We bought 2.5 acres of land in rural Virginia for $37,000. Here's why we think the investment will pay off.

Courtesy of Rajan Chidambaram.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Rajan Chidambaram and Renzo Sanio, two college students at the University of Virginia (UVA) and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The two 22-year-old friends who met in high school are set to graduate in May. In July, they plan to open Royal Oak Retreat, a luxury cabin in Front Royal, Virginia, a rural town about 70 miles outside Washington, DC. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.