Chances for profits can come along and most people will never see them. Have you ever seen a sign on a house or other building that says, “For Sale, To be Moved?” This could be an opportunity for anyone, particularly if that person owned or can acquire a vacant lot nearby in a commercial zone.
What if there is a $300,000 structure offered for sale for $40,000–the land has been condemned to make way for a municipal use, and the building must be moved or torn down. It could be a good investment to buy the building and have it moved to a new location. The asking price is low because of the expenses of moving it.
Obviously the size and shape of the structure matters a great deal. When determining the cost and the time to move an 800 square cottage it’s very different than moving a 2,400 square foot structure. Also the costs will vary greatly in different areas.
There are many factors that must be taken into consideration. What is the foundation made of and what Is the building constructed of: wood, stucco, bricks, or other material?
The buyer will have to check in advance with governmental and utility companies for permit costs and charges to pay for removal of traffic lights, street signs, telephone, gas and overhead electric lines along the route. It could be a nice profit in an unusual real estate investment.
Moving a building can be smart in other situations. Here are a couple of ideas:
• A house sits in the center of a large property that could be subdivided. Move it to one side of the lot, subdivide and sell parcels or build on the lots for sale.
• A commercial building is for sale because a two-lane highway in front is being widened. If the sale price is low enough and the lot deep enough, maybe it would be practical to move the building to the back of the property.
Nearly any house is capable of being moved. The question that separates the shrewd investors from those who get into trouble is whether it should be moved.
Garages, additions, porches, decks, balconies, fireplace chimneys, can almost always be moved with the house, but will add time and increase the project cost. In most cases, if the building can be moved with the accessories intact, it is cheaper to do so than to remove and rebuild them.
Some large houses can be cut into two parts and reassembled at the new location. Now you have two commercial buildings. This could be a nice profitable investment.
Take care with very old, historic houses. They might not survive a move and still be the same gem of a structure they were before.
In most cities there are lists of House and Building Movers listed on the internet. These professionals can help evaluate any certain building.