Why Land Investing Beats Rentals in 2025 & 2026
Jan 28, 2026
Discussion of why rising rates, insurance, and taxes are making rentals less attractive. Exploration of land investing’s simplicity, remote operation, and lack of tenant headaches. Comparison of cash-flow economics showing higher returns per dollar with land. Explanation of owner-finance strategies and how defaulted notes can improve returns.
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Rentals Face Rising Hidden Costs
- Rising interest rates, insurance, taxes, and tenant problems are making rentals riskier and costlier in 2025–2026.
- Land investing avoids those variables and offers simpler, lower-stress deals that scale remotely.
Simplicity Enables Remote Investing
- John Burnett highlights two core land strengths: simplicity and true remote operation.
- Land deals remove many variables present in houses, making sourcing and due diligence easier.
Compare Capital-to-Cash-Flow Ratios
- Compare cash-on-cash: small land deals often produce far higher cash flow per dollar than rentals.
- Use capital-to-cash-flow math to scale with many low-cost parcels instead of one expensive rental.
