Real property or personal property

A manufactured home starts life as personal property with its own title or ownership document. It becomes real property only when the owner takes specific steps to affix it to land they own and records that election — the procedure and its name differ by state, but the effect is the same: from then on the home passes with the deed.

If that was never done, the home is still personal property. It transfers through the state agency that handles manufactured housing titles, not by deed, and a title company insuring the land will typically exclude the home. Sellers often do not know which situation they are in, and finding out is step one.

On owned land, or in a community

A manufactured home on land the owner also owns is a conventional real estate sale once the home is properly affixed and recorded. A home in a park or leased-land community is a different transaction: the land is not being sold, the community's rules and approval process apply, lot rent continues, and the community may have rights concerning who can buy or whether the home can stay on the lot.

Those community rules are the main constraint. Some communities will not permit an older home to remain after a sale, which changes the options substantially.

What affects value

  • Whether the home is real property or separately titled
  • Owned land versus leased lot, and the lot rent if leased
  • Pre-1976 construction, which predates the federal HUD code and is treated differently by lenders and insurers
  • Foundation and anchoring type, and whether it meets local requirements
  • Roof, skirting, and any additions such as porches or carports, and whether they were permitted
  • Community age restrictions, approval requirements, and removal rules
  • Any lien recorded on the home's title as well as on the land

Why these sales are usually cash

Conventional mortgage financing for manufactured housing is limited, and it is harder still for a home on leased land, a pre-1976 home, or one not properly affixed. Chattel loans exist but carry shorter terms and higher rates, which narrows the buyer pool considerably.

That is the practical reason a direct cash purchase suits this property type, particularly for an inherited home or one in a community where the seller no longer lives nearby.

Frequently asked questions

Is my manufactured home real property?

It depends on whether the affixation was recorded. Your deed, the tax records, and the state's manufactured housing agency will tell you, and it is the first thing to establish.

Do you buy homes in a park or on leased land?

We review them. The community's rules and approval process apply, and some communities restrict whether an older home can remain after a sale.

What about a pre-1976 home?

We will look at it. Pre-HUD-code homes are treated differently by lenders and insurers, which affects value.

Is there a lien on the home itself?

There can be, separate from any lien on the land. Both need to be checked, and both are handled at closing.

Do I need to move the home?

No. What happens to the home after a sale depends on the situation, and we will be clear about it.