A Wheelbarrow and a Shovel: The Story Behind America’s Most Unlikely Real Estate Empire

A Wheelbarrow and a Shovel documents the rags-to-riches success story of John Boll who built a real estate empire by developing manufactured home communities around the world then selling his company to the State of Washington Pension Fund for $2.3 billion.

A Wheelbarrow and a Shovel documents the truly remarkable story of one of America’s most unlikely business success stories. Starting with only a wheelbarrow and a shovel, as well as the same American dream that led his parents to leave their native Holland for the United States, John Boll built a real estate empire in the most unlikely of ways–by developing and improving manufactured home communities around the country. It’s a rags-to-riches tale that could only happen in America–and only with the hand of God leading the way.

Before Boll sold his company to the State of Washington Pension Fund for $2.3 billion, he was the first person to take a collection of mobile home communities to Wall Street.