Mobile Home Park Due Dilligence

[Clay French]

I am looking at a property that is about 7 acres. It currently has a house, 5 1br 1bath cabins and a mobile home on it. We think we could easily fit 10-15 trailers on the property (maybe 20) with out tearing down any of the current structures. It is outside of the city and metropolitan planning commission area and as far as we know, there are no restrictions on the land. Where do we start to make sure we can add these trailers if we do buy the property?

[Jim Johnson]

Originally posted by Clay French:

I am looking at a property that is about 7 acres. It currently has a house, 5 1br 1bath cabins and a mobile home on it. We think we could easily fit 10-15 trailers on the property (maybe 20) with out tearing down any of the current structures. It is outside of the city and metropolitan planning commission area and as far as we know, there are no restrictions on the land. Where do we start to make sure we can add these trailers if we do buy the property?

The County will have a planning and zoning department. You will probably need to know how the property is zoned, and what the allowable uses are for that zoning. Then you will need to check into infrastructure, like water lines, sewer etc...
A comment- Almost never is is cost effective to build a new park unless your pad rents in the area are more than $350. The infrastructure will cost 7-10 thousand per site, more depending on tap fees, wells and how your getting rid of sewage. Before I would look any further I would have a feasibility study done by a MAI.
http://www.appraisalinstitute.org/
That study might cost $10,000 or more... but you will at least know if a MHP is the highest and best use for the land.