One Palm Coast Homebuilder Buys Lots from Another Who is Leaving Flagler County

You don’t make money selling real estate. You make money buying it.

January 2, 2008Palm CoastSages have often said that the profit from a sale is made in the beginning, when you buy. Those who buy right make profits. Those that don’t, don’t. This adage seems to be proven again. Masterpiece Homes, who didn’t buy right, apparently has sold most of its Flagler County inventory of building lots to locally owned SeaGate Homes. Masterpiece is pulling out of Flagler County.

 

The bulk sale, totalling about 50 building sites, all located within the City of Palm Coast, is rumored to be at an average price near the mid $20Ks, well below the current median selling price for Palm Coast lots. But builder-to-builder wholesale transactions usually avoid many of the transaction costs associated with individual sales. The lower level of due diligence also carries some additional risks (wetlands, bore test, etc.).

 

Masterpiece purchased most of the lots from individuals at the height of the 2005 market for prices in the $62,000 to $65,000 range. Public records indicate that the individual sellers did well. One bought a lot for $16,900 in 2003, only to sell it to Masterpiece two years later for $48,000 thousand. Another individual paid $35,000 in February 2005, reselling to Masterpiece for $65,000 thousand three months later. One lot purchased in 2001 for $9,400 was sold for $64,900 in 2005.

 

The individuals did well because they bought well then sold into the prevailing market. SeaGate’s bulk purchase indicates that they feel that prices for building lots have come down enough for them to make their move. Amid a sea of bad news, this is welcome.

 

Rumor: (noun) A current story or statement without confirmation or certainty as to facts

2 replies
  1. GENE HOLLAND
    GENE HOLLAND says:

    SEAGATE

    I HAD NO IDEA THAT YOU WERE FAMILIAR WITH SAGES. IF A SAGE IS SORT OF LIKE A PHILOSOPHER PERHAPS YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION.

    In ancient Greece (469 – 399 BC), Socrates was widely lauded for his wisdom. One day the great philosopher came upon an acquaintance, who ran up to him excitedly and said, \\\\\\\”Socrates, I want to tell you something I just heard about one of your students…?\\\\\\\”
    \\\\\\\”Wait a moment,\\\\\\\” Socrates replied. \\\\\\\”Before you tell me, I\\\\\\’d like you to pass a little test. It\\\\\\’s called the Test of Three.\\\\\\\”
    \\\\\\\”Test of Three?\\\\\\\”
    \\\\\\\”That\\\\\\’s correct,\\\\\\\” Socrates continued. \\\\\\\”Before you talk to me about my student let\\\\\\’s take a moment to test what you\\\\\\’re going to say. The first test is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?\\\\\\\”
    \\\\\\\”No,\\\\\\\” the man replied, \\\\\\\”actually I just heard about it.\\\\\\\”
    \\\\\\\”All right,\\\\\\\” said Socrates. \\\\\\\”So you don\\\\\\’t really know if it\\\\\\’s true or not. Now let\\\\\\’s try the second test, the test of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my student something good?\\\\\\\”
    \\\\\\\”No, on the contrary…\\\\\\\”
    So,\\\\\\\” S ocrates continued, \\\\\\\”you want to tell me something about him even though you\\\\\\’re not certain it\\\\\\’s true?\\\\\\\”
    The man shrugged, a little embarrassed.
    Socrates continued, \\\\\\\”You may still pass though because there is a third test — the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my student going to be useful to me?\\\\\\\”
    \\\\\\\”No, not really..\\\\\\\” \\\\\\\”Well,\\\\\\\” concluded Socrates, \\\\\\\”if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?\\\\\\\”

    The man was defeated and ashamed and said no more. This is the reason Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem.

    It also explains why Socrates never found out that Plato was banging his wife.

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