Johnny Coburn built a lean virtual wholesaling business by focusing on vacant land, smart filtering, and honest conversations. Here’s how he consistently closes over 100 land deals a year across multiple markets.
In this episode of the DealMachine Real Estate Investing Podcast, Johnny Coburn breaks down his land wholesaling strategy, tools, and mindset in his own words. Want to hear the full interview? Watch the full episode below:
Johnny Coburn is a land-focused wholesale real estate investor who began his career around 2010 at age 20. Now in his mid-30s, he runs a lean and virtual operation focused mostly on land, with a few single-family homes. He completes more than 100 deals annually, largely thanks to consistent habits, honest conversations, and data-backed targeting strategies.
His first check came from a joint venture (JV) on a land contract, earning him $1,500. That early win confirmed his talent for connecting buyers with active wholesalers. Over time, he evolved into handling contracts directly, enabling greater control and profit.
Johnny prefers land because it's easier to generate leads and faces less competition. Most owners have held their land for years and are ready to sell, often with fewer emotional attachments than homeowners. This makes for smoother negotiations.
He can easily collect over 100 land leads in a single day with the right filters. Because land lacks structures and repairs, deals move faster. This volume and simplicity make land ideal for scaling.
He notes that many landowners are older and less emotionally attached to the land, making them more likely to sell. Plus, in his experience, land leads are “10 times more likely” to convert than house leads.
Johnny has lived in multiple states, including Georgia, North Carolina, California, Texas, and Arkansas. However, he works virtually, selecting markets based on data instead of location.
He analyzes trends, competition, and average deal sizes to choose the best areas. This flexibility allows him to pivot easily and maintain a consistent deal flow without being tied to any physical location.
He also emphasizes market differences: in states like Texas, sellers are often entrepreneurial and understand investor margins. In contrast, Arkansas sellers tend to overprice land and be less familiar with investor processes.
Johnny’s filtering strategy is what drives his success in land wholesaling. He recommends:
These filters help him collect highly targeted leads fast. In some cases, he’s pulled over 100 leads from a single campaign using this setup.
Johnny's competitive edge lies in data and discipline.
He appreciates tools that offer granular control over filters and comps, especially for vacant land where data can be inconsistent.
Johnny believes land wholesaling has several advantages:
While he still does some single-family deals, he says land is often less stressful and more predictable in volume.
Johnny initially used Craigslist ghost ads to attract buyers and later searched for active wholesalers via Google. He joined their buyer lists and watched their deal flow.
Now,
He customizes his filters to match buyers and sellers. For example, he uses the same criteria when pulling buyer lists, only adjusting for purchase date.
Johnny’s entry into wholesaling was budget-conscious. His key tips:
This method helped him break into the business without needing large upfront marketing budgets.
Johnny emphasizes written agreements with clear terms. His JV contracts:
He warns against relying on verbal agreements and stresses that clarity protects profits. He also adapted to industry changes, shifting from 50/50 splits to adding flat fees ($7,000 per deal) to avoid confusion.
Transparency is one of Johnny’s guiding principles. He tells sellers up front that he’s wholesaling their property. This honesty:
He believes being direct about assignments and pricing improves closing success and repeat business.
Johnny limits his overhead to around $1,200/month. He avoids unnecessary tools and focuses spending on targeted lists and marketing that delivers ROI. He prefers simple systems, clean paperwork, and minimal staffing.
This lean setup helps him stay profitable and adaptable, even during slow market periods.
Johnny’s advice includes:
He also emphasizes pulling lists by county and filtering sellers with multiple properties. These strategies reveal motivated portfolio sellers and better inventory.
What is land wholesaling and how does it work?
Land wholesaling is when an investor contracts a vacant parcel of land below market value and assigns that contract to a buyer for a profit.
Is virtual land wholesaling profitable?
Yes. By leveraging data and digital tools, Johnny Coburn consistently closes 100+ land deals annually with minimal overhead.
How do you find buyers for land deals?
Build buyer lists through online ads, search engines, and recent purchase data. Use text blasts and calls to gauge interest before sourcing deals.
Do you need a license to wholesale land?
Typically, no license is needed if you're assigning contracts legally. But check your state’s laws and always use proper agreements.
What tools help with land comps and targeting?
Use platforms that filter by acreage, owner age, and sale date. Toggle between MLS and county records to ensure accurate comparisons.
Johnny Coburn’s land wholesaling strategy proves that simple systems, smart targeting, and clear agreements can drive sustainable success in real estate investing.
His journey to closing 100+ virtual land deals annually is a masterclass in building a lean, data-driven, and transparent business.