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What happens when investment firms acquire trailer parks

newyorker.com

11–20 of 166 posts

Re: What happens when investment firms acquire trailer parks

#11
Predition: Nothing good.

Resident-Owned Communities seem by far to be the best answer here, and I encourage folks to read up on it and see what you can do to help if you're so inclined: https://rocusa.org/ is one such nonprofit, but there are several.

Re: What happens when investment firms acquire trailer parks

#12
How can individuals compete against institutional money?

Housing prices are skyrocketing in my area and there are stories on the news about investment firms buying up homes and putting them up for rent. What's to stop these well financed institutions from buying up more and more real estate and forcing more people into renting?

Re: What happens when investment firms acquire trailer parks

#13
post #4

I'm going to guess on the record before reading article: debt based financing of the sale, PE firm steadily increases rent and lowers investment into facilities, bankruptcy and evictions ensue

And remember, kids, this creates value, because the market weights value according to wealth.

Re: What happens when investment firms acquire trailer parks

#14
The US are such a weird country... on one hand, Silicon valley et al, producing the coolest tech & the shiniest toys, and on the other hand... people who can only afford to live in trailer parks, even with a full time job.

It never ceases to amaze & depress me simultaneously.

Re: What happens when investment firms acquire trailer parks

#15

How can individuals compete against institutional money? Housing prices are skyrocketing in my area and there are stories on the news about investment firms buying up homes and putting them up for rent. What's to stop these well financed institutions from buying up more and more real estate and forcing more people into renting?

They can't.

Nothing and they are already are doing it.

Blackrock raised billions during COVID on the idea that once the evictions kick off, lots of homeowners will lose their homes and those tenants with black marks will have to pay more and more to rent.

Every person abusing the COVID moratorium just to screw over the "landlord" who owns one property is just one more nail in the US clusterfuck coffin.

Edit: it's Blackstone.

Re: What happens when investment firms acquire trailer parks

#16
post #14

The US are such a weird country... on one hand, Silicon valley et al, producing the coolest tech & the shiniest toys, and on the other hand... people who can only afford to live in trailer parks, even with a full time job. It never ceases to amaze & depress me simultaneously.

It's the same reason those same Silicon Valley companies hire security guard companies at $15/hr and have the security guards take the food to the dumpster, and lock it.

That security guy probably could use that food more than the dumpster.

Re: What happens when investment firms acquire trailer parks

#17
post #4

I'm going to guess on the record before reading article: debt based financing of the sale, PE firm steadily increases rent and lowers investment into facilities, bankruptcy and evictions ensue

You should read the article, it's very well done.

I mean, yeah, family-owned trailer parks have been "under-utilized" for decades, and you're pretty spot on in what is involved in properly "utilizing" them. However, there's a human side to it as well.

Plus, there's a plot twist where Republicans introduce bills in a state to enhance tenants' rights.

Re: What happens when investment firms acquire trailer parks

#20
post #14

The US are such a weird country... on one hand, Silicon valley et al, producing the coolest tech & the shiniest toys, and on the other hand... people who can only afford to live in trailer parks, even with a full time job. It never ceases to amaze & depress me simultaneously.

For what it's worth my in-laws specifically chose to buy a second home in a mobile home park. I don't know all their reasons but the low cost of the land was part of it. I've seen their "trailer" and it's quite nice, so I wouldn't necessarily assume everyone who lives in one of these places does so out of desperation or lack of choices. People have different needs and wants.
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