If you could go back in time fifty years and buy up property/land to eventually reap a large return, you’d want to choose the right location. Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Austin Texas, and the Tri-Valley area in the Bay Area of California would all have been great choices. 50 years ago, the Tri-Valley was all farm land, but now, three acre plots are selling for twenty million dollars due to high-density condos being built. My great uncle owned a huge farm in California which is now known as Carmel-by-the-sea. If I was alive back then, I would have certainly tried to buy his farm. In the 80s, condemned areas of NYC, such as Tribeca, were selling brownstones in Brooklyn and Harlem for only $200. If I had the chance, I’d buy at least fifty of them.
My exe’s father had a similar experience. After returning from WWII, one of his army buddies tried to convince him to join a small group buying about 12,000 acres of beachfront in a small South Carolina community. He made a quick stop there on his way home to Georgia but ultimately gave it a thumbs down. He went on to become a successful business owner, but regretted not buying into Hilton Head.
My grandparents also had a similar experience. In the early 70s, they moved out of crowded San Francisco and bought a nice chunk of land in a quiet little town south of there. That area is now practically Silicon Valley part two, so it was definitely a great decision.
So, if you could go back in time fifty years and buy up property/land, there were several great options. Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Austin Texas, the Tri-Valley area in the Bay Area of California, Tribeca in NYC, and the small South Carolina community near Hilton Head were all excellent choices. My great uncle’s farm, my grandparents’ land south of San Francisco, and the twelve thousand acres of beachfront were also great investments. If you had the chance to buy any of these locations fifty years ago, you’d be looking at a huge return today.