The October 2023 Commercial Real Estate Investing Newsletter

Mobile Home Park Bargains Are Still Out There!

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.

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Self-Storage: The Real Estate Sector's Best-Kept Secret

Let's uncover the reasons why self-storage is the real estate sector's best-kept secret.

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Discussion with Cathy Evans On Her Current RV Park Listings

Cathy Evans is with Montana Home & Land, and specializes in RV Parks. In this discussion we cover her thoughts on RV Park investing, how to properly interact with a broker, and review two of her listings. Since brokers have been historically one of the best ways to find RV Parks for sale, we thought you would find this conversation of interest.

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Mobile Home Park Mastery Podcast: Episode 317 - The Truth About Self-Managing Your Park

Particularly on smaller parks or parks near your home, it’s always tempting to “self-manage”. But is that a good idea? In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast, we’re going to explore the truth about self-managing a mobile home park and identify the good and bad aspects – as well as the alternatives.

Listen To Episode 317

RV Park Mastery Podcast: Episode 89 - Five Ways To Boost Occupancy Right Now

If you have even one vacant space in your RV park then you’re losing potential income and value. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to review the top five ways to boost any RV park’s occupancy – and all of these are things you can do right now and at very low cost. If you harness these five strategies you can boost your occupancy quickly.

Listen To Episode 89

Self Storage University Podcast: Episode 87 - When Will Higher Interest Rates Lead To Distressed Deals To Buy?

It’s no surprise that self-storage facility loan interest rates have gone up to the highest level in nearly 40 years – and in only 18 months. And there has to be a correlation between these increases and the arrival of loan defaults on the part of many facilities. But when? And how can you put yourself in a position to buy these deals when they come to pass? That’s the topic of this week’s Self-Storage University podcast.

Listen To Episode 87

Billboard Mastery Podcast: Episode 83 - How To Rent Any Billboard In Five Easy Steps

Every billboard has a natural advertiser if you can just help them find the sign. In this Billboard Mastery podcast we’re going to show you the five easy steps to finding the right advertiser for your billboard as well as explain why they’re so effective.

Listen To Episode 83

The ROI of Customer Service Excellence in Self Storage

In today's competitive business landscape, customer service is not just a department; it's an ethos. For industries like self-storage, where the product is often perceived as a commodity, service can be the differentiating factor that drives customer loyalty and, by extension, profitability. In this article, we'll explore the direct correlation between top-notch customer service, customer loyalty, and increased profitability in the self-storage sector.

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Why Billboards Do Fine In Recessions

We all know that a recession is looming for the U.S. economy – but what will the impact be on the billboard industry? American billboards have been around for over 100 years and have weathered every major recession in U.S. history, all the way back to the Great Depression. And the results are pretty remarkable. Billboards have proven to be highly successful during times of economic strain. Here’s a description of how billboards react to economic downturns, as found in a textbook for mobile home park valuations that is sold to appraisers:

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The Recession-Resistant Nature of Self-Storage Investments

Few asset classes have consistently demonstrated resilience during economic downturns as self-storage facilities have.

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Mobile Home Park Mastery Podcast: Episode 316 - The Top Five Ways To Boost Your Home Sales Right Now

One good thing about the mobile home park business is that there is always plenty of demand. But to complete home sales, you have to take control of that demand and convert it into deals done. In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast, we will review the top five ways to boost your home sales – right now and at virtually no cost.

Listen To Episode 316

Despite The Pending Recession, RV Park Bookings Remain Strong

An industry news article recently declared the following regarding the outlook for 2024: Kampgrounds of America’s (KOA) latest monthly report found more than half of 2023 consumers who camp have booked 2024 camping plans. KOA’s October Monthly Research Report found 51% of 2023 consumers who camp have at least one 2024 trip book. Even more, 58%, said their 2023 camping trips have exceeded expectations.

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The Tale of Two Men And Some Parks

Doug and Brandon are a father-son that currently own 8 mobile home parks, having also purchased, turned around and sold 5 additional parks

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A Conversation With Mason Gates

Mason Gates is a self-storage broker that has a dominance in Nebraska and the Midwest. In this Special Report he discusses proper broker etiquette and interaction as well as the current state of the self-storage market. If you are looking to buy a self-storage facility you will find this conversation extremely interesting and timely.

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Mobile Home Park Mastery Podcast: Episode 315 - When Did Parks Become More Valuable Than Office Towers And Regional Malls?

-Who would have ever believed that single mobile home parks would one day be worth more than giant office towers in downtown and massive regional malls? How did this ever happen? In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we're going to drill down on the amazing change in the real estate power structure and how the lowly "trailer park" has surpassed the glossy and glamorous icons of commercial real estate.

Listen To Episode 315

RV Park Mastery Podcast: Episode 88 - The Return Of Deal-Making Creativity

With loan interest rates high and the economy troubled, many RV Park deals are requiring an element of creativity to get finalized. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we're going to review the types of creative thought and strategy that can make deals possible and how to get the seller to be as enthusiastic as you are to embrace their outside-the-box mentality.

Listen To Episode 88

Self Storage University Podcast: Episode 86 - Does UPS And UAW Mean Your Are In Trouble?

There is a revolution going on in the labor market and the implications are rumbling through all areas of employment. How will self-storage fare in the newfound quest of employees to fight for staggering wage increases. In this Self-Storage University podcast we’re going to explore this timely topic as the wage war rages on.

Listen To Episode 86

Billboard Mastery Podcast: Episode 82 - Motivating The Landowner Who Thinks Money Doesn’t Matter

When you’re trying to lease ground space to build a billboard you occasionally run into the property owner that declares that “money means nothing to them”. How do you counter this argument? In this Billboard Mastery podcast we’ll review some strategies to get these type of personalities to move forward and sign the lease agreement.

Listen To Episode 82

Mobile Home Park Mastery Podcast: Episode 314 - When Decks Become Rooms

Mobile homes begat decks and decks begat rooms. These frequent additions can create complications – but is there any issue for park owners? In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to explore the issue of those “bonus rooms” that often pop up in most mobile home parks.

Listen To Episode 314

Can You Successfully Place A Mobile Home Horizontally To The Street?

When dealing with smaller lots, one trick is to place two homes perpendicular to the street that stretch over the lots behind and then a third home horizontally in the remaining gap between those two homes and the opposing street. This is frequently called the “3 for 4” formation. But does that work in real life? In this video, we tour our park in Omaha, Nebraska in which we recently took delivery of several new homes and placed them parallel to the street and discuss the issues with this arrangement.

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Successfully Transitioning into RV Park Ownership: A Comprehensive Guide

The thrill of acquiring an RV park brings both a sense of fulfillment and an equal measure of nervous anticipation. As you navigate the unfamiliar terrain of owning such a property, you might worry about overlooking some crucial steps. This article offers invaluable advice to help your transition into ownership be as seamless as possible and set you on the path to success.

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Decoding the Secrets of Unusual Billboard Structures

When you encounter a billboard structure that deviates from the standard – such as the one featured in the accompanying photo – it's likely that you're observing a one-of-a-kind, custom creation. Standard monopole signs rely on a single pole for support, while wooden and I-beam signs distribute their weight across multiple poles for stability and balance. A structure that diverges from these conventional patterns indicates something unusual, like a construction from salvaged parts. For instance, it's possible to cobble together an I-beam structure using scraps from a steel yard.

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Why Mobile Home Parks Are Better Than Gold

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.

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Mobile Home Park Mastery Podcast: Episode 313 - Is Gold a Better Investment?

You see endless commercials on cable promoting gold as the ultimate hedge to the looming recession. But is it? And how does it compare to mobile home parks? In this Mobile Home Park Mastery podcast we’re going to evaluate the factual data concerning gold and mobile home park performance in past recessions and learn why mobile home parks are far superior to gold in every category.

Listen To Episode 313