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My First Million

My First Million

The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.

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Pre-sell real estate development using owned media

Media companies with enthusiast audiences interested in lifestyle real estate

6-12 months for pre-sales validation, 3-7 years for development

What Success Looks Like

$15-30M in pre-sales reservations with deposits, providing proof of concept for development financing

Steps to Execute

1

Identify land that can be arbitraged through audience-specific amenities

2

Purchase land with development potential in target geography

3

Create vision document focused on lifestyle experience not just real estate

4

Test market demand through owned media channels

5

Collect refundable deposits ($20-40K per lot)

6

Use pre-sales to secure development financing

7

Hire experienced development team

8

Execute master-planned community development

Checklist

Land has development potential and proper zoning path
Target audience has demonstrated spending power ($500K+ purchases)
Geographic location accessible to target market
Unique amenity (runway, marina, etc.) provides clear value proposition
Legal structure allows refundable deposits
Development team has relevant experience

Inputs Needed

  • Land acquisition capital ($2-5M)
  • Owned media channel to target audience
  • Development planning expertise
  • Legal structure for deposits

Outputs

  • Pre-sales validation and deposits
  • Development financing capability
  • Master-planned community
  • Recurring revenue from lot sales

Example

“1,500-acre aviation community: Purchased land for $3.6M, advertised to Flying Magazine audience focusing on lifestyle experience, generated 300+ inquiries and $28M in reservations within months”