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The RV Park Mastery Podcast

Welcome to the RV Park Mastery Podcast where you will learn how to identify, evaluate, negotiate, perform due diligence on, finance, turn-around and operate RV parks! Your host is Frank Rolfe who, with his partner Dave Reynolds, has ranked as high as the 5th largest mobile home/RV park owner in the United States.

What Would Sam Zell Say Right Now?: Episode 132

The late Sam Zell was the largest owner of RV Parks in American history – and he was a huge fan of unstable economic times. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to review what Sam Zell might be saying about this current chapter in America.

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Never Relax Your Standards!: Episode 131

Once you have set your goals in buying an RV Park it’s essential that you never relax those standards. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to explore the correct way to derive your target metrics and then the essential reasons you must never change those, regardless of events.

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The Role Of Park Models: Episode 130

The RV Park business model is based on the goal of attaining the highest occupancy and revenue possible given the existing location and structure. But not all RV Parks share the same path to achieve this noble purpose. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to explore how to expand your net income through the careful use of park models.

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Understanding The Supply Side: Episode 129

The most fundamental rule of economics is “supply and demand”. Yet too many RV Park buyers fail to grasp how the single most important factors in your success is simply how easy it is to build another RV Park down the street. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to review how to determine future supply and why it’s so vital to your long-term profitability.

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"Is That The Best You Can Do?": Episode 128

When you own an RV Park there are seven words that can save you a ton of money: “is that the best you can do?”. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to explore how you can shave significant money off any vendor interaction – and teach good business skills to your manager – with this one simple question.

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Avoiding Reckless Behavior: Episode 127

Taking chances with the hope of making money is known as “calculated risk”, while doing so with zero hope of making money is simply “reckless”. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to unlock what these “reckless behaviors” are for RV Park owners and how to eliminate them.

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"First You Get On, Then You Get Honest": Episode 126

There’s an old saying in business that “first you get on, then you get honest” – and that’s definitely true in the RV Park industry. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to explore why most RV Park buyers have to take a leap of faith at the beginning and then solidify their position later. We’re also going to review some methods to mitigate your risk when doing so.

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All About NDA's: Episode 125

Non-Disclosure Agreements are a common part of buying RV Parks, but they have to be properly analyzed to protect your interests. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to explore the concept of NDA’s, what the risks are, and how to mitigate them.

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Cancelling Contracts Without Burning Bridges: Episode 124

Every good RV Park contract should allow the buyer to cancel during the due diligence or financing contingencies. But how can you cancel a contract without burning your bridges with the seller or broker? In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to explore some smart methods to give you the power to cancel deals without offending the other parties involved.

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Megatrend Power: Episode 123

In 1982 John Naisbitt published "Megatrends" which referred to forces so strong in the economy that you could not prosper unless you were aligned with them. There are a huge number of "megatrends" at work in the U.S. economy today and in this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to review each one and how it relates to this sector.

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When Numbers Don’t Align: Episode 122

It can often be a huge shock when you get the seller’s financial numbers during due diligence. And how those align with what they promised you can have some important consequences in your view of the property. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to explore how numbers alignment can tell you a lot about a property.

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The Power Of Volume: Episode 121

If you’re trying to find an RV Park to buy, then one of the most important forces to harness is “volume”. Even average negotiators can come away with great acquisitions if they simply employ the power of numbers. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to review how you can put together an aggressive campaign to build greater volume of deal flow, as well as why banking on numbers is a well-proven method of being a better buyer.

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How To Stay Anonymous: Episode 120

It’s OK to be proud of being the owner of an RV Park, but you still want to build a firewall to protect your private time. In this RV Park Mastery podcast, we’re going to show you some real-world tricks to maintain your privacy and give you the freedom to be both an owner but also someone who has a happy home life.

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The Power Of Creativity And Inclusion: Episode 119

Being a deal maker is much more than just looking at RV Parks for sale and making offers. The best purchases often require forging a winning construction through the use of creativity and inclusion. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to review how to build better deals using your brain and people skills.

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All About Loan Brokers: Episode 118

When you go to get a loan for an RV Park you can either do it yourself or use the services of a “loan broker”. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to review the positive attributes to having a real professional obtain your loans and discuss why we use them on all of our deals.

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Tricks To Breaking The Ice On Cold Calling: Episode 117

Cold calling RV Park owners is a great way to find deals. But it’s very uncomfortable for those who have not done it before. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to review some great ideas to reduce your fear of “smiling and dialing” and help you make this an important part of your sourcing of potential deals.

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The Remarkable Flexibility Of The Business Model: Episode 116

Most forms of commercial real estate are set in stone. You can’t easily convert a factory building into a hotel or an apartment complex into a retail strip center. However, RV parks hold the enviable ability to morph into a number of product lines based on market demand. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to explore the chameleon - like nature of real estate’s most adaptable business model.

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Understanding The Different Types Of Partners: Episode 115

In the RV Park universe there are basically three successful types of partners. But what are they and how do they work? In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to review these three type of partnerships, discuss how you could benefit from them, and explore how to manage them successfully.

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All About Seller Seconds: Episode 114

Most RV Park deals revolve around a down - payment and a first - lien mortgage. But some deals have one additional financing tool: a seller second. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to explore how seller seconds work, the legitimate purposes they can play, one pitfall they can create.

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The Hidden Message Sellers Send With Pricing Disclaimers: Episode 113

Some RV Park sellers simply put a price on their listings. And others attach words to that price – or offer no price at all. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to explore the hidden meanings of these unusual seller price disclaimers.

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Navigating "Experts": Episode 112

When you are buying or operating an RV Park you get no shortage of people giving you their input. But which ones should you listen to? In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to review the methodology required to sort such "experts" into those who are worthy of listening to versus those that should be disregarded.

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How To Beat Warren Buffett: Episode 111

Warren Buffett is the most successful stock investor in American history. And, as an RV Park owner you can easily match and beat his performance metrics. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to explore the legacy of the “Oracle of Omaha” and why it’s not that hard to beat his rate-of-return with this unique real estate sector.

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The Importance of The "Flinch": Episode 110

One of the most important skills you can possess as an RV Park buyer is the art of negotiation. While most buyers understand the concept of starting low and triangulating the final price from the back-and-forth of price haggling but one element that often goes overlooked is the “Flinch”. In this RV Park Mastery podcast, we’re going to review what the “Flinch” is and why it’s imperative that you adopt it immediately when negotiating on RV Parks.

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How To Attract Younger Customers: Episode 109

Millennials have become a bigger demographic than Baby Boomers – and that’s fine because they seem to have the same love for RVs as their older predecessors. But the problem is that many RV Park owners are doing a poor job of welcoming in this younger segment of customers. In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to review some basic steps to increase your share of the “younger generation”.

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Is 30 Days Of Diligence Really Feasible?: Episode 108

Much has changed in America since the pandemic, and one of those net effects has been the inability to hit time targets. Thirty days of diligence has been the standard in the RV Park industry for decades, but is that really realistic today? In this RV Park Mastery podcast we’re going to explore the diligence process and determine what the important deal points are regarding the selected time period.

Listen To Episode 108