Mobile Home Park Mastery - podcast cover

Mobile Home Park Mastery

Frank Rolfewww.mhpmastery.com
Welcome to the Mobile Home Park Mastery Podcast where you will learn how to identify, evaluate, negotiate, perform due diligence on, finance, turn-around and operate mobile home parks! Your host is Frank Rolfe, the 5th largest mobile home park owner in the United State with his partner Dave Reynolds. Together, they also own and operate Mobile Home University, the leading educational website for both new and experienced mobile home park investors!
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Episodes

Permission Vs. Forgiveness

When doing due diligence on a mobile home park there are some things that you can’t leave to chance and others that you can tactically let slide. So when do you need permission and when do you ask forgiveness? That’s the topic of this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast. As you’ll find out, there’s a definite strategy to it all.

Aug 28, 202311 minEp. 309

The Mechanics Of A Successful Rent Raise

Raising lot rents to market levels is a continual challenge as most mobile home parks currently sit at a fraction of where rents should be. Park owners spend hours ruminating over the how much to raise rents, not because they are constrained by market forces, but simply wanting to make sure that they are fair in how to do their calculations. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to review what the mechanics are of a successful rent increase.

Aug 21, 202312 minEp. 308

Take The Cash

Mobile home parks are mostly a cashless business today, with virtually all residents paying by checks, money-orders or automated clearinghouse (ACH). However, before you put away your change drawer, there are still some instances in which accepting cash is vital. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to discuss why having a firm policy of “no cash accepted” can cost you significant money without a more flexible framework.

Aug 15, 202310 minEp. 307

Paving The Way To Ruin

There are few vendors as tough to handle as paving contractors. They have some basic methods to take advantage of park owners that you won’t learn until after it’s too late. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast, we will explore the typical scams pavers have developed over the years and how to protect yourself from these unscrupulous methods.

Aug 07, 202310 minEp. 306

All About Home Age Restrictions

Some cities have started restricting the age of homes that you can bring in to fill vacant lots. But can they legally do that? And what do you do if they decide to give it a try? In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to explore how to correctly address this issue.

Jul 31, 202312 minEp. 305

The Forces And Impact Behind Accelerating Park Redevelopment

Mobile home parks are, at their most basic, parking lots. And a growing number of these parking lots are being torn down to make way for new development. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to explore what’s behind this growing trend and what the ramifications are for the mobile home parks left behind.

Jul 24, 202311 minEp. 304

The Growing Trend of Organic Home Moves

Contrary to what woke media outlets may claim, mobile homes are very much mobile, and they are changing locales at a much faster rate these days. When a mobile home moves from one park to another it’s called an “organic” move – and it’s a great thing when you are the property they are moving to. So why are the number of “organic” moves increasing and how can you do more to attract these customers?

Jul 17, 202310 minEp. 303

Fact Or Fiction?

There are a huge number of myths about mobile home parks, as well as some items that appear fantasy but actually work in reality. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to explore some of these theories and determine which are fact-based and which are nonsense. Many of these items can be of great importance in buying and operating mobile home parks, so it’s important to know which ones you can trust.

Jul 10, 202313 minEp. 302

Our 300th Anniversary Special

That’s right, we have released Mobile Home Park Mastery’s 300th episode. That’s over 50 hours of recorded information on all aspects of the mobile home park industry and available right here. But how have things changed in this sector over the past six years – as we’ve been doing this podcast since 2017? In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast anniversary special we’re going to look back on the origins of the podcast and explore the top ten most significant changes to the industry since we firs...

Jul 03, 202318 minEp. 301

A Mantra To Keep You Out Of Trouble

There’s a recession coming to America soon – that’s the opinion of virtually every economist. So how can you prepare for the coming financial apocalypse? There’s a simple mantra that will keep you out of trouble in every recession/depression, and we’ll review that concept, why it’s perpetually true, and how to get your investments aligned with that quickly in this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast.

Jun 26, 202310 minEp. 300

The Great Subsidy Debate

The political issues that mobile home park owners face today boil down to a simple question: are mobile home park owners required to do the work of state and federal government? Apartment owners have received subsidies for residents who cannot afford to pay market rents for decades, yet mobile home parks receive no such assistance. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to drill down on this issue and explore the question of subsidies and who should pay them.

Jun 13, 202314 minEp. 299

The Changing State of Employment

Between AI and an over-educated employment base, there is a significant shift in the future of careers that is definitely in favor of mobile home park owners. What are those trends and how will it impact our customers’ ability to pay ever-higher lot rents? That’s the focus of this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast.

Jun 13, 20239 minEp. 298

The Pros And Cons of Heavy Lift Turn-Arounds

One of the most profitable segments of the mobile home park business is the “heavy lift” turn-around. But it’s definitely not the right choice for every investor and comes with a slate of potential pitfalls. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to drill down on the good and bad aspects of bringing nearly dead parks back to life.

May 30, 202311 minEp. 297

Understanding Zoning Compliance

Since most cities hate mobile home parks, it’s imperative that you understand your rights under zoning. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to review the components of a certificate of zoning compliance as well as other issues that have an impact on your rights to operate.

May 22, 202311 minEp. 296

Amenity Nightmares

Across America, mobile home park owners are in a race to provide more amenities for residents to increase the perception of “value” for their rent. But not all amenities are created equal. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to review some of the worst amenities you can build, as well as provide caution on the location of some of the good ones.

May 16, 202310 minEp. 295

A Primer On Housing Laws

The simple “trailer” becomes a ball of complexity when you examine the laws governing remodeling and selling these units. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to review the basic rules on getting new and used mobile homes refurbished and sold so you can stay on the right side of federal, state and local laws.

May 08, 202312 minEp. 294

Good Fear Vs. Bad Fear

Webster’s defines “fear” as “an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous and likely to cause pain, or a threat.” However, how you react to fear can be either hugely beneficial or a roadblock that can ruin your future. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to explore how fear can be good or bad, and why its existence can be an important tool to being a successful mobile home park investor.

May 02, 202312 minEp. 293

Following The Studebaker Motto

The Studebaker brothers built one of America’s largest and most successful carriage and automobile businesses using a simple motto: “always give more than you promise”. So how do we do that with mobile home parks? That’s the focus of this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast in which we try to unlock how to utilize this simple formula to deliver exceptional customer satisfaction.

Apr 17, 20239 minEp. 292

How To Hold An Open House

The demand for affordable housing is huge, but finding the applicant with the necessary down-payment, earnings level and credit score to actually buy your vacant mobile home is more difficult. One great way to spur traffic to any mobile home park is to hold an “Open House”. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to focus on how to hold these events successfully and unlock the potential in your market to fill homes at a faster pace.

Apr 10, 202310 minEp. 291

Similarities And Differences

There have been a number of recent articles predicting lending problems for “commercial real estate”. But there is no such thing as generic “commercial real estate”. There are simply several different niches that aggregate into that term. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast, we will explore the similarities and differences between mobile home parks and the other commercial real estate sectors and how the future banking challenges will probably unfold.

Apr 03, 202311 minEp. 290

Considerations When A Manager Wants A Raise

America is in a labor tsunami in which it’s harder to find and retain workers than ever before. In this environment, many mobile home park owners face the reality of managers asking for more money. But should you give in to their demands? In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast, we will review how manager compensation works and share thoughts on navigating this new reality.

Mar 28, 202310 minEp. 289

The Science Behind Selling $70,000 Singlewides

Mobile home prices have nearly doubled since the advent of Covid, and that has put a stress test on selling “trailers”. However, many mobile home parks continue to sell new homes despite the higher prices. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast, we’re going to make some observations on what is needed to sell a $70,000 mobile home in today’s market.

Mar 20, 202313 minEp. 288

The Playbook On Bank Failure

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank – the second largest in U.S. history – may be ushering in a new era of banking collapse. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast, we’re going to scientifically review the risk of mobile home park loans and explore some of the lessons I learned from the 1987 Texas Savings and Loan Crash.

Mar 13, 202311 minEp. 287

Unlocking The Roots of A Sense of Community

A few years ago Time magazine declared that “mobile home parks are the gated communities of the less affluent” and raved about their strong sense of community. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to drill down on the origins of that sense of community and what park owners can do to foster a stronger bond between residents.

Mar 06, 202311 minEp. 286

Off-Site Vs. On-Site Managers

As the mobile home park industry evolves, owners are constantly pondering not only what the new role of community manager is becoming but also the necessity of them living on-site. Larger parks have allowed for on-site or off-site manager possibilities for years, but smaller parks have been relegated to strictly on-site options. However, those lines may be blurring. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast, we will examine the issue of off-site vs. on-site managers.

Feb 27, 202311 minEp. 285

Why Credit Scores Don’t Mean Much In Affordable Housing

Mobile home lenders set very low expectations on customer credit scores yet enjoy very low default rates. This seems to be contrary to all the physics of extending credit but it’s supported by fact. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to dig deeper into the topic of why a low FICO works just fine when it comes to customers buying mobile homes.

Feb 21, 202311 minEp. 284

The Limits On Grandfathering Protection

Even though all cities hate mobile home parks, they tolerate them because of property laws governing legal non-conforming use – also known as “grandfathering”. But not all mobile home parks share that protection. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast, we’re going to review the attributes that make a mobile home park at risk and without “grandfathering” rights.

Feb 14, 202312 minEp. 283

Building A Firewall

Owning a mobile home park is a noble calling, but you must protect yourself from the residents you are trying to help. While 99% of park customers are wonderful people, there is that 1% that want to take advantage of your role as the owner to try to borrow money, harass you, get out of rules violations, get your manager fired – basically try to drive you nuts. The solution is to build a firewall between your customers and you. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast, we’ll go through the simple...

Feb 06, 202311 minEp. 282

The Many Similarities Between Mobile Home Parks And Dollar Stores

Mobile home parks have always been viewed as the lowest-cost form of housing while dollar stores serve that same niche in the retail sector. Yet there are many more similarities between “trailer parks” and “Dollar Tree” than meets the eye. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast, we’ll review the similarities and why both businesses are underappreciated – a fact that’s about to change.

Jan 31, 202312 minEp. 281

Navigating Wrap Notes

With interest rates up significantly, some sellers may propose a construction called a “wrap” in which you leave the existing mortgage intact as part of the deal. But does that work? In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to review the good and bad aspects of this deal construction and discuss methods to mitigate the risk.

Jan 23, 202311 minEp. 280
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