Mobile Homes, Subdividing & Land Scams
A real estate investing podcast Q&A session where host Daniel and community member Nick Yu discuss mobile home investments and land subdivisions, with listeners asking questions about acquisition strategies, regulatory concerns, and deal structures like double closings.
Summary
The episode features a live Q&A with the Real Estate Investing Podcast community. Nick Yu shares an active deal he's pursuing: a 1.79-acre property in South Carolina's Lake Marion area listed at $25,000 (valued around $50,000) that requires an easement. He plans to offer $20,000, place a mobile home on it, and project a net profit of approximately $85,000. Nick explains his recent pivot to mobile homes, noting that most people lack capital to purchase land separately from the mobile home, creating an opportunity to compete with builders by placing individual mobile homes rather than developing entire neighborhoods.
The hosts discuss the mobile home strategy's effectiveness and mention Jack Watson, who completed 6-12 mobile homes in his first six months, recommending listeners review his podcast episode. They introduce Andrew Short's upcoming subdividing program, which focuses on MLS deals, realtor relationships, and pocket listings as acquisition channels.
Several listener questions address subdivision strategy. A new investor asks about targeting 5-20 acre parcels for subdivisions, and the hosts recommend starting with larger parcels (5-100 acres) and avoiding major entitlements as first deals due to their capital intensity and extended timelines. They note that major subdivision projects may only generate one or two paydays per year, making supplementary income streams essential.
Another listener, Anthony, asks whether to pursue high-volume texting (12,000 texts monthly) or targeted handwritten mailers for subdivision leads. The hosts recommend doing both simultaneously—texting for volume and handwritten mailers for targeted subdivision sniper approaches—especially for new investors who need deal reps.
Rob raises a technical question about road work and whether it triggers major subdivision classification. The hosts explain that requirements vary by jurisdiction; some areas allow dirt/Class C roads for minor subdivisions while others mandate Class B or A roads. They note that Andrew Short's course will cover infrastructure decisions and calculators to determine optimal deal structures.
A final question involves a seller requesting documentation of contractual authority to market and assign a property, with the buyer's attorney planning to contact recorded owners directly. The hosts initially misidentify the questioner as a buyer but clarify that South Carolina restricts wholesaling/assignments (requiring double closes instead). They note that title companies now implement identity verification procedures (like Proof.com) to prevent fraud, though rare cases still slip through. The hosts recommend consulting a South Carolina attorney about marketing restrictions before executing a double close strategy in that state.
About this episode
<p><strong>Want to quit your job and build a real land investing business?</strong></p><p><strong>👉</strong><a href="https://landportal.com/subscriptions?a_aid=LandInvestingOnline&a_bid=9e9b000b" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Land Portal</strong></a> gives you access to the fastest-growing land software <em>plus</em> <a href="https://landportal.com/subscriptions?a_aid=LandInvestingOnline&a_bid=9e9b000b" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Land Portal University</strong></a>, where we walk you step-by-step through getting your first land deal.</p><p>🌳 Learn directly from Andrew Short in our exclusive 10-week <a href="https://landinvestingonline.com/pages/subdivide" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Subdivide Mastermind</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p><p>🎯 Looking for <strong>1-on-1 Land Flipping or Subdividing coaching</strong>? Schedule a <a href="https://landinvestingonline.com/pages/consultation" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>FREE strategy call</strong></a> here.</p><p><br /></p><p>================================</p><p>In this episode, Ron and Dan do a Q&A with their community to answer the hottest questions in the land investing industry.</p><p>Want to be a part of the conversation? Join our <a href="http://landinvestingonline.com/discord" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>discord calls</strong></a><strong> </strong>every Friday at 12:30 EST, to get your questions answered and meet other land investors!</p><p><br /></p><p>🎙️<strong>Checkout these podcasts mentioned in this episode:</strong></p><ul><li><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Q1MwaimtByGUIEUncw1xO?si=7a2f99148ed84a7d" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">He Turned $10K Land Flips Into $60K Deals</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/4r3YtWATtpmFTX4LLRo9cK?si=832eae8be6c54577" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">He Bought $10M of Land Using This Strategy</a></p><p><br /></p></li></ul><p>================================</p><p>SOCIAL</p><p><strong>Ron's Instagram </strong>📸:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ronapke/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> <strong>https://www.instagram.com/ronapke/</strong></a></p><p><strong>Dan's Instagram </strong>📸:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/danielapke/?hl=en" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> <strong>https://www.instagram.com/danielapke/</strong></a><br /></p>
Key Insights
- Nick Yu argues that mobile home investing fills a market gap because most people can obtain mobile homes but lack the capital to purchase land separately, allowing him to compete effectively with traditional builders.
- The hosts claim that major subdivision projects typically only produce one or two paydays annually, requiring investors to supplement income with other deal types like flips or mobile homes to maintain monthly cash flow.
- The hosts assert that road work requirements for subdivisions vary significantly by jurisdiction—some areas allow simple dirt roads for minor subdivisions while others mandate engineered Class B or A roads, necessitating location-specific regulatory research.
- The hosts contend that title companies have significantly improved fraud prevention through identity verification procedures (like Proof.com), though they acknowledge rare scams still occur, with fewer than five fraud cases documented across their entire community.
- The hosts warn that South Carolina's restrictions on wholesaling may prohibit marketing a property before taking legal ownership, even when executing a double close, requiring attorney consultation before proceeding with that strategy.
Topics
Transcript
All right, everybody, welcome back to the Real Estate Investing Podcast. In this episode, it is going to be a live Q&A with myself, Daniel, and our community. There's some amazing questions in this, so enjoy the episode. Get your guys' questions in here. We've got Nick Yu coming up. What's Nick got going on this week? How are you doing, Nick? All right, well, I've got something new that just popped up today, and it's amazing what you can find on the MLS, you know, on market. Sometimes you can find some really good deals. I know that some people were, I've been talking about finding those and find them using through your land portal. I actually, now that…
Full transcript available for MurmurCast members
Sign Up to AccessMore from The Real Estate Investing Podcast
The Old Way of Land Investing Doesn't Work Anymore
Dave Denniston discusses how the land investing business has fundamentally changed since 2021-2022, requiring investors to shift from volume-based marketing to specialized, high-quality deal sourcing. He shares his journey from sending 50-60k mailers monthly with declining returns to focusing on subdivides and messy title deals in select markets, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning, team development, and adapting to market conditions.
Protecting Land Deals, Funding & Mail Laws
A real estate investing podcast Q&A session where host Daniel addresses community questions about land deals, including property access protocols, earnest money structures, hard money lending, and marketing strategies for off-market land acquisition across various states.
What Actually Works in Land Investing Today
Two land investing veterans compare the industry from 2020 to 2026, discussing how increased competition, improved software tools, new marketing channels, and evolving business strategies have fundamentally transformed the business model. While the fundamentals remain similar, successful investors today must be more strategic, diversified, and business-minded rather than relying on simple volume-based scaling.
His First 22-Acre Land Deal Made $104,000
John Duong shares his seven-year journey in land investing, starting from $3,000 in 2020 to achieving seven-figure years by 2024. He discusses his strategy of reverse engineering deals with builders, the importance of ethical business practices, and how faith and financial intelligence have shaped his approach to risk and growth.
His First Land Deal Made 6 Figures
Mason McDonald transitioned from hospital CEO to real estate entrepreneur, making six figures on his first land deal in 2021 and now manages large-scale development projects (2,000-10,000 acres) for a 50-year-old family office. He emphasizes the importance of direct-to-seller marketing, understanding local demand, and building long-term relationships with landowners over quick-flip strategies.