“Don’t wait to buy real estate. Buy real estate and wait.” – Will Rogers
I see this phrase often, so I asked ChatGPT where it came from. Here’s the response:
“This timeless piece of wisdom from Will Rogers may not have an exact backstory, but its relevance remains as strong as ever. Rogers, known for his wit and sharp observations, often emphasized the enduring value of real estate, famously quipping, ‘Buy land—they’re not making it anymore.’”
As a real estate broker and investor since 1999, I’ve seen both statements play out time and again. They’ve become a cornerstone of my own approach to building wealth—something I call the Wealth-Building Pyramid.
Here’s how it works:
Primary Asset – Land:
Under all is the land. Land and the resources it provides—housing, agriculture, minerals—form the foundation of true wealth. The wealthiest individuals, like Bill Gates, Ted Turner, and John Malone, are some of the largest landowners for a reason.
Secondary Asset – Business Creation:
Use land as a springboard to build businesses that generate cash flow—like farming, housing, data centers, or even extracting minerals. Land is always the starting point for these opportunities.
Tertiary Asset – Paper:
Once wealth is built through land and business, the ultra-wealthy leverage these assets to create paper assets, like stocks. These “worthless” pieces of paper are then sold to the masses through 401(k)s and other paper vehicles, driving up valuations and creating more wealth for the original owners.
The key lesson? Real estate’s reliability as a primary asset ensures your portfolio has a stable foundation of lasting wealth. It’s more than an investment—it’s a long-term strategy for financial security and legacy-building.
If you’re considering your next step in real estate, ask yourself:
How you are laying the groundwork today for the wealth and stability of tomorrow?