DARRELL HESS & ASSOCIATES, 
Licensed Real Estate Broker
(828) 452-1535
www.CampgroundsForSale.com

      Helpful Tool - A Guidebook: 

"4 Steps to Determine the Profitability
 of an RV Park"

Help at Last!!!  A guidebook that explains why profitability is difficult to measure and uses actual RV park tax returns to walk you through the 4 basic steps necessary to determine the profitability of a park.  

Here is what a CPA says about this guidebook:   

"I have been in public accounting for over 23 years.  During that time I have been involved with accounting and tax matters that apply to campgrounds from acquisition to operation and through sale.  I found your guide, 4 Steps to Determine the Profitability of an RV Park, to be concise and easy to understand, and feel it is a very good overview of the tax implications of buying, selling and owning a campground." Thomas K. Kohl, CPA  

What Are the 4 Steps?

Step #1:  Adjustments to the Tax Return. 

Why a $23,000 Loss Might Actually Be a $75,000 Profit.  Learn why the bottom line on a campground tax return never gives an accurate answer to the question of profitability.  There are 7 Adjustments you generally need to make to the tax return.  See how we make these adjustments to actual campground tax returns with explanations and the resulting profit. 

Step #2:  Non-Cash Benefits. 

Non-Cash Benefits--What They Are and How to Estimate a Dollar Value.  The uniqueness of owning a campground business is living on the property compared to your "real life job" where you pay mortgage payments or rent, and drive to and from work.  We have developed a simple worksheet to estimate the value of housing, utilities, insurance and many other "perks" provided by the RV park business.  

Step #3:  Tax Benefits. 

3 Tax Breaks to Consider when Calculating the Profitability of a Park.   

Tax Break 1:  Possible tax free salary, profit and benefits.  
Tax Break 2:  Possible tax refund the first 2 years in business.  
Tax Break 3:  Possibly pay less tax through capital gains (upon sale).   

See how these tax breaks significantly change an owner's profitability and his anticipated return on investment.  

Step #4:  Future Value - Equity Build Up.

What Could the Park be Worth 3 Years From Now?  Doesn't it generally make sense that as business increases the value of a park increases?  Review our study of parks that have sold at least twice.  Take a look at our growth index--that is, how much business increased and the effect it had on sales price.  How much does sales price go up for every dollar you increase business?  This book gives you the answer.  Everyone wants to know what a campground is presently worth and they spend a lot of time and money trying to determine this.  Shouldn't you spend an equal amount of time considering what the future sales price will be?

The Cost:  $55 Call (828) 452-1535 to order by Visa or MC.  
"4 Steps to Determine the Profitability of an RV Park"

Comments from Park Owners about this Guidebook:

"As usual you have 'hit it right on the head.' Prior to purchasing the campground I worked in the campground insurance industry and was many times required to obtain and analyze campground financial statements for profitability. 

I wish I had Darrell's book, 4 Steps to Determine the Profitability of a RV Park, then!  Many times I struggled to make a campground look profitable to an insurance company when the 'bottom line' said they weren't!  I knew they were, because I had visited their operation . . . however, on paper, it did not look good!   

Step 4 in Darrell's book, the 'Growth Index,' really says it all and makes us wish we had purchased the campground 5 years earlier."      

Stephany & Lynn Farquhar,
High Rock Lake Marina & Campground

Ron & Vicki Vitkun, 
Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Hagerstown

Back