Since we like to keep things to the point at MHVillage, we’ll go ahead and tell you: Yes, it is possible to sell a mobile home without land. That was easy, right?
As you can probably guess, though, there’s a lot more to the story. Selling a mobile home without land poses unique challenges that you’ll have to account for during the sales process. If you’re interested in keeping a plot of land that you own but selling the mobile home sitting on it, here are some key factors to be aware of that can help make your sale a success.
Why Sell a Mobile Home Without Land?
There are several reasons why you might want to sell a mobile home without selling the lot that it sits on. Some common reasons are:
- You’re relocating and would like to sell your mobile home for extra cash while keeping the land for future use.
- You want to build something else on the property.
- You want to continue to own the land and charge rent for the lot to the buyer of the home.
- Using the land for another purpose may be a better fit for your investment strategy.
- You have a lien against the land itself that prevents you from selling it.
Alternatively, you may not own the lot your home sits on, particularly if it’s in a manufactured home community and you pay mobile home park lot rent. In such a case, your task might be a little more simple—but you’ll still need to know the facts.
The Legal Side
In order to sell a manufactured home separately from the land it sits on, you’ll first have to complete some legal steps. You should always contact your county clerk and/or Department of Motor Vehicles office to learn the exact steps needed, but they’ll typically include:
- Changing the title of your mobile home from real property to personal property (like a vehicle).
- Having your manufactured home’s new title reissued by the county clerk’s office or Division of Motor Vehicles.
- Getting a current appraisal via a manufactured home appraiser such as Datacomp.
Sellers who own their manufactured homes but not their lots may have a slightly less complex process since this means that the home will already be titled as personal property rather than real estate. However, you’ll still require permission from their mobile home park management authority to sell the home, and the park owner may have the right of first refusal on buying your home.
Can You Find a Buyer for a Mobile Home Without Land?
It’s certainly possible to find a buyer when selling a mobile home without land, but it can often be more difficult if the buyer is responsible for moving the home. Keep the following in mind when looking for buyers:
- Moving a mobile home is expensive, time-consuming, and risks damage to the home.
- It can be more difficult to find mobile home financing for homes that are not attached to a foundation, potentially limiting your pool of buyers.
- Many home insurance companies will not insure a manufactured home that has been moved twice or more.
- If a buyer has to remove the mobile home from your lot, they still have to buy or rent land for a mobile home somewhere else to put it on.
- After a home is moved to a new lot, it still needs to be set up again.
Tips for Finding a Buyer
Buyers will usually be more interested in a manufactured home that doesn’t have to be moved. Thus, if you don’t need the land for your own use, keeping the home on its current lot and charging lot rent to the new buyer can offer a potentially lucrative new income stream on top of the revenue from the home sale. (If the home is located in a manufactured home community, the community’s management will likely not allow this option.)
Many sellers find that it’s easier to sell a manufactured home without land to a manufactured home dealer or wholesaler since these businesses have more resources on hand to pay for moving. However, remember that these businesses expect to make a profit, so the offers you receive will likely be lower than your asking price.
Additionally, make sure to use the key techniques in our Mobile Home Seller’s Guide to make sure that your listing is optimized to attract buyers. By selecting the right images of your home and emphasizing its most attractive features, you’ll be more likely to get a bite, even if you’re not selling land with the manufactured home.
Whether you’re selling a mobile home without land or not, MHVillage is your number-one option for selling your mobile home online. Every listing includes a free market-based mobile home appraisal from the experts at Datacomp, plus access to our audience of over 25 million unique visitors per year. It’s fast and easy to list, and you can get started selling your mobile home today!
