Written for park owners deciding what comes next: what a park is worth, how a private direct sale works, what happens with park-owned homes and private utilities, and what happens to your residents after closing. No fluff, no pressure.
Got a letter from us about your park? That was me. Call or text 603-794-8367 and ask for Dave.
You have three main routes:
1. List with a commercial broker. Broadest exposure. Park listings typically carry a 4 to 6 percent commission, and the process is public: marketing packages, tours, and word that gets around.
2. Sell to an operator you know. Quiet and simple when it works, but a single buyer with no competition tends to set the price.
3. Sell directly to a buyer like RealtyMile. Private, no commissions, and the buyer pays the closing costs. The tradeoff is a price below a fully marketed listing in exchange for speed, certainty, and confidentiality.
The right choice comes down to what you value more: squeezing the last dollar through a public process, or a clean private sale that gets done.
Park value is arithmetic, not mystery. Buyers start with your annual lot rent income (lot rent times occupied lots times 12), subtract operating expenses, and apply a capitalization rate that reflects the park's risk and location.
The factors that move the number most:
Who owns the homes. Tenant-owned homes are worth more per lot than park-owned homes, which carry maintenance and turnover costs.
Who owns the utilities. City water and sewer command the strongest prices. Wells, septic systems, and private treatment lower the multiple but are bought every day.
Occupancy and rents. Full parks at market rent bring top dollar. Below-market rents are common in owner-operated parks and buyers price in the upside.
Any serious written offer should show you this math. If a buyer will not show you how they reached the number, that tells you something.
Not from us. A direct sale can stay completely private until the day it closes. There is no sign in the yard, no listing on the internet, and no parade of strangers touring the park.
Site visits look like an ordinary walkthrough. Records change hands privately. Residents and staff are typically told after closing, on a schedule you and the buyer agree to. Confidentiality protects your people and your negotiating position.
No. A park sale needs a written purchase and sale agreement, a due diligence period, and a closing handled by a title company or closing attorney. In a direct sale, the buyer prepares the agreement and pays for the closing process.
One thing we recommend to every owner: have your own attorney review the agreement before you sign. A fair buyer welcomes that review, and it costs far less than a commission.
Yes. These change the price, not the ability to sell:
Park-owned homes: bought with the park, valued as rental units rather than lot rent.
Wells and septic: underwritten with inspection and reserve costs. Routine for park buyers.
Vacant lots and old homes: priced as upside, not as a penalty, when the buyer plans to fill them.
Bring these up early. An offer that already accounts for the septic system and the four empty lots is an offer that does not drop later.
Yes to all three, and they are among the most common situations in this business:
Inherited parks: sellable once the executor or heirs have authority to sign the deed.
Trust-owned parks: the trustee signs. Family trusts hold a large share of the parks in this country.
Partnerships: the signatures required by your partnership agreement. Buyouts between partners can also be part of the closing.
Unpaid property taxes and informal bookkeeping do not prevent a sale. Taxes are settled from proceeds at closing.
A brokered listing commonly runs 6 to 12 months from listing to closing. A direct sale typically runs 60 to 90 days: agreement in the first weeks, a 30 to 45 day due diligence period for records and inspections, then closing through a title company.
The closing date is negotiable. Owners often time the sale around a tax year, a family event, or the end of a season, and a direct buyer can work with that.
The most useful items: a current rent roll, the last 12 months of income and expenses, recent utility bills, and any well, septic, or license paperwork you have.
Do not let informal records stop you. Plenty of good parks are run from a checkbook and a spiral notebook. A serious buyer works with what you have and verifies the rest during due diligence.
Ask every buyer this question directly, and judge them by the answer.
RealtyMile buys parks to own and operate them, not to redevelop the land. Residents keep their leases. Improvements and any changes are communicated openly after closing. An owner who spent decades building a community deserves a buyer who intends to keep it one.
Step 1. Tell us about the park. Submit it at realtymile.com, reply to a letter you received, or call or text Dave at 603-794-8367. You get a response the same day.
Step 2. We review the numbers with you. Usually one phone call plus the rent roll. We present a written offer with the reasoning behind the number, and you can put it in front of your attorney or accountant.
Step 3. Close when you want. Accept, and an independent title company handles the closing. You are paid at recording. No commissions, no fees, no obligation at any step.
Tell us about it. You will get a straight answer either way, even if the answer is that holding it or listing it is your better move.
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