The mistake we see most often
An owner decides the park "isn't ready to sell," borrows against it or drains savings to rebuild the bathhouse, reseal the roads and replace a pump — and then discovers the market does not pay dollar-for-dollar for that work. Meanwhile another year of management has gone by. Before you commit capital to a property you intend to exit, find out what it is worth in its current condition and what a buyer would actually do with those items.
Situations we routinely look at
Water
- Private well serving the park, with or without recent testing
- Municipal or private water utility service, including high or rising rates
- Storage tanks, pressure tanks and booster systems past their prime
- Low pressure at the far end of the park during peak season
- Old galvanized or undersized distribution lines
- Chronic leaks and a water bill that no longer matches metered usage
- Questions about potable-water requirements and monitoring obligations
Wastewater
- Septic systems of unknown age or capacity
- Systems sized for an older, lower-occupancy version of the park
- Municipal sewer connections with capacity or surcharge issues
- Lift stations, grinder pumps and failing controls
- Onsite wastewater treatment facilities with permit or reporting obligations
Electrical
- Sites still limited to 30-amp service when guests increasingly want 50
- Aging pedestals, exposed conduit, undersized feeders
- Master-metered utilities with no ability to bill back usage
- Summer air-conditioning loads that push older systems hard
Everything else
- Roads needing grading, base repair or resurfacing
- Pools requiring resurfacing, equipment or code work
- Clubhouses, laundries, bathrooms and showers needing renovation
- Vacant sites, broken hookups, missing pads or damaged pedestals
- Landscaping, tree work and storm damage
- Code or permitting questions on older improvements
- Incomplete records, cash rent collection or no formal P&L
Arizona water and wastewater requirements
Arizona RV parks may be subject to specific water and wastewater requirements depending on how the property is served and how many people it serves. A park operating its own well may fall under public water system rules; onsite wastewater facilities generally require the appropriate permits and ongoing compliance. Requirements differ by property, county and provider, and they change.
Rather than repeat rules that may not apply to your park, go to the source. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality administers drinking water and onsite wastewater programs, and the Arizona Department of Water Resources handles well registration and water rights matters. Your county environmental health department and your municipality may have additional requirements. We do not provide legal advice or interpret regulatory obligations for your property — that is work for your own attorney and licensed professionals.
How as-is pricing actually works
A buyer looking at a park with known problems is doing three things: estimating the cost to cure, estimating the time and disruption involved, and pricing the uncertainty around both. The clearer the picture you provide, the smaller that uncertainty premium becomes. A bid on a park with a documented septic condition and a contractor's estimate will usually be better than a bid on the same park where the buyer has to assume the worst.
That is the practical argument for disclosure: it is not just honest, it is generally worth money to you.
What to send us
- Photos of the problem areas — genuinely, phone photos are fine
- Any inspection, pumping, testing or contractor reports you already have
- What has failed before and what you've patched
- Which sites are unusable and why
- Any correspondence from a county, municipality or utility you are aware of
Educational information only. This page is general commentary about buying and selling RV parks in Arizona and is not legal, tax, engineering, environmental, appraisal or accounting advice, and not an offer to purchase. Requirements vary by property, county, municipality and water provider, and they change over time. Confirm anything that affects your property with the applicable Arizona agency and with your own attorney, CPA and licensed professionals.