All Forum Posts by: Cordell Martin

@Luke Davis depending what your future plans are - Google Voice is of course free & functional.

We have been happy for the most part with Grasshopper - call, text, set up autoresponders, different numbers for different parks so our managers have access to their specific number, but we can see if they are responding to calls/texts and port the number to a different cell phone if we change managers. Sends emails of transcribed voicemails as well.

@Michael Baradell we’ve done the same thing @Dustin Wiskes mentioned

@Allison Keib I don’t think it’s a deal breaker...depending on rest of numbers...

Find the age of the system

Get it checked by a professional as part of your due diligence

Include items in your lease about flushable, non flushable items

Good luck!

@Eric P.

Try contacting your state mobile home association. Many local municipalities aren’t clear on mobile homes or are willing to push it off to the state association. My experience has been so different depending on the state, township, county, etc. but overall state associations have been typically pretty helpful.

Good luck!

@Nancy DeSocio

Ask sellers what they plan to do with the money from selling their property. If they talk about stocks, annuities, etc it’s a good opportunity to discuss seller finance along with a visual to show some monthly payments. Referrals from professionals like title company, attorneys, etc whom you have worked with before help to alleviate feelings of ‘scammy’ some may have with seller finance.

If they have a plan for the money (buy a camper, renovate part of their home, etc) it might not be feasible. Could offer enough down to cover the cost of what they want to buy, then see if they would finance the rest if a bank loan isn’t feasible for any reason.

Good luck!

Easy Storage Solutions has worked well for us.  Best of luck!

County records - each has seemed different even within the same state, but people at the county level are usually helpful directing you where to look.

Parlay - an overlay program that works with Google earth (may give owner's name or parcel info to look up)

App - Deal Machine.  

Aside from prohibiting the dangerous breeds as per insurance, limiting dog size to 25 lbs (or whatever arbitrary number you choose) as worked well for us.  Good luck!

Tenant Red Flags - we use Buildium to run background checks on applicants.  Aside from that - if they can't pay security deposit and first month rent up front (we require these to be done with cashier check or money order, not personal check), longer stories or explanations of things (granted sometimes these are true), people who want to move in right away and are in a big hurry to do so without a very valid reason that you can verify.  Anyone who doesn't want to provide all of the information on your application.

Plan for houses - typically we would have a light/dark color scheme (wall/trim) of different shades of tan.  A similar light fixture for ceilings, a general idea of carpet in bedrooms, try to salvage or use a non carpet surface in other rooms.  Keep a record (pictures if necessary, dimensions, color) of appliances on record.  If a tenant calls that their fridge died, oven won't work, etc.  it's very easy to check Lowe's or similar online over lunch for an appliance of same color, dimensions, set-up delivery and have them remove the old appliance.  Set-up with tenant if reasonable for them to be home for new appliance delivery; can knock it out in a few minutes on your lunch.

@Nate Truxel

Credit Unions might be an option too. We’ve found some are open to lending on mobile homes, others did not.

Your exit strategy - depending how your state operators, you can sell a few homes without a dealers license, but after maybe four or five will need one.

If there are vacant pads find if utilities are run to the pads as well.

Good luck!