Posted this story on Facebook, but definitely posting a version of it here.
The thing about having people at my park that watch out for things for me is that people who don't belong there don't get away with anything. Or, people who do belong there but are doing something errant/contrary to the rules (think: blasting loud music that is going right through the walls of the next door neighbor and disturbing their peace or a loud party outside or a general disturbance after 10:00 pm).
So when this guy pulls in last night, no-one actually thought anything of it. My eyes and ears over there know lot 11 is an overnight lot, so they thought it was just another person coming and going type of thing. He just happened to take one of 3 lots in a row that were empty that is also one of the designated overnight things.
However, this guy was not on the reservation list and I had no calls besides the people moving in today that there was anyone coming for long term. I was 100% sure of that, it's my park, it's only 14 spaces, it's pretty easy to manage, especially with campground software taking care of the short term people. They make the reservation, they pay one night up front, bam, it's done. The spot is reserved automatically on the calendar, the only thing I have to do is send them an automated confirmation letter and clear the "reservations needing attention" queue. When they arrive, I process their card for the rest of the payment if they are staying more than one night. One of those is showing up tomorrow. That person just put in a reservation yesterday for two days, explaining that he was coming in late, after 10:30 pm.
Does your park allow that? Thought about it for a second, yes we allow it, you just have to keep it quiet. People are sleeping and don't want to be bothered. What I was thinking about? I have discussed this with long term in there and they have indicated that they either didn't know a person had come in overnight or that it didn't bother them. Many parks will not allow it for a variety of reasons. It's dark, you can't see what you're doing and you can run over things, such as pedestals. Many of those parks have lots so close together it's no wonder they have to worry about that. I will allow it as long as no one complains.
So what happened was, a set of eyes texts me asking me if the the T Mobile 8865 is the WiFi to use? She couldn't remember because she switched over to her own, personal hotspot for internet. I'm lucky that all the carriers I have encountered so far have decent to very good reception there - it's close enough to the Interstate and there are cell towers within 2 miles. Yes, that's the correct one. I didn't know she was referring to this guy having had come to their lot to find out - versus calling my @$$ and first, asking for permission to take a lot and 2: finding out the wifi password.
Are you not getting a signal from it there? She says no, the new guy on lot 11 needed it. Say what? What new guy? She instantly knew from my reaction that something was amiss. I suppose with this person, it's helpful that they want to get their nose into everything they can possibly get it into. A short discussion. I didn't tell her, but I hopped in my vehicle and headed over there. No one is spending the night there for free, or at least not without my permission.
The trailer was sitting there, on lot 11. It was all setup, including sitting on railroad ties they apparently brought with them. The sewer hookups were in place, the 50 amp service hooked up, the water line hooked up and the lights were on inside the trailer. However, the pickup that brought it there? Was gone. I knocked on the door a couple of time and then sort of banged on it. That apparently got the attentions of the eyes as some of them started looking at what I was doing. I wanted to make sure there wasn't someone in there that could explain what was going on. Some of these oil field workers travel around with their girlfriends/spouses or even family members.
No answer, I threw up my hands and left. I wasn't going to call the sheriff or a tow truck - yet - I wanted to find out what this person was doing there, why they hadn't called and why they assumed they could just pull into private property and park without permission. It turned out, the eyes had gotten his phone number so they could text him the picture of the password. It's lengthy, it came with the device and I never changed it.
So, I texted this dude. "I was given this number from a guest at the rv park. You positioned on lot 11. After coming over I think you are the quality control guy for the power plant?" I said that because the trailer looked the same and the setup was the same. But, it turned out, it wasn't that guy. "I am not. I'm in space 11 but not with power plant" and "who is this".
My thoughts exactly, who are you? I told him that there is no reservation for lot 11, no one coming in for long term, I'm the owner of the park. He immediately called me - a very wise move on his part. He went into this lengthy explanation of how he's been doing this for 20 plus years and that anytime he shows up at a park late, management never answers the phone, so he didn't bother to try calling. That he was going to call me in the morning, etc, ad infinitum, he was profusely apologizing, at least.
Getting some idea of what this dude is doing, he is friends with the 3 people that are paying through some 3rd party company to stay there. I informed him that tho his friends are paying $400 per month, the revised lot rent now is $475 per month. I'm just not willing to eat electric costs that are coming my way and $475 is the going rate in my area for long term with 50 amp service. Either everyone is charging that much or some places are charging more and in some cases, much more. Those 3 people are going to get notice in the next couple of days that the rent is going up to $475 for the summer, it's up to y'all whether you want to stay or not.
This guy blew it off like it was nothing. He said he's paid as much as $900 per month to stay in west Texas. Yes, I can imagine. There is a shortage of parks over there where all that gas and oil exploration is going on and even the slimiest of parks are charging a fortune. So I stood myself down. I was getting a bit - jumpy. I'm not going to have people just pulling in there taking up a space without my getting involved the instant I find out about it. I'm no pushover and I'm not going to get that kind of reputation. I don't want to come off as a hard@$$ either, but you can't just allow yourself to be walked over like a doormat.
I was actually talking in civil tones to this person, it's what was going on inside of my mind up until I got a full explanation that he probably wouldn't have wanted to hear about. In reality, the 2 people that just left have been replaced within 36 hours. And, the replacements are paying $75 more per month a piece for that privilege. So, he did me a favor coming on over, taking a space and probably going to be there a while. I still want to rent that 12th space, but the pressure is off to keep at least 11 spaces filled up.
I will probably be losing another guy within a month as well. His stay was semi-long term, meaning about 3 months to do his work and then move on somewhere else. He may actually be leaving sooner, I really don't know, he didn't know for sure. So it only seems prudent to fill up a 12th lot to keep the monies flowing in. And as I replace these people, I am raising the rate.
I have contacted everyone that said they wanted a lot, I have not heard back from any of them save the person that is moving in today. I have my Facebook ads running, I am hoping to hear from a potential renter any time now considering it's near the end of the month.
All's well that ends well, right?
Today? Well, out of the blue and certainly not forecasted until this morning, it's going to rain. I am not going to bother going over there to dig up that line. Well, I will if the rain doesn't hit us, but so far, the forecast is remaining the same: "rain likely around 9:45 am". It's almost 9:00 am right now, I have been dealing with "stuff" related to the business this morning at my home office (my bedroom lol, but I have this huge desk that is devoted to the business).
I have to deal with T Mobile as well. The sim cards are in and I was trying to make heads or tails of how this works. Apparently, I have to pay my phone off with Verizon first out of my pocket to get it unlocked, then I can switch over to T-Mobile and then, after sending them a screen shot of what's left owing on the phone, they will send a prepaid card to pay for it.
I didn't know I had to pay that phone off first out of my own pocket. It's $500 left owing on it and I don't really want to lose that much cash right now. I may take the phone in for a screen replacement. It's got scratches all over it. They won't do a screen replacement, lol, they'll replace the phone. I'll just have to think about this for a minute, I've got 3-1/2 weeks before I "have" to switch over or lose the opportunity for the payoff. My other phone is paid off, I don't have to worry about that.
Anyway, I have some receipts left to take photos of for quickbooks. I went through 83 of them yesterday, probably a dozen or so more left to go. I'll be checking to make sure all of my business expenses are showing up on the business accounts - checking and quickbooks - and then I can go make an appointment with the CPA. .I'm working on it, that's what I can say, if it rains, I will endeavor to finish this today and get caught up. I've been inputting receipts going back to August of last year. Including the huge receipts for contractor work. I seem to be missing one for the land clearing, but I still have stuff to go through. That was 12 grand, I'll definitely want that in the books.
I am labeling all of that stuff "new construction". That way, all of those receipts can be shown in one column, added up and walaah, there is what it cost to build the park. Tree clearing, dirt work, septic, water, power, signs, etc etc etc. Ohhh, I need receipts for that mulcher man. He never gave me any. I know what i can do, tho, find the checks I gave him for the work and use those as proof of payment. That is definitely part of the construction expense. All of that money spent on the bridge and the stairs is already input, that was easy, it was all on a Lowe's card.
Well, anyway, it's good that it's only Wednesday. If it rains I can just get out there tomorrow and get that stuff done. I really need to build that other shed, maybe I can do (or at least start) that this afternoon after the rain leaves the area. I need to clear out half the shed for these people to have room to work. Some of it can go outside and not be bothered by weather (just stuff I don't want stolen, but I can put it back in the back where I park my trailer, well out of sight of anything). The generator I may just bring home, I really have no place for it, it's pretty large and would take up half of a shed. The rest I can move to one side of the shed, out of their way.
Taylor said yesterday she will be happy to go camping - after I get a toilet in there. I wonder how many other people think the same thing? ... and why I am getting no tent campers. That's a possibility, but it's also possible it's just not that popular around here. The guy that runs the 2 parks says they get occasional tent campers in, but not very often. Yes, but he doesn't have a deep woods set up. I have something pretty cool, I think anyway, that might get people in there. I will start heavily advertising locally on Facebook and on my google account for tent camping. It will be cheap and it will have water, firewood, a toilet and shower available. The toilet and shower aren't close to the camping area, but who cares? Maybe some people do, lol, no biggies.
Having thought about it, I should have dug out a pit for an outhouse in the back. At least have something available right there for them to do their duty. HipCamp owners use outhouses a lot, I found out after doing some research. It's not unusual and it's a relatively cheap answer for something that we all have to do every day: go to the bathroom. Urinating in the woods is one thing, having to relieve solid waste in the woods is entirely another and probably not that many people want to do that. I don't personally care that much and I've had to engage several times while over there working. Shrugs shoulders, I'm not driving all they way home to use the bathroom! And soon, that problem will be eliminated, thank God Almighty!
That windshield check hit the bank, finally, glad to get that out of the way and hopefully that will cover the entire cost of it being replaced. I just wanted it cleared out of the account. I'm getting another $950 in today, replace that money but then another $1,200 plus parts right back out the window. I have really struggled with this one, paying them to complete my work, but I think it's the right thing to do. They know what they're doing, they will get it done quickly and that's the operative word: it will be done. I will immediately get to framing up a wall and get a door in there. I remembered I already have a light for the ceiling, I will just need to wire a switch and the light and perhaps an outlet.
I don't really want an outlet in there, but I'm thinking, what if it turns out I really need to have one in there? It's way easier to do it now while the walls don't have drywall on them.....
This electrician is starting to annoy me. He's had that effect on me before. Promise to come out and then not show up and give no indication or even communication of when he might be coming. I am not blowing up his phone, but I am sending him text messages on a daily basis. Do you still think you can make it out this week? I want that laundry setup running. It should already be running.
This has been a long entry but there's lots on my mind. I am definitely - I think anyway - making the right choice to go ahead and try to rent out that 12th lot. If it turns out that short terms start flowing in after getting a bathroom in there, I will have another lot opened up soon enough. And that's the thing, I don't want to be caught having to try and rent another lot when someone leaves, I will already have a 12th lot rented and it won't sting me with that loss of revenue.
Well, I just remembered I need to get my hair fixed. I got a haircut yesterday from a "stylist" that butchered my hair. It was a really bad haircut. I encountered this stylist a month ago getting one of the boy's hair cut and she also messed his hair up badly. I like that cutting salon, I will never allow her to cut my hair again. But I'm not going back there to fix it, I will go try out a barber shop in the area and see how they do.
I also need to go to Lowe's for - something not business related for once. My pond water-sterilizer isn't working. It's a lamp that kills algae as it moves through it. The lamp is burnt out and just so happens Lowe's sells replacements. The water is dark green, you can't see the fish lol.
I am going over to the park rain or now. My daily drive through plus i can start organizing stuff out of the way inside the shed even if it rains. I'll get something done over there today!
G'day
