False advertising is the number one reason you should be extra careful when thinking about moving into a Equity Lifestyle Property or Mobil Home park. Most of the 55+ parks they claim are 55+ retirement communities are not. Expect to find criminals, drug attics and people of all ages. Look Im not against people of any age but when Im told Im moving into a 55+ park, then thats what I expect, so ask questions over and over like I did and they’ll still lie so maybe visit the place several times before you commit and get things in writing.
Reason number 2 is transparency. Realtors wont offer information about the mobil home park or its policies in their listings . They embellish everything just like any business trying to sell a product and when they print what the current lot rent is on this property they are not being honest so ask questions. Ask if the rent in the listing is actually what you will pay and ask if there are any pass thru fees. Ask what is included in your lot rent and get it in writing. Ask if the park is a family park because their listings are not accurate but its done on purpose to lure you in . Ask if your mobil home park is Handicap compliant and ask if the clubhouse is ADA compliant and when they tell you no, ask how it can advertise as a retirement community for 55+ seniors and not be ADA compliant in 2023.
Reason number 3 is poor management. Equity Lifestyle Properties will stick anyone willing to accept their 40,000 a year salary and they normally dont give a rats ass about the residents. Ask if your manager is a full time manager and ask if he is on the premises full time and get it in writing. Our manager here at Down Yonder Mobil Home Park in Largo Florida is only here a couple days. When asked why hes only here a couple of days a week he has said because he’s managing a couple other mobil home parks in the area for the same salary and obviously there are two other parks with part time managers too. Look around the property and compare it to the beautiful pictures that you saw in the MHvillage advertisement. Be vigilant before you get yourself into a situation you cant get out of.
Reason number 4 is park maintenance or lack of it . Park maintenance can be anything from keeping the common areas clean , to maintaining the infrastructure of the park. Equity Lifestyle Properties have several ongoing lawsuits in regards to the storm drain system and there are hundreds of Equity Lifestyle Properties with this issue which is caused by lack of maintenance or no maintenance. Our park floods constantly with a heavy rain in the summer months. Years of pine needles and overgrown bushes are normal in Equity Lifestyle Properties mobil home parks. You will also find that ELS has done very little to bring their mobil home parks up to ADA compliancy.
Reason number 5 is they are an investment company that cares about nothing but maximum profit. Equity Lifestyle Properties sole goal is to make as much money as they can legally get away with. Mom and Pop owners of these mobil home parks in years past have done more for their residents with less and that will never be the same again. Their are investment webinars all over the web trying to get investors into mobil home parks and bragging how easy it will be to get rich because “ What are they going to do They cant move their home “ So thats why you should stay away from Equity Lifestyle Properties. Look what happened to Vegas when corporations came in. Its a no win situation,so looking elsewhere is my advice

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