Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/755715
DECEMBER 2016 14 THE JOURNAL Alright, you thought I was going to write an article about letting the residents skip paying December rent. Well, you're wrong. How- ever, there are other ways to improve the qual- ity of life in your community that many owners are lacking, and the Holiday Season is as good a time as any to make these quality of life up- grades. Keep common areas immaculate and im- prove entry signage and aesthetics Everyone wants to be proud of where they live. But some community owners seem to for- get that fact, since they don't live there them- selves. At a minimum, you should have a clean, attractive entry to set the first impres- sion for the property. You can build an inex- pensive, great-looking sign with a simple aluminum rectangle with vinyl letters from Fast- Signs, mounted between two 4" x 4" wooden posts sleeved in white PVC with ornamental caps. You can also carry this signage theme throughout the community with the same 4" x 4" wooden posts, sleeves and caps. Some three-rail white vinyl fence down your frontage can also do wonders. Make sure that all com- mon areas are well mowed and free from grass and weeds, and that all community buildings are freshly painted. How you treat the common areas sets a positive example to the residents of what you expect – to make the property the best that it can be. Raise the rent to a level that you can make necessary capital improvements Most customers do not want the "cheapest" place to live – they want the best "value". To us, "value" equates to an affordable community with professional management that is safe and clean and attractive. Some owners have set their lot prices so low that they cannot afford to keep up the property. The streets are shot, the sewer line has blockages and there's leaking water in several places. On top of that, the manager is a drunk who favors his friends and let's dogs run loose in the streets. But the rent sure is cheap. That's absolutely not what most residents are after. Don't focus on being cheap, focus on a fair rent that offers a solid value. When the New York Times' reporter lived in our community in Pontoon Beach, Illinois for a week, he was shocked at how happy and satis- fied our residents were. What he didn't know was that we'd raised the rent 20% so the com- munity could justify such items as new roads. When you're driving down the highway and see two hotels, a Holiday Inn and the Tiki Motor Lodge, do you make your selection strictly on price? Be fair and consistent on rent collection Nothing is more unfair to your residents than not being consistent in collections. All cus- tomers should be treated equally and the rules should be simple and uniform. If you don't pay the rent, you can't live on the property. Noth- ing personal, just stating a fact. The utility companies in most cities have done an excel- lent job of this. If you don't pay, your power gets shut off. When you pay, it gets turned back on. You are doing nobody a service when you let people slide on the rent month after month. They will effectively dig themselves in debt so deep that they can never recover. Make sure that paying rent is their first priority. It truly is to their betterment. Enforce the rules – within reason – to maintain a great quality of life for all residents It's simply unfair to have certain residents living with yards that are filled with debris, or homes that are unkempt. Who really sees those? All the residents with nice homes that look out their windows. Rules should be en- forced without exception. However, some owners go way too far. I talked to one recently that has the resident's car towed if it has even one tire off the parking pad. That's ridiculous. Rules are there to benefit the community – not terrorize it. Inform residents of all city services and amenities This is such a simple way to benefit your res- idents, yet so few owners take the time to do it. All you have to do is build a booklet that ex- plains to your residents all of the local amenities in your city or town, as well as the numbers to all local agencies, such as Red Cross and others that can help in a time of crisis. It's nice to even throw in a free ticket or two to the water park or other fun item, just to get residents to break the ice. We believe that manufactured home com- munity amenities are mostly inferior to what's available in the local area. Who needs a tiny community pool when virtually every city has a water park with slides and wave pools? Who needs a timeworn laundry building with two washers and dryers when there's a Quick Wash down the street with modern appliances and a pinball machine? Let your residents know of all the services available to them and make the city proper the source of your amenities. It's a win/win that will attract and retain residents, and it's free to the community owner. Conclusion Give your residents the best Christmas Pres- ent ever by giving them a great place to live that's a terrific value. That's a gift that gives all year. And to the many folks that read these articles that I have so much fun writing, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you! I hope you have a great Holiday Season! Frank Rolfe has been a manufactured home com- munity owner for almost two decades, and currently ranks as part of the 5th largest community owner in the United States, with more than 21,000 lots in 25 states in the Great Plains and Midwest. His books and courses on community acquisitions and man- agement are the top-selling ones in the industry. To learn more about Frank's views on the manufac- tured home community industry visit www.Mobile- HomeUniversity.com. How To Give Your Residents The Best Christmas Ever BY FRANK ROLFE COMMUNITY CONSULTANT T J