Mobile Home Park Collection Tips

One of the most difficult and time consuming tasks of a mobile home park manager is in the collection of rents. It has been my experience that about 50 percent of your residents will never have a problem paying on time. Then about 25 percent may be late on occasion and are also not a major problem. It is the other 25 percent that will take most of your time and efforts.

It is this last 25 percent that will often make or break the deal. This is usually the money that is left over after you make your loan payment and cover the other operating expenses. So what is a manager/owner to do to make sure that these slow paying residents get motivated to pay?

Here are a few strategies I have used. Of course, make sure that any of these programs are legal in your state. If you have any other thoughts I will post a followup in the next newsletter.

Rent Discounts. Using a rent discount program, I set the rent a little higher than I typically would and then reward those that pay on time. For example, I might set the rent at $220.00 per month and for all of those residents that have paid by the 1st of the month, they will receive a discount of $20.00 for a total of $200.00 per month. Taking this program further, I have had a rent schedule that goes something like this: Rent of $200.00 by the 1st, $220.00 by the 5th, and $240.00 by the 10th and so on.

Late Fees: Whether used in conjunction with the discount program or as a stand alone program, this program will charge late payers a penalty for not paying the rent on time. In most of my parks, this will be a late charge of $20.00 to $25.00 if the rent is not paid by the 5th of the month.

Taking Credit or Debit Cards: In the world of plastic, many people do not carry cash or checks anymore and by adding this convenient payment method you may be able to increase collections. Many times in the past I have had someone fall behind and in order to avoid an pending eviction, one of their relatives will call with a credit card to catch up the balance. I have even taken this to the point that a few of my residents have their credit or debit card on file and we automatically charge them on the first of each month.

Send out Invoices: Even if the rent is exactly the same every month and there is no utility billing, sending out an invoice is a good way to get your rent bill on the pile, so to speak. People are more apt to pay the bills with an invoice first. Using self-addressed stamped envelopes are also an option. In the world of high tech, you might even be able to accomplish sending out the invoices via email. By using a mail merge on excel and word this can be done within minutes. There are also software specific programs out there that will do most of the work.

Sending out Late Notices: It is important to send these out on time every month so your residents know that you haven't forgot about them. You should be persistent and follow-up with phone calls and in person visits. This way they know you mean business.

The 3,5, 7, or 10 day notice: If they have not paid then send them the legal notice to pay or vacate. This should spur some action and after a few times of having to pay court costs, the residents will get the picture that they have to pay. The rent bill should go to the top of the list. The longer you let the resident go without paying the less likely they will be to get caught up. If they don't have the rent money in May, then they probably won't have the May and June rent in June and so on.

Collecting on delinquencies is probably the least enjoyable part of managing a mobile home park but ranks up there with the most important parts. When you find the strategy that works best you should follow it every month like clockwork. You want the residents to pay their rent before they pay on their cell phone bill and other un-necessities.

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Island Beach State Park, New Jersey

One of the few remaining large tracts of undeveloped barrier island in New Jersey is protected in the boundaries of Island Beach State Park. The park is an almost ten mile stretch of the southern end of the Barnegat Peninsula. The Barnegat Inlet is found at its terminal end, and on the other side can be seen the Barnegat Lighthouse.

The park is bisected by a central road that extends about two third of the way through the park. On the east, just over the ever present dunes that separate the beach from the rest of the island, is the Atlantic Ocean. To the west of the dunes are a number of habitats. These include freshwater ponds, maritime forest, and saltwater marsh. The western edge of the park is defined by the shores of Barnegat Bay.

Island Beach escaped intensive development in part because the original peninsula access, via a railroad, crossed the bay further north of the park entrance and from there headed north towards Point Pleasant NJ. Years later, an important development scheme for the property fell flat when the depression ruined the economy. Any chance to speculate on land schemes that involved selling seashore homes and land plots was simply not feasible. Today there are a few building in the park. This includes the Governor's mansion, public facilities for park visitors, and some private maintenance buildings. There are also some old houses that still exist from the days prior to the park's creation.

The park gets more than a million visitors a year. One large chunk of these people arrives in the summer, heading to the swimming beach that is about midway through the park. The lifeguard protected beach is quite popular. Another large segment of the visitors is made up of fishermen and fisherwomen. They come to fish in the surf from the beach. With a beach buggy permit and a four wheel drive vehicle, fisherman can drive on the beach and even stay in the park after the gate closes at 9 PM.

Other recreational activities in Island Beach State Park include wildlife watching (lots of birdwatchers!), kayaking, hiking, and folks that come for some of the planned park activities. Probably the biggest events held in the park are the Beach Plum Festival and the Annual Surf Fishing Tournament. School groups and other educational parties also use the park.

The relatively pristine nature of the park means it is a haven for wildlife and plants that should do well in the barrier island environment but have been pushed out of many of the developed beach areas. All in all the park is real gem, in terms of showing off what the beaches of New Jersey would all look like if they were not covered up with the lodgings, homes and other places we enjoy when we are at the shore.

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What Type of Exercise Burns the Most Fat?

Burning fat is the key to losing weight and getting into shape. Yet, many of use end up wasting a lot of time and effort performing exercise that doesn't burn fat effectively. The most common workout that we fall into is the long, steady-state cardio workouts such as running on a treadmill, ellipitcal machines, or other cardio machines. There is nothing wrong with doing cardio, especially if you enjoy it but those long workout sessions tend to burn more calories than fat.

You may end up working out for an hour or longer just trying to burn more calories. I for one am not a big fan of long workouts. Mainly because I just don't have a lot of time in my day to devote to them. I sought to find better exercises that burn fat in less time. During this research, I found out that interval training (or circuit training) has been shown to be better at burning fat than steady-state cardio.

Better Exercises that Burn Fat

Before starting any new workout routine, it is recommended to speak to your health care provider. Some exercises are considered advanced, particularly if you have not worked out in years.

Doing intervals simply means performing repetitions of various body weight exercises and doing them for one set, resting for a minute or so, and repeating another set. You get an intense full-body workout in less time. Best of all, these workouts can be done at home, at a park, or a local gym. Great body weight workouts that work well with intervals are calisthenics. These include exercises like:

Push-ups
Pull-ups
Sit-ups (or crunches)
Squats
Lunges
Burpees
Mountain climbers
Jumping jacks

Those are just a sample of exercises you can do. Interval workouts can also be done on your favorite cardio machines. For example, you could walk for 5 minutes on a treadmill and then run for 1 minute as fast as you can. Repeat this three or more times. You could do the same outdoors by performing sprints. Another way to refer to intervals is HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training.)

If you want to add a challenge you can try incorporating free-weights such as dumbbells in your routine. For example, you could do walking lunges with a dumbbell in each hand. Doing these type of exercises increase your fat burn and help to build more muscle. Muscle is what burns fat and calories. The more you have, the more you will burn throughout the day.

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Property insurance - coverage that is?

You purchase your first home and your lender says you must buy insurance. Many home buyers first time I often wonder what this policy covers the costs and how to find a supplier.

When financing a home, home insurance is often a prerequisite for loans. Like you, I want to protect the value of the assets of the home, or in case of an accident causing damage. One ownerInsurance would pay the sum to be home (for some) and replace the contents and personal property within the house.

If you are in a flood zone, you must purchase additional insurance for insurance against floods. home insurance usually does not cover floods, if you need additional insurance if you are in an area subject to flooding. More information can be found by visiting the Flood Insurance foundWebsite.

Insurance costs for homeowners each position based on several factors, including the value of the house and the amount of content you want to go home to ensure on.

Costs can also type of coverage you have and change the size of your deductible. Many lenders have asked for replacement cost coverage as the current value. cover the cost of replacement values today ensures, in which the value of the evidence that the cash value coverageDepreciation.

choice in finding a policy, this company is just like you did with your mortgage lender. Different companies offer different rates and premiums. If you have a car, a good starting point for him with their car insurance provider today. You may be able to offer a discount on a combination of insurance.

Your home insurance is in place to protect the value of your home, in most cases, the most valuable asset in the case ofan unexpected tragedy. The benefits far outweigh the costs. If the costs of interest, you can always increase the amount of your deductible to reduce the monthly payments, and not sacrifice coverage.

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Briargrove Park

A Community For All Ages

In a city known for its new developments and urban flavor, Briargrove Park stands out as an oasis of beauty and family living. First developed in the 1960s, this family oriented community thrives today as one of Houston's most sought after neighborhoods.

Located perfectly to give its residents convenient access to the city, shopping, dining and more, Briargrove Park is found at the corner of Westheimer Road and Beltway 8. The community of more than 1,400 homes was master-planned to include large lots, plenty of trees and a host of amenities that appeal to residents of all ages.

Known for its real community feel, Briargrove Park is home to a number of organizations, social groups and a full calendar of activities that are designed to bring residents closer together.

a strongly supported homeowners' association, Briargrove Park boasts its own Mothers' Club, Woman's Club, Garden Club, Swim Team and even a Blood Drive Team.

Some of the many reasons why residents love coming home to Briargrove Park include:

The community organizations - In addition to

The community activities - Briargrove Park is noted for its annual events that include an Easter celebration, a Holiday Decorating Contest and a Fourth of July Parade.

The pool - The community's 25-yard pool with a deep-water diving area and its own baby pool is the center of much activity for residents. The pool is enjoyed by residents for leisure and serious competition alike. The swim team is open to swimmers ages 5 to 17.

The tennis courts - Briargrove Park has four lighted tennis courts that are open year round. The community plays host to its own leagues, as well.

The playground - A newly renovated playground serves as a center for youth activities. The playground is the site for the community's annual Easter Egg Hunt and Bonnet Parade.

The clubhouse - This stellar facility is the venue for a number of community activities and is available for private parties, as well. It has served as the location of countless birthday parties, showers, meetings and more through the years.

The schools - Briargrove Park is served by Walnut Bend Elementary, Paul Revere Middle and Westside Senior high schools. All three are considered educational standouts in the Houston area. Westside is home to a number of learning academies that are tailored to meet the educational needs of students with specific interests. They include programs tailored to business, the fine arts, media relations and law and computer and engineering sciences.

Briargrove Park is an established neighborhood that has appreciated with age. Well planned from the start, this community remains one of Houston's most noted neighborhoods for family living.

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