Mobile Home Park Mastery

“NIMBY” stands for “Not In My Back Yard” and is the attitude that has stopped new mobile home parks from being built in the U.S. for the past half century. Now the federal government is discussing the concept of promoting “YIMBY” which stands for “Yes In My Back Yard” – trying to coerce city government to allow mobile homes to be placed on lots restricted to stick-built single-family homes only. In this edition of Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to discuss the cage fight of these two acronyms and why the victor is probably “GUMBY” which stands for “Give Up on My Back Yard”.

The Wall Street Journal recently declared that the 4,100% rise of one Mobile Home Park REIT stock (and 2,000%+ of another) was a better return than virtually every other sector in the market. They compare the rise of trailer parks to that of high-tech. But is that a fair assessment? In this week’s Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to discuss why mobile home parks are doing so well, and why it has nothing to do with stock market speculation.

There’s an old saying that “good ranchers live poor and die rich”. But mobile home park owners get to live rich and die rich. Why the difference. In this episode of the Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast series, we’re going to discuss that second profit center of mobile home parks that few people talk about. As you’ll see, there’s actually two compelling reasons to get into mobile home parks, not just one.

Are mobile home park residents really like “Waffle House customers chained to their booths” or is there much more freedom than this quote (that was taken out of context) would imply? In this episode of the Mobile Home Park Mastery we’re reviewing just exactly what the real options all mobile home park residents have, and why the media – and certain politicians – refuse to accept this reality.

Opportunity Zones are hot right now. But the way to make money with them may be a little different than what most Americans think. In this episode of Mobile Home Park Mastery we’re going to discuss the action steps to harnessing the power of the Opportunity Zone tax program based on the bigger picture than delaying or avoiding the tax man.

All good mobile home park owners have the same core of beliefs on what their role and duties are. But there’s a whole additional list that is not what they’re all about. In this episode of the Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast series, we’re going to review the division between the sacred pledge of the smart park owner vs. items that should never be assumed to be in that list of duties.

In 1955 a business school professor named L.E. Michelon published the first text book on mobile home parks titled “How to Build and Operate a Mobile Home Park”. Sadly, this book could not be further from the truth in how the industry operates today. In this episode of Mobile Home Park Mastery we’re going to discuss what the main differences are between 1955 concepts of construction and management vs. the modern equivalent. Come see how times have changed (and for the better).

There’s a board game called “Trailer Park Wars” that is based on every American stereotype of mobile home parks and their residents. But are these assumptions true? In this episode of Mobile Home Park Mastery we’re going to review in-depth the typical U.S. beliefs around “trailer parks” and come to conclusions as to their accuracy, as well as the origins of some of these myths.

We get love letters from residents all the time – not only on Valentine’s Day. Why do people love their mobile home parks so much? In this episode of the Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to read some of these letters and analyze the key drivers to customer satisfaction that we clearly deliver on every day. We’re also going to discuss other factors that make us the best housing option in America.

Film star Greta Garbo used to exclaim “I want to be alone” when approached by fans and even other actors. And this sentiment can also have beneficial aspects in certain functions of the mobile home park buyer and operator. As you’ll see, there is power in solitude: the power of making better decisions. While many decisions a park owner makes work best with a spirit of inclusion of all parties involved, there are certain moments when being an independent thinker pays big dividends.

Sometimes the best course of action is to go with the force instead of against it. In this edition of the Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast, we’re going to review effective strategies for park owners to harness negative energy and use it to create powerful solutions. As you’ll see, these are some classic moves that work every time if you just know how to complete them.

The movie Ford vs. Ferrari focuses on driver Ken Miles, who was always in pursuit of the “perfect lap”. But what does the “perfect park” look like for the mobile home community buyer? In this episode of the Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast series, we’re going to discuss what the “perfect park” would look like structurally, geographically and financially. You don’t need a GT40 to find this podcast interesting.

Rodney Dangerfield got no respect – and that’s a common problem with mobile home park owners. In this edition of the Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast series, we’re going to review strategies for owners to gain respect among sellers, bankers, brokers, residents and their peers. With respect an important part of self-worth, it’s important to discuss this topic and concrete steps to improve your standing.

Between now and 2037 roughly a third of all single-family homes in the U.S. will come on the market – over 20 million dwellings. This is twice the amount of supply during normal years, and will result in huge changes in population centers, home prices and financial markets. In this week’s Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to explore what the Silver Tsunami is exactly, as well as the impact on markets and mobile home parks going forward. As you’ll see, a megatrend of this size will have certain casualties and you want to make sure that you are on the right side of this potential calamity.

Television is not what it used to be. And in this episode of the Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast series, we’re going to revisit the favorite sitcoms of old and give them a trailer park twist. We’re going to review how they could be re-made in a mobile home park dimension and what the morals would be of the show. As you’ll see, there’s much to be learned in these new series.

The New Year is upon us. In only a few days we will cast aside 2019 and embrace 2020. This year will feature a presidential election, the roller coaster ride of the stock market, natural disasters, and all of the typical features of modern life. But what will the mobile home park industry be doing in 2020? In this week’s Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast series we’re going to predict the key issues of affordable housing in this very important year. We hope you enjoy this episode and would like to take this opportunity to you a Happy New Year!

Mobile home park owners are in a tough position, as we have to wear two hats: both that of an investor as well as a mayor of a town in which the quality of life for the residents is paramount. So how do you strike a healthy balance between these two interests? In this edition of the Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast series we’re going to review strategies to navigate these conflicting interests and forge a healthy balance between making money and making customers happy.

We have long said that today’s mobile home park owner is often in the business of “bringing old properties back to life”. We frequently take huge risks, inject capital to repair or replace infrastructure, and raise rents to make economic sense of it all. And mobile home park owners are often highly criticized by the media and even city hall regarding these rent increases without any acceptance of the fact that it’s 100% justified. So it seems almost comical that nobody has bothered to spotlight the fact that the nation has a $2 trillion infrastructure repair and replacement problem and that it will forever change tax rates, water and sewer rates, and every other monthly cost for all Americans. In this edition of the Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast series, we’re going to discuss what appears to be another

Some people equate mobile homes with automobiles, with an attitude that you just trade them in for a newer model periodically. But does that make any financial sense? In this episode of the Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast, we’re going to explore the truth about old homes, their life expectancy, how to prolong it, and when to decide if an old home should be scrapped. As you’ll see, there’s much more to consider than you might expect.

Due to mismanagement and lack of vision, many American mobile home parks suffer from extreme vacancy. But is there opportunity with 50% occupied parks? In this edition of the Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast series, we’re going to explore the issue of parks with huge vacancy challenges and decide whether the glass is half empty or half full – or both.

What does the mobile home park industry have to be thankful for in 2019? In this episode of the Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast series we’re going to explore what the positive factors for the industry are in 2019.

The U.S. is in an epic affordable housing shortage. Some people cannot afford even to live in a mobile home park, despite its low cost. So where can they go? Politicians say that building truly affordable housing is an impossible task. That’s nonsense. In this edition of the Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast series, we’re going to explore the exact ways that insanely affordable housing could be created in the U.S. for those who cannot fit into traditional housing metrics. Sure, it would take some outside-the-box thinking and some variances from building codes, but there’s no way that a country that put a man on the moon cannot provide housing for all Americans regardless of income.

So you’re looking at buying a mobile home park but the numbers and price just don’t equate. Some deals – as a last resort – can be solved with creative debt construction. But how does that work? In this week’s edition of the Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast series we’re going to focus on making deals happen with debt as the tool to tie the numbers together. You’ll see that there’s still hope for some deals if you can piece together an attractive debt structure.

There is probably no greater way to destroy a conversation than to say “I own a mobile home park”. It typically triggers a negative response that is typically reserved for violent criminals or wearing a Green Bay Packers shirt to a Cowboys game. But why is that? In this episode of the Mobile Home Park Mastery Podcast series, we’re going to review the types of reaction you get by admitting you own a park, as well as the root cause of these responses. As you’ll see, there’s a whole host of reasons that most Americans have a very poor opinion of the mobile home park industry – and all completely unjustified.

There is not a single $250 million dollar self-storage facility in the U.S. There’s also not a $250 million house or parking lot or many other real estate sectors. So what does it mean that the Plaza Del Ray in Sunnyvale, California has sold for $237 million? Quite a lot, actually. That’s the topic of the discussion on this week’s Mobile Home Park Mastery Podcast. Hear how a sale like that will have a huge impact on the credibility of the “trailer park” going forward.

Home appreciation. It sounds good, right? It’s a given, correct? Well, not so fast. The Associated Press tried to claim that mobile homes are a bad investment because they do not appreciate. Is that a fair assertion? In this week’s Mobile Home Park Mastery Podcast we’re going to discuss this single point that the Associated Press simply can’t come to grips with despite the fact that it’s economic nonsense.

A couple weeks ago, a huge number of articles about mobile home parks were published by the Associated Press focusing on communities in Colorado. They fixated on several facts 1) mobile homes are difficult to move 2) all other forms of housing cost double 3) corporate owners are buying out the moms and pops 4) failure to pay rent or follow rules leads to ultimatums. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery Podcast we’re going to review these concepts and try to figure out how anyone would not know these basic tenets of life and compare these to how the Associated Press itself operates.

There are around 45,000 mobile home parks in the U.S. Each and every one is different. Some are truly unique. In this edition of the Mobile Home Park Mastery Podcast series, we’re going to discuss some of the most unforgettable parks we’ve seen or purchased – unusual pieces of American history that virtually nobody knows about. If you think a “trailer park” is just a shotgun road with homes on either side, then you will soon learn the error of your ways.

8% of Americans live in mobile homes. That means there are about 24 million unique stories to hear. We only have a few minutes of time, so I’m going to tell you about a handful of the extremely interesting people I’ve met in mobile home parks we own. You’re about to see that there’s a whole lot more going on out there than the media wants you to believe concerning who really lives in “trailer parks”.

There are 50 states in the U.S. One has no mobile home parks (Hawaii) and the other 49 all have different traits – both positive and negative – regarding historic mobile home park performance and opportunity. In this edition of the Mobile Home Park Mastery Podcast Series, we’re going to explore five of the top markets and what makes them stand out above the pack. Just as no two parks are the same, no two states are the same regarding making money with mobile home parks. Find out why.

Mom and pop owners share a set of behaviors that must be understood if you are going to successfully strike a deal with them. In this final segment in our four-part series on “Park Psychology” we’re going to look into what motivates mom and pop owners and how to appeal to their basic instinct to help both the new owner and residents alike and to proudly be the “Greatest Generation”.

Mobile home park residents are great people, but they often have trouble adjusting to living within rules and regulations after often decades of loose management. In this third of our four-part series on “Park Psychology” we’re going to discuss the causes of some negative resident behaviors and how to correct these so that everyone in the community can live happily side-by-side and enjoy a high quality of life.

It is not uncommon for mobile home park owners to have to deal with harassment from city hall. But why does this happen and how can this behavior be corrected? In this second of a four-part series on “Park Psychology” we’re going to review the very predictable behavior patterns of city officials, the cause of this behavior, and how to get city hall to back off and be a partner and not an adversary.

In this first of a four-part series on “Park Psychology” we’re going to discuss the reasons behind bank behaviors and how to get banks to do what you want. You’ll see that banks follow a very predictable pattern in approving loans and that you cannot fight these motives but need to embrace them to obtain the desired results.

Who listens to mobile home park residents? How can they have a political voice? In this final episode of our four-part series titled “Politically Correct Parks” we’re going to review how those 8% of Americans that live in mobile homes can have a political presence and what topics are important to them. You will find out how mobile home park owners share the serious responsibility of watching over our residents’ interests while few in government share that commitment.

There’s been tremendous discussion in the media of the “Green New Deal” – but is nobody aware that mobile home parks owners already perfected that model years ago? In this third installment of our four-part series titled “Politically Correct Parks”, we’re going to examine how mobile home parks fit into this entire “green” narrative. There is certainly no business model in America that is more successfully “green” and that offers a sustainable housing solution with a minimum usage of natural resources and a smaller carbon footprint.

Perhaps our elected bureaucrats could learn a thing or two from mobile home park owners. We’ve been delivering on many promises on a consistent basis, while the government struggles to tread water. In this second of our four-part series titled “Politically Correct Parks” we’re going to discuss the many important programs that park owners initiate and maintain that provide important benefits to our residents.

Democratic debates and candidate grandstanding. A torrent of headlines on the 2020 election and primary predictions. It’s the advent of the political season in the U.S. – and that’s a big deal to any business as nobody wants to be on the wrong side of the political process. So where do mobile home parks fit into the national election and what is the impact of the proposed platforms? We’re starting off a four-part series titled “Politically Correct Parks” with an introduction as to where the mobile home park industry stands on a variety of political topics.

While the nation debates the “Green New Deal” one housing option is already far ahead of the others when it comes to sustainability and low carbon footprint: the mobile home park. In this week’s Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast episode, we’re going to discuss the many ways that mobile home parks may just represent the best thing going in the U.S. on this front. Who would have thought that “trailer parks” would be on the cutting edge of modern political debate?

A 100thAnniversary is called a “centennial” – and that’s exactly what this episode represents. Starting on August 7th, 2017, the Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast series has delivered 100 straight weeks of everything you need to know about mobile home park investing. We’ve covered every topic from the history of the sector to predictions of the future – and everything in between. No topic has been taboo and we’ve continually offered straight facts with no sugar coating. Our mission is to erase the untruths and stereotypes about an industry that provides the only non-subsidized form of affordable housing in the U.S., while providing practical tips and explanations on how to correctly invest in this unique asset class. Thanks for listening in for the past 100 weeks and we look forward to talking with you further in the future.

Webster’s Dictionary has two meanings for the word “interest” 1) the quality of exciting curiosity and 2) money paid regularly at a particular rate. In this week’s Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast series, we’re going to combine the two together and discuss the curious puzzle of making sense of interest rates. You’ll see that there is a methodology based on risk and reward, and that today’s interest rates regarding mobile home parks and homes are really fair in all regards. Do we have your “interest”?

We’ve all seen the show Fixer Upper. Chip and Joanna Gaines take old worn-out houses and bring them back to life – often using the same repetitive design elements. How would they approach an old mobile home park’s renovations? In this episode of Mobile Home Park Master, we’re going to discuss the new and best approaches to bringing old mobile home parks back to life – inexpensive ways to freshen up 50 year-old properties and make them seem new again. Maybe one day HGTV will have a show on mobile home parks but – until then – this segment will provide some design insights.

Do billionaires live in mobile home parks? Yes. And so do many other notable folks in the U.S. In this week’s Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast series, we’re going to review the many different types of customers that are served by this unique housing option. Are some of them household names? You better believe it. It turns out that “trailer parks” are not only about affordable housing – there are many different facets to this industry.

If the desired effect is to keep mobile home park lot rents low and parks not re-developed into new uses, how can this be accomplished politically? By mandating rent control? By adding more bureaucratic hurdles? Or is there a new approach that might actually work? In this edition of the Mobile Home Park Mastery Podcast series, we’re going to review what some political paths to progress might look like, and review those that have no positive impact whatsoever. If you are tired of hearing the “fake news” regarding affordable housing assistance by the government, then this will give you some fresh perspectives on what can and can’t be done to stem the national shortage of affordable housing as far as mobile home parks are concerned.

By far the majority of mobile home park residents are wonderful people. But there are a few residents out there that have learned how to take advantage of the system and good-natured park owners. The good news is that there are ways to defend against those who attempt to push false narratives and unfairly manipulate the general community.

The average car in the U.S. has an engine with 120 horsepower. Yet there are engines out there with ten times that much power. Mobile home parks are no different, as they often have ten times more cash-flow ability than more conventional forms of real estate. How much horsepower does a mobile home park have and how can you gauge it? In this week’s Mobile Home Park Mastery Podcast, we’re going to review where the horsepower in a mobile home park comes from, and how to calculate its maximum output using some key metrics.

The mobile home park industry is constantly evolving and today’s park owner is more focused than ever before on building a sense of community and maximum resident satisfaction. So how do you do that? In this episode of Mobile Home Park Mastery we’re going to discuss the latest trends in mobile home parks and how they create the desired results in building superior resident happiness and value.

The bulk of the 44,000 mobile home parks in the U.S. were built between the 1940s and 1970s. So how can you tell which decade your park is from? Why is that important? In this episode of the Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast series, we’re going to discuss the key features that separate parks from these eras and the impact on your investment, as well as what the clues are that allow you to make this determination.

History is the “study of past events”. And when you connect the dots to the past you can see trends that influence the future. In this final installment in our four-part series titled “Literary Lessons Learned” we’re going to review some interesting parallels between the current economy in the U.S. and the past, and see what future trends can be predicted from past events. You’ve heard the old adage “history repeats itself” and that’s definitely true – the key is understanding what those cycles are and how to profit from them.

There’s no better strategy than to follow in the path forged by someone else who was successful. Biographies are books that are “an account of someone’s life” and a fascinating glimpse into the key drivers to how they accomplished what they did. In this third installment of our four-part series on “Literary Lessons Learned” we’re going to focus on learning concepts for success from the life story of several top American business people.