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Call (916) 436-3776RV Parks & Campgrounds California
How Do I Buy or Sell an RV Park in California in 2026?
An RV park is real estate plus an operating hospitality business, valued on stabilized net operating income and a cap rate (roughly 5 to 8% for owner-operator parks, tighter 4 to 6% for amenity-rich destinations). The key underwriting question is the mix of long-term versus transient sites, long-term smooths cash flow, transient spikes in peak season, which makes seasonality the central risk. Financing runs through SBA 7(a) for most deals under $5 million, conventional CRE for larger, and often seller financing. Value-add comes from fixing mom-and-pop inefficiencies and adding amenities or glamping. Serve First underwrites and brokers; Ashlar Lending arranges financing; Ashlar LDA prepares the entity.
An RV park or campground is part real estate, part hospitality business, and that combination is exactly what makes it attractive in 2026, riding tailwinds from the outdoor-recreation boom, remote-work flexibility, and a camper base that now skews younger as well as retired. Value comes from site income, and the single most important thing to understand is the mix of long-term versus transient sites: long-term guests smooth cash flow like apartment income, while transient guests pay premium nightly rates but concentrate in peak season. That makes seasonality the defining risk and the mom-and-pop inefficiencies common in the sector the defining opportunity. Unlike mobile home parks, RV parks are usually SBA-financeable because of their operating-business component. This guide covers how parks are bought, financed, and valued, then links to a guide for your area. Ashlar Lending arranges the financing, Serve First underwrites and brokers the deal, and Ashlar LDA handles the entity. For the land-lease cousin, see our manufactured housing communities guide.
One family. Deal, financing, and entity.
Buy or sell the park, as the operating business it really is
An RV park is real estate and a hospitality business at once, and it’s financed accordingly. The Ashlar Brands family works the whole deal:
- Serve First Realty sources parks (including off-market) and underwrites them on what drives value: the mix of long-term versus transient sites, seasonality, revenue per available site, amenities, and infrastructure, and represents you buying or selling.
- Ashlar Lending Inc. (NMLS #2699657) matches the deal to the right program: SBA 7(a) for most acquisitions under $5 million (a natural fit for owner-operators), conventional commercial real estate financing for larger deals, and seller financing that can be layered to reduce your equity.
- Ashlar LDA, Inc., a bonded and registered Legal Document Assistant, can prepare the LLC or entity paperwork and deeds at your direction.
These are separate businesses in the Ashlar Brands family. Serve First is a real estate brokerage, not a lender or law firm; loan terms and SBA eligibility are set by the lender and SBA. A Legal Document Assistant prepares documents at your direction and is not a substitute for an attorney. This is general information, not tax advice.