I lost a dirt deal to a guy who only wanted the power line

Had 41 acres under contract at the edge of a small city, priced as future residential lots. Rough ground, one road frontage, a big transmission line cutting the back corner that I treated as a nuisance because you can't build a house under it and it chewed up my lot count.

My inspection period was 45 days. On day 30 the seller's agent called and asked how firm I was, in the tone that means somebody else showed up. A buyer had offered more than double, cash, no contingencies except a 90 day look at something she couldn't describe on the phone. Turned out he was an energy and site guy and the thing he was looking at was the line I'd been complaining about, plus the distance to a substation about two miles off.

I'd priced the whole parcel as if the line took value away. He priced it as if the line was the only thing on the property worth paying for.

Seller paid me back my deposit and I walked, because doubling my number wasn't happening. Not mad about it. I just spent a month looking at a piece of paper and reading it upside down, and now the first thing I do on any raw land is find out what runs across it and how far it is to the nearest substation. Doesn't matter for my little flips. It's free information and once you know to look, you can't unsee it.