PARK BROKERAGE SERVICES | MONTHLY INDUSTRY & INVESTMENT UPDATE

September 2026 RV Park & Campground Market Snapshot

September 2026 brought noteworthy activity across RV parks and manufactured housing communities, including a reported Texas park sale and specialized financing for refinancing and infill strategies. Meanwhile, RV wholesale shipment figures released during the month provided a mixed picture of the broader recreational vehicle industry.

For owners and investors, the month reinforced the importance of distinguishing existing operating income from projected expansion potential and assessing full-season financial performance rather than peak summer results alone.

1. RV Park Acquisition Activity

Red Cloud RV Park — Silsbee, Texas

On September 28, Marcus & Millichap announced the sale of Red Cloud RV Park, a 70-space property in Silsbee, Texas, north of Beaumont. The property reportedly features concrete RV pads and municipal utilities. The brokerage represented local private owners and procured a New York-based investor as purchaser. The sale price was not disclosed.

Landscaped RV resort with motorhome sites — Illustrative RV resort photography; not the Red Cloud property.

PBS Investment Perspective: This transaction illustrates the potential appeal of established RV parks to investors outside the local market. For extended-stay properties, buyers should evaluate tenant concentration, monthly collections, local employment demand, and the condition and capacity of utility infrastructure.

2. RV Park and Manufactured Housing Financing

September financing announcements from The Madison Group included transactions serving several investment strategies:

Reported financing	Amount	Selected terms or purpose
Tennessee RV park refinance	$1.375 million	6.75% interest; five-year term
Texas manufactured housing refinance	$1.8 million	6.75% interest; five-year term
Manufactured housing infill facility	$3 million	Credit facility for eligible home acquisition and installation costs
Georgia manufactured housing portfolio financing	$2.8 million	15-year term

On September 23, the firm announced a $3 million facility intended to finance manufactured home purchases and eligible delivery, installation, site preparation, and improvement costs within existing communities.

Landscaped manufactured housing community — Illustrative manufactured housing community photography.

PBS Investment Perspective: Infill may increase occupancy and revenue without purchasing additional land. The economics depend on home costs, installation, demand, timing, and whether homes will be sold or retained as rentals. Individual lending terms are transaction-specific and should not be treated as market-wide quotes.

3. RV Industry Performance — August Data Released in September

The RV Industry Association reported 23,599 wholesale RV shipments for August 2026, down 16.4% from August 2025, in figures released during September. Park model RV shipments reportedly increased 5.8% to 423 units.

23,599August 2026 RV shipments

−16.4%Year-over-year RV shipment change

423Park model RV shipments

Wholesale shipments reflect manufacturer-to-dealer activity rather than reservations, occupancy, or operating revenue at campgrounds.

PBS Investment Perspective: RV manufacturing trends can provide useful context, but property-level reservations, occupancy, revenue per available site, and operating margins are more directly relevant to individual park valuations.

4. Transitioning from Peak Season to Fall Operations

September marks an important transition for many seasonal campgrounds. Owners can begin evaluating summer performance, reviewing forward reservations, and planning maintenance and capital improvements for the next operating year.

Operating metrics to review

Revenue: Compare actual summer revenue against prior-year results and budgets.
Occupancy and pricing: Separate weekday, weekend, and holiday performance.
Guest mix: Review transient, seasonal, extended-stay, cabin, and glamping revenue.
Capital expenditures: Evaluate roads, utilities, wastewater systems, cabins, and amenities.
Forward bookings: Monitor reservation trends for the next operating season.

Lakeside campground recreation and kayaking — Illustrative lakeside campground amenities and recreation.

PBS Investment Perspective: A strong peak season does not automatically translate into strong full-year earnings. Sellers should maintain accurate trailing-twelve-month financial statements and identify recurring versus nonrecurring expenses.

5. Investment Considerations: Existing Income and Future Upside

The September activity illustrates two distinct investment approaches: purchasing established sites with existing revenue and improving communities through additional home or site occupancy. For institutional buyers, portfolio growth, operating efficiency, and infrastructure upgrades may be priorities. Independent investors may place greater emphasis on dependable cash flow and manageable day-to-day operations.

In either case, proposed future revenue should be evaluated separately from current net operating income. Zoning, infrastructure capacity, construction budgets, absorption, and financing requirements can materially affect projected returns.

Glamping accommodations in a natural setting — Illustrative outdoor hospitality accommodations and guest experience.

PBS Investment Perspective: Expansion potential becomes more credible when supported by entitlements, engineering, capital budgets, and evidence of demand. Buyers should not pay stabilized pricing for income that has yet to be achieved.

6. PBS September Investment Outlook

September’s reported sales and financing activity reinforced the importance of disciplined underwriting and property-level fundamentals. For sellers, complete financial records, infrastructure documentation, and a clear explanation of local demand drivers can improve buyer confidence. For buyers, careful evaluation of operating history, debt structure, capital requirements, and market positioning remains essential.

Considering Buying or Selling an RV Park or Campground?

Park Brokerage Services assists owners, operators, and investors with the acquisition and disposition of RV parks, campgrounds, glamping resorts, manufactured housing communities, and outdoor hospitality properties.

Expert Guidance for RV Parks, Campgrounds & Outdoor Hospitality Assets.

Contact Park Brokerage Services

Industry Sources

Reported developments discussed above were attributed to Marcus & Millichap, The Madison Group, and the RV Industry Association. Readers should confirm transaction details and published shipment figures with the original announcements before relying on them for investment decisions.

This publication is for general market information only. Reported financing terms and transaction characteristics may not be representative of the wider market. Illustrative photographs do not depict the named transactions. PBS investment perspectives are general analysis, not property-specific valuations or investment advice.

September 2026 RV Park Market Snapshot