Trailer Flash: The Most Expensive Trailer Parks in America
Photo: Trunk Archive
Trailer parks don’t necessarily equate to trailer trash these days. Just take a look at all the high-end parks popping up all over the country, from Malibu to Michigan. Some are a response to the tiny house trend that’s swept the country in the past few years while others are pricey because of their location in wealthy neighborhoods. Trailers in Montauk Shores on the end of New York’s Long Island, for example, sell for $1 million or more (and you don’t even own the land the trailer’s on!). And just down the beach in Amagansett a trailer was recently listed for $1.1 million. Although in this case, the price includes the land and proximity to fancy neighbors like Jerry Seinfeld and Gwyneth Paltrow. Here, a guide to some fancy trailer parks where we wouldn’t mind setting up camp.
Without a doubt, Paradise Cove in Malibu is the most famous fancy mobile home development in the country, partly due to its celebrity residents like Pamela Anderson and Minnie Driver. Homes have sold for as high as $4 million (yes, you read that right. Four million.) but you’re probably not going to find port-a-potties or wood paneling in these trailers. Yes, they’re mobile homes, but the finishes are as high end as their traditional Malibu counterparts. The attraction for the wealthy residents is (supposedly) the scaled back, simple life they can experience in smaller abodes. Fair enough.
Smuggler Trailer Park, Aspen CO
Known locally as the Million Dollar Trailer Park, Aspen’s Smuggler Park is a combination of mobile homes and traditional houses. The owner sold lots to renters in 1987 for $25,000, which today is worth far more: last year, a trailer here hit the market for $849,000. The park was originally built to accommodate working class residents of the luxe resort town, but due to its close proximity to the town center (not to mention those stunning mountain views), it’s now seeing an influx of wealthier buyers. If you can’t afford the million-dollar price tag, you can rent a room in a home in the park for $125 per night via AirBnB. Please note house rules: you can smoke marijuana but not tobacco.
If living in a trailer park owned by Bing Crosby isn’t enticing, we don’t know what is. Crosby invested in the desert development, which opened in 1955, and also brought other well-known investors on board, including Jack Benny, Danny Kate and George Burns. The beautiful mid-century modern homes in the park start at only $100,000 but there’s a catch: you have to be over 55 years old to move in.
Chateau La Salle, San Jose, CA
If anything can debunk preconceptions of mobile home living, Chateau Le Salle can. A two-bed trailer in this park will set you back around $200,000 and the amenities are on par with resort living. There’s a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, multi-use court, billiards table and laundry room, as well as a huge club room if you feel like having a party. Kitchens with granite countertops and walk-in closets are features in many of the homes, which frankly don’t look like trailers at all. It’s also an all-ages community meaning you don’t have to be of a certain age to move in so it’s attracting young Silicon Valley buyers, too.
Point Dume Club, Zuma Beach, CA
Much like its close neighbor Paradise Cove, mobile homes at the Point Dume Club go for a pretty penny, with many sales exceeding a million dollars. According to real estate firm The Carter Team, the community is a ‘very prestigious’ park with a ‘country club’ feel. It certainly sounds it: golf carts, ocean views, heated pool, saunas and tennis courts. Two current listings portray a beach house vibe as opposed to a trailer park one, with stainless steel appliances, tastefully updated kitchens and bathrooms—and at $795,000 and $935,000 a real bargain for Malibu beachfront properties.
Technically, Traverse Bay in Michigan is a seasonal/second home community, but they’ve taken trailer living to next level with the help of tiny house company Wheelhaus. The caboose/railcar designs are on point, merging an upcycled feel with a modern sensibility, and each tiny house sits on its own 5,000 square foot lot. Residents have use of a fitness center, spa, pool and tennis courts. The cherry on top is that each home comes with a separate 200-square-foot bunkhouse (known as a ‘bunkie’), which can be made into an in-laws suite or whatever one chooses. Prices start at $229,000 and they’re so well appointed you’d probably want to stay there year-round.
Capistrano Shores, San Clemente, CA
It seems you don’t need to live in Malibu to pay $2 million for a trailer, as homes in Capistrano Shores, San Clemente prove. While some of the current listings aren’t updated in terms of interiors, they’re still commanding massive fees for their location right on the sand. With views like these, you could almost forget you’re cooking in a1980s kitchen. Although if you have two mill to spend on a trailer, we’re guessing you have the dough to renovate too.
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