RV Park Investment Articles

For many investors, an RV park can be more than just a business—it’s a pathway to a fulfilling and financially rewarding venture. When carefully selected, an RV park investment can lead to substantial returns and a business environment that’s a joy to operate. Here are some key aspects to consider when looking for an RV park that promises steady growth and satisfaction.

Making the transition from your day job to owning an RV park is a journey that can offer both personal fulfillment and financial independence. Many dreams of breaking free from the 9-to-5 grind, and owning an RV park presents a unique opportunity to live and work in an environment of your choosing. However, this leap requires thoughtful planning. Here’s a guide on how to make that shift with confidence.

When managing or purchasing an RV park, flood risk isn't just a small detail; it’s a crucial factor that can affect the safety of your guests and the long-term success of your investment. Recent events like Hurricane Helene, which devastated low-lying areas, and the imminent threat of Hurricane Milton remind us of the ongoing importance of understanding flood risks. RVs may float, but that’s not their purpose—and neither is rebuilding after a flood.

Finding the perfect RV park deal is a bit like panning for gold. The odds of finding a nugget on your first attempt are slim, and it requires patience, diligence, and the right tools. Many people imagine that great deals just fall into place with a stroke of luck or a rare moment of fate, but the reality is far from it. Just like prospecting for gold, success comes from sifting through many options until you find the one that holds true value.

Buying an RV park can be exciting—until you discover it falls within a floodplain. While this may feel like a major setback, it's important to fully assess the situation before making a final decision. Not every floodplain designation is a deal-breaker, and there may be ways to work with or around it.

In the complex world of RV park acquisitions, the ability to renegotiate terms is crucial. It's a misconception that once a deal is struck, it’s set in stone. The reality is, most transactions undergo adjustments as new information surfaces during the process. Recognizing when and why renegotiation is necessary can make the difference between an average deal and a highly profitable one.

As 10,000 baby boomers retire each day in the U.S., many are finding that their average social security check of $1,200 per month isn't enough for traditional housing options. For these retirees, RV parks offer a practical and enjoyable solution. Here's why RV parks make sense for retirees.

The RV Park business is a simple concept: You provide spaces for RVs to park. As a result, the more RVs on the road, the more customers in RV parks. If that’s the case – and it has been for decades – then the RV park industry is in for a great ride, thanks to demographic shifts in the U.S. and changing consumer tastes for RV products.

So you're looking at investing capital to create a new stream of cash flow or maybe replace your day job. You've probably thought about buying commercial real estate or buying a business. They both have their own places, but there are many reasons that buying an RV Park is superior to buying a business from a franchise or a business broker. Why is that?

When RV Park owners think about signs, they often envision rectangles or squares. Look around, and you’ll see that the vast majority of entry signs follow this predictable pattern. But if you want to capture attention and stand out, it's time to literally "think outside the box."

The late Sam Zell was always an advocate of only buying assets with liquidity. That was the secret that allowed him to get in and out of real estate when he felt a crash was coming. And it saved him from doom in the 2007 Great Recession, as he was able to unload his office holdings right before they crashed. His nickname was "the Gravedancer" as he was able to nimbly get out of asset sectors right before they turned bad, as well as buy them when others thought they were doomed and they were actually about to head up. But illiquidity can actually serve as a tool when buying RV Parks if you use that lever to your advantage.

The term "buying a job" is often viewed with skepticism when it comes to investing in real estate. However, this skepticism isn't as prevalent when discussing substantial educational expenditures aimed at securing future employment. For instance, spending $200,000 on a law degree or $400,000 on medical school is generally seen as a justified pathway to a professional career. So why view real estate investment, such as owning an RV park, any differently?

Owning an RV park often starts with a simple expectation: guests will check in for a short stay and move on shortly thereafter. However, the reality is that many RV owners have diverse needs that can extend their stays significantly. These can range from temporary relocations for work projects to seasonal migrations to avoid harsh winters. Understanding and adapting to these varied customer needs is crucial for maximizing both your revenue and customer satisfaction.

In the quest for financial independence and a fulfilling lifestyle, one path worth exploring is the ownership of an RV park. This isn't merely a question of financial returns, which are impressive in their own right, but also the pursuit of a life enriched by freedom, nature, and community.

It's universally acknowledged that in arithmetic, 2+2 will always equal 4. This steadfast rule should be at the forefront of every RV park investor's mind because, in the world of real estate investing, bending mathematical truths can lead to financial ruin.

Receiving a lawsuit can be a daunting experience, sparking a mix of fear and confusion. With the evolution of legal proceedings in 2024, it's crucial to approach this scenario with a calm and strategic mindset. Here's an updated guide to help you navigate the complexities of being sued in today's legal landscape.

In the dynamic world of RV park investments, understanding the financial health of a potential acquisition is more crucial than ever. The principle of averaging—examining financial metrics over various periods to gain a more stable and reliable picture—remains a cornerstone in appraising RV parks. This approach, rooted in traditional appraisal practices, has evolved with the advent of digital analytics and a deeper understanding of market elasticity.

The allure of transforming a poorly managed RV park into a profitable venture is undeniable. Despite the potential for high returns, these projects are fraught with challenges and carry significantly more risk than their well-managed counterparts. Here's a comprehensive guide on navigating these waters successfully.

Legendary coach Jim Harbaugh was just named in charge of the Los Angeles Chargers and he announced he will be moving to California and living in his RV inside a local RV park. Why do even the elites like RV parks so much, and what does that suggest about the future of owning these assets?

CNBC ran an article recently that talked about the attractiveness of living in an RV full time. We are seeing this same phenomenon in many of our properties throughout the U.S. So, what does it mean for the RV Park industry if we start filling more and more spaces with full-time occupants?

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.

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.

While some might wish for a magical genie to grant them the perfect RV park deal, reality offers a different approach. Contrary to myth, locating an ideal RV park investment is not a matter of luck but a blend of smart strategy and good old-fashioned hard work. Anyone fully committed to the venture will eventually find a deal that aligns with their goals. However, there are some key principles to guide you through this process.

The conventional American retirement plan is often less than desirable, with current statistics painting a rather bleak picture for U.S. retirees: an average social security payment of $14,400 per year, average savings of $88,000, and approximately 70% of retirees receiving little to no pension. Add to this, current CD rates do not even keep with inflation – so you’re not actually getting anywhere as far as wealth-building. The question then arises: how can you secure a comfortable retirement under these conditions?

We have dedicated significant effort to refining our mystery shopping approach for evaluating our managers. By simulating a customer's experience, mystery shopping provides valuable insights into how your employees interact with prospective clients. We categorize our evaluations to cover the entire customer journey, enabling us to pinpoint any shortcomings that may be hindering your RV park's revenue potential.

The winter of 2023 has proven to be one of the harshest in recent memory, with freezing temperatures reaching even the typically mild regions of the United States. This has raised concerns for RV park owners and managers, who must navigate the challenges brought on by such extreme weather. This article highlights the crucial aspects of managing an RV park during a severe winter season.

If buying an RV Park is part of your New Year’s Resolutions, then here are the four tests you must perform before pulling the trigger and acquiring the property. All of these steps are attainable with reasonable effort and basic knowledge of how they work. So what are these important action steps?

We are huge believers in seller financing, which rates as our favorite type of debt. It has a huge number of benefits. But it can also be a trap if you don’t know what you’re doing. So what’s so great about seller carry and when is it actually not a good idea?

Many people say “your manager needs to smile when they’re on the phone”. The problem with that statement is that you can’t possibly see any correlation between smiling and treating customers well when they call, nor can anyone measure their level of “smiling” unless they are sitting there looking at them. So what are the actual keys to a successful manager when it comes to phone etiquette.

Some RV parks are open all year. Others close in the winter and only stay open in the warmer months. But does that mean you can only buy those properties during the summer season? The truth is that many seasonal RV parks are bought and sold in the frigid winter months, but there are some tricks you need to know if that’s your goal.

When you’re buying an RV park, the typical seller is an older mom and pop couple who either built the property from scratch or bought it several decades ago. That’s what everyone is used to seeing. But what does it mean when the seller has only owned the RV park for a couple years or less? Well, it’s never a good thing. Here are some of the issues to consider when you have a short-term owner as the seller of an RV park.

There has been a disconnect in financial markets between values and making money. Michael Burry, the “Big Short” investor, recently noted that "This morning there were still 218 primary stock listings in the United States with a market cap over $1 billion and EBITDA less than NEGATIVE $100 million," he posted on Twitter. "29 of them had market caps over $10 billion, totaling $655 billion.". In addition to his concern about the fact that Wall Street is valuing worthless companies (based on actual net income) at billions of dollars, the results are already in based on the market’s performance. Over the past year, the Dow Jones, the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 are all down over 20%. And if you factor in the rate of inflation, that number jumps to nearly 30% in real dollars. That’s a terrible performance. And one that no RV park could ever possibly match.

Nobody likes to fire their manager, and this is as true for RV park owners as any other group. When you get rid of your manager you set in motion having to find, train and hire their replacement, as well as the unhappy act of letting someone go. It’s perfectly natural to have an aversion to firing an employee, for a multitude of reasons.

We have been educating RV park buyers for years on the simple maxim that you can NEVER tie up an RV park under contract without 1) a due diligence contingency 2) a financing contingency and 3) no buyer’s specificperformance agreement. It looks like Elon Musk forgot about all three of these principles with his contract to buy Twitter and there are many morals to the story of Musk contracting to buy Twitter.

If you’re wanting to by an RV park, don’t forget that you only live once – don’t blow it! Instead of being concerned about entering a new sector outside your comfort zone you should be more haunted by the concept of missed opportunities. RV parks are attainable investments but only if you approach the business of finding good RV park deals in the right way. Here are the five steps required to accomplish this important mission.

The U.S. is clearly heading into an era of “stagflation” which is defined as high levels of inflation coupled with a sluggish economy. The last time America saw this phenomenon was in the 1970s – nearly a half-century ago. But history repeats itself and thanks to some poor decision making in Washington and the impact of Covid-19 on inventory, that appears to be the main economic news for the near term. If you are looking at buying an RV park, you should be concerned regarding how these properties will perform during periods of stagflation. Here are some observations.

There are a lot of great RV park investments to be made in the U.S., but even the greatest deals of all time can easily be destroyed by buyers who make some fundamental mistakes. Some of these are the result of bad business habits, and others from simply lack of knowledge. But they can all derail your financial independence and make you regret what you did. Here they are:

“Chainsaw” Al Dunlap was a well-known corporate raider and business efficiency stalwart of the 1960s through 1990s. His approach to turning businesses around was a simple motto: “sell, sell, sell and cut, cut, cut”. And it’s not a bad mantra for RV park owners, as well. When you buy an old RV park and bring it back to life financially, there are typically three key areas to focus on for maximum impact to the bottom line.

Some buyers can’t move beyond the idea of buying an RV park simply because they have “paralysis by analysis” on how to write a contract. To top it off, they won’t seek legal counsel because of the cost, so they end up never acting on their dream of RV park ownership. Since that’s a terrible ending to your investment options, here’s a quick guide to try and illustrate the basic parts of a contract, not from the perspective of an attorney, but simply an observant RV park buyer.

The stock market has had a great ride since it’s Covid-inspired bottom. But how much of that was reality and how much was fantasy? The current decline in the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq are sobering reflections on the fact that the market is mover overvalued than at any other moment in American history – even worse than 1929 based on analytics. Charlie Munger – Warren Buffett’s business partner – has been warning about an apocalyptic market correction for months. And now it appears to be finally here. So in light of the fact that stock market “gambling” is no longer paying off, have you considered investing in an arena that is built on the fundamentals of income and cash flow and not PR and logo design? And a great investment niche that meets all these criteria is the simple RV park.

Many people know nothing about RV park investing. But others are aware of the opportunity. And if you are one of those people, the big question is if you are going to take action on that desire in 2022, or let another year pass without exploring the possibilities of building financial independence with one of these properties.

When you buy an RV park, sometimes the seller offers to stay on as the manager of the property. Or maybe you’re thinking of approaching the seller to assume this role. Does this work? Here are our observations on this management concept.

Omar Bradley was a U.S. General during World War II, and was known as a no-nonsense leader that had a continual focus on planning.

The above announcement came out in a market research report that caters to large portfolio-type investors, bragging about the potential in the RV park industry.

The “Great Resignation” is a national trend based around the fact that more Americans than ever before are not returning to their jobs post-Covid.

There’s an old expression that says “better lucky than smart” and that’s been holding true for RV park owners for years no as all American megatrends are fueling continually higher demand for RV park lots and there is nothing on the horizon to reduce this phenomenon. So what are the trends pushing RV park occupancy ever higher?

It should come as no surprise that nobody is concerned about your financial security as much as you are. And recent events show that, more than ever, relying on others is the worst plan you can make. The stock market and housing markets are at all-time highs despite Covid, inflation, urban unrest and world instability. So how can you take your own destiny into your own control? The answer for many is by buying an RV park.

A recent study by a well-respected research firm produced some interesting statistics that should be of interest to any RV park buyer or owner. It helps to put into perspective the real motivations by RV park customers in the post-Covid era.

Shenandoah Acres is located in Virginia near the Shenandoah Valley. It’s a location that’s known for a scenic setting with fun activities. But it’s also now known to be a huge money-maker for the recent owners who bought it for reportedly $3 million and then sold it in less than a year for $17 million to SUN, a mobile home park and RV park REIT. It’s discussed in this article https://www.rvtravel.com/andy1003/ . The question is, how did this property go up in value around $14 million in less than a year?

The Biden administration is proposing new changes to all forms of government, including tax codes, immigration, energy and other platforms. Assuming that all investors want to be on the correct side of megatrends – which is true – it then begs the question: “how will these proposals effect RV parks in the years ahead?”

Every RV park owner will have a problem at some point. It may be minor like not being able to decide between two different banks on a loan, or it may be major like a flood or a reduction in revenue due to road construction. But how we approach problems is extremely important. Many of the top business people in U.S. history saw problems as learning experiences to shape and improve their finances. They did not fear problems but they embraced them. And this is a much more healthy approach.

We’ve all heard the rhetorical question: “is the glass half empty or half full”? It represents two different perceptions: 1) optimism or 2) pessimism. It’s a fact that most people fall into one of these two camps. Of course, both have their benefits for self-preservation, but it can also hurt your ability to buy an RV park if you listen to only that one portion of your personality and not moderate it with other viewpoints.

It is estimated that there will be roughly 51,000 new sites of expansion in the U.S. among existing RV park owners. In many markets, this can be the right choice to expand your profitability and the depth of your product offerings. But is this the right choice for your RV park? Here’s a primer on the key issues to consider.

2021 will be no different than 2020 if you don’t take action today. Just like a gardener, you will not have a majestic oak in the future unless you plant that acorn today. And if you want to improve your financial health, then this is the time to make movement. For many investors, the correct action should be to buy an RV park. Just one of these assets can change your financial stability for generations. So how do you take the first steps toward successfully buying and operating an RV park?

The concept of “retirement” is overworked and commonplace on any investing website. But their concept of “retirement” and yours may be completely different. Sure, you’ll get social security, but at $1,200 per month on average it’s less than impressive. So what’s your plan? For many investors, a good one is buying an RV park. And it only takes one if properly purchased and operated.

In the journey to buy an RV park at the correct price, it is common practice to have a period of renegotiation. Remember that the seller knows much more than you do when you sign that contract, and as you learn more of the facts in due diligence, it’s perfectly reasonable to need to adjust the price to reflect that reality. So how do you do it properly?

The Presidential election is over and it’s time for RV park owners to harness the power of Biden’s initiatives to make money. And, from all appearances, there a number of potential pushes by the new administration that can be a profitability driver for RV park investors. So what are the opportunities coming with the new administration?

Nobody buys an RV park for cash – at least not anyone trying to maximize their yield on the investment. While buying without debt may make you feelsafer since there’s no risk of foreclosure, the truth is that the ability to obtain sensible debt is what makes real estate the #1 source of wealth in the U.S. Debt allows you to buy RV parks that are roughly 5 times bigger than you could with just cash, and then the spread between the interest rate and the cap rate is what allows you to hit 20%+ cash-on-cash returns given the right ingredients. So how do you obtain financing on an RV park?:

An RV park is, by definition, an income property – it’s value is based on how much income it produces. Some sectors of real estate offer low returns and others higher. But to really make impressive returns a property has to provide some simply tools to drive the numbers to a high level. And RV parks offer these tools. So what are the three steps to making a huge return with an RV park?

RV parks, like all real estate, offers higher yields in situations of higher risk. But this can also serve as a buying opportunity if you can find methods to lower the risk while keeping the higher yield. So how can you have the best of both worlds with an RV park?

There are basically three types of RV parks in the U.S. today: “overnight”, “destination” and “extended stay”. Each has a different niche, and all niches are not created equal, so the question is which of these three is best positioned going forward? Here would be our analysis.

The RV park business model is fairly simple, yet too many investors don’t understand the mechanics and therefore miss the entire opportunity. With traditional investing faltering as a result of Covid-19, alternative investing is far more profitable – but only if you understand how it works. So here’s the plan to make money with an RV park.

Due to their locations, many RV parks – but not all – receive their drinking water supply from a well. And there is a huge amount of false assumptions that most Americans have regarding these wells and how they work, as well as what can go wrong with them. So what’s the truth about RV park water wells?

Attorneys can be an important piece of your arsenal of weapons when you have a problem or in deciphering a complicated contract. But they can also be a disaster when it comes to making RV park deals if you cede control to them. Here’s how an attorney can go from a help to a hindrance with an RV park purchase if you don’t keep adequate controls over them

When you’re looking at buying an RV park, one of the key ways to develop sizable deal flow is to work with the various industry brokers. Of the deals we’ve bought over the past 25 years, the majority came from brokers, with the balance a mixture of on-line listings, cold calling and direct mail. So how can you do a better job of developing a broker base and increase your deal flow with them?

RV parks and mobile home parks used to be the same thing. About a half-century ago. But since that time, both have created their own business model with little shared between the two. And one big difference is that many RV parks have a 2-point higher cap rate – but potentially for good cause. However, this issue can be used to your advantage if you buy the right RV park.

Most Americans will spend thousands of dollars per year – and hundreds of hours – to improve their appearance and attractiveness. Yet virtually nobody spends much time thinking about how to appeal to their local lender. Indeed, if you want to buy an RV park it’s vital that you know how to be attractive to banks in a manner that will make them want to make the loan. So what can you do to increase your attractiveness?

There are many interesting tiny home designs being provided around the world. This article on MSN recently showcased some of the best we’ve seen. So will these be showing up in RV parks in the U.S. in the near future? The truth is that some already are.

The Covid-19 pandemic has been the key news story of 2020, having thrust the U.S. economy into a tailspin with self-quarantine mandates and reduced or closed non-essential businesses. And, in many ways, it has created a new narrative on many industries, either for the good or the bad. Assuming that these type of situations may occur again even once the Covid-19 issue is solved has changed many business models permanently, and it’s important to look at the long-term impact the pandemic has had on the RV park industry in particular.

Negotiating to buy an RV park can seem awkward – it’s not a skill you use every day. That being said, it’s an extremely important skill to have as it can create a ton of value if you get the RV park for less than you would have otherwise. So how can you harvest this skill and make yourself the best negotiator possible in a short amount of time? Here are some suggestions.

During the stock market collapse and the resulting Great Depression of 1929, many successful investors fled to Europe to escape verbal abuse and public shaming by those who had lost everything. It was a common theme of F. Scott Fitzgerald novels that would feature rich stockbrokers and investors hiding out in foreign resorts while Americans were standing in food lines. And Covid-19 has created a similar environment in the U.S., in which many real estate sectors are destroyed yet RV parks are actually showing record performance numbers. But, as F. Scott Fitzgerald would also say, “it happened gradually and then suddenly” (The Great Gatsby) and the wheels were in motion on what is happening in America right now years ago, and the Covid-19 pandemic was simply the straw that broke the camels back. It’s all about megatrends – those huge shifts that influence every inch of the U.S. economy. Here is what was already setting the stage:

In many parts of America, the number of Covid-19 cases has peaked and is actually going down. Meanwhile, the U.S. government is working aggressively to develop a vaccine to guard against the virus. Whereas the key question in March was “what will Covid-19 do to the RV park industry?” the new question is becoming “what will the end of Covid-19 do to the RV park industry?” So what’s the answer?

ABC News just reported that RV parks are flourishing while all other types of travel and lodging are collapsing.. So why are RV parks doing so well when hotels, airlines, rental car companies and cruise ships are all on the brink of bankruptcy? There are many reasons.

Plumbers are popular because they deal in subjects that nobody wants to talk about or get involved with, namely the realities of water and sewage. However, for all RV parks it’s a fact of life that one of your most important attractions to the customer is access to working water, sewer and electricity (and let’s not forget internet in some better properties). So how can you make hooking up the utilities easier and more pleasant for both customers and yourself?

A common question for most investors is whether it’s more profitable to build an RV park from scratch or to buy an existing RV park. There are many issues to consider on this topic, but here is a basic explanation of the good and bad aspects to both.

Some people consider the supply of RV parks in the U.S. to be completely fluid – that you can basically build them anywhere. I get at least a call a week from somebody wanting to build an RV park on some raw land somewhere. But the reality is that successful RV parks cannot be built with abandon and that, in many markets, the supply of RV parks is effectively static. So why can’t you just build an RV park anywhere?

The typical RV park purchase is one in which the buyer buys the RV park asset from the seller, using a survey and property schedules to delineate what comes with the price tag. However, some sellers will try to convince you instead simply to buy the stock in their LLC, Inc. of LP – whatever the entity formation – as a method to attain the same goal. Sadly, this is not the case. And, in general, you should never buy the stock in an RV park instead of the basic asset.

One of the unique attributes of owning an RV park is the opportunity to self-manage. Many owners fine this to be their #1 attraction to the idea of buying an RV park: the ability to live in a beautiful setting far away from the city, with the chance to work both indoors and outdoors, with a myriad of entertaining roles and the freedom to spend time as they wish. So how would buying and living in an RV park work? Here is a basic overview.

Studies suggest that the average RV owner spends around 23 nights a year in an RV park. And many of these are in microbursts of 2 to 3 nights at a time. Studies have also found that the average RV owner goes on a weekend trip that is roughly 4 to 5 hours from their home –a radius of roughly 150 to 250 miles. So this makes the population within a 250 mile radius an important issue to consider.

The United States is currently in the middle of three catastrophes at one time: 1) Covid-19 2) economic disaster brought on by the quarantine and 3) urban unrest. But the end result is that these three events are actually pushing RV park occupancy ever higher. In fact, many Americans who did not even own RVs before the crisis began are now buying them up and hitting the highway to escape what they feel to be unsafe housing options in the cities. In fact, some RV dealerships are showing sales 30% to 50% higher than before any of this began. That makes RV parks one of the greatest contrarian investments in a troubled America. But why are RV parks doing so well?

When you’re trying to buy an RV park, it seems like they are a scarce commodity. When you are trying to sell one you think they’re everywhere. The truth is somewhere in the middle. However, there are many outside observers who have a vested interest in convincing you of these polar opposites. So what’s the truth about RV park supply in the U.S., and what does it all mean?

Owning an RV park can be a great experience, but just like any endeavor there are risks to consider. Despite the strongest RV sales in U.S. history – and many more years of strength projected – there are things to be concerned about. So what do RV park owners worry about? And how do they protect against these issues?

RV parks have been around for 100 years, but they have only been subjected to the Covid-19 pandemic for a couple months. And in just that short amount of time there are some observations that are of importance to both current owners of RV parks as well as potential buyers. So what are some of the opportunities and problems presented by Covid-19 regarding RV park investing?

The average RV owner in the U.S. plans on hitting the road two weeks per year. Yet there are many customers that plan on 52 weeks and have not home other than their RV. Indeed, the RV park industry is seeing new forces for permanent housing in addition to temporary residency. So what are these new occupancy sources and what will the impact be on the RV park industry?

As winter ends, it’s time to get ready for the prime part of the year for RV park owners: spring and summer. This is when most of your revenue will be derived and you will be very busy. Proper preparation is key. So what do you need to do to get ready for the new season?

America is enthralled with the concept of “living small” and tiny home programs have taken over HGTV. So how does this related to RV parks? Few people realize that the only legal place where a tiny home can exist in most cities is inside an established RV park.

There are around 9 million RVs on the road in the U.S. – a huge number. But there are also those who want to stay in RV parks but do not own a recreational vehicle. And this market is growing as a larger percentage of Millennials enter this space. So what are the options?

Although commercials abound promising you vast wealth with certain stock choices, the fact of the matter is that traditional investing is a financial death sentence if your goal is financial independence. The odds are simply stacked against you.

Lighting has long been an important asset to any RV park. But solar lighting is a new invention that is proving to be an extremely cost-effective way to improve the appearance and safety of your property. So what is achievable with solar lights in your RV park?

RV sales are at an all-time high in dollars of revenue, and RV park occupancy has never been higher. It’s been this way, year after year, for over a decade. So that begs the question “has the RV park industry ever had a recession?”

We saw this article in a popular magazine recently, bragging about the possibilities to earn 2% interest on your investments. Seriously? How in the world can you get anywhere with your finances at 2%? Let’s take this opportunity to review the basic numbers on a typical RV park deal, to compare them to the 2% available in most traditional investment options today.

Records written in purple crayon on loose-leaf paper. Revenues in cash kept in a metal box. These are all things that we’ve seen in RV park due diligence. And they can cause real problems in trying to obtain debt to buy an RV park or even instill the confidence needed to make a legitimate offer. So what do you do when the seller does not have good “books” – any “books” at all?

There are few products in America that have become so beloved by the media as the Recreational Vehicle. From coast to coast there is nothing but continued respect and appreciation for the RV as both a product as well as a lifestyle choice. And this reach cuts across all media types, from hot rod magazines to upscale fashion catalogs. So why are RVs so visible in U.S. media and what does it mean for the RV park industry?

Timing is everything. Just asked anyone who bought Apple stock for $5 a share, or sold their house in 2006. One of the most important aspects to investing is simply timing. So why is the timing right for buying RV parks right now – the best it’s ever been? There are many reasons.

The media is awash in concepts to fund your retirement. There’s infomercials for “reverse mortgages” and discount brokerage from Schwab so you can trade stocks. Then there’s the advertisements for Exxon that suggest investing in the old industry will pay big dividends. But when you sort through the hype, you’ll see the absurd reality of what they’re saying. If you amassed even $1 million in cash in your account – whether at Schwab or Bank of America – you’d only earn maybe 1% to 3% in anything better than a junk bond, and that would yield a whopping $30,000 per year. And even if you withdrew $100,000 from your account, you’d be broke in 10 years. So how can you build a retirement that pays $100,000+ per year with no limitation or end date? The answer: one good RV park. So how would that work?

When I bought my first RV park, it was a very unusual deal construction. Since the property was in poor condition – and the seller very motivated – I was able to get him to agree to the following terms: $400,000 sales price, $10,000 down payment, and the seller would carry $390,000 for 30 years. I was immediately hooked on seller financing. My next five deals were also seller financed. I had never heard of that type of lending before, and the benefits were immediately obvious to me. So how can you buy an RV park using seller financing?

Perhaps the ultimate deal is the one that you buy with no money down. Real estate investors consider this the Holy Grail - the "hole-in-one" of RV parks purchasing. We've done this twelve times over the past two decades. So how do you buy an RV park with no money down?

When it comes to investing, most people look only at the numbers. But RV park owners enjoy dividends that stretch beyond simple economics. They can gain personal rewards that are equally as impressive as their financial benefits. So why do RV parks have a higher return than just money?

Marcus Lemonis is the star of the hit show “The Profit”, but most people don’t realize that he made his fortune in the RV industry. From 2001 to 2003 he served as CEO of Holiday RV Superstores Inc. Following that, he co-founded a company called Freedom Roads and began acquiring RV dealerships. In 2006, the company merged with Camping World and then with Good Sam Enterprises, with Lemonis serving as CEO. For his efforts, RV Business Magazine named Lemonis "Newsmaker of the Year" in 2007 for having “more impact on the industry than any [other] single individual or company in recent memory as an agent of change and retail consolidation”.

With 10,000 baby boomers retiring per day, there has never been more demand for RVs and the retirement lifestyle of traveling America in an RV. And with more RVs on the road (currently over 8 million of them), they all have to have a place to park for the night - or head for a destination. Many Americans are taking advantage of this demand by buying RV parks as an investment. But how do you successfully buy an RV park?

Do you enjoy people? Do you like being outdoors? Do you like being your own boss? If the answer is "no", then buying an RV Park is the worst thing that you could do. If you answered "yes", then read on and learn more about owning an RV Park.

Many people live out their lives without really enjoying their work. Then they retire and try to enjoy their final years, but really spend all their time fretting if their retirement savings will hold out. What if you could combine investing your savings with having the time of your life? Well, you can. And here's how to do it.

When most people think of investing in real estate, they always think of single-family homes. Since most of us own a house, we feel like we have a pretty good handle on evaluating them and spotting a winner from a loser. But the problem is that everyone thinks that! As a result, you have so many people chasing houses that there is no profit in any of them.

There are over 8,000,000 RV owners in the U.S. And they all have to stay somewhere. But that's no excuse for not treating every single one as though they are the most important customer in the world. That kind of attitude will propel you to the top of the pile in RV park owners - and reward you with outstanding occupancy and cash flow.

Many investors are considering buying RV parks as not only an investment, but as a lifestyle choice. With millions of Americans approaching retirement, a very fundamental concept is combining one's retirement years with one's investment objectives - and this often points to an RV park as the best of both worlds.

For some reason, many people put down the concept of "buying a job" when investing in real estate. Of course, those same people don't consider spending $200,000 to get a law degree "buying a job" as an attorney. Or $400,000 to "buy a job" as a doctor. Every kid in college today is spending $40,000 to $200,000 "buying a job" for when they get out (if they can find one). So why should real estate be different?

With the price of gasoline and diesel fuel approaching $5 per gallon, many RV park owners are getting very concerned about how many guests will pull into their RV park this year. Although RV users are not as susceptible to fuel prices as the average American, due to higher disposable income and more willingness to spend it on their RV trips, it still makes sense to make the guests that come into your RV park stay for more nights. Remember that one RV that stays for four days is the same cash flow as having four different RVs stay overnight. Indeed, one of the best ways to hedge your revenue risk is to have guests stay more nights before moving on. So how do you do it?