Developing a Park? - Posted by brian feeny (Delaware)

Posted by ray@lcorn on January 30, 2001 at 22:02:34:

How’s it going in NY? About time we had an update, eh?

Good to see you’re still with us,

ray

Developing a Park? - Posted by brian feeny (Delaware)

Posted by brian feeny (Delaware) on January 24, 2001 at 19:40:37:

A friend of mine and I are looking to develop a mobile home park in the state of Delaware. In some of the rural areas, we can get land for about $10,000 an acre.

So, I figure, we buy 10 acres, and can eventually develop it to hold about 75-85 lots. We think we might develop it in phases (1/3 at a time).

My question to the group is who do you talk with to get an estimate on how much it would cost to develop the land into a park (architectural plans, putting in roads, running utilities)? Also, what’s a good ballpark figure for how much this type of developing costs? Is it like usually a few thousand per lot, or is it tens of thousands per lot?

I would love to talk to someone who has done this already. Feel free to email me. Also, if one of the books advertised on this site walks you through the entire process of setting up a new park, feel free to point me there, too.

Thanks,
Brian

Re: Developing a Park? - Posted by Mike - MI

Posted by Mike - MI on March 10, 2001 at 18:41:12:

Sorry I cannot help with you particular question, but I got a response from my website from someone looking for possibly a double wide in Delaware.
Please let me know if you can help

Re: Developing a Park? - Posted by PeteH(NYS)

Posted by PeteH(NYS) on January 30, 2001 at 15:39:25:

There are also a couple textbooks by George Allen: “Development, Marketing and Operation of Manufactured Home Communities” and “How to Find, Buy, Manage and Sell a Mfd Home Community.” These are a bit dry but extremely comprehensive coverage of the issues involved. Getting zoning approvals to develop the land for a park is your number one issue, as Ray Alcorn will be entirely happy to point out. Per lot estimates depend on a number of factors – how much grading and/or tree removal is involved, what kind of water & sewer system you use (city utilities or well and septic), how nice a road you want to put in, whether you include amenities like a clubhouse or pool, etc. – but run from $7500 to $18K-$20K per lot.

One other note: your planned density – 75-85 lots in ten acres, or 7.5-8.5 lots per acre – is significantly above what’s considered standard these days, 4-5 lots per acre. Remember, if you want newer homes on those lots, they can go 80 feet long on the singlewides these days, and you probably want room for some doublewides as well; the minimum size of your lots will then be determined by zoning requirements for setbacks – and by the market, because not many people enjoy living where they can see and hear “Survivor 2” on their neighbor’s kitchen television.

Re: Developing a Park? - Posted by Nate

Posted by Nate on January 26, 2001 at 15:38:39:

Brian,

The best person to talk to is a Civil Engineer who is familiar with mobile home park development. I do not know anyone in Delaware, but I am sure that if you call up a couple of engineering firms and ask about this they would be able to help, or at least point you to someone that has done it before. The engineer can do just about everything you mentioned as far as site plan, cost of roads, utilities, etc.)

As for the cost, it is so dependent on your local area and on the specifics of the site (soils, topography, drainage, distance to utilities) as to be something I couldn’t estimate here.

If you’ve got other questions, post them here and I (or the others) will try to help you in any way I can.

NT