September 30, 2010 was a landmark day for those in the rural land business. Over 250 land professionals gathered in Atlanta to discuss the current rural land market at the first-ever LANDTHINK Summit.
Industry experts shared insights on a variety of land-related topics ranging from the opportunity to purchase deeply-discounted developed lots in metropolitan areas to evaluating potential timberland acquisitions of 15,000+ acres.
One of the main questions on the minds of the attendees and a topic addressed by most presenters was whether the rural real estate market and the American economy in general, have reached the bottom of the economic downturn. Ryan Folk, founder & CEO of LANDTHINK.com and LANDFLIP.com, presented the results of the LANDTHINK Land Market Survey which polled over 860 land professionals and land buyers as to their thoughts about the land market and the state of the economy. The general consensus from the experts and those responding to the survey is “we are not certain we are at the bottom”. Even given the uncertainty of the American economy, one thing all experts agreed upon is that land is generally a stable investment and there are currently opportunities to make money by purchasing the right property.
In addition to the informative presentations, conference participants enjoyed great food and spent time rubbing elbows with land professionals from 15 states. During breaks and lunch, brokers and agents were working hard for their clients trying to match buyers with properties. Throughout the Summit several items and a trip were auctioned to raise money for St. Jude’s Hospital.
The highlight of the day was the presentation by legendary football coach Bobby Bowden. Coach shared some inspirational thoughts about what it takes to be successful in life and in business. He masterfully related football stories and illuminated the important principles “his boys” learned and how those same lessons are applicable off the field.
Most participants believe the event was a wise investment and there is a buzz of enthusiasm about what the LANDTHINK team has in store for us next year. A big thanks goes out to all of the sponsors, presenters, and participants that came together to make the LANDTHINK Summit 2010 a huge success.
Stay tuned for more post Summit highlights over the coming days and weeks.
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HOW WAS THIS SUMMIT ADVERTISED? I’VE BEEN A LAND AND COMMERCIAL BROKER IN METRO ATLANTA FOR PAST 25 YEARS…AND KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE SUMMIT.
Great synopsis, Jonathan. Best investment of my time at a conference…ever.
The Summit was advertised on this website and by direct email marketing for months. There were lots of Atlanta brokers and professionals there. Be sure to be looking for next year’s dates. It’s worth your time if you deal in rural land. There were commercial brokers in attendance, but I think there was more info for rural land brokers…but that’s just my opinion. GA licensee’s are getting CE for attendance.