Lessons of the Barnett Shale

Although I don’t agree with the conclusion of this excellent article in Sunday’s Dallas Morning News – that the biggest mineral play in the U.S. has gone bust – there is a lot of good hands-on reporting by Elizabeth Souder and Marice Richtert to consider. Read it closely. The underlying theme of the piece – how thousands of landowners profited or spurned quick profits on their properties – is one that will be shared by millions of Americans for decades to come. Here’s why. Read more

Shuttered Texas Silver Mine to Reopen?

First it was ethanol and the price per acre in the Corn Belt. Then oil and gas began propping up land values in mineral-rich areas such as the huge shales found coast to coast. Now other commodities are driving other forgotten or overlooked real estate markets, including an out-of-the-way section in Far West Texas where the state’s richest silver mine is slated to reopen after a seven decades of inactivity, according to this press release. Read more

How to Invest in Land (Without Living on It)

Whether you own a quarter-acre urban lot or a 40,000-acre ranch, your love of the land comes from the moment you pick up a handful of ground and watch the dirt fall through your fingers, knowing that it’s yours—all yours. But while there’s that intangible, visceral satisfaction of ownership, let’s not ignore the other benefit—profit. From energy stocks to timber REITs and ski resorts to cattle ranches, a diverse group of equities is tied to the enormous natural resources of land. Read more