Thinking of buying a mobile home in Florida involves careful considerations. From assessing park amenities to understanding local regulations, this article explores the key factors prospective buyers should weigh. Navigating through these considerations ensures a well-informed decision and paves the way for a satisfying and harmonious mobile home living experience in the Sunshine State.
Many people, both young and old, are drawn to Florida because of its pleasant year-round temperature, its abundance of beautiful beaches, and its lack of state income taxes.
Florida is well-known for its high quality of life and low cost of living. Communities of all types, from those catering to retirement communities to those catering to people living in mobile homes, have found a home in Florida.
Those who choose to make Florida their home can settle either inland or along the coast. The large size of the state makes it possible for a wide range of manufactured housing options, including the increasing popularity of mobile home communities and the purchase of prefabricated homes for individual lots.
How to Get Started Acquiring a Mobile Home in Florida
It’s exciting to be prepared to take the next step toward mobile living in Florida, but it’s also important to be well-informed.
Mobile Home in Florida
That depends on your financial situation. To begin the process of purchasing a mobile or modular home in Florida, you should first determine your budget. Like when you’re buying just the house, you can figure out how much you can afford by using a mortgage calculator.
What You Should Know Before Purchasing a Mobile Home in Florida
In 2020, a new single-wide manufactured home cost about $59,000, while a double-wide cost less than $115,000. New homes of 2,000 square feet cost close to $307,000 to build or about $150 per square foot.
In addition, if you buy a brand-new manufactured house, you can alter it to fit your preferences. While the initial purchase price of a previously occupied mobile home may be lower, the time and money spent making it your own may prove to be more costly in the long run.
A manufactured home can be customized to the buyer’s liking in terms of size, features, and aesthetics by dealing with the manufacturer directly.
Buying brand-new gives people a chance to get the reasonably priced dream house they want.
1. Choose Where You Want to Live
Your monthly costs can be better estimated if you choose between living in a community and purchasing your land. It’s up to you to decide between these two very different ways of living.
2. Financing Options Available
Buyers may find other sources of financing besides specialized banks. FHA, VA, USDA Rural, Chattel, HUD (Hud code), and other conventional loan options are available to qualified borrowers. New manufactured home buyers with low credit scores or incomes may be able to qualify for a specialized personal property loan.
Submit a personal loan or manufactured home loan request to the financial institution of your choice.
Mobile Home in 55+ community
The next phase of your life begins once you’ve finished these.
Rather not go through the trouble of these procedures? In this case, SellMobileHome.com will handle everything for you.
3. Registration and Titling
If you’re a Florida resident and you just bought a mobile home, new or used, you need to register it with the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles. Make sure the person or business you’re buying the house from initiates the title application.
The decal must be placed in an outward-facing window after registration and payment of the appropriate fee (fees vary by home size) has been made; a notary public is not required for the conveyance of real property titles.
4. Taxes
The taxes on your new mobile home will become your responsibility once you have obtained the title (consequently, ensure that all payments are current.). A purchaser shall be responsible for the payment of the 6% state sales tax and all other applicable local taxes.
In Florida, mobile home taxes are typically calculated in one of two ways:
As a yearly fee paid to the DMV for a new license plate and window sticker (annual license tax). Every year, you’ll need to pay real property taxes and replace the decal in your window.
Specifically, as physical land, mobile homeowners can avoid dealing with the Department of Motor Vehicles altogether if their mobile home is permanently attached or set up on their real property.
5. When to Buy a Mobile Home in Florida
Prices for manufactured homes are notoriously unstable. During January through March, mobile home prices tend to be lower on average, and sometimes even discounts are offered.
You should wait until the mobile home market improves before making a purchase. The timing and location of your purchase of a mobile home are important considerations.
6. Sizes of Mobile Homes
Single-wide, double-wide, and triple-wide manufactured homes are the three most common configurations. Most single-wides are 15 feet wide. Double-wides are typically 26 feet in width, while triple-wides can be as wide as 45 feet.
The width is the only defining characteristic of this category of mobile homes; the layout is not specified. Since the price of smaller and larger mobile homes is roughly the same, it is clear that the larger mobile home is the better investment.
7. Learn About the Available Floor Plans
A wide variety of floor plans are available for manufactured homes, making them suitable for a wide range of household configurations.
Things like living space, the need for a home office, the size and features of the kitchen, and the number of bedrooms and bathrooms that need to be dedicated to the master are all crucial.
Before consulting with mobile home builders, make a list of your family’s requirements and any best practices you’ve found useful.
8. Conduct Your Due Diligence
Look into Florida’s public records to spot any problems with a mobile home’s history before you buy. Examples of this could be:
Examining cases involving evictions, title disputes, and other legal matters at the office of the clerk of court.
By contacting the local code enforcement office, you can inquire about the most severe violations in your area.
You need to verify if the unit is for sale or if it’s changed ownership recently.
Vehicle inspection through Florida’s (DHSMV) utilizing a mobile home’s VIN.
9. Understand Your Customization Options
The total price of your brand-new manufactured house will be determined by factors like its size, layout, and level of personalization. Modern mobile homes offer a wide range of opulent conveniences and are built with superior materials.
Customers who order a new manufactured home but don’t specify the upgrades they want often end up dissatisfied with their purchase. Buyer satisfaction increases when all their desired features can be included in such a reasonably priced home.
Mobile Home in 55+ community
10. Understand Possible Additional Costs
When applying for a mortgage on a new mobile home, it’s important to factor in not just the total cost of the house itself or closing costs but also the costs of utilities, and maintenance when you buy a mobile
home insurance, mobile homeowners association fees, and anything else that might pop up. When you see the completed product, purchasing a new manufactured home appears simple.
Is Buying a Mobile Home in Florida Secure?
It is safe to buy a mobile home in Florida. Since 1976, the federal government has enforced strict regulations concerning the building of mobile homes.
Two years after Hurricane Andrew wreaked havoc across much of Florida as a Category 5 storm, regulations were tightened even further.
Therefore, unlike site-built homes, manufactured homes are subject to stricter federal regulations regarding wind resistance during inclement weather conditions. Furthermore, manufactured homes in Florida have had to adhere to more stringent state safety standards for installation (properly installed) and tie-downs since 1999.
When is the Best Time to Purchase a Mobile Home in Florida?
There is no definitive rule. There are many variables to consider. How important is it to have pre-approval for financing? When does your lease end? Exactly how badly do you want to change locations? To what extent are you willing to wait for a favorable market?
However, you can rest assured that nobody will be scrambling to buy a house in the dead of winter, especially in January.
Those who own the remaining homes are likely to be desperate, dedicated sellers who simply can’t wait for the next season to pass before unloading their properties.
You should buy a unit in the winter if you define the best time of year as “whenever the time of year will get you the lowest price.” It has the least amount of competition.
Brief Information About Mobile Home Living in Florida
Florida is among the top states for the highest concentration of mobile home parks. Mobile homes are a popular choice among buyers due to their low initial cost and adaptability. Before deciding to build a modular home on a residential lot, there are a few things you should consider.
Mobile or modular homes are legal in some Florida jurisdictions, while others strictly prohibit them. Buying a residential home lot in a city or rural area of Florida and setting up your manufactured home there is a simple process.
A manufactured home can typically only be placed in rural areas or agricultural areas in some counties.
The Florida Manufactured Housing Association reports that factory-built homes or manufactured homes are just as safe from hurricanes and other severe weather as site-built homes.
It’s estimated that there are 1,600 mobile home parks in the Sunshine State.
Florida state and local laws about mobile homes allow them to be “retired” on a lot and legally converted into a permanent structure (changing the status of a manufactured home as personal property).
Mobile home parks and mobile home communities in Florida are abundant and reasonably priced. The US Department of Housing’s Florida page has a lot more information about the mobile home park and their legality in the state, including the Florida Mobile Home Act.
In search of a Florida manufactured home of the highest quality? If you’re looking for an affordable, high-quality mobile home park and modular homes, look no further than SellMobileHome.com.
Buying a Pre-owned Mobile Home in Florida
If you’re looking for the best price or value, a used mobile home could be the way to go. However, determining its worth can be difficult. Used mobile homes in Florida can be purchased for an average of $47,853, but prices can go much lower or higher depending on the specific model and location. About 1,100 feet in length seemed to be the norm.
Mobile home in Florida
You should not buy a used mobile home without conducting a thorough inspection or due diligence and walkthrough to verify that the home is in good repair and has no substantial defects, all taxes are paid up to date, and there are no liens or other surprises attached to the property.
Make sure all payments are up to date with the park owners or community manager if the mobile home is located in one, and ask about any planned rent increases on leased land.
Mobile Home Communities
If you have never lived in a mobile home park before, there are several things to keep in mind:
You must abide by all mobile home park rules and HOA regulations.
Don’t let trash and debris accumulate on your property.
Timely lot rent payments are required.
If you want something cheap and temporary that doesn’t involve land ownership, a mobile home community and parks can be good options. Many mobile home parks have facilities like swimming pools, spas, fitness centers, and mobile home community centers can be found in many mobile home parks.
In Summary
You should go through this checklist and make any necessary decisions before meeting with a manufactured home expert to place your custom order.
You can make a wise choice once you have a good understanding of your budget, ideal home design, family requirements, and other factors.
Living in a mobile home is an alternative that has helped millions of people gain freedom and financial security. Start right now!
In search of a Florida manufactured home of the highest quality? If you’re looking for an affordable, high-quality mobile home park and modular homes, look no further than SellMobileHome.com.
This is Mark Kaiser with The Mobile Home Dealer and we help mobile home Buyers and Sellers get to a better place in life!
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