles. I’ll show you how to spot good development potential and how to turn that potential into profit.
This report aims to furnish you with the skills to set you on your way to financial freedom. All you have to do is follow the method carefully and, with a little effort, you could be enjoying the same levels of profit that I’ve achieved using the very same techniques.
I really hope you find it useful – Download your FREE report right now!
Popularity: 23% [?]
Had a quick scan through the report, first impressions are like WOW! I’ve got a LOT of bedtime reading to do tonight! Can’t wait. Cheers Lyndon
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 6th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Hi Chris,
Glad you like it! Please come back again after your bedtime reading….! I’m interested to hear what you think of the report
Cheers
Lyndon
[Reply]
Not read it all yet but a awesome report so far! No wonder your so successful. Thank you for sharing so much information, keep up the great work.
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 6th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Hi Mike,
Really pleased you like it…. Happy to help
Cheers
Lyndon
[Reply]
I was up till midnight last night reading the report from cover to cover. Could hardly sleep. I’ve identified a couple of potential sites already this morning. Off to take a closer look now. Wish me luck. Thanks again Lyndon for giving all of this away no strings attached.
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This is fascinating read, thank you very much. I will go out right now and start using your techniques to make money. Can’t wait for volume 2…
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Hi Lyndon
I haven’t read all the report yet, but what I’ve seen is very well put together and could turn out to be priceless. I’ve read another report which was good (but not free), but I think yours could prove to be more useful. Hats off to you for giving it away and promoting it in YPN (excellent mag)
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Hi Pete,
Glad you like it. As is stated in the report, if you are willing to put the effort in and apply the principles – the opportunity for serious financial reward is huge.
Keep in touch
regards
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon
Thanks for the report, it was a very interesting read. I’ve been looking over the potential sites in my area and there seems to be a few.
One question, is this a system that is straightforward on paper yet very hard to execute in pratice?
Similar to the property option courses that have suddenly sprung up now that NMD deals are practically impossible.
Im always slightly sceptical when reports and courses are offered by so called experts, it seems that they are unable to do the deals themselves so they generate even more income by selling their outdated ideas which are no longer successful.
Im hoping this isnt the case with this report.
Cheers
John
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Hi John,
I’m really glad you found the report interesting.
I can assure you that the ’system’ is very successful in practice…
and used extensively by many hundreds of UK industry professionals ‘in the know’.
I use the very same techniques and methods every day.
Optioning residential properties is a relatively recent concept, a reaction to the current credit crisis. Home owners are, in the main, totally unaware of this method of purchasing a house. As a result, it can be very difficult to explain an Option Agreement to your average home owner and even harder to get them to sign-up to one. There’s a steep learning curve and home owners are understandably nervous of them.
However, when it comes to Optioning potential development sites, it’s a very different story. Option Agreements have been widely used to secure development sites for donkeys years. It is a perfectly normal and conventional way to trade land. The vast majority of developers and savvy land owners are very familiar with land Option Agreements.
They’re much more straight forward – and easy to explain / justify – than property Options.
I can’t blame you for being skeptical however. As you say, there are a lot of people out there selling outdated concepts because they’re unable to make money from those concepts themselves. However, as you know, my report is provided free and with no-strings-attached. I make my money out of implementing the system… not just talking about it!
Good luck with the sites you have spotted. Let me know if you have any further questions or concerns.
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon,
Thanks for the report, eye opening to say the least and just what I am looking for. Will let you know how I get on,
kindest regards,
Paul
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Lyndon thanks for the free report, its a very interesting read & certainly full of good ideas. I have found a few possibilities but have a few questions; On the land reg site I have found a relatively large plot of land but when I click on search for properties I get an error saying that there are too many properties – I’m looking in the middle of a field ! Also what happens if you find that the local council owns the land?
Rgds John
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 10th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Hi John,
In answer to your questions…
The Land Registry website can be a bit temperamental at times. First of all, make sure your search radius is set to 5 metres. Next, try searching at the edge of the field rather than in the centre of it. Hopefully that should do the trick but let me know if not.
Land owned by the council is generally sold at auction. It may be worth sending them a letter to see if they are willing to Option the land privately but in my experience this rarely works. I would suggest you concentrate on privately owned land… at least initially.
Hope that helps,
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon
Thanks for the reply, apologies if i sounded like a doom monger, it does instill confidence in me that you are willing to be shot down in public via this blog.
Option contracts like you say are commonplace in the commercial property industry so there should be no problem there.
I was thinking the problem as being the fact that all the decent development sites have already been snapped up, but i wont know until i go out there armed with your great system.
Cheers
John
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 10th, 2009 at 10:20 am
Hey John,
There are thousands of sites out there, just waiting to be discovered! I’m always amazed at how many I come across within a few short miles from my home… sites I’ve driven past many, many times and never noticed before. And nor has anyone else! Another thing to bear in mind is that people’s circumstances change all the time. A land owner may not have been willing to sell his land a few months ago. But if approached today the story could very well be different (a lot of people have experienced a huge change in their financial situation over the last few months so a cash windfall could prove very tempting!)
Good luck and let me know how you get on!
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon,
What a great report. Puts all the others to shame. You have explained it in a way that the average joe understands and can implement. I have found a few sites where i am and one is two pieces of land with petrol stations on, split by a road. It looks interesting. I wil let you know how i go.If i could ask a few more questions a little later when i have checked it out would be great. If thats ok.
Keep smilin
Adrian
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 10th, 2009 at 10:23 am
Hi Adrian,
Glad you like the report. Please feel free to post any questions here and I’ll try my best to help out.
Lyndon.
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon.. Have read the report, Awesome ! to say the least, however please can you answer a question i guess must be on everyones lips.. Due to the current climate knowing developers are struggling like most to raise the required funds to develop, is now a good time to put all your eggs in one basket & go for it full time, i have located numerous sites which will take up a lot of my time to evaluate & process.
All the Best
Dan
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 10th, 2009 at 10:42 am
Hi Dan,
Developers are indeed struggling to raise funds for larger developments so tend to be concentrating on smaller sites at the moment, which is great news for us land finders. Whilst there will always be a healthy market for small development sites of up to say five houses – traditionally the preserve of small development companies and self builders – even the larger developers are now taking on these sites as they involve far less risk and are easier to fund.
That said, I certainly wouldn’t recommend ‘putting all your eggs in one basket’ as you suggest. As I mention in the report, this isn’t a ‘get rich quick scheme’… from my personal experience I really don’t believe such things exist. You will only see a return on your time and effort once the developer who buys your Option has successfully obtained planning consent. This process is likely to take several weeks – or even months – so I wouldn’t ‘give up the day job’ just yet.
I would suggest you concentrate on the most promising sites initially and establish some experience, confidence and capital before deciding whether to make land finding your full time vocation.
Good luck!
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon,
Thank you for sharing such a full and useful guide with me. Having read it I am now very keen to put it to the test and will make a start at once.
However, there is one point that I am unsure about and that is getting the developer to pay an upfront 10% deposit. Surely this is not as easy as it sounds. You point out yourself that planning is never guaranteed, so are developers really prepared to risk 10%? Is the deposit returnable if the planning should be declined? In which case are you left with your solicitor fees or can this be built into the terms of the deposit etc?
Apologies for all the questions as apart from this your guide was extremely detailed and quite honestly one of the best genuine opportunities that I have come across.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards,
Ross
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 11th, 2009 at 10:18 am
Hi Ross,
Really glad you like the report. Good point you raise. Yes the developer deposit is returnable should the developer be refused planning. The developer is buying the option/land subject to planning and should it not be granted you have to return his deposit. However, at the end of the day it all comes down to negotiation. The developer may not want to pay a deposit and may insist his commitment to the deal is the cost of the planning application. Or he may offer 5%. The idea of the deposit is to commit him to the deal and make sure he applies for the planning application before your option expires.
Hope this helps
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon – I currently have a portfolio of rental properties purchased bmv and have been looking for alternative income streams. Your report was concise, well laid out and easy to understand. My challenge is on the IT side of using the different websites, measuring the land as I am a total twit on this sort of thing! One of my rental houses has a very large garden and I have been thinking it would be an ideal building plot. My plan is to practice the IT bit on my own garden but I know of about 6 pieces of land within 5 miles of my house that I have noticed. Like anything it is now a “kick up the bottom” to get on with it. Again thank you for this free report and will also post any questions as I move through the process.
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 10th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Hey Jane,
I really hope you can find the time – and the motivation – to give it a try. I’m certainly no IT expert myself. But you’ve obviously managed to find your way to my website, download the report… and post a comment so I doubt you’ll have much of a problem with the resources mentioned in the report. They really are quite intuitive. But if you experience any problems, give me a shout.
Regards,
Lyndon
[Reply]
From An Architects perspective your Report is absolutely fantastic! I deal with this stuff on a daily basis and now I am considering doing the development thing for myself.
Oh and I have put a link to your download on my web site.
Keep up the good work and I look forward to catching up with you when you are in Scotland…
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 13th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Hi Kenneth,
Really pleased you like it as it is real compliment coming from a professional architect as yourself.
I’ll let you know when I’m due to be in your neck of the woods
Cheers
Lyndon
[Reply]
Lyndon, Thanks so much for this report. It has given me so much inspiration as I’ve just been made redundant and was looking at what I could do proactively in property as my passive income is good but not enough for financial freedom. I downloaded the report yesterday and couldnt put it down until I read it all. Im going to go great guns now on this and see if I can earn years salary in my first deal.
Regards
Simon.
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 11th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
Hi Simon,
Really pleased you like the report. As I said in the report, if you’re willing to put the effort in and apply the principals then the potential for great financial rewards is huge. Keep me informed of your efforts
Regards
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hey Lyndon
Just finished the Report! What a brilliant and fantastic insight into your business and what I am really impressed about is the way that you managed to produce a concise guide to the process.
I am very confident it will help more than a few people get the desired results.
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon,
great report – thank you so much for taking the time to do it! its nice to see there are some very unselfish people around willing to share their success. I’m so excited about it i’ve not been able to think about anything else! i’ve spotted a couple of potential pieces of land but i’m not sure which property the land belongs too – which website should i go to, to find this out? sorry if its an obvious question!
[Reply]
Lyndon like Jane above I am struggling to find out how to use google earth to do the measuring & marking out of a plot as you have done in some of your screenshots. Any chance of a quick guide or a link to a guide?
Rgds John
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 12th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
HI John,
I’m sorry to hear you’re having problems. Hopefully this guide will
help: http://earth.google.com/userguide/v4/ug_measuring.html.
I’m looking into the possibility of recording some videos to demonstrate how I conduct desktop appraisals. I’ll keep you posted!
cheers
Lyndon
[Reply]
As I said before, have a gut feeling that the book is what I need. Not sure on how to fare on the purely technical ITside, but will try my hardest. Thanks for making the book available, (i read it all and will again and again), and FREE.
[Reply]
hi it wasn’t so much the measuring i was having problems with -it was with seeing which house is linked to the land that looks a possibility as there are lots of trees and bushes in the way so its pretty impossible to see boundaries
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 13th, 2009 at 10:45 am
Hi Alison,
The best way “see through the bushes” is to use the online – Local Plan/UDP Proposals map. This details actual ordinance survey maps with defined boundaries so it is easier to assess the land surrounding each property. Alternatively, you can use Promap – the online mapping service mentioned in the report but you would have to pay though. It shouldn’t more than £1.50 to view the area you are interested in.
Hope this helps
Lyndon
[Reply]
great article
have read skip read it once and am deeply impressed
so much so that i will review in detail over weekend
i currently only buy the buildings on top of the land but this article has given me another focus
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 13th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Hi Andy,
Glad you like the report
Lyndon
[Reply]
Excellent report thanks. I was starting to look into this exact area when i found your report. This will hopefully give me a helpful start.
One thing i was wondering, how do you ’stop’ landowners going straight to developers themselves once you mention the possibility of selling land prior to any agreement being signed. I would presume a lot of clever landowners would try to cut out the middleman after your have first spoken to them.
I look forward reading your blog and further reports.
Thanks again,
Graeme
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 15th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Hi Graeme,
You will find that most landowners won’t bother trying to go direct to developers. You need to present yourself in such a way as you offer them the one stop hassle free solution. You tell them that you deal with many developers and that you – or one of your developer contacts – will obtain the best value enhancing planning consent at your expense.
So there is no risk to the land owner and all that you require in return is an Option to buy the land at a fair market price after planning has been granted. Obviously the fair market price will include your profit!
You may find it easier to negotiate with the land owner if you aren’t the actual buyer. However, if you are uncomfortable with this you can easily make out that you are the buyer/developer. As long as the Option contract is assignable it doesn’t matter. I tend to use about three different styles/type of letter, depending on the type of land that I’m looking to Option. I hope to publish these on the blog in due course and list further detailed examples of my past negotiations. I’ve received a huge number of enquiries for more advice in specific areas and I’m just working on the best solution to cater for everyone.
Hope this helps.
cheers
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon.. Top Report ! Please can you answer a quick Q ?
“Mineshafts” i have located a nice 0.5 parcel of land with a derelict pub on site, however it has a mineshaft in middle of carpark, would you suggest abandoning it or is it still possible as a doer ?
Thanks
Dek
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 15th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Hi Dek,
Not easy for me to advise on without a site plan. Though in general I would tend to avoid land containing a mine shafts. I wouldn’t buy a house adjacent to one and Mortgage lenders normally insist on a certain distance from the shaft. I have purchased a BTL house near one in the past but it was just outside the minimum distance required. Your solicitor will be best to advise but would probably require a proposed site layout from you.
I would probably look for an alternative deal though
Regards
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon
Great report ( although its more like a full ebook than a report )
its really refreshing to find someone offering there expertise
and past experience for free. Whats been frustrating for the last few
years is the so called gurus making most of there money from
selling there seminars / products.
Many congratulations on your report, i cant wait to get started, i will
keep you informed of progress, and hopefully i can replicate some of
your success.
thanks
Karl
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 15th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Hi Karl,
Really pleased you like the report, and yes I agree it is quite large. Though I must tell you that my first draft was over 150 pages! I felt I needed to trim it somewhat so as not to overwhelm people. Though from the response I’ve had it clear that people are hungry for more info with more depth in certain areas, which is something I’m considering at the moment.
Let me know how you get on
cheers
Lyndon
[Reply]
Loved the report, although as Karl above says its more like an ebook than just a report.
You’ve really made the whole process seem very straight forward – even for a novice like me. But you asked for our suggestions for additional help, well how about a really detailed case study? I think it would be really useful to see a stage by stage run down of 1 of your deals so we get an insight into the decisions you made along the way. How you appraised the land, how you approached the land owner, what deal you struck, how you decided on the best scheme, how you went about selling the option, how you negotiated with the developer etc.
Dont get me wrong, the report is very very thorough but I think a detailed case study could really help me understand how you go about getting the most out of your deals.
Thanks again Lyndon.
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 15th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Hey Chris,
A number of people have emailed with similar requests for in-depth case studies. I think it’s a great idea and something I will certainly consider doing.
Watch this space!…
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon
I have read your report in one go, it was brilliant. I actaully paid if I remember correctly £300 a few years ago for more or less the same info from another source, I just did not have big enough testicles to dive into it, plus had a few BTL projects going on, this might be the right time to have a good look at the subject again.
Lyndon are you still managing to find buyers in this current market?
Many thanks and well done, not just for the report but for the whole blog.
Regards
Valentin
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 17th, 2009 at 9:43 am
Hi Valentin,
I’m glad your testicles have grown! Lol!
The market is improving by the week. Plus the same principal applies – location location location. Quality plots in good locations sell. However, no matter what market we’re in you still need to negotiate a good price with the land owner. The keener you can sell an Option the the easier and quicker it will be. Another thing to consider is the fact that the developer you sell the land/option to will have to obtain planning consent before he completes so you are probably looking at around nine months from now even if you found a plot today.
The majority of people I speak to expect the market to continue to improve throughout 2010 and beyond. Recent news stories about the activities of the big developers seem to support this view.
Many thanks for the compliment on the blog.
Cheers
Lyndon
[Reply]
Great ‘e-book’! As you say with time and effort one can alter their life thru land. What is the success rate like – have you sold every Option or some have expired, why? A case study will be helpful to show the ins & outs of the game.
Thanks for giving all this info for free!
Charles
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 17th, 2009 at 10:05 am
Hi Charles,
Pleased you like the report. I personally haven’t had any Options expire before I was able to sell them. However, I did buy a site at the peak of the market in 2007 which I took a calculated risk on…
Everything went well initially and I obtained planning consent (even though it was zoned for employment use) and agreed a sale as planned with a top five UK house builder, but the sale fell through just as the market began to collapse. So the deal went sour in the end and I gave the land back to the bank. However, I actually bought the site as opposed to just getting an Option so I was exposed. Had the market not collapsed (along with the sale) the site would have made well over £1 million profit. The collapse caught hundreds of developers out as it was so sudden and there is no-one in this game that hasn’t been affected by it. But you learn from your mistakes and move on. That was my only land deal that didn’t go as planned but had I just used an Option it would have been fine. That said, I still sometimes buy sites unconditionally to sell on as well as conditionally via an option. It just depends on the deal/site.
Cheers
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon
I was very impressed with your report, firstly because as others have noted , it is free and that in present circumstances, is rare and shows that you are keen to put something back without any strings. Secondly it is timely and achieves an excellent balance. My only reservation is that in places the technical side would benefit from a little more explanation. Congratulations.
Regards
John
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 17th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Hi John,
Thanks for your kind words. We are getting close to a plan that will address the issues on the technical side of things.
Watch this space!
Cheers
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon
after my original post above, i have a couple of questions if i may.
1. Option contracts, have you got standard copies we could copy, or buy.
2. Once i have located a plot, and done the d d , i send the land owner a letter. Have you got a standard letter you send
and would you agree that now is a very good time to start finding land on options, as it will probably take 6 – 12 mths for the first deal to come to a sale, and in that time the market will hopefully be a lot stronger.
thanks
Karl
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 17th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Hi Karl,
As I mentioned in the report, Option contracts can vary considerably according to what you are aiming to achieve. I always recommend using a solicitor for these though I did include a link in the report to a company that offers various types for sale. As for the land owner letters, again I tend to use two or three different ones and I’m am in the process of creating a system that will make them all available, along with an Option agreement to those who need them. I will issue full details shortly
Cheers
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon
I feel a course, an e-pack, a detailed e-report, coaching/mentoring subscription service or seminars…coming on!
It’s in the air….our appetites have been wetted…It has to! It was great the way you got us all hooked with the freebie report though!!!
…and once again, as we examine the details and nitty gritty, we find that we WILL have to shell out a few bob to get anything of substance to happen!!!
rgds V
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 20th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Hi Vince,
From the emails that are pouring into my inbox it’s clear there’s demand for additional resources and assistance to help people apply their new-found knowledge out ‘in the field’. I’m currently looking into ways I may be able to help.
However, I worked really hard to make the Land Finder Fortunes an in- depth, comprehensive guide to land finding, enabling anyone to go out there, implement the techniques I describe and generate life changing profits. It would have been impossible for me cover every eventuality within the confines of a downloadable report, after all every piece of land and every deal is different. But now that they are armed with the theory behind the System, I hope people will utilise the various online resources – or turn to professionals such as estate agents, architects and planning consultants – to find answers to any specific queries relating to individual sites and deals.
As I say, I’m in the process of deciding how best I can help those people who feel additional resources, assistance and support would be beneficial. As soon as I’ve figured out a plan of action, I’ll let you know!
Cheers,
Lyndon
[Reply]
Vince
I know where you are coming from with the hook, BUT, i do think you are being slightly unfair with your carefully worded comments. There is nothing to stop you, me or anyone else going out there and implementing the things and making profits, Lyndon has outlined in the report.
But if you want a detailed step by step of the in’s and out’s, then surely you would expect to pay something for it. Im sure Lyndon would love to help everyone make a fortune and not earn money for himself, but we are all in business to make money as well as help.
Lyndon, are you going to offer anything different from other people offering land opportunity products?
thanks
Karl
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 24th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Hi Karl,
Thanks for the comments.
My intention for the Land Finder Fortunes report was to introduce people to the concept of sourcing and trading development land, allowing them to generate regular life-changing profits. It was also designed to demonstrate how it’s possible to structure a deal in a way that requires minimum cash input via the use of Option Agreements. The report is comprehensive and – as you say – enables the reader to get out there and put the system into practice without further instruction.
However, there’s obviously a lot of further detail that would have been impractical for me to include. I thought it would have been overwhelming for a beginner. After all, too much information can be daunting.
It’s now become clear – from the many comments and emails I’ve received from people who’ve read the report – which areas require more explanation. What I’m working on at the moment (round the clock!) is a platform which will enable me to cover the process and system in much more detail than ever… where people will have the opportunity to ask direct questions about their issues and queries. I think you will find it really exciting and I will be revealing more very soon… just as soon as I’ve managed to confirm our plans.
I can’t comment on the other land finding opportunity products out there as I’ve not tried them. I’ve read Mike Bloxham’s Land Pro System which is a great product (although it costs around £300!). In my opinion it offers little beyond what is provided in my FREE Land Finder Fortunes Report. After all, the use of Options to secure land in the way I describe has been around for decades. However, few people – apart from a select band of industry professionals – are aware of this process. I hope my report introduces these techniques to a much wider audience. My report is based on these industry secrets, plus my own experiences and successes in the field of land trading.
My team and I are working flat out to provide the additional support and resources you guys are demanding. I will reveal all soon. Watch this space!
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon,
Great report. I read it in one go and found it fascinating as a way of getting into the property market without the hassle of purchasing property direct and the costs involved. My Wife was very reluctant to let me have a go at getting into the BTL market a few years back and even more so now, so this could be the ideal opportunity to keep her sweet
After doing some research on this topic I couldn’t help being amused by the “exchange of views” being touted on a particular forum between yourself, Trevor from LPA and Mike Bloxam also giving his contribution. You’ll obviously say your methods are best, but in reality are there any significant differences with the methods used?
Kind Regards.
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
December 6th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Hey Neil,
I never thought my report would act as a ‘marital aid’… hope it helps you to keep the peace!
Unlike BTL, land finding doesn’t demand a huge financial outlay so as long as you follow the steps I outline in the report, you don’t have to risk much capital… if any.
I wouldn’t say that my methods are necessarily the ‘best’… they’re based on fairly common practices within the land finding industry which have been around for some time. However, I’ve adapted and refined my methods over the years so, basically, my aim is to introduce these industry ’secrets’ to a wider audience whilst also bringing to the table the benefit of my personal experiences over the last 10 – 15 years.
I would imagine that – broadly speaking – Trevor, Mike and others all cover similar techniques but, like myself, are bound to add their own personal take to the proceedings.
Good luck with the land finding.
Lyndon
[Reply]
I and my associates have been working in various aspects of property sales, construction and engineering for a number of years and are now developing residential property with the aim of becoming one of the south’s largest developers. We have just recently started to use the methods described in your report, and I believe that you have published for free what many people would pay a good deal to know. I have been using a lot of the resources you mention to assess sites and to identify plans that may be under-developed of the site (those already on the market!). You have managed to simplify and add to the processes that we go through to help maximise our productivity – thank you. I would add that in Hampshire and Surrey, there are a number of companies and individuals who have been getting options for years; finding those who have not been approached is hard… But you get out what you put in, don’t read this guide and think you will be successful overnight (as you well point out!)
An excellent guide, I am recommeding it and have already distributed the link and copies to my colleagues and Directors. Excellent work Lyndon.
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
November 30th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Hi Chris,
Really pleased you like the report. As with most things in life you get out what you put in. With land finding though, the rewards can be significant from a single deal. However, if you then choose to develop the land you have sourced yourself then you can leverage your return even more with added development profits. This is something I’ve also been doing for years and something I intend to write about more in the near future.
Regards
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon,
Thank you very much for a great free report, I really appreciate it and passing your website to my friend who is also interested in land trading.
Best wishes
HM
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon,thanks for your “very detailed”report,congrats on supplying people with an informative tool to potentially change their lives.I said to my wife last week i should be prospecting for ourselves,you see i’m chairman of planning on a town council!!Difficult one as i give up so much of my time and expertise voluntarily to help other people obtain consents for “reasonable”developments in our town! Perhaps i should do this in other areas outside my remit!! please excuse me for the annon.name.i’m sure you understand why.
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
December 3rd, 2009 at 9:07 am
Hi,
Yes I fully understand why! I have had a great deal of experience – sometimes painful! at Planning Committee meetings. I don’t suppose there’s anything to stop you looking out side the borough though as you say.
Best wishes
Lyndon
[Reply]
Thanks Lyndon
Excellent report! As already advised I have some experience of site appraisals, option agreements and the planning process, but this not only fills alot of gaps it goes further by giving me the incentive & focus to use my knowledge more effectively (for my benefit instead of making other people rich!) – well done & keep it coming. I for one don’t mind if this evolves into a money making service for you – well deserved.
I have spent the day downloading and visiting sites, identifying some possibilities and getting title docs from the Land Reg. I now need to hold myself back and concentrate on presentation/website/negotiating skills and liasing with contacts in the industry that I already have to ensure I don’t run before I can walk. I look forward to further info & tips.
I do have some issue about the valuations. I would quite expect any Landowner to go and get alternative valuations – who wouldn’t? And as soon as an Agent hears what’s on the table they will undoubtedly say they can find a developer to pay more or do a better deal, so being the first through the door and putting the idea into the Landowner’s head surely just makes you more vulnerable??? I know you say it works for you but if you’re putting in below market value offers then how can you avoid being out manoevered? I can see me offering too much at the start to keep the deal open.
Jo
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
December 3rd, 2009 at 9:28 am
Hi Jo,
Really pleased you like the report and that you’ve got stuck in straight away. You make some valid points about the valuation. Whether or not the land owner seeks an alternative valuation often depends on the type of land he is selling. Home owners selling a part of the garden will often deal direct and not necessarily seek advice else where. Business owners are perhaps more likely to seek advice from friends or colleagues or an agent. However, even if they do it doesn’t mean that your offer will be declined. “valuations” are only a guide at the end of the day and when a land owner is faced with a real offer from you, even if it is below their expectation, it will often be accepted. As I say in the report, negotiation is everything in the property game. Also consider this, one of my most profitable land deals (over 300k) came from a site that was actually on the market with a chartered surveyor agency. They hadn’t spotted the potential. Another profitable deal I did was where the land owner did seek advice from an agent. I offered 300k initially, he sought advice and so I had to increase my offer to 400k. I was then about to exchange contracts and his solicitor interfered and so I had to increase the offer to 465k. The deal went through and I sold the land soon after for 625k so it was still very profitable. I knew the real value of the land as I knew what it would accommodate where as the agent who advised the owner was just going off a price per acre. He didn’t have an architect feasibility to put a value against. Thorough due diligence and negotiation are crucial – especially on the larger sites where there is more scope for schemes to differ.
Hope this helps
Best wishes
Lyndon
[Reply]
Thanks again Lyndon for your invaluable help. Today I have registered domain names, email addresses & designed letterheads/business cards. I am in discussions with several useful partners and hope to be up & running very soon. I am still watching out for your updates and hope to hear how other customers get on.
Jo
[Reply]
Lyndon can you give us a rough idea of how many positive responses you get when ‘cold calling’ or sending initial contact letters out to Landowners eg 1 in 10 or 4 in 10.
Just as an aside, I am kicking myself here. Ten years ago I advised a someone to do exactly what you are recommending in your report with some land that he had an option on. After obtaining planning permission he could have sold 55 plots for 4-5 times what he bought them for – to another Developer making himself over £1.5m profit. He wanted ‘the joy’ of doing the build himself. It was a long hard rocky journey and is infact a very nice development now but I don’t think he made as much profit.
The penny didn’t drop then that there was an opportunity for me to pursue which does make me wonder if I have the right business head now!!!
Jo
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
December 6th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Hey Jo,
You seem to me like you have the right business head as you’ve obviously had a lot of experience in different areas of the property game. For those who are willing to put the effort in, the rewards can be substantial as you can see from my deals. But as with anything you have to put the effort in and apply the principals to get the reward.
As for your friend, it sounds like he could have took the profit from the land and walked away without the hassle of the build which is very tempting. I still do both as when I choose to develop the land instead of selling on, I then get the development profit too. So maximising the return on the deal which I’ve put a lot of effort into sourcing. So when I choose to develop a site that I’ve secured below market value, it just means I have to wait longer before I get the profit from the land element. It just depends on the deal I suppose.
I normally get around 20% response from my canvass letters.
Cheers
Lyndon
[Reply]
Thanks Lyndon. I have started sending out a few letters but wanted to take it slowly at first, that’s why I asked what response you get. I would prefer to deal with just one or two responses before I do a large number of letters to see how it goes. I may then have to improve/amend my letters with experience.
Jo
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon,
I found “Land Finder Fortunes” inspiring, motivating, very informative and practical. The report is written in an easy to read style and appeared to speak to me and my present circumstances directly. I will do my best to do it justice and thank you for the opportunity.
Thank you!
Gerry
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
December 13th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Hi Gerry,
Really pleased you like the report and sincerely hope you put the techniques described within it to good use.
Cheers
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon
For somebody who may be doing this for the first time i have a question, There is a boarded up pub near where i live on quite a large plot of land with a to let sign outside, would this be worth doing or in your opinion start with smaller plots until you gain more experience.
Kind regards
Rob.
Ps. Do you do JVs
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Hi Robert,
Pubs can be worth looking at, certainly. I have profited from them in the past. There are tons of them on the market at the moment though as the breweries aim to balance the books. All the recent deals that I’ve tried to do with pubs have been refused as they were insistent on selling them unconditionally. Ie not subject to planning via Option or conditional contract. It may well be worth canvassing the owner but I suspect if it is a brewery they may not be interested in conditional deal. However, if you have the funds to buy unconditionally then it could be very profitable if you secure at good price and then obtain planning/sell on. Thorough due dilligence is needed either way as this carries much more risk.
Cheers
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon
Thanks for the reply, about 4 doors down is a house with a very large overgrown piece of land attached to it, i might give that a go.
Kind regards
Rob.
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
December 16th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
HI Robert,
If its in a rural area make sure you check the designation on the UDP/local plan as could be green belt
Cheers
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon
Is there a way of getting an updated version of google earth, the 1 i have is at least 3/4yrs out of date.
Cheers
Rob
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
December 18th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Hi Robert,
If its the images you mean that are out of date then I’m afraid there’s little you can do about it. However, Google Earth version 5 is the latest I think and it has many more features than earlier versions.
Bing maps – Birds eye view has more recent images but doesn’t provide nationwide coverage.
Cheers
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon
Both google and bing are out of date, in my earlier question about the pub, on google and bing it shows a cleared site ready for a housing estate, that housing estate was completed around 2yrs ago, if we are to use these maps to search for land were not really going to get what we want, are there any other suggestions you have.
Regards
Rob
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon
Thanks for the very informative, clear and motivational “Land Finder Fortunes” report.
I found it easy to read, and land finding in particular is something that I have been interested in for years.
Thanks to you I have already identified about 14 possible sites all within a 5 mile radius of my home, I just need to do my DD and full laptop appraisals and hopefully will be visiting sites very soon.
Thanks again,
James
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
December 27th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Hi James,
great news and good luck with the sites. Let me know how you get on
All the best for the New Year
Best wishes
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon – And Yes what a great report – Enough to get someone motivated to make a real go of it –
You have the experience and the knowledge, and you are sharing this with us…
As with all opportunities, everyone needs persistent pushes, this blog helps tremendously.
There is enough land out there, so we are not treading on anyone’s toes. This can potentially, take you from “Investor” to “developer” quite quickly, what with the house market and lending criteria as it is – Huge amounts of money can be made:
This should be treated as a real business, and to include, Research, Business plans etc… One deal every six months, should be possible and will make you financially very comfortable. <<>>>
Lyndon, finding prime sites that tick all the boxes, seems straightforward…. But getting a real buyer/developer to take over seems tricky and was not fully detailed and explained on the report – I would love to learn more at this stage.
I have great contacts, since being a property investors for the past 10years, getting the land and selling it on, is very appealing to me.
I look forward to your next report – Part 2 !!! – Coming soon , i hope……
Last word of advice to all you who are thinking of sourcing land –
If you dont make a million, someone down the road will, and you will be kicking yourself for been slow of the mark……
Thanks
AA
PS – Happy Christmas>>>>>>>>>
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
December 27th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
HI Ahmed,
It’s nice to hear you like the report and are motivated to get stuck in immediately. I also agree that it is a business and setting yourself a target of two deals per year is a great place to start. The market for buyers of your deals ie developers is improving all the time and I expect it to continue to do so.
Good luck, let me know how you get on and all the best for the New Year
Cheers
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon
I have come across 3 sites today but as im not experienced enough yet i would value your opinion, No1 was a former brewery, its 12.65 acres with outline planning, now im not going to do anything with this, but i am wondering how much this site would sell for.
No2, A car park which is across the road from the above mentioned brewery and has o/p for 6 residential dwellings.
No3, A plot of land between a block of apartments and a commercial building approx 145sq metres.
The first 2 are up for sale with a well known agent and the 3rd is contact by mobile.
Kind Regards
Robert
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
December 30th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Hi Robert,
If you’ve read my report you will know that I recommend land finders follow my tactic of concentrating on sites which are “off market” and which do not currently benefit from planning consent.
The system I describe in the report relies on the fact that the value of land increases once relevant planning consent is granted. The basic principal is to Option a site at a rate as close to current market value as possible (i.e. its value without planning) and then sell that Option to a developer at a higher value (subject to them obtaining planning permission).
If the land owner has already obtained planning consent and placed the site on the market, then he will know how much his land is worth as a development site. You, as a land finder, have very little to offer him. Plus, if it’s being marketed by a commercial agent, they will already have touted the site around most of the local developers.
I’m sure you will have a lot more success with smaller plots for one or two units. Concentrate on sites which are currently off market and which do not have planning permission and you stand a much greater chance of returning relatively easy and substantial profits.
[Reply]
Robert Mulholland Reply:
December 30th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
Hi Lyndon
I have downloaded your land finders report and understand what you are saying, i was just looking for your knowledge on how much these sites would be worth,i think the 3rd site i mentioned is probably one worth having a look at as it wasnt advertised with an agent, it just has a private number,thanks for the reply.
Kind regards
Robert.
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
January 6th, 2010 at 11:17 am
Hi Robert,
It’s not possible for me to appraise any piece of land from a one sentence description – “A plot of land between a block of apartments and a commercial building approx 145sq metres”. if you’ve read the report you will know that there is a detailed process to go through in order to know whether you have a potential project or not. You need to apply the principals and processes outlined in the report and then come to a conclusion thereafter.
One you’ve you done this an you have a potential deal I don’t mind looking at it for you and giving my opinion.
Let me know how you get on
Cheers
Lyndon
Hi Lyndon, Just wanted to thank you, loved the report and very excited about it. I have had some experience in property investing mainly btl. But always looking for other opportunities . You say that this can be done in England, Scotland and Wales. What about N I reland what are your thoughts in relation to this. I know that some of builders are currently over exposed at moment but im sure if i were to package somthing of value {a land option} there would be sombody for it ?
Any thoughts?
Thanks Again Sean
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
January 6th, 2010 at 10:58 am
Hi Sean,
I haven’t had any experience in Northern Ireland and would need to check out the planning system more closely but I don’t anticipate there being any issues. However, the principal of what we do applies everywhere, in that you secure something below market value which you can then sell on for a higher price. The Construction house building industry is depressed everywhere compared to the heady days of 2007. However, it is improving along with the economy in general and I expect it will continues to do so. This presents us with better prospects going forward, especially as the land you Option now can be a 12 month process before sale when the market will have improved further. If you source land at the right price there will always be opportunity for profit.
Cheers
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon,
Very impressed with the report, i feel inspired. I’m only 22 years old and fear I may not be taken seriously in this field, do you have any advice for me? I was also wondering how to avoid the problem of the land owner seeking out a valuation after you have approached them, and then going directly to a developer to cut out the middle man?
Thanks
James
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
January 21st, 2010 at 10:05 am
Hi James,
My advice would be to get out there and give it a go. If you don’t try, you don’t succeed in anything. I’m 36 and never had a job interview as I’ve never worked for anyone else. I was 21 when I started my first business and whilst apprehensive, just got out there and gave it a go. It may help if that when you approach the land owners, you do so as an employee of a company rather than the actual decision maker. That way you can say “you will have to check with your boss and come back to them” when faced with perhaps more difficult “on the spot” questions. This method of approach can sometimes make it easier to negotiate.
Land owners may well seek out a valuation but there a many ways you can give the illusion that your offer is competitive. For instance the land owner may not know what scheme you propose for the land. He may think you are proposing two houses when in fact it can accommodate 3. I go into much more detail about this and many other negotiation techniques on the Masterclass Course and list many example canvass and offer letters to use. So if you are serious about this business it would certainly benefit you to join us. Having said that, if you following the steps and apply the principles in the report with persistence you should succeed
Cheers
Lyndon
[Reply]
hi,
the report is excellent. in plain, non-techical english, it lays out clearly the whole process of acquiring land and selling it for a good profit.
i use a wheelchair, and find that this style of property business can be done without too much physical effort, such as constantly trawling the streets.
thank you for this.
don
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
January 21st, 2010 at 9:48 am
Hey Don,
Really pleased you like the report and agree with your comments. The internet has certainly improved on the old methods of sourcing and appraising development land opportunities. Good luck!
Lyndon
[Reply]
Thanks so much for the Report. I’t’s absolutely mind-blowing and I am going to give it a go myself. What I like about you is that you are quite open which gives me a sense of trust and being you are actively using the strategy, amongst others, makes me believe that you are not someone who may have read about it and then starts selling ebooks about it ;0).
I would like to keep in touch as I am sure that once I get into it I will have some questions.
Thanks Lyndon – your such an inspiration
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
February 9th, 2010 at 9:16 pm
HI There,
please do keep in touch and feel free to to back with any queries
Regards
Lyndon
[Reply]
The free report is good as previously I only saw reports that money was required for upfront. In this blog you talk of releasing further information and more explanation on the technical side. Has this happened? Examples of letters sent to landowners would be helpful to see how you attempt to persuade them.
I see the biggest problem is building up contacts that will take you seriously if they are receiving calls from others like us all the time.
Thanks Lyndon for putting this out there.
I am in Hampshire and someone commented that the market was probably somewhat saturated – is that true in your opinion?
Mike
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
February 9th, 2010 at 9:23 pm
Hi Mike,
Glad you like the report. As long as there’s demand for homes there will be demand for development land and thus opportunity for us as land finders to make great profits. I will be the first to admit that the market has been slow for the last two years but has now started to recover. We run a Land Finder Masterclass course which provides much more detail and resources and many example letters to land owners. I don’t think you will have a problem building up contacts though provided you follow the guidance laid down in the report.
Happy to help
Lyndon
[Reply]
hi Lyndon,
i need some help if possible please – i’ve been offered £180,000 for a piece of land and the back of my property but this seems quite low. the same developer bought the land next to mine 2 years ago ( i don’t know what he paid – he says the same!) he put 4 houses on the land and they sold for an average of £210,000.
since then house prices in the area is on the up due to new links into london.
is the developer trying it on, what realistic price should i be getting for the land?
any help in this matter would be great
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
February 9th, 2010 at 9:29 pm
HI Alison,
Send me the details of the land and I will take a look for you? Many developers are offering around 20 -25% of GDV at the moment so it depends on what the houses are now worth. Have you thought of developing the land yourself? you could potentially double the amount of money the developer is offering you?
Email me or feel free to give me a call at the office 0845 371 2557 and I discuss this in more detail with you.
Regards
Lyndon
[Reply]
Lyndon, the report is very well constructed. I have recently trained in lease options for BTL property so I understand the concept. I am also developing a site where I obtained planning (but it took 5 years)! and would like to do it again but hopefully it will not take as long next time. As land/planning can be very complex, the use of options fits very well and can allow potentially so many more opportunities to arise. Many thanks.
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon,
I’ve just finished reading your Landfinder Fortunes report, which is absolutely brilliant – quite inspirational! Now I have a couple of questions about the LanfFinder Masterclass that I’ve been emailed about ……
1. Do you have any testimonials from people who have already been using your system?
2. Is the Masterclass entirely web-based, or will I be sent any paper books/notes etc?
3. Is it possible to receive everything in one go rather than spreading it out over 8 weeks?
Thanks in advance,
Philip
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
February 22nd, 2010 at 10:23 am
Hi Philip,
Glad you like the report and find it inspirational.
I don’t have any testimonials about the Masterclass at this stage as the first members have only recently completed the course and the nature of what we do means that it’s impossible to complete a deal so quickly. However, the response so far to the content of the course and the feed back we get on the conference calls has been overwhelmingly positive.
The course is entirely web based but you can obviously choose to print off the modules and the various bonuses if you prefer.
I will have a word with my IT guys about “fast tracking” the release of the content if you decide to join us.
Hope this helps
Cheers
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hello Lyndon,
Well I set up my website intending to act as a land agent and pass leads on to someone else but with the information you are giving away it is possible to do it all for yourself.
True it is more pains-taking but the rewards are better.
I am running another business selling overseas property as an agent so this has to be a part time job for now.
I have taken the plunge and I am doing a land title search for some local land.
I am not bothered about the outcome just proving to myself that I can follow the instructions.
Thanks,
Alex
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon
Thanks for the excellent free report, which is well informed. I have worked as a specialist broker in property development finance in a big way (up until 18mths ago!) and have long been considering land sourcing as an added service to my many developer clients. My main issue with your system is when you approach a landowner with a view to securing an option on it, they will invariably consult an estate agent/land agent/surveyor/solicitor – who will always advise the landowner to insist on a contractual development/uplift/overage clause – which makes your option worthless to sell on to a developer as you have not added any value to the site. If you can convince me otherwise, I’ll join your gang of landfinders!
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
March 13th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Hi David,
Really pleased you like the report. The fact that you have experience of valuing sites and dealing with development finance should give you a really good head start in this game. You make some valid points about land owners seeking a 2nd opinion on value. Whether or not the land owner seeks an alternative valuation often depends on the type of land he is selling. Home owners selling a part of the garden will often deal direct and not necessarily seek advice else where. Business owners are perhaps more likely to seek advice from friends or colleagues or an agent. However, even if they do it doesn’t mean that your offer will be declined or they will insist on an overage clause. In fact I have only once entered into an agreement with the land owner where the purchase price was dependent on the number of units. And that was because it was impossible to know the number of units at the outset as it would depend on tricky negotiations with planners. So I can assure you that overage clauses haven’t really come into the equation for me and if they did I would just go elsewhere. As for “valuations”, they are only a guide at the end of the day and when a land owner is faced with a REAL offer from you, even if it is below their expectation, it will often be accepted. As I say in the report, negotiation is everything in the property game. Also consider this, one of my most profitable land deals (over 300k) came from a site that was actually on the market with a chartered surveyor agency. They hadn’t spotted the potential. Another profitable deal I did was where the land owner did seek advice from an agent. I offered 300k initially, he sought advice and so I had to increase my offer to 400k. I was then about to exchange contracts and his solicitor interfered and so I had to increase the offer to 465k. The deal went through and I sold the land soon after for 625k so it was still very profitable (160k). I knew the real value of the land as I knew what it would accommodate (as I had carried out thorough due diligence) where as the agent who advised the owner was just going off a price per acre. He didn’t have an architect feasibility to put a value against. Thorough due diligence and negotiation are crucial – especially on the larger sites where there is more scope for schemes to differ.
When I put a deal to a land owner. That’s the deal based in my due diligence. I’m offering them a one stop, hassle free solution to sell their land with the benefit of valuable planning dealing only with me. The price I offer and negotiate to buy the land for will obviously include a healthy profit margin. I’m offering to get the planning. I tend not to go into minute detail about my scheme and if I do I give reason why it will be less valuable as part of the negotiation process. So I don’t tie my price to a particular scheme and never had.
Cheers
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lydon
Ok really good to read your report and I waisted no time in getting out there and looking.
Found a good site but with two houses on, They look old and run down with a few tramps living there.Now what do I do.?
I feel a bit sheepish to just go and bang on the doors and ask do you want to sell.?
Help Please
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon,
I have just finished studying your “Land Finder Fortunes” manual (including investigating the various websites and resources that you mentioned) and like most people above, I would like to compliment and thank you for an excellent document. This is something that I am very keen to try and your answers to some of the queries above have helped even more, as they addressed some queries I had. However, I have 5 other questions, for which I’d be very grateful for an answer:
1. I can imagine a situation where a landowner makes the point that for the duration of the option period (12 to 18 months), the option prevents him from selling his property, in the event of say him having a family emergency and therefore, he wants a lot more than the negligible fee of say £1 for that risk. What would you suggest for such a situation, apart from the obvious one of offering substantially more money, which would then put a more significant risk on me?
2. Is it necessary to state in the option agreement with the landowner, that the agreement is subject to planning permission? My thinking is that it is best to leave this out and if planning is not obtained, then I can simply let the option lapse. Whereas, if it is included, it could just be something for the landowner to latch on to in a negative way. For example, it could highlight to the landowner that he may be going through a process which he could see as bothersome, for potentially no reward, if permission is not granted. And / or, it could highlight to him that he could apply for planning permission himself. I can of course see the need and benefit of mentioning in the Purchase Option Agreement with the developer, that the agreement is subject to planning permission.
3. If we are unsure about the proximity and therefore cost of such things as utility and sewer connections, can we make the offer price in the option agreement subject to these costs being clarified?
4. On page 46 you give an indicative cost of land, is this with or without planning permission?
5. At completion, does the money due to the landowner goes directly from the developer to the landowner / his solicitor, or does it go via my solicitor?
Many thanks again for the document and for producing this blog.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Regards,
Patrick
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
May 18th, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Hi Patrick,
Glad you like the report and I will briefly answer your questions below.
1. I always argue to the landowner that my real investment into the deal isn’t the £1. In fact I don’t even mention the figure – I just leave it to my solicitor to pay this. investment is the cost of the planning application and all that goes with it which I argue (exaggerate!) can cost many thousands of pounds – which is ultimately what will increase the value of his site whether I buy it or not. So this investment is the real sum I’m paying. 99 times out of 100 this works.
2. It isn’t necessary to state that you will obtain planning permission in the Option. That is the case when you enter a conditional contract – subject to planning permission. It si best left out as you say.
Developers who the option is sold to must be obliged to apply for planning permission and also pay you a deposit to ensure they do.
3. Yes you can make any caveats to the offer that you see fit. Though a search with the service provider carried out by your solicitor would confirm proximity.
4. page 46 figures are with the benefit of planning consent.
5. It generally will go via your solicitor, but your solicitor will be in contact with both the developer solicitor and the land owner solicitor so they can agree between them.
Hope this helps
Cheers
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon
Have read your report but have a question.
If I found some land and approached the owner,and they were willing to sell
I would think they would want the money fairly quickly,not sign a lease option
for £1.00 for 12 to 18 months before they realise any cash,what would make them want to do this I dont see the benefit to them.
Thanks
Paul
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
May 24th, 2010 at 1:52 pm
HI Paul,
If the land owner wants to realise a price for his land way over and above it’s current value then he is going have to wait until you have increased it’s value by obtaining planning permission to develop the land. I’m not sure what the existing use of the land in question is but we make money by Optioning the land at one price, then we increase its value through planning permission (or get a developer to do it), and then sell that land or control of that land on after its value has been increased. For instance a plot that currently forms part of a garden may be worth just a few thousand pounds today. However, with planning consent to build a detached house on there it could be worth 200k or more. Clearly you wouldn’t want to pay 200k or more until planning permission has been granted. So the land owner will have to wait until then.
Hope this helps
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon
Thanks for your great report and for sharing your knowledge and expertise. Would I be right in thinking that because we’re dealing with Options and not ownership, there are no capital gains tax liabilities? Also, is VAT relevant here?
Many thanks
Ali
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
June 9th, 2010 at 4:00 pm
Hi Ali,
Pleased you like the report. I would recommend you consult your accountant re Tax & VAT advice as we all have different circumstances. However, you are correct is saying that when you sell on an option it doesn’t incur a capital gains tax liability.
Regards
Lyndon
[Reply]
Hi Lyndon
This question isnt relevant to your land finder but you might be able to help me, i have located a property that has been empty for approx 10-12yrs now, i have tried land registry and they have no details of ownership, tried local authority and they cant help, do you know of any other avenues i can use to locate the owners.
Kind Regards
Robert Mulholland
[Reply]
Lyndon Forshaw Reply:
August 12th, 2010 at 2:59 pm
HI Robert,
We ask as many of the neighbours as possible in such instances. It usually does the trick.
Regards
Lyndon
[Reply]
Many thanks for the free ebook Lyndon, as a complete n00b to property it is heartening to see people like yourself giving away this kind of information for free!
Having read through the whole ebook it is quite an eye opener to realise that I actually understood the whole process.
Having looked around where I live on Google maps I have already seen 2 potential sites, I also looked around a town I used to live in as a kid and I found some places that could have potential too!
Thanks again and keep up the fantastic blog!
Cheers
Mike
[Reply]