RV Park Boss

Vittorio Messa shares insights on RV and mobile home park acquisitions, seller financing, shifting market trends, and what buyers should look for when evaluating deals. The conversation also explores creative ways to generate revenue from seasonal parks and uncover opportunities to increase a property's value. Chapters (00:00:02) - Intro and Sponsor(00:00:49) - Meet Victor Mesa(00:02:29) - Current Buyer Trends and Cap Rates(00:03:59) - Seller Financing and Second Lien Positions(00:04:49) - No Money Down Deals Reality Check(00:06:03) - Park Size Preferences and Flexibility(00:07:42) - RV Parks as the Next Big Thing(00:08:36) - Rent Control Coming to Mobile Home Parks(00:10:45) - Foreclosures and Distress in RV vs Mobile Parks(00:11:39) - Operational Flexibility: RV vs Mobile Homes(00:12:38) - Dealing With Difficult Tenants(00:14:18) - Best Regions for Mobile Home Parks(00:16:59) - Cold Climate Challenges for Parks(00:18:17) - Seasonal Storage Model Success Story(00:19:36) - Contact Info and Closing

In this episode of RV Park Boss, Weston Wappler of Wappler Capital joins Jason Lafferty to discuss RV parks as affordable housing, the importance of Google reviews and guest experience, and how to identify promising markets for investment. Chapters (00:00:02) - Introduction and Sponsor Message(00:00:48) - Meet Weston Wappler of Wappler Capital(00:01:06) - RV Parks as Affordable Housing(00:02:46) - Long Term vs Transient Park Mix(00:04:22) - Marketing Strategies and SEO(00:05:39) - Google Reviews and Incentives(00:09:17) - Referral Programs and Guest Appreciation(00:11:06) - Market Saturation and Industry Trends(00:13:04) - Regulations and Fire Code Changes(00:13:38) - Best States for Future Park Investment(00:16:00) - Closing Remarks and Contact Info

Rylan Blowers is the founder and CEO of Park With Us, a reservation software built to help RV park owners simplify operations. After starting the company from a Texas camper to solve his own travel headaches, he created the human-centric platform he wished existed for independent operators. He breaks down why technology must balance digital convenience with personal service, how AI is crowding the market with over-complicated software, and why keeping tools simple protects the guest experience. Park with Us at: https://www.parkwith.us/ Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction and Sponsor Message(00:00:46) - Meet Rylan Blowers and Park With Us Origin Story(00:02:43) - Software Simplicity, Support, and Human Touch(00:05:12) - Balancing Phone Bookings vs Online Booking Preferences(00:07:11) - Trends in Consumer and Operator Behavior(00:09:27) - Red Flags When Choosing Software and Support Issues(00:11:18) - Risks of AI-Built Software and Payment Reliability(00:12:29) - Future Direction: Keeping Guest Experience Simple(00:14:40) - Jason's Experience Using Park With Us(00:16:20) - Attracting Customers and Building Community(00:17:51) - Park Versatility and Growth Opportunities(00:19:46) - Closing Remarks and Conference Plans

Cameron Tope is an investor and the founder of Emerson Property Management, managing over 300 homes in Houston. After getting frustrated by unlicensed managers and massive corporate firms, he built the company he wished existed. He breaks down why investors must embrace the learning curve, how market shifts are creating accidental landlords, and how to properly vet a property manager. Chapters (00:00:02) - Intro and sponsor message(00:00:48) - Meet Cameron Tope(00:01:46) - Why Cameron built his own property management company(00:03:13) - Lessons from grinding through early years(00:06:02) - The importance of local knowledge and personal touch(00:09:28) - Market shifts: from COVID boom to market reality(00:10:19) - Parallels between RV parks and residential rentals post-COVID(00:11:21) - Consistency, marketing, and the long game in real estate(00:12:36) - Questions to ask before hiring a property manager(00:15:32) - Avoiding bad operators and seminar hype(00:17:03) - Staying focused: Houston-only operations and niche expertise(00:18:27) - Experience matters most for new investors(00:19:23) - How to reach Cameron and free resources(00:20:23) - Closing remarks and thanks

Justin Boren is a traveling minister and former teacher based in Bandera County, Texas who has lived full time in an RV for years. He talks about what separates a park that feels like a community from one that just feels like a parking lot. His answer is simple: leadership sets the temperature, and guests feel it the moment they pull in. He also gets into selling his house, ditching the mortgage, and never looking back, and opens up about a serious health battle that included three heart failure diagnoses, a late MS discovery, and a three-month prognosis he beat. A different kind of episode, but worth it. Chapters (00:00:02) - Intro and Sponsor Message(00:00:19) - Welcoming Justin Bourne(00:02:50) - What Makes an RV Park Feel Like Community(00:04:17) - Justin's Journey to RV Living(00:06:29) - Life at Alvord Oaks RV Park(00:10:35) - Choosing Freedom Over Debt and Materialism(00:13:10) - How to Connect with Justin's Ministry(00:16:41) - Justin's Health Battle and Healing Journey(00:18:21) - Living in the Valleys and Trusting God(00:22:01) - Serving Others and Living Out Faith Daily(00:24:42) - Closing Thoughts and Farewell