How to build your own Trailer Park

Question

I am very interested in owning mobile home lots to rent out. What is the process like from locating the land. laying the utilities, and keeping the park nice? Also would like ballpark estimates of cost, Only interested in lot rents not actually owning the trailers. Thanks for your the help!

Brenden Mitchum · Answer

Hey @Cade Collins

First off, no one is ever going to let you build a "trailer park" in their town. However, you may have a chance if you present them with a nice, clean, safe Manufactured Home Community. Still, you will find that most municipalities won't allow this, no matter what you call it.

You will be fighting an already lost battle from the purchase of said land if it is not already zoned MHP. So, finding land that is zoned correctly is the first step. Talking to the municipality to gauge their interest developing the land into a park is the second step. There's a good chance that even if it's zoned properly they will make it very difficult for you. Some counties have laws that prevent you from bringing in new homes without their approval after the sites have sat vacant...if they were never developed, I'm not sure if this will apply.

The bottom line is it will take some time to find enough land with the right zoning in a municipality that is amicable towards MHP. Finding an already built & running park would be a far simpler task. First, learn how to run a park that already exists, maybe one with some extra development opportunity. Then, you can take this knowledge and experience and go develop yourself a new park. That would be my suggestion.

Hope this helps a bit - please, feel free to reach out anytime if you have other questions or just want to chat!

Clark Love · Answer

I agree with Brenden, it is hard to build a new one from scratch.  About the only way you can do it is build in the county (not in a city), and when you do this you may be able to connect to municipal water but you will almost certainly have put in your own septic systems or sewer treatment, which gets expensive.  You might be better served by buying an existing park then trying to expand it.  I own multiple mobile home parks and I have been able to expand them (on occasion).  Being able to expand them depends on A) having space available B) getting the required permits and engineering work C) doing the development. The costs can vary widely.  From $10k per lot on the low end to $35k per lot on the high end (and these prices assume an outside the city location).