What are billionaires up to buying farmland?

[marylander1940]

OP note: Obviously we wouldn't be able to buy as much as they do or see big returns when it comes to renting it to farmers, developing it, water and mineral resources, etc. but would you buy in order to diversify and leave it to your heirs? 

Spilling Bill’s beans: Tech billionaire spent $113 million on Nebraska farmland - Investigate Midwest

INVESTIGATEMIDWEST.ORG

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Bill Gates’ Nebraska neighbors don’t know he owns the soybean field down the road. Here’s the story of his spending spree, including the massive loan he took out...

 

Investment firms are buying more farmland

WWW.MORNINGBREW.COM

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US politicians are mad about investors buying up farmland, but they are even madder at the foreign investors doing it.

 

Edited August 31 by marylander1940

[PhileasFogg]

8 hours ago, marylander1940 said:

OP note: Obviously we wouldn't be able to buy as much as they do or see big returns when it comes to renting it to farmers, developing it, water and mineral resources, etc. but would you buy in order to diversify and leave it to your heirs? 

Would I?   Yes, in fact, that’s what I’m doing.  I’m seeking a 50/50 mix between financial assets and tangible assets (specifically income producing property with inflation resistant cash flow attributes)

one makes money in real estate one of two ways - from either the cash flow, the appreciation, or a combination of both.  I think farmland and low income housing have attributes attractive on both fronts.  As a result, they offer attractive hedges against the inflation that plagues financial assets   

as I see it, tillable land area is shrinking due to population growth and development, and the demand for food through population growth is increasing.  I don’t see this changing.