If the comparable rents show a market of, say, $300 per month, then you might well be able to raise the rent significantly enough to come closer to his price.There are five key items in determining the value of a mobile home park: 1) the infrastructure 2) the density 3) the economics 4) the homes and 5) the location.

Make your money in the city but invest it in much more economical areas. 

...with better protection against economic downturns and other losses?

You still have the same economic conditions. 

Martin, my background is in economics so I do have some thoughts on your comments about economic cycles and this REI model.

Also, for economic purposes, by placing home in LLC (a business), children will be elgible for more college financial aid since the business assets for a closely held company with few employees are exempt/not counted under federal financial aid laws but are counted when it is our personal name.  

Not stock market, not economic market.  

Gentrifying areas can give you amazing capital growth, however they are also more prone to downturns during bad economic times. 

I remember Larry Kudlow idiotically going on and on about the "Goldilocks Economy" despite clear indications things were going wrong.The economic cycle is long.

@John Goustondue to the housing crisis, there's a new law that became effective last March.