So, you have a manufactured home and you’re interested in selling it. For most manufactured home sellers, “How much can I sell my mobile home for?” is the big question—but there are a variety of other concerns that can also determine the results of your sale.
To help sellers find the answers they need when pricing and selling manufactured homes, we’ve put together the answers to some key questions. If it’s time to sell your mobile home, this guide will give you a great starting point for the most critical information you need to know.
How much can I sell my mobile home for?
Many different factors go into determining mobile home value, including:
- Location
- Market conditions
- Model and size of home
- Whether the homeowner also owns the lot
The simplest way to get an accurate value is through a Datacomp market-based appraisal (which is included free of charge any time you list a manufactured home for sale on MHVillage). To get the value of a specific model and year of manufactured home, you can also use our mobile home book value tool.
How can I get my manufactured home ready to sell?
There are some simple steps you can take to get your manufactured home ready to sell and make sure that buyers see your property’s best face. These include:
- Cleaning up the landscaping and curb appeal around your property
- Pressure washing and/or painting your manufactured home
- Cleaning, organizing, and decorating your home interior
- Making minor repairs such as replacing cracked siding
- Making major repairs such as fixing leaky plumbing or defective electrical systems
Some of these steps are cheap or free, and some can be quite costly—but they’re all essential if you want to get the best price possible for your manufactured home.
How quickly will my manufactured home sell once it’s on the market?
This question depends on market conditions and how much you’ve done to get your home ready. The average home for sale in the U.S. stays on the market for 68 days. Manufactured homes priced below market value will often sell more quickly, while ones priced above will often sell later. (Another reason why it’s important to know your mobile home’s value!)
Alternatively, it’s often much faster to sell a manufactured home to a manufactured home dealer. The trade-off comes in price: Dealers have to make a profit on the homes they buy, so sellers may get considerably less than their asking price.
Is it worth it to use a real estate agent?
Hiring the services of a real estate agent can be helpful in selling a manufactured home. Real estate agents know how to help present a home attractively, separate serious buyers from flaky ones, and deal with lenders and lawyers to assemble the necessary paperwork. However, note that MHVillage provides all kinds of tools for selling your mobile home that you don’t need a real estate agent to use.
What if I don’t own the land my manufactured home is on?
Since the price of land is usually figured into a home price, a manufactured home sitting on a rented lot will always be valued lower. In addition, buyers usually can’t get a traditional mortgage loan for manufactured homes without land, complicating the process and requiring them to seek out alternative mobile home financing such as chattel loans.
It’s also important to work with the property owner or park manager of your lot to make your sale go smoothly. The lot owner may have the right of first refusal, or there may be restrictions on whom you can sell to or at what price. Furthermore, make sure that the sales agreement clearly makes the new owner responsible for all fees associated with renting the land.
Can I recover any of my money if my home isn’t livable?
In some cases, a manufactured home won’t be in sufficient condition for a bank to loan money against it, which will make it very difficult to sell on the market. However, you may be able to get a tax deduction by donating it to a charity if you first have it inspected and repaired to a certain standard. In some cases, your local fire department might even be interested in using it for training. Failing that, you may be able to sell it to a salvage yard.
The best techniques for selling and valuing your manufactured home are in our Mobile Home Seller’s Guide, where you’ll find all of our expert tips for manufactured home sellers in one place!
