Can you run a campground with a manager instead of living on site?

Buyers who see a campground as something to hold, not live in, ask this early. The answer depends on the property, but the business may behave differently without an owner on site. The seller’s presence may be part of why guests return. See what owning a campground involves day to day for the owner-operator role this page contrasts with.

Duties a manager can take on

A capable manager can handle reservations, arrivals, site assignments, guest questions, cleaning, grounds work, and supervising seasonal staff. Water, septic and electrical systems need someone who knows them, and that may be a manager or a contractor. Ask who holds any required operating approvals and what happens to them when the person in charge changes.

What the seller does personally

Ask the seller for a plain list of a typical day and a busy weekend. Owners often do emergency repairs, deal with difficult guests, handle seasonal workers and know every regular by name. Each of those has to be replaced by a person or a system. Ask the seller whether they would stay on for a handover period, and for how long.

Seasonal staffing and oversight

A short season means staff come and go, so hiring, training and housing may be on your plate. Plan how you will check the books, cash handling and guest reviews from a distance. Visit often at first. Staff turnover can hurt a seasonal operation, so ask the seller about how they kept their people.

What to ask before buying

• Is there accommodation on the property, and does it come with the sale?
• Who are the current staff, and would they stay for a new owner?
• What do the books show for wages and management, if the seller pays themselves in profit?