Let’s talk about integrity in the Mobile Home Park business. No, wait—don’t glaze over. I know “integrity” isn’t exactly the word that makes people sit up in their chairs, especially when it’s attached to something like trailer parks. But stick with me for a minute, because what I’m about to say may save you from a world of financial and moral disasters.
Here’s the deal: before you set out to conquer the mobile home park industry with all your dreams of becoming a titan of affordable housing, bind your ambition with humility. That’s right. Put a leash on it. Otherwise, that ambition will drag you into situations where you’re knee-deep in septic issues with tenants ready to form a pitchfork mob. You have to focus on what’s right in front of you—what you could easily mess up if you’re not careful. Because trust me, you will suffer for it.
The thing about mobile home parks is they’re deceptively simple. You think, “I’ll just buy a plot of land, throw some mobile homes on it, and boom! Passive income.” Except there’s nothing passive about it. It’s all about the details—the tiny, irritating details like water lines, rent collections, and, occasionally, whether or not your tenants are raising goats on their front lawns (yes, that happens). It’s the kind of stuff that, if you don’t handle it with integrity, will come back and bite you.
And this brings me to Rule Seven: do what is meaningful, not what is expedient. Mobile home parks are all about playing the long game. Expediency? Sure, you could do that. Cut a corner here, tell a little lie there, let some things slide to make your life easier today. But in six months, when you’re holding an emergency town hall meeting because half your tenants’ water has been shut off and you “conveniently” forgot to address the issue, good luck getting anyone to trust you again.
Which leads us to Rule Eight: tell the truth—or at least don’t lie. It’s a simple rule, but surprisingly tricky, especially when you’re trying to cover up a mess or impress someone. The problem with lying is that it doesn’t just deceive others—it messes with you. The minute you start fudging the truth, your own instincts get corrupted. You lose sight of what’s real and what isn’t, and suddenly, you can’t trust your own judgment. And if you can’t trust yourself in the mobile home park business, then you’re in for a world of hurt. There’s no corporate safety net here, no team of lawyers to smooth things over. It’s just you, your decisions, and the consequences that follow.
So, when you’re out there, trying to juggle the day-to-day chaos of tenant complaints, zoning regulations, and surprise maintenance disasters, remember this: the truth is your best friend. It’s the thing that keeps you grounded when everything else is spinning out of control. If you lie, even a little, you’ll start to corrupt your own perceptions. And once you do that, you won’t be able to trust your own instincts. And without your instincts, what do you have left? Nothing. Nada. A big ol’ pile of nothing.
In the world of mobile home parks, there are plenty of ways to cut corners, tell half-truths, or ignore the hard realities. But in the end, those things will come back to haunt you. So, do yourself a favor: stick to what’s meaningful. Handle the details with care, tell the truth, and for the love of everything holy, don’t lie. Because once you start lying, even to yourself, those goats in the front yard are going to be the least of your problems.
Now, go forth with your ambition—but keep that leash handy. You’ll need it.
