There’s one sure way to raise the value of a property. Build a Wawa on it.

That’s what happened in Bethlehem when a 1.7-acre property that sold in 2003 for $707,500 was sold again on July 21 for $4 million. This time, there was a Wawa convenience store sitting on it, writes Jeff Ward for WFMZ-TV.

Wawa is privately-held and the only stock goes to those who work there. Wawa employees own about 41 percent of the company.

But if you don’t want to make hoagies for a living, you could still cash in by convincing Wawa to invest in your property.

Wawa stores “are one of the hottest sought-after” investment properties, according to netleaseadvisor.com.  Its main attraction for investors is that it provides long-term security “and absolutely no management responsibilities.”

The chain selects sites by looking at the potential customer base and traffic. 

Wawa looks for “employment centers, retail, office, and commercial traffic generators,” according to its website. It likes a minimum traffic count of 25,000 vehicles per day.

The ideal location would be free-standing at a corner or T-intersection with a traffic signal. The property would offer good visibility and road frontage.

Read more about Wawa properties at WFMZ.