Interview with the Mobile Home Park Lawyer Ferd Niemann

Welcome back to the Passive Mobile Home Park Investing Podcast, hosted by Andrew Keel. On this episode of the Passive Mobile Home Park Investing Podcast Andrew talks to mobile home park owner, operator and lawyer: Ferd Niemann. Today Andrew and Ferd talk about Ferd's journey into the mobile home park industry as well advice he has for passive mobile home park investors interested in investing in America's trailer parks. Andrew also asks about Ferd's techniques, preferences, and input on the topics of raising capital, syndications, park-owned mobile homes versus tenant-owned mobile homes, and what makes him stand out as a mobile home park owner/ operator.

In addition to being a mobile home park owner and operator, Fred is also a lawyer, real estate investor, financial analyst and entrepreneur. His experience in real estate includes stabilized mobile home park investments and turnaround investments. He also has retail development and redevelopment experience along with residential investments. Ferd practiced law at a top Kansas City law firm focused on economic development incentives, public finance, property tax assessments, redevelopment, land use, and zoning before he started his own law firm, "The MHP Lawyer."

***Andrew Keel and Keel Team Real Estate Investments (Keel Team, LLC) do not endorse any interviewee. This interview is for informational purposes only and should not be depended upon for investment purposes. ***

Andrew Keel is the owner of Keel Team, LLC, a Top 100 Owner of Manufactured Housing Communities with over 1,500 lots under management. His team currently manages over 20 manufactured housing communities across ten states - AR, GA, IA, IL, IN, MN, NE, OH, PA and TN. His expertise is in turning around under-managed manufactured housing communities by utilizing proven systems to maximize the occupancy while reducing operating costs. He specializes in bringing in homes to fill vacant lots, implementing utility bill back programs, and improving overall management and operating efficiencies, all of which significantly boost the asset value and net operating income of the communities.

Andrew has been featured on some of the Top Podcasts in the manufactured housing space, click here to listen to his most recent interviews: https://www.keelteam.com/podcast-links. In order to successfully implement his management strategy Andrew's team usually moves on location during the first several months of ownership. Find out more about Andrew's story at AndrewKeel.com.

Are you getting value out of this show? If so, please head over to iTunes and leave the show a quick five-star review. I have a goal of hitting over 100 5-star reviews by the end of 2021, and it would mean the absolute world to me if you could help contribute to that. Thanks ahead of time for making my day with your five-star review of the show.

Talking Points:

00:18 - Welcome to the Passive Mobile Home Park Investing Podcast

01:26 - Ferd's background in real estate and his journey into law and business

03:42 - Important things passive mobile home investors should look for with syndications

07:52 - The hardest parts about the business

10:40 - Ferd's team

12:00 - Used home versus new homes

14:05 - Ferd's perfect park

16:08 - Park-owned homes

18:03 - Ferd's preference: raising capital or syndications?

19:00 - Structure for raising capital

21:10 - Investing in your own park deals

22:30 - Ferd's favorite win

24:31 - Operations and project managers

26:14 - Ferd's specialty and what makes him stand out

28:07 - Ferd's biggest struggle

32:22 - End game goals and exits

33:50 - Last minute advice about the mobile home park industry

35:04 - How to get a hold of Ferd

35:26 - Conclusion

Links & Mentions from This Episode:

Ferd Niemann official website: https://themobilehomelawyer.com/

The MHP Lawyer Podcast: https://themobilehomelawyer.com/category/podcast/

Ferd's Email: [email protected]

Keel Team's official website: https://www.keelteam.com/

Andrew Keel's official website: https://www.andrewkeel.com/

Andrew Keel LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewkeel

Andrew Keel Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PassiveMHPinvestingPodcast

Andrew Keel Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/passivemhpinvesting/

Twitter: @MHPinvestors

Quotes:

"For any syndication, I think the most important thing is to look at the syndicator. Do they have any skin in the game? Do they have any experience?" - Ferd Neimann

"I think park-owned homes is just part of the business and I tell people all the time, in my ideal world, I own zero homes." - Ferd Neimann

"I don't want a real job. [LAUGHS] I like working for myself but we'll see how it looks in the future." - Ferd Neimann

"I would recommend people start slow. Buy one park, buy two parks, but then actively manage them." - Ferd Neimann