I'm Ready to Retire

Many Arizona parks are owned by people who bought in the 1980s and 1990s, when Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma and the Mohave Valley were still filling up with winter visitors. If you have owned that long, your basis is likely very low and taxes — not price — are usually the biggest number in the deal.

Retirement sales work best when they are planned, not rushed. Knowing your target closing window, whether you want to keep any park-owned homes, and whether you want installment payments spread across tax years usually matters more than squeezing the last dollar out of the purchase price.