Much of the federal land out here in the west is used as range land for ranchers, oil and gas extraction, logging, mining, military training, recreation and conservation areas, etc. so it's not like it's not being used.

Oil is going to be the most interesting at this point. 

They speculate itll return to 6% this winter but that info wont come out til 2024 you need to tag @James Hamling , he is so hilarious with how SPR oil reserves declines and oil is still three-bucks-something lol.

Houston and Dallas are more effected by oil than Austin and right now oil is a problem. 

One of the biggest oil traders of the world got wiped out in Singapore a couple years go. 

The two larger cities were hard hit due to oil prices.  

I've tried wholesaling but given the desirability of this area, most homeowners think they have oil under their property and can sell for far more than I can offer them.It seems like my only option is to buy a double wide or invest in REITs - neither of which overly thrill me. 

I agree with Robin, my first deal was a single family house in a good area with blue tarp over the roof and a noisy but working oil boiler.

This is a cycle of time I can only call "Love for the Snake Oil Salesman". 

If not (ie two full-time working spouses) your only other option is going into land conservation deals, solar deals, or oil and gas deals - all of which have some risks.Explained in a different way...1) There are ordinary/W2/active income on one side.