Billboards

I'm suprised there isnt a forum for billboards. They can be lucrative, just look at the owner of the Angels baseball team. I've been seen some properties in San Diego that have billboards on them for sale. I've contacted owners tellin them I'd be willing to buy the billboard on their property but not the building. Got a few bites but I didnt like the prices they were quoting. Anyone have experience in this kind of stuff?

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 08:44AM

Joshua Dorkin

BiggerPockets Founder · Denver, Colorado

10629 posts
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Icon_minipost Jun 25 '09, 04:34 AM

It's a great topic that I look forward to seeing take off, Ivan. I did a little research into billboards a few years back and it is certainly a great way to make some money. Lets get into it!

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 08:44AM

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Ivan K.

General Contractor · California

55 posts
290 Influence

Icon_minipost Jun 25 '09, 04:48 AM

Thanks Joshua. I will do some research and try to post some costs, risks, gains for billboards. I'm looking at zoning and will be contacting some local business' so see if they will sell me rights to post of a billboard on their building or land. I've also been looking into land for renewable energy in southern cali, basically the desert. Working in the energy sector I know being near transmission is very important and with California's goals of 33% renewables it could be a lucrative business to own land near large transmission lines where you have access to water and roads to build solar or wind.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 08:44AM

Tim W.

Real Estate Investor · Indiana, Indiana

4333 posts
23859 Influence
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Icon_minipost Jun 25 '09, 05:43 AM

You'd make a fortune contacting to World Net Daily for billboards challenging Obama's constitutional eligibility. They get a little crazy on the right wing stuff but they've been denied by every major billboard company and would probably be willing to pay a premium for what they can get (funds are already raised to buy the advertising). Putting your individual political views aside, it's an opportunity to take money that someone's trying to give.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 08:44AM

Ivan K.

General Contractor · California

55 posts
290 Influence

Icon_minipost Jun 25 '09, 05:46 AM

It would be fun to see it happen here in SoCal, maybe in Hollywood, those ads would go well, haha.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 08:44AM

Jesse R

Rehabber · El Paso, Texas

507 posts
2779 Influence
7 Awards

Icon_minipost Jun 25 '09, 05:58 AM

Don't you need to buy air rights as well?
Same idea as mineral rights on land.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 08:44AM by Jesse R

Tim W.

Real Estate Investor · Indiana, Indiana

4333 posts
23859 Influence
13 Awards

Icon_minipost Jun 25 '09, 06:09 AM

Originally posted by idkokos

It would be fun to see it happen here in SoCal, maybe in Hollywood, those ads would go well, haha.

LOL. You should do what Rush Limbaugh did when he had a billboard in SoCal. Over the weeks he had them progressively paint on more and more of what looked like thrown fruit onto the billboards showing his name. It was a brilliant marketing strategy that got him a lot of free press coverage.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 08:44AM

Ivan K.

General Contractor · California

55 posts
290 Influence

Icon_minipost Jun 25 '09, 06:21 AM

Originally posted by Jesse R

Don't you need to buy air rights as well?
Same idea as mineral rights on land.

From my understanding in SoCal, you just have to get permission from city/county.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 08:44AM

Jesse R

Rehabber · El Paso, Texas

507 posts
2779 Influence
7 Awards

Icon_minipost Jun 25 '09, 06:30 AM

I'd like to learn more about the business. If any topics are created please keep me updated.
Maybe a few of us can syndicate and create a massive BP billboard monopoly!

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 08:44AM

Mike Wood

2 posts
-12 Influence

Icon_minipost Nov 01 '09, 10:12 AM

Go to [LINK REMOVED]

They are from a real estate background and are teaching the Billboard Business!
They are also looking to expand with partners!

Edited: 11/01/2009 at 12:46PM by Moderator

Vikram C.

Real Estate Investor · Phoenix, Arizona

1457 posts
25372 Influence
14 Awards

Icon_minipost Nov 01 '09, 10:29 AM

Does anyone know why a few companies dominate the billboard business? Is there any inherent economies of scale that make it disadvantageous to be small? Could it be that the advertisers that pay most for billboards are national companies and they sign national contracts and aren't interested in dealing with a local guy with one billboard?

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:20AM