I am closing on my first community in two weeks where we need to fill 5 vacant lots. We have lots of upside so the 5 vacant lots are an added bonus. The lots are very small, to where I can only bring in home that are 14X40. These small homes will sell for cash in my community as it is a desirable senior market. I visited some local dealers and the markups are just insane. I imagine used homes will be hard to find that can fit on our lots so my question is have any of you used a new home program to bring in small homes or have successfully been able to source smaller used homes?
Yes, whenever I call Triad or Legacy they never pick up. What is the best way to get in contact with the manufacturers? I am going to keep calling or may just drive down to there office.
Park models (8x30-40’) with slide outs will be great for seniors. Used RV’s are being financed at 4% for 20 years for used units. We just bought a 2012 5th Wheel 8x34 with 3 slided for $15,000 delived in excellent condition and some are fine in cold climates. Some park models are 12 feet wide but require more zoning and qualifed movers whereas regular RV’s are not plus you can when selling to a resident if you want a clause that it stays in your park for some many years. The newer RV’s are really nice with lots of storage and useable space. Renting out the 5th wheel mentioned above would go for $750 plus lot rent and the pay out is less than 2 years.
Yes the park models are a great idea, my zoning is strictly MH but I think I can get the city to allow me to bring in a nice park model. Carl do you know wheee I can source new park models or smaller mobile homes? And what financing is offered so I don’t have to come out of pocket as much?
Presently some park models are also considered a MH (plus 400 sq. feet). Presently our parks are in FL. but Legency is both in Georgia and TX. but we have had a minus experience with them. Our very strict zoning allows a mobile home site to be also used by RV’s. As mentioned before the RV market is exploding with sales and parks being full plus new RV parks being developed. Campers inn RV is 3-4% interest with 240 months payments and zero down with new units and used the same terms except some money down.
Legacy makes a nice small home where you have a front porch so it gives it a nice feel. They aren’t the highest quality homes, but they are a good option when trying to fill small lots
Legacy VERY low quality thus the low price. 12’ Park Models look just like a full size MH but are around 33’ long. Not cheap around here at all. New ones can run up to 89k! May be an option if used.
Park models would look great in our park as they would blend real well with the smaller old homes we have,(all very well maintained). How can I source the park models directly without going through a dealer?
Thanks Jim, do you have the contact info of a legacy representative that you have worked with? I have called several times but it goes to a recording. Must be the wrong department I assume.
Park models (as I understand the term) are 1 BR under 399 sq. feet and abide by the RV code. Since they are vehicles they probably (I don’t know this, I’m just speculating) have NHTSA standards they have to meet i.e. survive a crash on the road.
MH is built to a different code and you are more than 400 sq. feet. But small ones indeed are hard to source, especially cheaply.
The problem is park models are hard to source cheaply too. They are more expensive than MH for the same thing. In practical terms - you can buy a 2BR MH for the price of a 1BR park model ($40k+). If you have no space for a 2BR MH or you think a 1BR will rent for more money, go for it (if your zoning allows). Otherwise it seems silly to park a 1BR 400 sq. ft. home in a space that could host a 2BR.
Am I wrong?
We have this exact situation at one of our parks – fill with RV or fill with MH? The lot prep is different. What would you do?
12’ wide Park Models are classified as an RV, 400 sq ft and need a permit to move, no crash survivable requirements. Thinking of searching for a couple as there are no new MH buyers locally. Or rent lots to RV,s to fill empty lots. [?]
Since the park models and the small MH’s are quite pricey how do you bring them in to your park with out coming up with the full price out of pocket? Is there a program that will help fill only 4 lots? The good thing is the new small MH’s are the cheapest in the line up.
Personally in my park I can’t rent RV because the zoning is MH and our park is literally 0.2 miles away from City Hall, the DMV, the tax collector so it has to look uniform. Who do I contact at Legacy to tap in to the program?
I dont know the Legacy contact. If you cant buy them direct then the markup makes them too expensive for the quality and market here. The Park Model I bought does NOT resemble an RV at all. Looking from the front you dont even realize its 37’ if backed into a short corner lot. Identical look to our other MH’s. Vinyl sided, shingled roof, etc.