LAND•Summer 2017

BUYING LAND / MARKET
Four Reasons Why
You Should Never Buy
Land Without an ALC
WRITTEN BY LUKE WORRELL, ALC
Let’s face it, buying or selling real estate can
be terrifying. There have been countless times
I have noticed visible anxiety on people as they
contemplate a transaction. We live in an era where
one “bad apple” can spoil the whole bunch. The
news of bad real estate experiences travels fast.
The value an Accredited Land Consultant (ALC)
can bring when purchasing or selling a property is
becoming increasingly more substantial. There are
many reasons to never buy land without an ALC,
but let’s focus on four.
TRUST
This is kind of like hitting a baseball on a tee, but
it can’t be said enough. Society tends to hear the
horror stories and it can be hard for people to feel
a sense of trust from a real estate agent. Right or
wrong, sometimes us agents get lumped into the
over-generalized stigma of used car salesmen and
attorneys (comment not intended
for the fantastic attorneys with
whom I work!). There are far more
honorable agents than bad ones,
and that is distinctly the case
within the REALTORS® Land
Institute. Someone who has
taken the time to obtain the
ALC designation learns through education and
experience that you are often only as good as
your reputation. The backbone of becoming an
ALC is defining yourself as a trusted professional
with high moral character.
SKILL
When it comes to selling land, I am absolutely
convinced that ALCs are the best in the
business. For starters, you can only become a
designated ALC after you have proven yourself in
the field. ALCs are given countless opportunities
to hone their craft in negotiations and property
presentation. Through the National Land
Conference, Summer Education Week,
Online courses, Webinars, ALC to ALC
teleconferences and the top-notch staff
at the national office, ALCs are given
the tools to grow. A rookie coming
into the major leagues for the first
time doesn’t stop practicing, and
likewise an ALC doesn’t rest
on the three letters of the
designation. We are all a work
in progress who uses the
tools available to get better
every day.
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