Yes, and so did George Burns, Gracie Allen, Barbara Stanwyck, Greer Garson, Jack Benny, Claudette Colbert, and Danny Kaye. Even Lucille Ball owned a mobile home park. And then there’s Stanley Marcus – the founder of Neiman Marcus – who owned a mobile home park in Dallas. Effectively, all the stars and notable people of the 1950s owned mobile home parks at one point. Why?

Acquiring mobile home parks often presents a unique set of challenges, particularly when a significant portion of the homes within the park are owned by the park itself. The key to successfully navigating these transactions lies in the delicate balance of negotiation, especially regarding the valuation of park-owned homes. While some parks may have a negligible number of such homes, making little impact on the overall deal, others can feature a substantial percentage, ranging from 20% to over 50%. This scenario places the valuation of these homes at the forefront of the negotiation process.

Mowing a mobile home park is much more than a cosmetic chore; it's an essential part of park maintenance that, when done properly, can enhance the community's aesthetic and keep residents happy. Unlike desert parks where the landscape takes care of itself, most parks require regular grooming. As we delve into the grassy expanse of mobile home park maintenance, let's mow down the details.

In the vast landscape of real estate investments, mobile home parks stand out for their unique potential for profit. Whether we're talking about modest-sized parks, sprawling complexes, or RV parks, the most lucrative investments share common characteristics. As we navigate through an evolving market, here's an updated guide to making money with mobile home parks.

In the landscape of real estate investment, mobile home parks (MHPs) hold a unique position, distinguished by the prevalent opportunities for seller financing. This financing option remains a compelling advantage, especially in an era where traditional bank loans can be elusive, allowing investors to navigate through challenging financial terrains.

The last time the U.S. faced “stagflation” was 44 years ago under Jimmy Carter. I should know because I was there. In fact, I was 19 years old when it arrived and I had a summer job standing in lines at gas stations all day long for an advertising agency owner who tried to keep his car full of gas so that he could go to meetings. It was during a period of gas rationing which was just one part of the complete collapse of society as we knew it. The general tenor of the period was desperation and disbelief and we all knew that Carter was so bad at his job that it would be a miracle if we survived until his term ended. Fortunately, Reagan stepped in and saved America. Sound familiar? History has literally repeated itself as discussed in this article.

In the vast landscape of negotiation advice, a common misstep is to oversimplify the process, especially when it comes to substantial investments like mobile home parks. Unlike the transactional approach often depicted in media or generalized negotiation guides—which can range from selling everyday items to negotiating multi-million-dollar deals—the reality of negotiating a mobile home park purchase is far more nuanced.

In the world of property management, encountering challenging tenants is an inevitability that many of us dread. These individuals test the limits of our patience and policies, often seeming to revel in the chaos they create. From incessant complaints about trivial matters to outright rule-breaking, their actions can significantly impact the harmony and operational efficiency of a mobile home park.

Warren Buffett hasn’t been buying much lately – noting that the stock market has no bargains -- but apparently, he quietly has been loading up on housing stocks – placing big bets that housing is the strongest part of the economy going forward. So why is Warren Buffett putting so much money into the U.S. housing industry at a time in which he earlier declared that “the incredible period” for the American economy has ended and projecting lower net income for all businesses going forward?

Recent studies have found that 4 out of 10 companies are laying off workers in 2024, with the vast majority “knowledge workers” (people who are paid to think) who are being replaced by Artificial Intelligence (AI). While that will certainly be the catalyst for the 2024 Recession it also ushers in a new Megatrend that you better be prepared for and one that will be among the largest of this century: the replacement of “knowledge worker” jobs with AI. And there will be major winners and losers from this transformation.

I was an economics major at Stanford and one of the core principles of capitalism is market efficiency. In a perfectly efficient market, there are no great deals and little opportunity outside of the regular small advancements brought on by inflation. Everyone has perfect knowledge of every deal on the market and then bid them up to the point in which there is no profit. You are seeing that right now in the stock market where all key indexes are lower now than in January. Indeed, the only money you can make in America is in “inefficient” markets in which competition is restricted due to a lack of complete knowledge by all competitors – the type of efficiency that can then ruin any opportunity for profit.

Robert Kiyosaki – the author of “Rich Dad Poor Dad” from 1997 – has recently turned to pitching investing in gold as the best hedge to the end of America. We disagree with that. Mobile home parks are definitely a better investment option than gold if the topic is best defense against the collapse of the U.S. economy. But let’s break that down into actual statistics to prove that argument.

Mobile home park investments present a unique opportunity that many ask about—how long will this favorable market last? From our perspective, this golden era of purchasing mobile home parks likely has about 10 more years in its lifespan. That is, of course, contingent on a number of factors that none of us really know but can make educated guesses on.

It would appear that apartment rents have finally achieved terminal velocity with aggressive increases during the pandemic coupled with a weakening U.S. economy. In some markets rents are starting to come with small discounts (1% to 5%) or a couple of free months. Of course, that’s on an average U.S. rent of over $2,000 per month. So if apartments have finally hit the “top” where do mobile home park lot rents stand, and are they approaching that limit?

I shot this photo yesterday at our local Walmart down in Perryville, Missouri. I assume it’s the same nationwide. You have three vending machines that dispense three different product lines. And the middle machine – selling Pepsi products in plastic bottles – offers soft drinks for $2 while the other machines selling cans of Coke and generic brands are only $1. Clearly, there must be demand for the $2 Pepsi or Walmart would remove the machine. So how can Pepsi get $2 when Coke is only getting $1?

In 1958 when Marge didn’t get pregnant as hoped, I was drafted into the army, but got two breaks. I was sent to Alaska rather than Korea. That meant Marge could come up and live with me in Fairbanks if we could afford housing. We couldn’t. Apartment rent was so high there were more mobile homes per capita than anywhere.

If you’ve ever been to a “farmers’ market” you know that it offers superior selection and pricing to what you can get at the supermarket. And the mobile home park industry is like a giant “farmers’ market” in the way it’s structured and the opportunities that exist if you simply take advantage of the opportunity to shop there.

Whether you own a single mobile home park or a portfolio of properties, enhancing performance is essential for creating a welcoming environment and maximizing profitability. Recent technological advancements allow you to instantly pinpoint park inefficiencies and hold management accountable. This guide will provide an expanded perspective on how to leverage technology to swiftly optimize your mobile home park's performance.

Over the decades we have found holding conversations to be one of the most effective investigative tools. So often with Phase I Environmental Assessments, the critical information is not documented anywhere; rather, it is held in the memories of those familiar with the property. No database search, review of documents or site inspection will grant you access to this information. You only gain access by talking to people.

The story of Conrad Hilton, the founder of the Hilton Hotels chain, began with the modest Mobley Hotel in Cisco, Texas. Although the hotel was small and not very profitable, it set Hilton on the path to success. This story holds valuable lessons for those considering investing in small mobile home parks, as it highlights the importance of adapting one's business model to achieve greater success.

One often-overlooked aspect of mobile home park aesthetics is the presence of quality window coverings. The appearance of a property can be significantly impacted by the state of its windows, both in terms of the glass itself and the choice of coverings. This article will discuss the importance of selecting appropriate window treatments for mobile homes in a park setting, the benefits of doing so, and some practical solutions to ensure that your mobile home park maintains a cohesive and visually appealing appearance.

A CD pays 4% right now, but inflation is at 6.5% -- so that’s a guaranteed loser. The S&P 500 is down 6% over the past year, so if you add on inflation, you’re actually down over 12%. In times of high inflation the only thing that matters is how fast you can increase revenue and net operating income. It’s like a NASCAR race and all that matters is how fast your investment can go to outpace inflation.

Although economists are confused on the exact timing of the pending recession, there’s one thing they all agree about: the continued issue of U.S. inflation. Under Biden inflation has soared from around 2% to nearly 10% -- the highest increase in 40 years. And most are asserting that inflation cannot be tamed by the Fed’s action on raising interest rates over 4 points and will probably never be lower than 4% again. So what’s the true story about the impact of a permanent higher inflation level on mobile home park ownership?

America is in a real mess right now, and it’s only going to get worse. Virtually all U.S. economists predict a major recession in 2023. There are already many headlines about layoffs at places like Twitter and Facebook. However, mobile home park collections are still strong, demand for homes has never been higher, and defaults on mobile home mortgages are still at around 5% or less. So how come mobile home park residents don’t seem to be struggling while many other Americans are? The answer lies in the facts and figures regarding employment.

For over 40 years, Dollar Tree charged $1 for every item in the store. Whether it was a shirt, a toy, or a book, there was no price check needed because your tab would be exactly $1 per item. But recently, Dollar Tree raised that amount to $1.25 per item. Of all retailers, Dollar Tree is the most comparable to the mobile home park industry, as “trailer parks” have been offering ridiculously low prices for decades, and our customer base is very similar. So what’s the story on why Dollar Tree went to $1.25, how has that worked out, and what are the lessons learned for mobile home park lot rents?