Mobile Home/Trailer rental investing

Mobile Home/Trailer rental investing

Member since 2019 · 20 posts · 5 votes

Hi, I am brand new to the idea of rental investing so please forgive any ignorance of standards. If I am way off base I apologize. I am from the Mississippi Gulf Coast (Ocean Springs MS.)

I have roughly 12000$ in cash that I can use when ever I am ready and I am thinking of buying a trailer/mobile home outright to use as a rental property. My father is a carpenter/electrician and is also a very good landscaper and will help me with any property I buy. It seems to me that if I buy a trailer for around 6500-7000$ and then spend 500-1000$ improving the property (new paint, landscaping, fix cosmetic issues etc.) to give it more curb appeal and intend to charge 350-400$ a month on rent that it would be difficult for me to lose on the deal as I would have my money back within 2 years. I intend to do background checks on the renters to limit my risk as much as possible. I am about half way through "The Book on Rental Property Investing" and everything in it (so far) seems it is aimed at much more expensive properties but after I post this I am going to continue reading the book. 

He mentions in there to make a plan. 

My plan (without a ton of knowledge yet which I am trying to gather)

1. Is buy a trailer and land outright for 6500-8000$

2. Invest an additional 500-1000$ in improving the property

3. Saving everything I get from renting it out and when I reach enough buy another similar trailer.

4. Repeat the process and buy a 3rd trailer.

5. Hopefully after a while of renting all 3 trailer buy a single-family house to rent out (maybe not totally outright but largely outright)

6. Buy a 2nd home 

7. Buy a 3rd home

8. Sell trailers and only deal with homes going forward. 

I realize this is going to be a long process and I will be saving money from my job as well as the money from renting properties. I want honest opinions on this plan and if I am incorrect somewhere please let me know. I want to be educated on this process. I am honestly not to keen on the idea of financing to much, I would prefer to grow slower with less risk but if you feel differently please let me know. Thanks for any and all advice and I hope to be guided in the right direction by people much more knowledgeable than myself on these matters. 

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Investor · Jackson, MS · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 769 votes
7y

You can no doubt get a trailer at that price, I'm not so sure about land. I would think you could get more than $400 rent on it if it is in decent shape. 

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  • Jamie RoseBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Anchorage, AK · Member since 2017 · 294 posts · 182 votes
    7y

    @Clayton W McGehee - your plan sounds both practical and worthwhile. I think you'll learn a ton in your first deal - without a high risk of failure at all. This is really a great way to begin - and although you won't make a huge amount of money on your first trailer - the education is where the real gold is in your first deal. Take action - do it! I applaud you - and am excited for the trajectory, that once begun, will carry you as far as your heart desires! 

  • Investor · Jackson, MS · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 769 votes
    7y

    You can no doubt get a trailer at that price, I'm not so sure about land. I would think you could get more than $400 rent on it if it is in decent shape. 

  • Member since 2019 · 20 posts · 5 votes
    7y

    Thank you for your responses. Does anybody see anything I may be overlooking? For my first rental property I want it to go as smoothly as possible.

    The only real scenario that I can think of that I would lose on this deal would be if I get renters and they just trash the place. As I mentioned I intend to run background checks on people before I let them in. I would assume that would substantially lower risk?

  • Member since 2019 · 20 posts · 5 votes
    7y

    @Jamie Rose @Susan Maneck

    Just figured out how to properly reply. 

    What would you guys suggest for educating myself further? What is the best place to find properties in your opinion? I have had my best luck on Craigslist it seems. 

    I am still working on the book and am enjoying it quite a bit to be honest I like how Brandon Turner writes.

    I have a family member who did this for most of his life who I am going to be talking with about DOs and DONTs in the near future. He did it until he went legally blind and I believe he sold all his properties so he could retire at that point. I do not know him very well but he is close to my parents.

  • Investor · Jackson, MS · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 769 votes
    7y

    Most of my properties were found on foreclosure websites, HUD, Fannie Mae, etc. But obviously that is not the place one usually goes for mobile homes or trailers.

  • Investor · Jackson, MS · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 769 votes
    7y

    In Mississippi? 

  • San Antonio, TX · Member since 2009 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    7y

    @Clayton W McGehee You're on the right track. I'd add in just be sure you work in a neighborhood that attracts the type of clientele that works with your personality. Many new investors who start out investing in mobile homes just look at the numbers which is part of analyzing the deal. Though, I'd be careful what areas you invest in. I was guilty of this mistake in the beginning. I bought in a neighborhood that did not attract the type of clientele that worked with my personality. Unfortunately, it was hard to get the types of clientele I preferred to work with to buy in that community. You can always change the home but not the neighborhood. It was a hard lesson learned that cost me a lot of time and money. Hope that helps. Best of luck with your mobile home investing journey! 

  • Rental Property Investor · CO · Member since 2019 · 16 posts · 9 votes
    7y

    Can you really get a mobile on its own land for that price? If so, that is amazing. I'll be right down.

  • Member since 2018 · 78 posts · 63 votes
    7y

    @Clayton W McGehee some things to consider... I have two trailers in Jackson County, MS (Gautier). Are you planning on buying land with the trailer already on it? If you are planning on buying a trailer and moving it in be aware that Jackson County has gotten very strict on moving trailers in, they have to be up to a certain standard of appearance, wind rating, etc. and they have to be inspected by the fire marshall. The city of Gautier also made me pour a concrete driveway and add decks on to both doors to the trailer that I moved in. All of those things add up to way more than 1000 bucks. It still ended up being worth it, but at the time those were all surprise expenses to us. I will say that Colonel Mobile Home Sales in Hattiesburg has a lot of trailers for good prices. As far as trailers as a rental in general, they cash flow great, just be sure to do thorough tenant screening, verify income, etc.

  • Member since 2018 · 78 posts · 63 votes
    7y

    @Sharon B. for us, in that area, a decent mobile home will be at least 15k (and that is getting a really good deal!) and a small parcel in one of the areas that allows trailers could go for about 2500 to 5000 in my experience. It is not unheard of in Jackson County to find a crappy mobile home on land or even a crappy house on land for 10k.

  • Member since 2018 · 78 posts · 63 votes
    7y

    @Clayton W McGehee btw I know a lot of people that live in the mobile home areas in Gautier, I could text some of them and see if they know of any for sale. Let me know.

  • Member since 2019 · 20 posts · 5 votes
    7y

    @Account Closed

    Yes please do. VERY INTERESTED

  • Member since 2019 · 20 posts · 5 votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Account Closed:

    @Sharon B. for us, in that area, a decent mobile home will be at least 15k (and that is getting a really good deal!) and a small parcel in one of the areas that allows trailers could go for about 2500 to 5000 in my experience. It is not unheard of in Jackson County to find a crappy mobile home on land or even a crappy house on land for 10k.

    I have discovered I am going to have to probably up my costs to around 14k for anyone interested. I was misled by a seller on a few 8K deals its some kind a wacky land deal they want to do. I have discovered a few trailers with land semi around me for around 12k but so far they are all a bit out of the range of how far I want them to be from me. I have also discovered that I can get a good bit more for rent than I was thinking. More like 550-600$. I have been busy the last few days getting more information and speaking with a family member I have that rents property.

  • Member since 2019 · 20 posts · 5 votes
    7y

    @Account Closed

    How do you screen tenants?

    I was intending on using this for a background check. I was going to meet with them and get my feel and if I thought they were likely to be good tenants and decided I wanted to move them in I was going to do that as the very last step. If you have an opinion I would like to hear it.

    https://www.tenantbackgroundsearch.com/index.cfm

  • Ocean Springs, MS · Member since 2017 · 71 posts · 32 votes
    7y

    @Clayton W McGehee I’m following! I also live in Ocean Springs. I’ve wondered if the insurance on trailers are different from houses.

  • Member since 2018 · 78 posts · 63 votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Christy Philippoff:

    @Clayton W McGehee I’m following! I also live in Ocean Springs. I’ve wondered if the insurance on trailers are different from houses.

     The main issue with the insurance is if you are in a hurricane area with a trailer, which in Jackson County you are. One trailer that I seller financed, the owner was able to get insurance through Coastal Insurance in Gautier. You might call them for a quote.

  • Member since 2018 · 78 posts · 63 votes
    7y

    @Clayton W McGehee I sent you a direct message.

  • Investor · Roanoke, VA · Member since 2012 · 1k+ posts · 374 votes
    7y

    @Clayton W McGehee i wish i would have started using your plan years earlier, i love mobile homes, have no desire to do anything else 

    go for it 

    good luck

  • Springfield, MO · Member since 2019 · 21 posts · 4 votes
    7y

    @Clayton W McGehee hows your process going? I’m currently reading that Brandon turner book also. We have the same plan save as much money That i can from cash flow and from my job for a down payment on a house. Then repeat the process. I’m getting a mobile home on payments for 2,000. Let’s connect!

  • Member since 2019 · 26 posts · 4 votes
    7y
  • Member since 2019 · 26 posts · 4 votes
    7y

    How are things going @Clayton W McGehee?

  • Summit, MS · Member since 2014 · 63 posts · 40 votes
    7y

    @Clayton W McGehee

    You have a great plan.

    1st your rent is to low. I would suspect a nice place would bring 7-800 a month. I have 25 trailers in pike county Ms. The Mccomb area. I started buying used. Then stopped. Because I was tired of fixing someone else’s crap. So I started Buying brand new. Being all mine are going to be long term. I am in the process of building a 25 unit park Right now. The first phase will be move in ready the First Of October. Do Not but from a local Dealer. They are raping you. You just don’t know it yet.

    Shoot me a Message I’ll be glad to give you all the information I know and have.

    Thanks have a great day.

  • Folsom, CA · Member since 2018 · 134 posts · 100 votes
    7y

    @Clayton W McGehee check out Brandon turners book on managing rental properties. We also used the website/app Cozy to do most of our tenant screening and collect rents.

  • Investor · Wilmington NC · Member since 2017 · 48 posts · 27 votes
    7y

    Great thread. I too only do mobile home buy and hold.

  • Investor · Clearfield, UT · Member since 2018 · 5 posts · 1 vote
    6y

    This is certainly an interesting thread.  My refinance is done on my one and only condo in West Point Utah and I am trying to see if trailers would be a good way to go.  I have contacted my property manager to see what his thoughts on this is.  

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