Mobile Home Park--Please Help!

[Lee Pegram]

I am new to BP and I currently own 8 mobiles in a family park that is going well. I recently received a call from my real estate agent on a MHP. This isn't foreign to me but I am treading som new waters. It has 7 units. The rents and expenses are not great but I believe they can be improved easily. I am looking for advice in a few areas: 1) What I should offer for the property 2) What I should initially increase rents to and an idea of 3-5 years in the future. 5 Homes are at $120/mo and 1 is $150 and 1 is $170. (The average for my area is $225/mo) 3) Please look at my expenses and see if I am missing anything. 4) Rents minus expenses doesn't leave much for a loan payment. How long should i have a loan and when might be an idea on my return on investment?

Here are the numbers:
Listing Price is $135,000 and have a counter offer currently at $119,000

Annual Income/Expenses:

Current Rent- $11,040.00
Current Expenses-$8,424.00

Annual Expenses:

Current 2011 Taxes- $3,124.80
Water Bills- $2,136.48 ($356.08 avg for every 2 months)
Dumpster- $1242.72 ($103.56 x 12)
Liability Insurance- $300.00
Septic Tank Pumping (not including repairs)- $420 avg annual
• Pumping 3 times in a 10 year period at $200. (3 x $200 x 7 units = $4200)
Maintenance (Grass, Trees, Fertilizer, Snow removal, Asphalt, and Misc. repairs) - $1,200.00

Thanks for the help!

[David Beard]

This guy has written alot of good stuff in the blog area.

http://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/673/blog_posts/11346-valuing-a-mobile-home-park

http://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/673/blog_posts/9173-how-to-make-1-a-year-cash-flow-with-one-mobile-home-park-investment

http://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/673/blog_posts/9144-how-mobile-home-parks-make-more-money-than-single-family-home-investing