E42: Earning Millions from Land Development with Brandon Cobb

Real estate offers so much variety and many ways to earn outstanding returns, build wealth and generate passive income. Discover how adversity can spark success in real estate. In this episode, Brandon Cobb discusses his unexpected firing that led him to entrepreneurship. Now the owner of real estate firm HBG Capital, Brandon shares strategies for land acquisition, development approvals, and syndicating deals with investors. Plus, Brandon shares his outlook on real estate risks in 2024 and his goals to end veteran homelessness through development.

Here are some power takeaways from today’s conversation:

00:00

02:43 - Brandon’s background in sales and sports medicine

06:40 - Getting fired and deciding to pursue entrepreneurship

11:18 - Strategies for land acquisition, development approvals, and syndicating deals

20:10 - Addressing the supply imbalance for first-time homebuyers

21:09 - Leveraging technology and relationships to find development sites

33:45 - Syndicating land deals with investors to fund development projects

42:11 - Daily mindset practices and advice for handling adversity

44:15 - Outlook on 2024 real estate risks and goals to end veteran homelessness

 

Episode Highlights:

[04:54] An Unexpected Career Pivot and Path to Real Estate

Brandon began his career in medical device sales, enjoying his work in sports medicine. However, he was unexpectedly fired from his job one sunny Friday afternoon. Shocked and confused, Brandon decided to pursue entrepreneurship. He started a life coaching business and met his now business partner at a real estate meetup. Together, they invested in real estate deals in Colorado Springs.

[20:10] Addressing the Supply Imbalance for First-Time Homebuyers

Brandon discusses the growing opportunity in affordable housing development to address the supply imbalance for first-time homebuyers. He notes that 33% of home buyers are millennials seeking their first home, yet less than 10% of homes built cater to their price point. This creates a major supply and demand issue. Brandon also touches on how this presents opportunities for build-to-rent strategies due to the affordability of housing needed by this growing demographic.

[27:03] Leveraging Technology and Relationships to Find Development Sites

Brandon discusses his strategies for identifying land parcels for development. This includes using tools like LandGlide to map suitable properties and building relationships with local brokers and municipalities. He explains how to present initial concept plans to get verbal approvals before engaging engineers. 

[33:45] Syndicating Land Deals with Investors to Fund Development Projects

Brandon syndicates land development deals with investors to fund projects. He raises capital from private investors and structures deals to purchase land through syndications. This allows Brandon to acquire land upfront while mitigating risk through equity funding rather than taking on debt.

Resources Mentioned:

HBG Capital

LandGlide