How to Buy Land with Purpose (and Make It Pay You Back)

Thinking about buying rural land but not sure where to start? In this episode of Branching Out, Melanie Jones sits down with Whitetail Properties land specialist Dave Skinner to unpack how to buy with purpose, avoid rookie mistakes, and set your acres up to work for you from day one.​Dave breaks down how to define clear land-buying goals before you ever step on a property, from hunting and habitat to chestnut orchards, farm stays, and future resale value. You will hear why working with a land agent is different from hiring a traditional realtor, and how the right guide can help you see soil, access, timber, and neighbors with an investor’s eye instead of a tourist’s.​

They walk through practical ways to generate income from land, including EQIP-funded conservation projects, glamping and short-term rentals, timber, and long-term perennial systems like chestnuts. Along the way, Dave shares what he looks for on a first showing, how to think about utilities and easements, and what first-time buyers in Kentucky and beyond tend to overlook until it is too late.​

For growers and aspiring landowners, this episode also opens up the next decade of opportunity: using chestnut orchards as a living asset class that stacks wildlife value, carbon, and cash flow. Whether you are dreaming of food plots, a modern homestead, or a chestnut test block like EBB Farms in western Kentucky, you will get real-world insight from someone who lives this work every day.​

If you are thinking about buying rural land and want your decisions to compound instead of cost you, this conversation will sharpen your eye and expand your playbook. Listen now, then explore United Chestnuts resources to start designing land that feeds your family, your community, and your future balance sheet.