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Mobile Home parks

What to expect and look for in a park

Mobile Home Parks come in all shapes and sizes.  They come in two main categories:  You own the land and you Don't own the land.

Below is what you need to know about each type, as well as qualifying for residency, and what it is like living there.



Information common to rental and ownership parks

  • Easy on the wallet - hands down the cheapest form of home ownership available any where

  • Safe - generally, no one will go into a park unless they live there or are visting, and neighbors will look out for one another

  • Park amenities - often a pool and club house are included, and some times laundry and play equipment as well

  • You have to qualify for residency - not just anyone can buy a Mobile Home there and move in, the park management needs to approve everyone


A Mobile Home Community

Mobile Home Parks
Safe and inexpensive

Qualifying to live in the park

All Mobile Home communities will want to know who is living there and make sure that who is actually living there is the same person that is on the lease/rental agreement.

The process of qualifying is similar to getting a loan.  Typically the management will need an application filled out, credit report run, income verification, photo ID - and in some cases a background check is done.

Normally you must sit down in an interview and discuss the rules and regulations for living in the park.  This is a good thing!  You know then that everyone living there has passed this test too.

If you are considering buying and living in a Mobile home community, speak with the residents and manager first.




What is it really like to live in a Mobile Home park

Living in a Mobile Home park has it advantages and disadvantages. We have already mentioned that your neighbors will look out for you, but they can also be an unwanted pain in the neck. Living so close to one another can cause conflict to be sure.

You give up some privacy for the benefit of safety.  Like most things in life, living in a Mobile Home Park is what you make it.

Generally, they are safe, inexpensive, and a great place to live.

Some tips when considering a certain park to live in:

  1. Talk to the residents and maybe even ask to attend one of the monthly meetings

  2. Talk to the manager, are they friendly or controlling?

  3. Read the Park Rules and Regulations

  4. Keep your eyes open for obvious signs of dis-repair and general lack of enthusiasm for living there

  5. What does your gut tell you?


Rental Parks

The most common type of Mobile Home park is the rental park. This kind of park you own the actual Mobile Home, but rent or lease the land underneath.

A common thought is that this is not a good investment or choice of where to live.  We disagree!  Although there are drawbacks to living in a rental park, the benefits can be outstanding.



Benefits of living in a rental park

  • Cheap - some of the best opportunities for cheap living come from rental parks - they are a great place to start the road to home ownership

  • Common - there are lots of rental parks around, there should be no problem finding one close to you that you like


Ownership Parks

Ownership parks are one step above rental parks in that the sense of pride-of-ownership is felt and seen.  Residents generally are more interested in who lives along side them, but they also are even more protective of their neighbors too.  

Ownership are usually come in two forms:

  1. Condo - lots are split up and assigned an Acessors Parcel Number, individually taxed, and the structure may or may not be permanently attached.  Typically the common areas are managed by the Home Owners Association and on site manager.

  2. Corporation - in this instance the residents own a share in a corporation.  This corporation owns the park/and or the land.  A board of directors of the corporation makes all of the decisions for the park.  There is an on site manager to take care of the day-to-day operations of the park.

Benefits of living in an Ownership Park

Really the only difference is the fact that the residents own the land vs. renting the land.  However, this is a big difference.  Because of this the advantages stand out:

  • Appreciation of the property (each individual home) is retained more

  • The monthly HOA dues are less than rent

  • The decisions for the park are up to the people who live there

  • The is a small chance of better financing (don't count on it though)

Additional Manufactured Home info

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