Episode #9

Entitling and Flipping Land with Blake Arnold of Cross Over Land

Episode Release Date: 3/31/2025

Summary

In this episode, Blake Arnold (guest) shares with Travis King (host) his journey from a successful IT career to becoming a land development entrepreneur. He discusses the challenges and risks he faced, including financial struggles and the emotional toll of entrepreneurship. Blake explains the land entitlement process and how he learned valuable lessons from his early mistakes. He highlights the importance of family support and the breakthrough moment when he closed his first major deal, which changed the trajectory of his business. In this conversation, the Blake delves into the evolution of land flipping into a more sophisticated investment strategy, emphasizing the importance of market selection, understanding demand, and the role of government regulations.

Value Bombs

  • Blake's first major deal brought in $300,000, changing his outlook.

  • The evolution from land flipper to land investor is crucial.

  • Capturing equity is key in land flips, adding value is key in entitlements.

  • Identifying the right candidate properties for land development is vital.

  • Coaching accelerates learning and avoids costly mistakes.

Show Notes

  • Blake transitioned from IT to land development seeking entrepreneurship.

  • He faced significant financial challenges early in his land deals.

  • Understanding the entitlement process is crucial for land development.

  • Family support played a vital role during tough times.

  • The emotional toll of entrepreneurship can be overwhelming.

  • Blake's first major deal brought in $300,000, changing his outlook.

  • Mistakes in early deals taught Blake valuable lessons.

  • Confidence can lead to risky decisions in business.

  • Navigating the land market requires understanding buyer needs.

  • The journey of entrepreneurship is filled with ups and downs.

  • The evolution from land flipper to land investor is crucial.

  • Capturing equity is key in land flips, adding value is key in entitlements.

  • Market demand significantly influences pricing strategies.

  • Cold calling remains an effective marketing method.

  • Understanding government regulations is essential for land development.

  • Diversification protects against market changes.

  • Coaching accelerates learning and avoids costly mistakes.

  • Helping others creates goodwill and opportunities.

  • Experience leads to higher close rates in deals.

  • Identifying the right candidate properties for land development is vital.

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Travis King Bio

Travis King: From Blue-Collar Beginnings to Financial Freedom

Travis King grew up in rural Montana in a hardworking, blue-collar family. Despite barely graduating high school and briefly attending college without direction, Travis embarked on a career as a contractor, working tirelessly across the western United States. Even while grinding through 12-hour days, six or seven days a week, his entrepreneurial spirit never faded. From flipping cars, campers, and mobile homes to mystery shopping, Travis pursued side hustles to scratch the entrepreneurial itch, but none moved the needle in his life—until he found his breakthrough.

While listening to a Bigger Pockets podcast episode about land flipping, Travis was captivated by the idea of investing in land, which offered less hassle and greater profitability compared to traditional real estate. Though initially stuck in "paralysis by analysis," his wife, Becca, gave him the nudge he needed, saying, “Stop talking about it and do it—I support you".

That support ignited the momentum to jump into land flipping. But Travis quickly realized the business lacked scalability. Overwhelmed by spreadsheets and leads from direct mail campaigns, he saw that manual processes weren’t enough to handle the avalanche of opportunities coming his way. Recognizing the need for a streamlined approach, Travis and Becca began focusing on building efficient systems and processes to scale their business effectively.

Through determination, innovation, and leveraging modern tools, they transformed their land flipping venture into a scalable success. Eventually, their efforts paid off so well that it cost them money for Travis to stay at his job. Honoring his long-held dream, he quit his job and became a full-time entrepreneur. Today, Travis and his wife, Becca King, are co-founders of four thriving businesses: a

land investing company, an educational company, a funding company, and a software company. While Travis is the visionary with a high school education (and a knack for big ideas), Becca brings balance to the partnership as the COO of all their businesses, leveraging her M.B.A and academic expertise to keep operations running smoothly. Together, they complement each other perfectly—Travis dreaming up the future and Becca ensuring the foundation is rock-solid.

The Kings live in sunny Arizona with their four active boys and have been happily married since 2006. As proud Christians, they credit their faith as the cornerstone of their success and purpose.

Travis is also the author of the best-selling book The Land Investors Playbook: A Powerful Gameplan to Scale to 7-Figures and Beyond, where he shares the strategies that helped him achieve financial freedom. Their work has empowered countless others to transform their lives, and their story is a testament to the power of teamwork, perseverance, and faith in a brighter future. When Travis isn’t running businesses or coaching others, he enjoys being a hands-on dad, embarking on family adventures, and living out his faith. Together, Travis and Becca prove that with determination, a clear vision, and the right partnership, success truly knows no limits!

Keywords

travis king, land flipping, travis king land, land development, entrepreneurship, real estate, land flipping, entitlement process, financial struggles, business lessons, investment strategies, risk management, success stories, land flipping, land investment, market demand, pricing strategies, government regulations, coaching, mentorship, real estate, market selection, investment strategies

If I Can Do It, So Can You!

I don’t have a magic wand or any special talents or abilities that set me apart from others. It’s easy to think that my results can’t be duplicated because of some quality I alone possess, but that’s simply not true.

Land investing is a very real opportunity, and when you learn the specific strategies and techniques I teach, you have the potential for tremendous success.

What I am sharing with you is an opportunity to copy/paste my success to live the life of your dreams!

If I can do it, So can you!

Boss Up. Live Free!

~Travis King