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6 Reactions People Have When They Learn I’m a Mobile Home Investor

John Fedro
3 min read
6 Reactions People Have When They Learn I’m a Mobile Home Investor

Whether at a local real estate investor club meeting, a networking event, or meeting strangers at a bar, we regularly introduce ourselves to new people. Over the last two years, I have been tracking the responses received when strangers or new people learn that I am an active mobile home investor.

Below is a list of the most popular ways people react when I tell them I am a mobile home investor.

6 Reactions People Have When They Learn I’m a Mobile Home Investor

Excitement

One of the most positive (and rarest) reactions heard is excitement. Typically this excitement stems from a family member or close friend also investing in mobile homes. In this way, I am one of the few people corroborating the “good and bad things” this person has heard about mobile homes. This person may become a good lead source for you in the coming months and years. Perhaps this is because these folks are naturally more aware and open to mobile homes for sale versus the average pool of investors mainly looking for traditional single-family homes.

mobile-home-manager

Related: 5 Industry-Specific Words All Mobile Home Investors Should Know

Some Form of Positive Curiosity

This is by far the most common reaction, typically expressed as a “Wow!” or “Cool.” Then quickly followed up by a vague question or asking how I enjoyed investing in this type of property. At this point, I typically will talk about a recent or current deal being worked to include the audience in the deal process and help build some rapport.

For example, we are currently investing in a 3-bedroom, 1.5-bathroom single-wide mobile home that we will be moving to my nearby mobile home community. Once the home is inside the park, it will be quickly cleaned and pressured washed, then resold to a low-risk buyer for over $15,000.

Complete Silence

This is sometimes a bit awkward. Normally I just hold the silence and laugh a bit at the stranger’s disbelief. Once the person I am talking to knows I’m serious, an interesting conversation typically develops.

Disbelief Then Inquisitive

Much like the response above, this disbelief can sometimes catch a mobile home investor off guard. Occasionally, I am asked to talk about something weird or crazy that has happened concerning one of my properties. Sometimes I tell the story of how I caught two of my residents having “intimate relations” in the middle of the day on their double-wide mobile home roof. This usually brings a smile to the audience’s face. We can then proceed to talk about what they do, more serious matters, and the fact that most mobile home folks are honest, hard-working, and down to earth people.

LOL

This response I have only received once, and to this day I am unsure of what to make of it. At a social event, I met someone and we started talking about the event and what we had done prior during the current day. We eventually made our conversation towards what we do for a living. When I mentioned I purchase and resell mobile homes, a slow and growing smile started creeping onto this gentleman’s face. He was the same age as me and started vocally laughing right in my face. The gentleman grabbed his drink, turned around, and walked away audibly laughing to himself. I think it is fair to say that this gentleman will not be investing in mobile homes anytime soon.

Buying a Mobile Home and Land Property as a Personal Residence

Related: How to Avoid the 5 Most Common Pitfalls Mobile Home Investors Face

Contempt

Again, I am glad that this reaction has only happened one time. While attending a new real estate investor club meeting, an event sponsored by a company I do not support and therefore usually never attend, I met a real estate agent who was considering investing in single-family homes nearby. When I mentioned to this investor that I like to purchase mobile home properties, a visible wave of anger and/or contempt came across this woman’s face. I soon learned that she had represented a few sellers that were being taken advantage of by local park owners. This agent was judging an entire section of real estate (mobile homes) on a handful of experiences with incompetent and ill-mannered park managers. Plus, she was projecting this negativity onto an innocent investor, me.

In most cases, after I introduce myself, it usually is quickly mentioned that I have been investing for over 14 years. Any disbelief at this point is quickly met with a look of astonishment and curiosity to know more. This business has certainly provided me with a handful of stories to share, both funny and heartwarming.

In conclusion, who cares what some people think of you? Make sure you are following correct state and federal laws, while also following your own internal moral compass. With that said, there are many ways to make money and create value with regard to real estate investments. There is a great article titled “Top Ways To Make Money In Real Estate.” You may wish to pick a niche or two that apply most to you, your innate skills, your local area, your goals, and desired exit strategies. Push yourself to take action daily and continue helping local sellers and buyers.

What reactions do YOU get when you let people know what you do?

Share with a comment!

Note By BiggerPockets: These are opinions written by the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of BiggerPockets.