🏕️ Why I'm Buying UNWANTED Land (And You Should Too)

Most investors look at raw land and see nothing. No house to rent out. No building to generate cash flow. No tenant to collect from. Just dirt, trees, and a county tax bill. That's exactly why Codie Sanchez — Wall Street veteran turned Main Street entrepreneur — is buying it aggressively. In a video that racked up 1.9 million views, she makes the contrarian case that "unwanted" land might be one of the most overlooked wealth-building opportunities available to everyday investors right now.

But this isn't a simple story about buying cheap acreage and getting rich. Codie's honest about the complications — including how she almost got scammed during her own buying process. The real value here is in understanding why this asset is ignored, what you can actually do with it, and how to avoid the traps that catch most beginners.

Why Land Gets Labeled "Unwanted"

Raw land — also called vacant land or unimproved land — sits in a weird middle ground in the investing world. It doesn't fit neatly into the stock market. It lacks the obvious cash-flow narrative of a rental property. It requires vision to see the potential, and most people either don't have that vision or don't want the hassle of developing it.

That's created a real pricing inefficiency. In rural and semi-rural areas across the country, parcels of land sit on the market for months or even years. Heirs sell inherited acreage they've never visited. County tax auctions regularly move properties for pennies on the dollar when owners stop paying taxes and simply walk away. The land isn't worthless — it's just unwanted by the people who currently hold it.

Codie's argument is straightforward: you don't need to be a developer or a farmer to profit from land. You just need to see possibilities where others see problems. And with the rise of alternative hospitality — glamping, unique stays, off-grid retreats — there are more creative uses for raw land than ever before.

What You Can Actually Do With Raw Land

This is where the video gets genuinely practical. Codie taps into the experience of business owners who are generating real income from unusual land uses — not through traditional construction, but through creative, low-overhead models. Some of the most compelling options:

Glamping and Unique Stays

The demand for unique outdoor experiences has exploded since 2020. Platforms like Hipcamp, Glamping Hub, and even Airbnb are full of listings for yurts, canvas tents, A-frame cabins, and converted buses parked on a few acres of private land. Startup costs can be surprisingly low — a quality bell tent or platform-mounted structure can be had for a few thousand dollars — and nightly rates in the right location rival full apartment rents. The key is proximity to a desirable natural area or destination.

RV Parks and Campgrounds

America's RV ownership hit record highs during the pandemic and hasn't looked back. Yet many regions have a real shortage of quality places to park. A cleared parcel with utility hookups and basic amenities can become a cash-flowing campground. This model requires some upfront infrastructure but can be operated semi-passively once established.

Hunting and Recreational Leases

In many parts of the country — particularly the South, Midwest, and rural West — hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts will pay annual lease fees for access to private land. This is about as passive as income gets: you collect lease revenue while the land sits exactly as-is. No tenants. No toilets. No termites.

Solar and Wind Leases

Energy companies are aggressively seeking land for solar arrays and wind installations. If your parcel is in the right grid region, a long-term lease to an energy developer can generate steady, reliable income for decades with zero management on your part. These deals can be highly lucrative but require patience and the right geography.

The Red Flags Codie Almost Missed

Here's where the video gets really valuable, and honest. Codie nearly got burned on a land deal — and she walks through exactly what went wrong and what signs she should have caught earlier. Raw land due diligence is different from residential real estate, and the gaps in knowledge are where scams and bad deals live.

Her realtor Phil Essex breaks down the most common traps:

• Title issues. Raw land is especially prone to clouded titles — competing ownership claims, unreleased liens, heirs who never probated an estate. Always get title insurance and a proper title search before closing. This is non-negotiable.
• Landlocked parcels. A piece of land with no legal road access is nearly worthless. Before you buy, verify that a recorded easement or deeded access road connects the parcel to a public road. Verbal agreements mean nothing.
• Zoning restrictions. What you imagine doing with the land might be completely illegal under local zoning rules. Check the zoning classification and any overlay restrictions before you fall in love with a parcel. Ag-zoned land, protected wetlands, and conservation easements all carry limits that can kill your plans.
• No utilities — and no easy path to get them. Running power, water, or septic to a remote parcel can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Factor this into your purchase price, or stick to models (like tent camping) that don't require utilities at all.
• Flood plains and environmental hazards. A parcel in a FEMA flood zone may be uninsurable, un-buildable, or both. Check FEMA maps. Check for wetland designations. Check for any history of environmental contamination.
• Seller misrepresentation. Online land listings are notoriously inaccurate. Acreage, boundaries, and access descriptions are frequently wrong — sometimes accidentally, sometimes not. Never buy land without visiting it in person or hiring a boots-on-the-ground agent.

Where to Find Cheap Land

The deals Codie finds aren't on Zillow's front page. They come from knowing where motivated sellers concentrate. A few reliable sources:

• County tax auctions. When property owners stop paying taxes, counties eventually auction the land to recover the debt. Prices can be dramatically below market value — sometimes just the back taxes owed. These auctions happen regularly in most counties and are publicly listed.
• Direct mail to owners of record. Pull a list of vacant land parcels from your county assessor's website and mail letters directly to absentee owners. A surprising number of people own land they'd happily sell for a reasonable price — they just never listed it.
• Probate and estate sales. Inherited land is often sold quickly at below-market prices by heirs who don't want the hassle of ongoing ownership. Probate court filings are public records.
• Online land marketplaces. Sites like LandWatch, Land And Farm, and AcreTrader list land specifically. Unlike general real estate platforms, these sites attract motivated sellers and serious buyers — less noise, more signal.

The Financial Case: Why Land, Why Now

Codie frames raw land as an alternative asset for people who want to build wealth outside the traditional stock-and-bond portfolio. A few reasons this argument resonates:

Finite supply. They're not making more land. As population grows and desirable areas fill in, raw land surrounding attractive regions tends to appreciate over time — especially land with development potential or recreational value.

Low competition. Most investors don't know how to evaluate raw land. That means fewer bidders at auctions, less competition for off-market deals, and more room to negotiate. The learning curve that repels most people is your competitive advantage.

Low ongoing costs. Unlike a rental property, raw land doesn't have tenants who call at 2 AM, HVAC systems that break down, or roofs that need replacing. The carrying costs — primarily annual property taxes — are typically very low relative to the asset value.

Flexibility. Land can serve many purposes over time. A parcel you use for camping leases today might be annexed into a growing suburb in ten years. Optionality is built into the asset.

Is Raw Land Right for You?

Codie's honest answer: it depends on your bandwidth and your vision. If you can tolerate a less liquid asset, enjoy doing research, and can spend time visiting properties before buying, raw land can be a genuinely compelling addition to a diversified portfolio. If you want something fully passive with predictable monthly cash flow from day one, this probably isn't your first investment.

The underlying message is classic Codie Sanchez: the best opportunities are often hiding in plain sight, passed over by the majority because they require a little more work to understand. Raw land is ignored by Wall Street, confusing to most retail investors, and deeply unsexy as an asset class. That's exactly the profile of something worth looking at.

As she puts it: the people who say it's impossible should get out of the way of the people doing it.

Disclaimer: This article summarizes educational content from a public YouTube video. It is not financial advice. Consult a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions.