The May 2026 Commercial Real Estate Investing Newsletter
MHP Owners: The New Kings of Bonus Depreciation
Bonus Depreciation, the ability to write off up to 100% in the first year via cost segregation accounting, was permanently restored in 2025. Little did anyone realize that mobile home parks are, by far, the biggest winners from this, as studies began to show that a typical mobile home park has 3 to 4 times the amount of bonus depreciation than any other real estate sector.
Watch The VideoWhy The Midwest Still Makes Sense For Mobile Home Park Investors
The Midwest has always been one of our favorite regions for mobile home park investing, and that has not changed. The reason is not nostalgia, geography, or the fact that many operators started there. The reason is simple: many Midwest markets still offer the right blend of affordability, employment stability, housing demand, and practical rent-growth potential.
Read MoreDue Diligence Is Where RV Park Deals Are Won Or Lost
A good RV park deal can look simple on the surface. The income is there, the occupancy looks solid, the location makes sense, and the seller seems honest. But real estate has a bad habit of hiding expensive problems until after closing. That is why due diligence is not just a formality. It is the period where you find out whether the deal you thought you had is actually the deal in front of you.
Read MoreWhat Self-Storage Financing Looks Like In 2026
Self-storage is still one of the more financeable forms of commercial real estate, but the lending market in 2026 is not the free-money environment people got used to years ago. Lenders still like the asset class, but they are looking harder at cash flow, occupancy, market strength, and the borrower’s ability to handle higher debt payments.
Read MoreWallscapes Are Still One Of The Best Deals In Billboards
Wallscapes are one of the most interesting niches in outdoor advertising because they combine two things investors like: large advertising space and relatively low structural cost. Instead of building a freestanding sign from steel, concrete, and poles, you are using a wall that already exists.
Read MoreCommercial Real Estate Mastery Podcast: Episode 25 - The Potential Impact Of The Midterm Election
In November America heads to the polls and casts their vote in what is referred to as the “Midterms”. The historical precedent is for the party in power to lose during these elections, and the stakes are very high. In this Commercial Real Estate Mastery podcast we’re going to review what the outcome of the “Midterms” might do to the commercial real estate industry.
Listen To Episode 25Mobile Home Park Mastery Podcast: Episode 441 - What You Can And Can't Do Without A Signed Contract
Just like the Kentucky Derby, you can't jump the gate despite your enthusiasm to start the race. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we're going to review the typical protocol of what the buyer should, and should not, do in the absence of a fully executed agreement.
Listen To Episode 441RV Park Mastery Podcast: Episode 149 - Should You Keep The Existing Manager?
When buying an RV Park, a common dilemma for the buyer is whether or not to keep the existing manager in charge of the property. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we're going to review the methodology to determine whether or not to retain the current manager.
Listen To Episode 149Self Storage University Podcast: Episode 147 - The Art Of First Offers
Any first offer that fails to elicit a counter-offer is deemed a failure. Despite this fact, too many buyers do not put enough thought or strategy in coming up with that price. In this Self-Storage University podcast we're going to explore the methodology behind making a successful first offer.
Listen To Episode 147Billboard Mastery Podcast: Episode 143 - What To Do When New Billboard Construction Is Banned
Some cities allow new billboards to be built, while others don't. And when new billboards are banned in a city you have to make a decision whether to give up or attempt to get a variance. In this Billboard Mastery podcast we're going to explore how to make that decision and how to successfully obtain a variance for new construction
Listen To Episode 143Commercial Real Estate Mastery Podcast: Episode 24 - The Differences Between Buying High And Low Occupancy Properties
Every property needs tenants yet some fail in that mission. As a result, there are deals with high occupancy as well as ones with low occupancy. But what are the differences in buying strategy? That’s the topic of this Commercial Real Estate Mastery podcast, in which we explore the issue of occupancy in a property acquisition.
Listen To Episode 24Mobile Home Park Mastery Podcast: Episode 440 - In Search Of More Affluent Customers
Walmart is remodeling stores in pursuit of households earning $100,000+. Dollar Tree is expanding their offerings to bring in higher - earning customers. And mobile home parks are in pursuit of the same category of shoppers. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to examine the reasons and steps being taken to move up a notch from simply “affordable housing”.
Listen To Episode 440Why Parking Pads Matter More Than Most Mobile Home Park Buyers Think
The first impression of a mobile home park is often made before anyone reads the rent roll. It is made when they drive in and see where the cars are parked. If vehicles are scattered across yards, sitting in mud, or blocking roads, the park immediately feels unmanaged. That matters to residents, lenders, appraisers, buyers, and city officials.
Read MoreWhy Angles Can Make An RV Park Sign Harder To Ignore
Most signs are built to look orderly, balanced, and predictable. That is normally a good thing. But when you are trying to make an RV park entrance, roadside marker, or promotional display stand out from a long line of forgettable signs, perfect alignment is not always your friend. Sometimes the thing that catches the eye is the part that looks slightly unexpected.
Read MoreHow To Protect Your Self-Storage Facility From Lawsuits In 2026
Owning a self-storage facility is not just about renting units and collecting payments. It is also about protecting the asset from things that can quietly destroy value. One lawsuit, one employee dispute, one wrongful sale claim, or one uninsured loss can take a clean investment and turn it into a very expensive lesson.
Read MoreWhat Billboard Investors Need To Know About Railroad Ground Leases
Railroad property has always had a strange connection to the billboard business. Long before highways became the main audience, signs were placed where train passengers could see them. Today, the more important issue is not history. It is the lease.
Read More2 Parks. $3.5M Banked. $150K/Year Without Selling.
This is the story of a guy who turned two mobile home parks into $3.5 million in the bank and $150,000 per year in management fees, and that’s without even selling them! The only way the owner would talk to me was by remaining completely anonymous and having no reference to where his parks are located at, given the degree of political friction in America today. But the story is so uplifting and positive that we thought it needed to be heard. So call it a celebration of optimism. And capitalism. It’s a story that’s truly American.
Listen To The AudioCommercial Real Estate Mastery Podcast: Episode 23 - Buying Properties In Distress
Some of the best acquisitions you’ll ever make come from buying properties that are not performing correctly, which are classified as “distressed”. In this Commercial Real Estate Mastery podcast we’re going to review the reasons that commercial real estate can fall into “distress” and how to approach buying these type of deals.
Listen To Episode 23Mobile Home Park Mastery Podcast: Episode 439 - The Difference Between Suggestions, Requests And Demands
A mobile home park is a bit of a political animal and you have to be able to interpret the degree of danger discussions with city hall bring to the table. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we're going to learn the differences between city hall suggestions, requests and demands.
Listen To Episode 439RV Park Mastery Podcast: Episode 148 - Simple Contract Strategies
Writing a contract to buy an RV Park can be stressful – particularly if it's your first. But it doesn't have to be that way. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we're going review some practical steps and strategies to produce purchase contracts at low cost and less worry.
Listen To Episode 148Self Storage University Podcast: Episode 146 - Elvis' Thoughts On Ego
Elvis Presley did not produce many quotes but the few he had are worthy of introspection. In this Self-Storage University podcast we're going to review Elvis' thoughts on ego and why he was completely correct on the damaging side effects.
Listen To Episode 146Billboard Mastery Podcast: Episode 142 - Playing With Numbers
Hyperbole is typically gaslighting with words, but in the billboard business it is more commonly done with numbers. In this Billboard Mastery podcast we're going to review methods of presenting numbers to get the desired results
Listen To Episode 142Commercial Real Estate Mastery Podcast: Episode 22 - The Existential Threat To Landlords
Landlords have been taking the brunt of criticism in the media for years now. Many states have been passing laws to restrict evictions and create more advance notice of property sales. But how big is the real threat to American landlords? In this Commercial Real Estate Mastery podcast we’re going to explore the true story of landlords and not the perception and stigma created by the media.
Listen To Episode 22Mobile Home Park Mastery Podcast: Episode 438 - The Stages Of Turnaround Success
Just like the recent Artemis launch, bringing an old mobile home park back to life involves successfully navigating a number of stages – each with a most basic purpose. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to explore these phases of a park turnaround and what you have to mainly focus on to be successful.
Listen To Episode 438Carports and Fences in Mobile Home Parks: The Benefits and the Boundaries
Carports and fences can be great additions to a mobile home park, but only when they are done properly. They can improve the look of the community, make residents happier, and help with retention. But if they are poorly built or loosely approved, they can create safety, code, and appearance problems.
Read MoreWhy Some RV Parks Become True Destinations
RV parks generally fall into two broad categories. Some are overnight stops, where the guest needs a clean, safe place to park before getting back on the road. Others are destinations, where the guest plans the trip around the park, the area, or both.
Read MoreIn Self-Storage, Boring Usually Beats Brave
Self-storage investing does not reward creativity the same way a new product launch or tech startup might. In this business, the best deals are often the plain ones: good location, clean access, sensible unit mix, legal operations, and demand that already exists. When investors try to get too clever, they often stop buying real estate and start buying a theory.
Read MoreHow To Get Billboard Height Right Before You Build
A billboard can have the right location, the right advertiser, and the right traffic count, but still fail if the height is wrong. Too low, and a roofline, tree, sign, or overpass can block the face. Too high, and the structure may cost more than necessary. The goal is not simply to build tall. The goal is to build high enough for the ad to read cleanly from the road.
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