Posted by Bert NH on September 14, 2003 at 21:57:21:
Doc, I gotta hand it to you. You’ve got some good advice and a real handle on the vernacular.
In park VANDALISM - Posted by Jonathan MD/DE
Posted by Jonathan MD/DE on September 13, 2003 at 19:06:15:
Hello folks! I am considering buying a mobile home in a park that has about 4 or 5 empty homes that have been vandalized. Mainly they just broke the windows and a door here and there. I talked to some neighbors and they say it’s not a problem unless a home is vacant. Should I just forget this park completely?
Thanks for your advice!!
In park- Opportunity - Posted by Tony-VA/NC
Posted by Tony-VA/NC on September 13, 2003 at 20:34:23:
The tenants that said it is the vacant (abandoned) homes that get the windows broken are quite correct. Kids will be kids everywhere. Nothing better than the flight of well placed stone followed by the successful ringing of broken glass.
But what you are overlooking is the opportunity here. You have 5 homes in a park that NEEDS YOU!
If the park fits Lonnie’s suggested criterias (family park, PM that will work with you etc) then get to work on getting those 5 homes for free or next to it. Fix them up and in no time you will have 6 deals instead of one.
Tony
Re: In park- Opportunity - Posted by Jonathan MD/DE
Posted by Jonathan MD/DE on September 13, 2003 at 23:04:52:
Thanks for your response! The park owns a few of the vacant vandalized homes, (they wanted me to do the repairs!) This home I’m looking at is a repo. It’s a '93 14x70 3/2. There is about $1500 of back lot rent owed, and the bank’s asking price was 9200! (Yikes) However, after talking to a man at the bank, he admitted they were mainly interested in getting rid of their repo’s and said I should make a low offer. Almost all the windows need to be replaced, the roof leaks, there is minor wall damage…etc
The home is right next to another repo that is older and has more serious vandalism-looks pretty bad!
I’m just not sure people will want to move into a park with such obvious vandalism problems!
Other than that, its an ok family park, and the park manager will work with me.
Thanks for your encouragement!
Hire the alpha male punk of the park - Posted by Dr. Craig Whisler CA NV
Posted by Dr. Craig Whisler CA NV on September 13, 2003 at 23:54:59:
Hire the biggest, toughest teenager in the park as your security chief.
There will often be one bully/punk teenager to whom the rest of the kids submit out of fear for their lives. He is the one who can cause or prevent further vandalism. The alpha male punk-of-the-park, so to speak. The kids all talk and brag to each other about how much damage they did and how cool it was. They all know who has done what to which mobiles. Discover who this leader is and offer him $25 to protect your mobiles from further damage until you resell them. Only pay on completion of your sale, and if there is no further damage. Get your deal in writing so there will be no misunderstanding. He will be under age to sign a contract but legal enforcement isn’t the purpose. Avoiding misunderstandings is. Usually the leader can exercise a kind of control over the others that is legally beyond our reach, but ever in our thoughts. :~)
I know how it works because 45+ years ago I was that punk.
Regards, doc