Manufactured or “mobile” homes that are placed on a foundation will retain their value far longer than a manufactured home placed in a mobile home park. Putting a mobile home in a park is cheaper in the short term, but over time it will cost you more money due to the cost of renting mobile home space every month. Here I will touch on the steps that you will need to take if you decide to put a manufactured home on a piece of vacant land.
Simple Steps for Manufactured Homes
- Usually the first step would be to find financing for the land and the home. However, if you purchase your land from LandCentral.com, you can begin financing the land (everyone with a valid credit card qualifies) and start your first steps right away. It is not necessary to pay off your land in full before making improvements on it. Then, once you are ready to go to a bank to get financing for the home, you can borrow the amount
needed to finance the land if you wish. - Find a property that has zoning that allows manufactured homes. Check the zoning code and its definition in detail for information on set-backs, minimum lot size, minimum building size, etc.
Tips:
- Find out if there are hookups to utilities available. Get bids from contractors who can hook up the power and plumbing.
- If no utilities are available, that is okay, it just means a little more legwork (which should be reflected by a lower price point on the property). Get bids for a well and septic (including percolation test costs and permitting costs) and, if no power is available, research other options for generating power.
- If there is no driveway in place to your land, you will need to put one in. Get bids from local, experienced contractors. A permit for the driveway will need to be obtained from the county or city.
- Get bids for the foundation.
- Once you have chosen a property, you can start looking at homes that will fit on your land. You can buy a new home, which will be delivered to your property by the manufacturer, or you can buy a used home and hire a company that moves mobile homes.
- Apply for a building permit. Take a copy of your home plans, or of the contract to purchase your new home from the manufacturer.
- Have the foundation built, which can be done in as quickly as two-to-three days. The foundation will need at least 24 hours to dry.
- Have the well and septic system installed.
- If you are purchasing a new home, have your home site inspected by a representative from the dealership who can help you plan the best way to bring your home onto the site.
- Have the home delivered. An appraiser performs a final inspection and then sends it to the bank for final review.
- The bank sends all of the documents to a title company near you, so you can go in and sign.
- The loan is closed and funds are dispersed to contractors, the dealer (if any), and to any other parties involved.
- You have now achieved the dream of home ownership on your own plot of land.
