Sun Communities
Sun Communities is a publicly traded REIT that owns and operates approximately 513 manufactured housing communities and RV resorts across 24+ US states, serving individual residents seeking affordable home ownership, 55+ active adult lifestyles, and recreational vehicle vacation accommodations.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1975
- HeadquartersSouthfield, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Sun Communities does
Sun Communities, Inc. (NYSE: SUI) is a publicly traded Real Estate Investment Trust founded in 1975 and headquartered in Southfield, Michigan. The company owns and operates approximately 513 manufactured housing communities and RV resorts across the United States and Canada, comprising roughly 178,650 developed sites spanning 24+ states. It operates through two principal brands, Sun Communities (manufactured housing communities split between all-age and 55+ active adult segments) and Sun Outdoors (RV resorts and campgrounds). Primary revenue streams include recurring site rental income from manufactured home communities, RV resort and campground fees, manufactured home sales (priced $7,000-$675,010), home rental income ($970-$3,610/month), and ancillary services delivered through Bright Insurance Agency (homeowners insurance, warranty, and service plans) and third-party financing partners. The company also pursues ground-up community development and selective acquisitions to expand its footprint.
The go-to-market model is direct-to-consumer, with the company's website (suncommunities.com) functioning as the primary discovery and lead generation platform. The site incorporates an AI-powered natural language home search tool, an AI chatbot for prospect assistance, and a customer portal for existing residents. Physical sales offices at community locations complement digital channels, and a referral program (ReferSun) drives lower-funnel conversions. Distribution partnerships include Hipcamp for RV resort bookings (100 properties listed) and Bright Insurance Agency for ancillary insurance products. The company is led by CEO Charles D. Young (appointed October 2025) with founder Gary A. Shiffman serving as Non-Executive Chairman.
Following the 2025 sale of Safe Harbor Marinas to Blackstone Infrastructure for $5.65 billion and the pending sale of UK subsidiary Park Holidays to Aermont Capital for approximately $1.03 billion (expected to close H2 2026), Sun Communities is repositioning as a near-pure-play North American manufactured housing and RV platform with approximately 95% of NOI derived from North American assets. Q1 2026 revenue reached $507.9 million with same-property NOI growth of 6.3% year-over-year and adjusted blended occupancy of 98.7%. Full-year 2026 Core FFO guidance is $6.87-$7.07 per share, with a BBB+ (S&P) and Baa2 (Moody's) credit rating.
Sun Communities firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sun Communities
- Legal name
- Sun Communities, Inc.
- Website
- https://suncommunities.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1975
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Sun Communities is a publicly traded REIT that owns and operates approximately 513 manufactured housing communities and RV resorts across 24+ US states, serving individual residents seeking affordable home ownership, 55+ active adult lifestyles, and recreational vehicle vacation accommodations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sun Communities industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Manufactured Housing Communities & RV Resorts
- NAICS
- RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (72121), Traveler Accommodation (7211)
- SIC
- Real Estate Investment Trusts (6798), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Family & Group-Friendly Rentals (Large Homes, Multi-Unit Compounds) (THAGANAI)
Keywords
Where Sun Communities is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Southfield
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sun Communities business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Manufactured Housing Site Rental: Recurring rental income from manufactured home sites where residents lease land in company-owned communities. This is the primary revenue driver, providing stable, predictable cash flows with residents averaging only 0.4% annual move-out rates.
- RV Resort and Campground Fees: Seasonal and transient revenue from RV resorts and campground accommodations, including nightly, weekly, and seasonal rental income from recreational vehicle sites.
- Home Sales: Revenue from selling manufactured homes to residents within company communities. Homes are sold with site rent as additional ongoing cost. The company offers financing assistance through third-party lenders.
- Partnership Revenue (Hipcamp): Revenue from listing RV resorts on third-party booking platforms like Hipcamp, expanding distribution for vacation rental properties.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Manufactured Homes for Sale: $7,000 - $675,010 |
| Subscription | Monthly | Manufactured Homes for Rent: $970 - $3,610/month |
| Subscription | Quarterly | Q2 2026 Distribution: $1.12/share |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Sun Communities product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sun Communities, Inc. is a publicly traded Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) that owns and operates approximately 513 manufactured housing communities and RV resorts with about 178,650 developed sites across the United States and Canada. The company sells and rents manufactured homes within its communities, operates Sun Outdoors RV resorts and campgrounds, and supports residents through affiliated insurance and third-party financing services.
Product overview
Sun Communities, Inc. is a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) that operates as a unified platform of manufactured housing communities and recreational vehicle resorts across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The company operates under the Sun Communities and Sun Outdoors brands, offering a comprehensive portfolio of properties including All-Age Communities, 55+ Active Adult Communities, and RV Resorts. The product portfolio consists of manufactured homes available for sale (new and pre-owned) and rent (with 12-month lease programs), supported by financing services through third-party lender partnerships and insurance coverage through Bright Insurance Agency. The company manages approximately 513 properties with approximately 178,650 developed sites across North America, with strategic expansion through ground-up community developments. Following the pending sale of UK assets to Aermont Capital, Sun Communities is transitioning to a near-pure-play North American manufactured housing and RV platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Manufactured Homes for Sale New and pre-owned manufactured homes for sale across all-age and 55+ Sun Communities nationwide. Homes feature open floor plans, modern designs, quality materials, and are available in 1-5 bedroom configurations with prices ranging from approximately $7,000 to $675,010 across the portfolio's 1,433 listed homes.
- Manufactured Homes for Rent Manufactured homes available for rent across Sun Communities with 12-month lease programs. Rental homes range from 900 to 1,650 square feet, offering up to 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, with monthly rents from approximately $970 to $3,610 across 251 available units. Includes rent-to-own pathway.
- All-Age Manufactured Home Communities All-age manufactured home communities offering neighborhoods and amenities for families, including basketball and pickleball courts, playgrounds, community centers, outdoor pools, and dog parks. These communities cater to families and individuals of all ages seeking affordable homeownership in planned settings.
- 55+ Active Adult Communities Age-restricted 55+ communities featuring manufactured homes with amenities and activities including tennis, golf, dining, and social events. Located across the United States in popular retirement destinations.
- Sun Outdoors RV Resorts and Campgrounds Recreational vehicle (RV) resorts and campgrounds operated under the Sun Outdoors brand across the United States, offering transient and seasonal RV sites with upscale amenities. RV resort properties are listed on partner platforms such as Hipcamp for booking.
- Bright Insurance Agency Sun Communities' affiliated insurance company providing manufactured home insurance, warranty, and service plan coverage to residents within Sun communities. Bright Insurance Agency has been providing broad coverage to thousands of residents for over 20 years.
- Ground-Up Community Developments Development of new manufactured housing communities by Sun Communities in popular U.S. cities, focusing on both first-time homebuyers and those seeking retirement destinations. The program expands the company's owned portfolio with newly built properties.
Companies that use Sun Communities
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Sun Communities technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Sun Communities partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- HipcampcoreHipcamp announced a strategic partnership with Sun Outdoors to list 100 of Sun Outdoors' RV resorts and campgrounds on the Hipcamp app, expanding access to upscale camping experiences across the U.S. The collaboration aims to meet increasing demand for well-equipped camping options amid a surge in outdoor activity, with Hipcamp now offering the largest catalog of campgrounds.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sun Communities competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Equity LifeStyle Properties: Equity LifeStyle Properties (NYSE: ELS) is the largest publicly traded manufactured housing and RV REIT, operating MH communities and RV resorts across the US - the closest direct comparable to Sun Communities in both asset class and operating model.
- UMH Properties: UMH Properties (NYSE: UMH) is a manufactured housing REIT owning and operating manufactured home communities across the US, with a smaller, more geographically concentrated MH-only portfolio relative to Sun Communities.
- Flagship Communities Real Estate Investment Trust: Flagship Communities REIT (TSX: MHC.UN) is a manufactured housing community owner-operator focused on the US Midwest and Southeast, directly comparable to Sun's all-age MH communities segment.
- RVC Outdoor Destinations: RVC Outdoor Destinations is a private owner-operator of RV resorts and outdoor hospitality properties in the US, directly comparable to Sun Communities' Sun Outdoors RV resort portfolio.
Others
- Essential Properties Realty Trust: Essential Properties Realty Trust (NYSE: EPRT) is a net-lease REIT focused on middle-market tenants; comparable as a fellow public REIT and is the source of Sun Communities' newly appointed CFO Mark Patten.
- Invitation Homes: Invitation Homes (NYSE: INVH) is a large single-family rental REIT; tangentially comparable as a US residential landlord using scale, recurring rent, and tech-enabled operations - similar playbook to Sun's MH site-rent model.
Broad incumbents
- Bluegreen Vacations: Bluegreen Vacations (now part of Hilton Grand Vacations) is a vacation ownership and resort operator offering RV/cabin-style resort experiences; broader incumbent overlap with Sun Outdoors' short-term vacation rental business.
- Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust: Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust is the largest non-traded REIT, with broad US real estate exposure including manufactured housing-adjacent assets; Sun's Safe Harbor Marinas counterparty and a meaningful industry consolidator.
- Marriott Vacations Worldwide: Marriott Vacations Worldwide (NYSE: VAC) is a large timeshare and vacation ownership operator with resort-style amenitized properties, broadly comparable to Sun Communities' resort-amenitized MH and RV communities at a much larger scale.
Emerging players
- Havenpark Communities: Havenpark Communities is a private, fast-growing owner and operator of manufactured home communities in the US, an emerging competitor pursuing similar value-add MH community strategies as Sun Communities.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses1 record
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sun Communities social profiles
Digital presenceSun Communities financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sun Communities leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Sun Communities subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Sun Communities funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sun Communities M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sun Communities
What does Sun Communities do?
Sun Communities, Inc. is a publicly traded Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) that owns and operates approximately 513 manufactured housing communities and RV resorts with about 178,650 developed sites across the United States and Canada. The company sells and rents manufactured homes within its communities, operates Sun Outdoors RV resorts and campgrounds, and supports residents through affiliated insurance and third-party financing services.
Is Sun Communities a public or private company?
Sun Communities is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Sun Communities founded?
Sun Communities was founded in 1975. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Sun Communities based?
Sun Communities is headquartered in Southfield, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sun Communities make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Manufactured Housing Site Rental is the primary driver. The others are RV Resort and Campground Fees, home Sales and partnership Revenue (Hipcamp).
Who are Sun Communities's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Equity LifeStyle Properties, UMH Properties, Flagship Communities Real Estate Investment Trust and RVC Outdoor Destinations. Others are Essential Properties Realty Trust and Invitation Homes. Broad incumbents are Bluegreen Vacations, Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust and Marriott Vacations Worldwide. Havenpark Communities is listed as an emerging player.
Does Sun Communities have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sun Communities.
What industry is Sun Communities in?
Sun Communities's product category is Manufactured Housing Communities & RV Resorts. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAGANAI, Family & Group-Friendly Rentals (Large Homes, Multi-Unit Compounds). Its NAICS code is 72121 and its SIC code is 6798.