Sarasota is known for its beautiful beaches, vibrant culture, and its mobile home communities. However, one thing that sets Sarasota apart from other cities is the lack of property tax on real estate. This means that mobile homeowners in Sarasota don’t have to worry about losing their homes due to non-payment of property taxes.
However, if you’ve privately financed or mortgaged your mobile home then it’s a different story altogether. In such cases, you need to be vigilant about paying your taxes on time lest you lose your beloved abode. While this may seem like an added burden at first glance, it’s important to keep in mind that property taxes are used by the local government to fund essential services like schools, roads, and public safety.
So if you’re a proud owner of a mobile home in Sarasota and want to continue enjoying all the perks that come with it while avoiding any potential legal issues down the line – make sure you stay on top of your tax payments!
I figured today we would want to discuss something that is very exciting when reviewing the idea of purchasing a mobile home on leased land.
The idea is that ever so-exciting world of property taxes.
Please, you out there in the back, hold your enthusiasm, as I can tell that everyone is as excited as I am to bring this topic to you today!
I am so sure that you will enjoy this topic, that by the end of this video, you will be happy you watched it all the way through as we will be getting you some valuable information on the cost of property taxes when you are purchasing a mobile home on leased land in Florida.
As a quick review, when purchasing a mobile home on leased land, one is purchasing personal property in the state of Florida, as personal property carries with it a title and not a deed and when ownership is transferred.
I know what you’re thinking. Mark, we’re talking about a mobile home. The word home is in it. Cars have titles, houses have deeds!
Although you are, in fact, correct with what you’re saying, it is important to mention that within the state of Florida, mobile homes that are located on leased land are viewed as, and taxed as, automobiles in the state of Florida, not as real estate.
Having a title associated with the home and not a deed means that the home will be registered with the state Department of Motor Vehicles and not the county courthouse. So with that quick review behind us, do you even need to pay property taxes on a mobile home that is located within a park on leased land?
The answer, as you can tell is no.
No, you do not have to pay property taxes, when the home is located on leased land here in the Sunshine State. This creates tremendous cost savings for the owner, as when you are buying the home and the land, then each year you, as the owner, will have to pay property taxes to the county in the home is located in.
Many times, this will add up to several thousands of dollars not needing to be paid each and every year to the county!
When owning a mobile home on leased land, this expense of property taxes, literally, doesn’t exist.
What does exist, however, when purchasing a mobile home on leased land within the state of Florida, is that sales tax as well as a county surtax that is assessed on the sales price of the purchase of that mobile home.
So here is an example.
Let’s say you purchase a mobile home in Sarasota County that is located on leased land and you pay $10,000 for the purchase of that mobile home. State sales tax on that will be 6%, or around $600 at the time of this recording. Sarasota County surtax is an additional $50 on the price of this purchase.
So, $650 will be owed at the time of purchase, and that’s it. No further tax is owed on the home and certainly no darn property tax.
When you are thinking about whether you should purchase a mobile home on leased land or a mobile home with the land included, I feel it is important to weigh all costs on the ownership of the home, one of which is the fact that when living on leased land, you save tons of money each year.
Mobile home in Sarasota Florida for sale
The lack of property tax is one of the main reasons why people are moving into mobile homes, especially in the Sarasota Florida area. There are other good reasons why people are moving into mobile homes that include but are not limited to the following
Affordability. Obviously, the number one reason why people are moving to mobile homes is due to their affordability, especially for new families or retired seniors who have limited financial resources.
Eco friendly. Mobile homes are more respectful of the environment due to the lower carbon footprint associated with the manufacturing of a mobile home
Durability. It used to be said that manufactured homes had worse materials or that they could have less life than traditional housing. However, the industry has advanced so much that many experts think that mobile homes’ durability is on par with traditional site-built single-family homes.
Registration. They do not need to be registered in the Property Registry. Contrary to what happens with fixed houses (being real estate they have to register mandatory), mobile homes do not need to do so.
Less bureaucratic procedures. Prefabricated mobile homes are viewed as and taxed as motor vehicles, not real estate. – for that, acquiring them implies fewer bureaucratic procedures.
Easy transport and placement. New mobile homes are finished from the factory, mounted, and fully equipped for use. This means that once transferred to the place where they will be installed with the use of a truck, they can be ready for use after a few hours when some details are finalized.
Since there is no real estate property tax, there is no worry to lose your mobile home due to not paying property taxes. Only if your mobile home is privately financed and mortgaged, you should worry about monthly payments except for lot rent.
I hope this helps everyone out there better understand why mobile homes on leased land are such an affordable housing option!
This is Mark Kaiser with The Mobile Home Dealer, and we help mobile home Buyers and Sellers get to a better place in life.
See Also:
- How Does Sarasota Real Estate Craze Affect Mobile Home Sales?
- How To NOT Get Your Sarasota Mobile Home Sold Episode #3
- How To NOT Get Your Sarasota Mobile Home Sold #4
- How To Get Insurance For Your Mobile Home
- How To Close On A Sarasota Mobile Home Virtually