I have been involved in land sales as a Real Estate Broker since 1983, when from an office in Chicago, I became a General Partner in a land syndicate that purchased 40 acres of desert land in a remote, undeveloped area of northwest Tucson. From that day to this, I recognized an uncanny desire on many investors’ parts to own land versus other forms of real estate. I call it the allure of land.
There is something in our DNA that creates a mystique and attracts us to owning this substance that lies underneath all things. A couple of years ago I read an anonymous piece that spoke to this notion. I’ve transcribed the piece below.
Who Am I?
I am the basis of all wealth, the heritage of the wise, the thrifty, and prudent. I am the poor person’s joy and comfort, the rich person’s prize, the right hand of capital, the silent partner of thousands of successful people. I am the solace of the widow, the comfort of old age, the cornerstone of security against misfortune and want. I am handed down through generations, as a possession of great value.
I am the choicest fruit of labor, the safest collateral, and yet I am humble. I stand before every person bidding them to know me for what I am and asking them to possess me. I am quietly growing in value through countless days. Though I might seem dormant, my worth increases, never falling, never ceasing.Time is my aid and the ever increasing population adds to my gain. I defy fire and the elements, for they cannot destroy me. My possessors learn to believe in me and invariably, they become envied by those that have passed me by.
While all other things wither and decay, I alone survive. The centuries find me younger, always increasing in strength. All oil and minerals come from me. I am the producer of food, building materials and the home to every living thing. I serve as the foundation for homes, factories, banks, and stores. I have not been produced for millions of years yet, I am so common that thousands, unthinking and unknowingly pass me by.
Who Am I? I am Land Anonymous
The qord choice and the values espoused in the piece above lead me to believe it was written by an english author, perhaps several hundred years ago. It would be interesting to know. Nevertheless, the wide ranging appeal of owning land is expressed clearly and still rings true today; the appeal to rich and poor, the safety and security over time, the indestructibility and survivability factor, the building block of so many things, the simplicity and the intrinsic value that lasts into the future. It is the allure of land to which this anonymous letter speaks. An allure that I share personally with my clients, and one that will remain unchanged for many generations to come.
