Looking for input on 55+ mobile home communities in the Mesa area (Tucson: apartments, rental)

[Home.Grown]

My wife & I are seriously thinking about relocating to the Mesa area in one of the 55+ 'active' mobile home communities. We currently live in SW Michigan. We've only visited the area a couple times in the past, but we both really like it. That said, I'd like input on the various communities. Ideally, it would be a gated community with applicant restrictions (min. credit score & income requirement). I'm obviously not wealthy, but I'd like to at least be in a park where I can enjoy retirement. Holiday Village is one we're specifically looking at, so input on that one or others is greatly appreciated.

[grmi66]

Can't comment on any park in particular, but ask about the park ownership. Used to have a job that took me to many of the RV/Mobile Home parks and for many of the parks there has been a changing of the guards. For years, it was a family business to own a park or two but the past decade a few big conglomerates have been been buying up parks. My parents park in Tucson was sold out and the new corporate owners did a ton of improvements but at the same time the park lost it's old time family feel. While grateful that they had updated water lines and gas service, the new rules and regulations got tiresome fast.

[Home.Grown]

Originally Posted by grmi66

Can't comment on any park in particular, but ask about the park ownership. Used to have a job that took me to many of the RV/Mobile Home parks and for many of the parks there has been a changing of the guards. For years, it was a family business to own a park or two but the past decade a few big conglomerates have been been buying up parks. My parents park in Tucson was sold out and the new corporate owners did a ton of improvements but at the same time the park lost it's old time family feel. While grateful that they had updated water lines and gas service, the new rules and regulations got tiresome fast.

Good info, and I thank you for that! Yes, in looking at the different parks I online I was getting the distinct impression that most seem to be large corporate owned.

[Jimrob1]

Be extremely careful of buying a mobile in a community where there is lot rent. I looked at them in both Arizona and Florida and I ended up buying one in Florida. Biggest mistake ever. The parks across the country including Arizona are being bought by investors. The one I lived in here in Florida was bought by a Michigan investor buying up parks all over the country. They bought several in the Mesa area. The lot rents immediately gets jacked up and the retirees can't afford it. Then the communities may or may not be maintained leaving the retiree vulnerable. I left the park I was in as did a number of retirees because it had become more of an unaffordable all age community. I had a terrible time selling it as word is out on what I just mentioned to you. I ended up basically almost giving it away at a terrible loss to myself. It was a beautiful 2 bed 2 bath and very well maintained but my lot rent had gone from $320 to $540 with no services at all in 4 years time. The rent went up every year. I ended up having to buy a house which I did not want to do, simply to get out of the situation that I knew was everywhere now. Parks are not being built much anymore in the USA, and the older ones are far to vulnerable to being bought up.

My advice if it is at all possible for you. If there are mobile home communities where you own the lot it is on, then that is all I could recommend. That way your not having to deal with the outrageous lot rents in a community. Or If I owned my own land somewhere and put a mobile on that. I would not recommend any retiree go into a mobil home community anywhere USA, in the America of today if there is lot rent to be paid. You would be setting yourself up to get hurt, and having to move again over the financial strain and the maintenance issues that are sure to come. Those days of cheaper living in a senior park have come and gone I'm sorry to report.

[Jimrob1]

Actually I wanted to add this to the above reply. Another way to protect yourself if your heart is set on buying a mobile and being in a community. Find out if the residents in the community have all contributed to buying the park, so that way they have their place to live and cannot be intimidated by these greedy investors buying up their community. In that scenario where the community is resident owned, the residents are in complete control. Resident owned parks are happening more and more across the country now.

[Home.Grown]

Very good info Jim, and I appreciate you taking the time to let me know! I know that just looking at the massive number of communities on Google maps, 9 times out of 10 I find out they are corporate owned. Definitely a red flag.

[grmi66]

One other red flag to look out for. There have been a couple of smaller 55+ parks along my commute here in Tucson that simply kicked all the residents out, razed all the homes still left standing and built luxury apartments in it's place.

[sandy6879]

My MIL recently purchased in Crescent Run. It seems nice, she hasn't been there all that long but it does have a guard and a lot of community activities. So far she seems to like it a lot. I don't know a ton about it but it'll give you one to look at.

[rss786]

Three parks in Mesa where you own your land are:
Carriage Manor Resort
Venture Out RV Resort
Greenfield Village RV Resort

This website may help you learn advantages of rental communities vs resident owner communities:
https://snowbirdtrailer.com/info_buy...wned_parks.php

[Jimrob1]

Originally Posted by Home.Grown

Very good info Jim, and I appreciate you taking the time to let me know! I know that just looking at the massive number of communities on Google maps, 9 times out of 10 I find out they are corporate owned. Definitely a red flag.

Your welcome. Good Luck to You