Preview Mode Links will not work in preview mode

The Academy Presents podcast

  1. All Episodes
  2. Why Mobile Home Parks Outperform in Every Crisis with Jack Martin

Why Mobile Home Parks Outperform in Every Crisis with Jack Martin

Jun 30, 2025

What makes mobile home parks one of the most resilient and misunderstood real estate investments in America?

 

In this episode, Angel Williams sits down with Jack Martin—father of seven, military veteran, and one of the top 100 mobile home park owners in the U.S.—to break down what makes this asset class so attractive. From his early days listening to Carlton Sheets on cassette tapes to managing $60M in private capital across 1,800 lots, Jack walks through the unique advantages and operational strategies that set mobile home communities apart from traditional rentals. He explains why tenant ownership changes everything, how COVID validated the asset’s strength, and why average stays last over a decade. 

 

 

[00:01 - 04:13] From Cassette Tapes to Communities

  • Why listening to real estate tapes in the army laid the foundation for Jack’s future.
  • How the Cashflow game sparked a real-world business venture.
  • The importance of experimenting across real estate verticals before finding the right fit.

 

[04:14 - 08:33] Understanding Mobile Home Parks

  • What defines a stabilized vs. unstabilized park.
  • The significance of tenant-owned homes in long-term profitability.
  • Why moving a mobile home is not economically viable.

 

[08:34 - 12:00] Cash Flow and Community Stability

  • Why average tenant stay is 15 years compared to 15 months in apartments.
  • The need for long-term mindset when operating these assets.
  • What makes mobile home parks so resilient to economic downturns.

 

[12:01 - 16:27] Mobile Home Parks in Crisis

  • What Jack found when analyzing 2008 and COVID data.
  • How mobile home parks survived with zero foreclosures.
  • The importance of tenant incentives during moratoriums.

 

[16:28 - 19:19] Operations, Maintenance, and Exit Strategy

  • What happens to park-owned rentals and how to transition out.
  • The need for converting renters into owners.
  • How proper infill strategy leads to agency financing and easier exits.

 

 

Connect with Jack:

 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-martin-52ten/

 

 

Key Quotes:

 

 

"We collected 100% of the lot rent across 700 lots during COVID. No defaults." - Jack Martin

 

"Once you understand the intrinsic value of mobile home parks, you can't unsee it." - Jack Martin

 

 

Visit sponsorcloud.io/contact today and unlock $2,000 of free services exclusively for REI Rocks community members! Get automated syndication and investor relationship management tools to save time and money. Mention your part of the REI Rocks community for exclusive offers. Help make affordable, low-cost education summits possible. Check out Sponsor Cloud today!