Land Investing Expert Says Data-Driven Approach No Longer Enough

Written by:

Steve Marcinuk

Date:

28 Jun 2025

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Seth Williams, founder of REtipster and host of The REtipster Podcast, argues that the traditionally data-focused land investing industry is experiencing a fundamental shift requiring investors to embrace old-school sales tactics to succeed in 2025’s challenging market.

The End of “Set It and Forget It” Land Investing

“It used to be a very data-driven business where if you just know where to get lists of the right kinds of people and filter those lists correctly…you’re golden. That’s all you gotta do. Nowadays, it’s not quite that simple anymore,” Williams says, reflecting on how the market has evolved since he began investing in 2008.

According to Williams, the days of purely systematic approaches are waning. “You have to have a little bit more either skill or willingness to develop skills in sales basically, just following up with people. Like, don’t be afraid to be on the phone,” he explains. This marks a significant departure from historical practices where minimal follow-up was required.

Market Forces Driving Change

Williams points to several factors reshaping the landscape:

• Increased competition from new market entrants
• Higher interest rates affecting buyer behavior
• Rising tariffs impacting development costs
• Growing sophistication of property sellers

“With more competition, you just have to up your game and be willing to make harder offers, go after more complex things,” Williams says. He notes that while land investing remains less crowded than other real estate sectors, the increasing number of participants is forcing everyone to enhance their approach.

The Persistence Paradox

Perhaps most telling is Williams’ observation about changing success factors: “You didn’t used to have to do that [follow up], believe it or not. Now if you’re not really on top of that stuff, you’re probably gonna miss out.”

This shift suggests that while data and systems remain important, human interaction and persistence are becoming increasingly crucial differentiators in landing deals.

Opportunity Amid Obstacles

Despite these challenges, Williams sees continued opportunity in the market. “There’s still a huge housing shortage. So the need is still there. There’s just obstacles in the way of getting there now, whereas before, with lower interest rates and that kind of thing, it wasn’t so hard to do it,” he observes.

The Solution: Hybrid Approach

For those entering or adapting to the market in 2025, Williams advocates for combining traditional data-driven methods with enhanced sales skills:

• Maintain systematic list generation and filtering
• Develop stronger follow-up protocols
• Build comfort with phone sales
• Be prepared to handle more complex deals
• Focus on relationship building

“The old methods never die,” Williams notes, suggesting that while new skills are required, they should supplement rather than replace proven systematic approaches.

As the market continues to evolve, Williams’ insights suggest that success in land investing will increasingly belong to those who can effectively blend data-driven systems with traditional sales expertise.