Park Manager Needed for 35 lot park? How to Hire One?
I am looking at a park with about 35 lots with tenant owned homes. They are sub metered for all utilities from the town and the trash collection is done by the township. Everyone must mow their own lawn and keep their home in acceptable condition and the few empty lots are mowed by a tenant for a few extra bucks. Utilities are underground and the asphalt road is in pretty good shape. My partner is about 1 hour from the property and I am 3-4 hours away. I am in the area approximately 15 times a year and don't mind coming back more often if needed. Given that we would be absentee owners, do we need a park manager? Our plan is to use a PO Box to collect rent, so for this discussion, assume rent collection is not needed by the park manager.
If we needed a manager, would free lot rent and $10 per managed lot monthly be considered a fair salary in exchange for park management? Does anyone have experience with managing a park of this size? How difficult is it to find a park manager? We have a vacant lot to offer. And would we need to include lot utilities in the compensation or should the park manager pay for that? The location is rural and lot rent is currently at $140. We believe market rate is around $180 and plan to raise to $160 within the year. Occupancy is 90%. Appreciate your thoughts!