is the season for dads and grads to celebrate their big days with gifts geared toward fun, namely RVs, boats, ATVs, and other toys. For many, this might be their first foray into the world of leisure vehicles. After the excitement of the giant bow and front-yard reveal fades, reality will creep in when the recipients realize storing their new gifts could be a challenge.

Although exact figures are tough to nail down, the concept of a homeowners association (HOA) has become a staple of the U.S. housing market. It’s estimated these rule-maker bodies govern an estimated 80 percent of houses built in new subdivisions today and a fifth of all existing single-family homes. This matters greatly to the owners of RVs, boats, and leisure toys.

“It’s absolutely impossible to store an RV or a boat nowadays with all the HOAs,” says Jon Erickson, president of Red Rock Mega Storage LLC in Reno, Nev. “You will never see an RV or boat parked on the side of the house in most subdivisions because the homeowners association won’t let you. It’s creating a much greater need for storage solutions.”

Some would argue the association protects property values and enhances the quality of life for residents by establishing rules to maintain a consistent aesthetic.

“To be fair, most of HOAs are enforcing things that you want enforced in your neighborhood,” says Whitney Jurjevich, owner of Ameripark Covered Storage, a covered RV and boat storage company with multiple locations in Arizona. “I don’t want people painting their houses funky colors. I don’t want people leaving their trash cans out forever or changing their oil in the driveway or in the street. I want my property value held up.”

However, it creates a quandary for those receiving fun (and HOA-unwelcome) gifts.

“It’s worked magnificently for property values, but now we have rules that you can’t park on the side of your house,” says Jurjevich. “You can’t park anything if it’s visible. You can’t park on the street. They make it essentially impossible for people in the community to store RVs and boats.”

While HOAs’ restrictions present a challenge for fun-vehicle owners, it creates opportunities for owners, investors, and developers in the storage game.

“We have a lot of industry data and knowledge on this, so we started helping out facilities early in the construction and design side to help them get the most optimal site plan,” says Kait Wojtaszek, director of business development for nationwide RecNation RV & Boat Storage. “When evaluating potential storage facility locations, the presence of multiple HOA communities within a 15- to 20-mile radius can serve as a strong indicator of sustained demand.”

There can also be a natural increase in pricy toy use in such communities.

“HOA-heavy markets often correlate with higher-income demographics and could lead to higher rates of recreational vehicle ownership, making them ideal target markets for premium storage services.”

Developing a storage facility with new users in mind can also ensure the best experience for everyone. This could include giving consideration to wide turning radius for inner roadways, offering wash bays for easy clean up and hose-downs of boats and RVs, and installing tech that allows hiccup-free 24/7 access for those leaving early for trips. Some facilities even allow for clients to crash within their RVs when leaving for pre-dawn adventures.

Storage of all categories is largely a relationship-focused industry. Capture new “dads and grads” business before they even have time to test the market by approaching leisure vehicle dealers with a referral plan.

“Call your local RV or boat dealership and say, ‘Hey, I’m XYZ RV and Boat Storage two blocks down the road from you,’” says Jurjevich. “‘We’d love to offer all your clients—anyone with a new RV or boat sale—this incentive, and we will give you a referral fee.’ You’re going to want to call that dealership every day, bring them coffee, and stop in to chat with them. It’s about investing the time and building that relationship.”

Prepare physical materials for reps at the sales offices to share with new customers as part of their sales packets, as well as cards to give to existing customers who might just be browsing for new toys or upgrades to their RVs or boats.

“Don’t stop at that facility,” says Jurjevich. “Move on to the next one, but don’t overextend. Pick the one or two that you think might make the most sense financially or geographically. Sticking with a few makes more sense than calling 25, because any marketing efforts in this business that are ‘one and done’ will be a waste of time. It’s only the things that you really put effort into that help.”

One way to maximize profit is to consider the upsell from the beginning of the rental relationship. The best way to approach this can be education. Photos of natural damage from the elements might be worth a thousand words, or an informed client.

“The first-time boat and RV owner will go with the cheapest solution, which is uncovered, gravel lot storage,” says Erickson. “And then they’ll realize, when it comes time to replace that boat or RV, that the amount of money that needs to go back into it to make it saleworthy has exceeded what they thought they were going to save by taking the cheap way out.”

This will be a particular problem for those regions with harsh sun levels and potential for extreme weather or hailstorms. For customers adamant about opting for the least pricy option, consider developing a program with a discounted entry into the upgraded storage level when they are ready.

“I define Red Rock as the second-time storage customer spot, whether it be climate controlled, whether it be enclosed RV and boat storage,” says Erickson. “The second-time person is somebody who has more money, who’s buying a nicer toy. It is someone who has learned the lesson the hard way of what happens when they took that cheap route and all of the rubber on the windows has shrunk, the paint is faded, the tires are gone. They have learned their lesson and they don’t have a problem paying a premium for enclosed storage.”

There is a lot to learn about owning your own RV or boat that newbies have not had the need to deal with, even when previously renting for the day or a trip. Mishaps with low tree branches or jumped curbs and bent trailer rails can cause small issues that only grow when not addressed.

“Our cleaning and repair business is great for these types of new owner customers who come in for somewhere convenient to store but really just want to spend most of their time enjoying the RV rather than having to maintain and take care of it,” says Wojtaszek. “That’s where we come in. We partner with different vendors across our locations to offer on-site repair services. They will take care of appliances, tires, windows, and your roof—anything that could go wrong in an RV.”

Even without dents or dings or scratches to contend with, some storage facilities are making the process of enjoying those new Fathers’ Day and graduation gifts seamlessly fun.

“When you get back from a trip, or before you go off on a trip, we can do full interior and exterior cleans of your RV,” says Wojtaszek. “That way you spend more time out there on the road and less time stuck doing the administrative work.”

Maximizing the fun just might be the best gift of all.