Author: Raden Payas

When Is The Best Time To Buy A Sarasota Florida Mobile Home?
Living inside mobile home parks is an affordable alternative compared to living in a traditional site-built single-family house. Since tenants are paying for their space and own the house, this means they pay lower monthly rent with bigger space. Mobile homes come in three different sizes: single, double, and triple wide, depending on your family’s needs.

Many aspiring homeowners know how hard it can be to purchase a home in the current housing market. It’s no surprise that many people are seeking more affordable options – including tiny homes, RVs, and mobile homes (aka manufactured homes). In fact, it’s estimated that about 17 million Americans reside in mobile homes alone.

If buying a traditional home is just too daunting, consider mobile home living as an alternative option. Because mobile homes are extremely customizable and cost-effective, they’re a great choice for families and individuals of all sizes and walks of life. Keep reading to find out if living in a mobile home is the right choice for you.

One of the biggest benefits of living in a mobile home is that most of the mobile homes in the Sarasota Florida area are organized around the needs of older people and seniors. This means that mobile home parks are a peaceful community without teenagers creating noises or babies crying in the neighborhood.

Aside from the obvious affordability, especially for seniors who have limited financial means, mobile home parks are highly organized with almost everything the residents need.

Knowing all of these benefits, one might be interested in moving into a mobile home but don’t know when is the best time to buy.

With all the talk right now being how hot the real estate market is throughout the Sarasota Florida area one can begin to wonder, when is the right time to buy a mobile home in Sarasota?

This question gets brought up on a regular basis and we, here at The Mobile Home Dealer, feel we have a good idea of how to answer this commonly asked question.

When looking at buying a mobile home in the Sarasota area each Buyer needs to first figure out if they want to buy a mobile home in a land-leased mobile home park or in a resident-owned park.

The difference here, although it seems small, is actually a huge determining factor on when and why one would look to buy a mobile home.

If the Buyer is looking to buy a mobile home in a resident-owned park then, in this situation, the Buyer is purchasing real property instead of personal property. The reason for this is because, in Florida, when a mobile home is sold with the land included in the sale it is now viewed as real estate and not as a personal property purchase.

When one purchases real estate then traditional mortgages can be used along with most other financing options available to single-family homes.

In this purchase, the mobile home will be subject to the ups and downs of the real estate market which, as we all know, are a roller coaster!

If the Buyer is more interested in buying a mobile home on leased land where they own the own and pay a monthly fee each month to the mobile home park for the usage of the land then they are buying personal property and not real property. These homes are viewed and taxed in the same way a vehicle is taxed in the state of Florida. When purchasing this type of mobile home then the purchase comes with a title and not a deed if they were buying a mobile home with the land included in the sale.

When buying personal property, such as a mobile home in a mobile home park with lot rent, then these homes are not subjected to the ups and downs of the real estate market nearly as much as the resident-owned properties. The reason for this is that a mobile home on leased land is not required to have the purchase price recorded with anyone or anywhere which makes pulling sales comps nearly impossible.

What we can say with confidence is that a mobile home on leased land does not see the ups and downs of a real estate cycle as much as resident-owned communities do. This can be a positive or a negative pending on where in the real estate cycle you are buying your mobile home.

If you are looking to buy a mobile home at the high time of a real estate market then the Buyer may want to entertain buying in a land-leased mobile home park as the prices stay pretty much the same year in and year out. However, in a down real estate market, there are plenty of deals to be had in a resident-owned community as well.

Whether this is the first mobile home you are buying or you have bought and sold several mobile homes it is important to know the basics of what to look for in your next purchase.

Buying a mobile home is an excellent way to become a homeowner without having to pay the high cost of a traditional house. But there is much to consider before buying a home in this style. The following information will help you determine the requirements to buy a mobile home and if it is the right investment for you.

With all of this understood, the main question each Buyer needs to answer is, when are you ready to start living your Florida dream?

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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September 25, 2023
How To Budget Your Sarasota Mobile Home Money-Window Replacements
Many window design professionals agree that new and quality windows for mobile homes should last between 15 and 20 years before thinking about replacing them. Most of the companies that produce vinyl windows often provide a guarantee of 20 to 25 years, which is essentially a life guarantee: the expected useful life of the product.

Do the new windows help sell a house? In addition to increasing energy efficiency, new windows can also make a house look more modern and orderly. This can be an important point of sale for buyers who do not want to make any renewal after purchase. In short, investing in new windows can facilitate the sale of your home, although it is not a guarantee.

Before deciding to undertake a window replacement project or hire help, you must think. Do you need to replace only one window? Are you making a window replacement for the whole house? Maybe it is at some intermediate point.

How to decide when to repair or replace your mobile home windows?

There are three main reasons why the owners look for a window replacement. You can have only one reason or mark the three boxes. Once you identify your reasons, the decision to replace a window or many windows is much easier.

Exterior attractiveness

The enjoyment of your new mobile home is an absolute priority. The problems that are detected during the process of buying a mobile home or after moving can cause remorse to the buyer if they are not repaired. And if you see that your windows don’t function well, it will bother you until you fix it.

Changing an outdated window to one that attracts your attention can increase exterior attractiveness with a relatively low investment. That simple style change can also be the focal point of your home for the eyes of the people who pass.

The update of all the front windows of a floor or the entire facade of your home can completely transform your mobile home appearance. You can create a homogeneous style with housing. The expenses are higher but so are the rewards.

Functioning

If you are considering a single window replacement, it is probably not just like the style. It may not be working properly either. Regardless of the problem (worn, difficult to open, or broken), you may have to replace it to help save money and headaches in the future.

Interior aesthetics

External attractive projects have their charm. But you spend your time inside and not outside. Your mobile home should make you feel happy and comfortable. And it will allow you to express your style and tastes.

With the average age of a mobile home along the Gulf Coast of Florida being in the mid-1970 one has to ask, are the windows in the mobile home I am looking to purchase the original windows from the factory?

Many times the direct answer is, yes, they are.

When looking at a mobile home on leased land throughout the Sarasota Florida area it is important to know that the home will be viewed and taxed as personal property and not real property. What this means is that the mobile home that you are looking at purchasing is, essentially, a used vehicle in the state of Florida because the home comes with it as a title and not a deed when owning the home.

The reason why this is important to note when you are looking at the windows is that most mobile homes on leased land will not have the ability to obtain a mortgage with it and will also not have the ability to have access to a home equity line of credit should you want to gain access to the equity you have inbuilt into the home value.

As such, window replacements within a mobile home on leased land will more than likely be a cash purchase.

Windows in mobile homes can be expensive, especially if you are looking at replacing all the windows in the home!

The easy way to see if the windows in the home that you are purchasing are original is to note if the window itself is a three-pane window or a single-pane widow.

Many times mobile home manufacturers will put three separate window panes in the window frame to make up a single window. In older homes, these separate panes will have their own window latch and their own window crank to help in opening all three panes up at the same time.

As homes age, these cranks and latches can become worn out or break off.

If the home needs to be resettled or if the home settles in a way in which one of the sides begins to slant then the panes may not have the ability to close all the way leaving a small open area space between the window pane and where the pane meets the side of the home.

Should this be an issue in your mobile home you may run the risk of water coming into the home which, if not treated quickly, may lead to the window frame itself getting wet and getting mold on it. In extreme cases, we, at The Mobile Home Dealer, have seen where over time there was so much water that got in that it wound up getting through the window pane and into the actual wall paneling causing bowing of the interior walls!

Replacing the windows in your mobile home is a great idea if you are looking to put a good amount of money into your home for years of trouble-free living. Since this is a structural repair to the home it would be reasonable to think that the cost of these windows should come back to you if and when you decide to sell your mobile home in the future.

When looking at buying or selling a mobile home within the Sarasota area it is always a good idea to look at all the structural components of the house that you are working with. Much of the focus gets put on the air conditioning system, roof, and floor system but another component a Buyer should always take note of is that of the windows and what type of shape they are in as this can become a very expensive repair should they need to be replaced!

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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September 25, 2023
How To Budget For Your Sarasota Mobile Home Roof Repairs
Repairing the roof of your mobile home is a big job with many components, starting with calculating the cost. Determining the surface of your roof is simple if you have an assistant and a little mathematical knowledge to later apply those numbers to the best prices you can find in a local or online store.

The roof is the most exposed part of the mobile home. It is resistant to meteorological phenomena and climatic conditions, so it is expected that over time it will deteriorate and require certain arrangements or remodeling. Whether you need to fix a damaged roof or improve the waterproofing, you may be interested in knowing how much budget you need to repair your mobile home roof.

The replacement or repair of your mobile home roof is a process that requires several interventions that must be carried out in different successive phases. It can vary according to the elements of the roof that must be renewed, demolished or rebuild. For example, to perform the total or partial replacement of the roof cover, you must first prepare a scaffold or install a mobile platform to access the roof from the outside. This fact will make the project more expensive.

When looking at repairing a mobile home located in the Sarasota Florida area one of the biggest expenses one can incur is when the roof needs to be replaced.

Most roofs on a mobile home will last anywhere between 25-30 years depending in large part on how well it has been taken care of as well as how many storms the roof has had to endure during its life.

One of the ways to help prolong the life of the roof is to make sure the owner of the mobile home repairs any small leaks that occur during the life of the roof.

To spot a leak in the roof of the mobile home one doesn’t need to look far.

It is quite simple to spot small leaks, the easy way to do this is to walk throughout your mobile home and look at the ceiling to see if you see any damp spots. Most ceilings of a mobile home are white in color, if the roof is a little damp then the white color will take on a slight shade of tan. If this spot is not taken care of quickly then many times the light tan color will turn into a dark brown color over time as the water starts to dry out.

If you happen to see a wet sport start to form, don’t get discouraged, immediately contact a roofing professional and they will be able to come out to your mobile home and complete a roof patch job. This patch job is very similar to that of a tire on a car receiving a patch job instead of an entirely new tire-the patch will work for the problem area but it will not give the tire a brand new feel overall.

If the roofing professional feels that a patch job will work, great, it will be far cheaper going this route instead of putting on a brand new roof to your mobile home.

If the home has had several patch jobs or if the roof is in overall bad shape then looking at putting a roof over on your mobile home may be the best idea.

Most mobile homes throughout Sarasota don’t get brand-new roofs in the traditional sense. What they will get is a roof over which is when a roofing company puts on a new roof on top of the current roof.

Having this done is why this process is called a roof over.

Roof overs are the cheapest ways to put on a new roof and a way to add several decades of dry living to your mobile home.

If the original roof is in such bad shape and the home has suffered extensive ceiling damage from the defective roof then a roof replacement with a new roofing membrane might need to be built onto your home.

This process is by far the most expensive as it includes not only a roof over but also the removal of all the interior portions of the previous roof.

If the home is in bad shape and requires this type of repair then many mobile homeowners will just look to demolish the home instead of repairing it as this repair will many times cost more than the entire home is worth.

Having a dry place to live is something that many of us take for granted.

If you see a leak in your mobile home roof make sure you get it assessed early on as a quick inexpensive patch job may be all that is needed. If you delay getting this looked at and it continues to get worse over time then a small leak that could have been fixed quickly may lead to thousands of thousands of dollars needing to be spent.

Total roof replacement means you also need to replace the ceiling. The renewal of the ceiling is a complex task that must be carried out by a team of professionals that guarantees the safety of the work. It is important that, before proceeding to renew the ceiling, a specialist checks the status of the structure. We hope that all this information will help you to renew the roof of your mobile home.

When repairing the roof of your mobile home in Sarasota, it’s important to budget accordingly. Start by getting an accurate estimate of the cost and scope of the repairs. Consider factors such as the size, age, and condition of your roof, and any necessary permits or fees. When you have an estimate, decide how much of the project you’re willing to finance yourself. You can also explore options like financing, grants, and tax credits. Once you have a budget in mind, do your research to find a professional contractor who can do the job for a fair price. Ask for references, compare estimates, and read online reviews to make sure you’re dealing with a reliable company. Once you’ve found the right contractor and agreed on a rate, make sure to get a contract that outlines the scope of the project and payment terms. Finally, make sure to check your insurance coverage before beginning the repairs, as some policies may provide coverage for home repairs. By taking these steps and following a budget, you’ll ensure your Sarasota mobile home roof repairs are completed seamlessly and on time.

Regardless of the difficulty of repair, the most recommended decision is to hire professionals, since they have experience in this type of service and usually know more in-depth about the materials needed and processes involved.

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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September 25, 2023
How To Budget For Your Sarasota Mobile Home With Rising Lot Rent?
One of the most common questions we here at The Mobile Home Dealer get is; will lot rents continue to increase each and every year or is there a cap that the mobile home park has where they can no longer raise the rent past a certain amount?

This is a common question for many Buyers as they are looking to budget their money so that they can afford their new Sarasota mobile home.

Mobile homes located on leased land within the Sarasota area are viewed as and taxed as personal property within the state of Florida. The reason for this is that when one owns their mobile home within a mobile home park where each tenant pays lot rent then these homes come with titles and not deeds. The state of Florida does not view mobile homes on leased land as real estate but, rather as personal property.

The average lot rent as of the first of the year in Sarasota County Florida is just over $800 per month.

To some, this may come as a lot of money to shell out each and every month for a piece of land that you are not owning. For others, this comes as a great deal as the lot rent fee is essentially a condo association fee in essence as it takes care of many of the things that an owner would normally have to pay out of their own pocket if they were owning a single-family home.

Many times this lot will cover a combination of the following:

The tenant’s water bill

The sewer bill

The tenant’s trash pick-up bill

The tenant’s lawn care

Maintenance and upkeep of the park amenities such as the pool, fitness center, and community clubhouse.

As you can quickly add up, this lot rent fee does come with quite a bit of bang for your buck.

So, with an average $800 per month lot rent fee for owners of mobile homes on leased land in Florida would it make sense to have the lot rent increase each year, or will it stay the same?

*Before we go any further we want to stress to all of the readers that we are not mobile home park owners, we are not attorneys and we do not work for any mobile home park. With that said please take what we say simply as our experience within the Sarasota mobile home market*

In our experience with selling mobile homes throughout the Sarasota area, we have seen that it is reasonable for the mobile home park to increase their lot rent somewhere between 1%-3% per year. This percentage point will usually match the level of inflation that is going on throughout the rest of the world at that time.

If within the lot rent fee, your lawn care is paid for and the cost of gas and parts for the lawn mowers increases 1%-3% per year then it would be reasonable to think that the cost of your lot rent will increase at the same rate to reflect the increase that the rest of the world is seeing.

We have also seen where some parks will increase more than the traditional 1%-3% increase. This is usually rarer but, generally speaking, this is done when the mobile home park has been sold and the previous owner did not keep up with the annual increases so the new owner comes in and tries to bring the lot rent up to market value with one crease as opposed to it being done over time like the previous owner should have done.

Rarely, have we ever seen a mobile home park in Sarasota not increase their lot rent each year.

Mobile home park lot rent increases are usually put in place at the first of the year and the residents of the park are notified usually three months before the increase happens so that they can plan accordingly

When buying a mobile home in Sarasota Florida, you must also understand that in some cases, the mobile home park owner can increase the lot rent based on the factors outlined in the prospectus. This is not the case though if the mobile home park is owned by the residents or co-op.

In co-op-owned mobile home parks, the board of directors consists of residents who live in the park and agree on what the yearly increase should be. This is just one of many advantages if you are living in a co-op-managed home park.

When looking at purchasing your mobile home in Sarasota we can not stress enough to budget your lot rent not only for what it is today but what it will be throughout the next several years so that you are in a position to afford your mobile home for years down the road!

Creating a budget for your Sarasota mobile home is an important step for ensuring your financial success. With rising lot rent, it is essential to consider your expenses and plan accordingly.

Start by making a list of all the fixed expenses associated with your mobile home. This list should include lot rent, utilities, insurance, maintenance costs, and any other regular payments. After creating this list, add it up to get your total monthly expenses.

Next, calculate your monthly income. Include all sources of income, such as wages, investments, and any other regularly received funds. Once you have determined your income and expenses, subtract the expenses from the income to determine the net monthly balance.

It is important to compare your income and expenses each month to ensure you are staying within the budget. If your expenses exceed your income, you need to consider ways to reduce those expenses. This could mean shopping around for better rates on utilities or reducing other costs.

Finally, setting aside some money each month for an emergency fund is an important part of budgeting for your Sarasota mobile home. Having a financial cushion in case of unexpected expenses can help you remain financially secure.

Creating a budget for your Sarasota mobile home is an important part of achieving financial success. By keeping track of your income and expenses, and setting aside some money for an emergency fund, you can successfully manage your finances while living in a mobile home.

The Mobile Home Dealer are licensed mobile home broker in Sarasota Florida and the surrounding areas. We provide professional buy and/or sell assistance to our clients. If you have any questions, please contact us by clicking this link. You may also visit our Facebook Page and send us a message

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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September 25, 2023
Should You Sell Your Sarasota Mobile Home In “As Is” Condition?
One of the most common questions mobile homeowners will have is whether they should go ahead and sell the home in “As Is” condition or should the Seller look to fix every little thing wrong with the property to get the most money possible for their mobile home.

When looking to sell your mobile home, every Seller wants to retain as much money as possible when it comes to part ways with their Sarasota mobile home.

With continuing real estate prices throughout the area and nationwide, every Seller wants to take advantage of this hot market to try to make a profit on the sale of their mobile home.

“As Is” condition is the term that is used in the mobile home industry to sell the home exactly the way it sits. Nothing is going to be fixed, no warranties of any kind are provided or implied, and nothing will be negotiated in the purchase agreement that will require the Sell to do anything to the property once it is sold.

To put it directly, in an As Is mobile home sale, what you see is what you get.

Many times, Sellers will entertain the idea of fixing all of the little things that are wrong with their home in an effort to get more money for their property or hoping that fixing these items will help them sell their home faster.

Although we here at The Mobile Home Dealer can certainly appreciate the efforts and forward thinking of these Sellers, we feel that in our experience, selling the mobile home in its exact condition will be the best decision for the Seller.

We support the idea of selling the home in As-Is condition because many of the fixes that the Seller may feel they need to make will not translate into any more money for them at the closing table. Many times, the Seller feels that if they go forward and fix worn-out or broken items throughout their home, not only will they get back 100% of the cost of these repairs but also look to profit from them.

Just last week, we had A Seller who decided to rescreen their lanai. When they did, they not only expected to get all of their materials and labor reimbursed but also decided that they wanted several thousand dollars on top of these amounts because it was a new upgrade to the home, whereas their neighbors did not have these upgrades done.

This is false thinking, and it will not lead to the home selling any faster regardless of what type of market the mobile home industry is currently in.

If there are issues with your mobile home when you go to sell the property, communicate these issues with your sales agent so they can communicate them with the Buyers to present the property properly. Being upfront with your sales agent will help them explain the pros and cons of your home to all the potential Buyers.

If you are looking to sell a mobile home in as-is condition but have informed your sales agent of any problems within the home that you are unwilling to fix, that’s totally fine. Just make sure you inform the agent of what the problems are so they can point them out to the Buyer.

We at The Mobile Home Dealer always want to provide a transparent experience for both the Buyer and the Seller, and we will rely 100% on the Seller to inform us of any and all issues that exist within their home before taking on the home as an active listing within our brokerage firm. We will then disclose all these issues to the Buyer so that they know exactly what is going on with the home before they make an offer on the property.

We, at The Mobile Home Dealer, feel that this is the best way to work with both Buyers and Sellers. It’s just a straightforward, honest approach so that everyone knows what they are getting involved in before any offers are made on the mobile home.

Most Sellers, when they are looking to sell their homes, are not looking to put any money into the property to get the home sold. Sure, some of them will clean it out a bit or maybe do some general upkeep to the property. But that’s about it. If there are other issues with the home, such as appliances that don’t work, windows that don’t shut, or some soft spots in the floor, generally speaking, don’t expect those items to be fixed by the Seller for the new Buyer.

We strongly suggest that if you do go ahead and fix the items in your home that are worn out or broken do so with the full expectation that by doing these things, you may only get what you paid for them back to you at closing and not be able to profit on these basic repairs what so ever.

Understanding what work needs to be done and that these repairs will not increase your profit when you sell your mobile home will help you decide whether or not to sell it in As-Is condition.

This is Mark Kaiser with The Mobile Home Dealer. We help mobile home Buyers and Sellers improve their lives.

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September 25, 2023
Should You Sell Your Sarasota Mobile Home Now Or Wait?
With the continuing rise in real estate prices throughout the Sarasota County Florida area the big question seems to be, should you go ahead and sell your house now or wait to see how much it will go up in value?

It is time to sell your mobile home in the greater Sarasota Florida area.

While this may be met with some sadness it can also be met with some excitement for the next chapter of your life and where it will bring you!

The immediate follow-up question is then if you sell your house now and reap the financial benefits of selling at a higher price will you really gain anything financially if you go to buy another home in the same area right afterward as the profit that you made from your current home sale will be eaten up by the high prices in the same market.

If you decide to not buy another home in the Sarasota area but go and rent for a few years until the market cools down and prices level out you may run into a shortage of rental properties available that has not been seen in the area for years, if ever.

Just last week we had someone come to us and tell us that they were considering selling their home but when they looked at apartments in the area most of them had over a year-long waiting list to get in!

With all of this real estate madness going on all around us, what does it all mean if you own a mobile home on leased land within the Sarasota Florida area?

Are Sellers seeing the same rise in prices as traditional real estate?

Mobile homes that are located on leased land within the state of Florida are viewed as and taxed as personal property, not real estate. What this means is that these mobile homes are sold with a title and not a deed to them which makes the transaction the exact same as purchasing a vehicle.

With this understood, there is no reliable way to pull sales comps when you are looking to sell your mobile home if it is located on leased land.

What we have seen throughout this crazy real estate market at The Mobile Home Dealer is that homes in good condition that are priced fairly are selling faster than ever, but not for more money in the traditional sense. What we mean by that is that due to the speed at which homes are being sold then the Sellers are paying less in lot rent which means that these Sellers are keeping more money in their pocket as opposed to “making” more money at the closing table.

Overpricing Your Mobile Home

Price is a deciding factor for most Buyers in the mobile home space, not necessarily features of the home or even location.

Pricing your home high will usually result in your home sitting on the market longer, while the Seller continues to pay lot rent, utilities, taxes, and all other carrying costs associated with owning that property. These continued monthly payments will eat into your profit even if you sell the home for a higher price.

We at The Mobile Home Dealer feel it is always best to price your home aggressively from the start and be willing to negotiate with the Buyer when they want to make an offer.

Making it easy to have the Buyer buy your home is the first step in getting your home sold fast.

Pricing your mobile home aggressively

When looking to sell your Sarasota Florida mobile home we always suggest pricing your home aggressively in order to bring the best cash offers to you as quickly as a time frame as possible. Getting caught up in the inflated pricing of a mobile home could lead to the Seller holding on to the home for several months with the added stress of continuing to pay for a mobile home they do not want.

Increasing the price of your mobile home will usually result in your home sitting on the market longer, while the Seller continues to pay lot rent, utilities, taxes, and all other carrying costs associated with owning that property. These continued monthly payments will eat into your profit even if you sell the home for a higher price.

We at The Mobile Home Dealer feel it is always best to price your home aggressively from the start and be willing to negotiate with the Buyer when they want to make an offer.

If you are looking to sell your mobile home around the Sarasota area we feel now is just as good of a time as any but we stress for each Seller to go into the marketplace with reasonable expectations. These expectations should be rooted in the speed at which the home sells and not for what the home sells at. If a Seller enters the marketplace with these expectations understood then we feel they will be pleasantly surprised at the speed at which their home may sell while keeping more money in their pocket by not paying additional lot rent.

The Mobile Home Dealer are licensed mobile home brokers in Sarasota Florida and the surrounding areas. We provide professional buy and/or sell assistance to our clients. If you have any questions, please contact us by clicking this link. You may also visit our Facebook Page and send us a message.

This is Mark Kaiser with The Mobile Home Dealer and we help mobile home Buyers and Sellers get a better place in life.

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September 25, 2023
Just Get Denied For Residency At A Sarasota Mobile Home Park?
When looking to purchase a mobile home that is located on leased land in the Sarasota Florida area one will have to go through the park approval process to make sure they are approved to become a resident in the park they are looking to live in.

While deciding on the perfect Sarasota Florida mobile home to purchase is the fun and exciting part, one needs to make sure all of their ducks are set in a row before putting money down on the property and calling the moving trucks.

Most of the time, many Buyers will focus on the funding of the purchase, will they have enough money to purchase their mobile home in cash or will they need to seek some type of outside financing for the purchase?

While we, here at The Mobile Home Dealer, can certainly appreciate the focus on funding, we take a different route in focusing on the Buyer becoming park-approved before putting a focus on funding the purchase.

But, why would we focus on park approval and not on funding?

If you are planning to buy a mobile home in the Sarasota Florida area, it is important to understand everything about mobile home parks.

Most mobile home parks in the Sarasota area will have a straightforward way of going through their approval process for each new resident who wants to move into the park. Most parks will require a written application to be completed along with copies of the applicant(s) photo identification, social security number, and a small fee for each applicant on the park application.

The park will usually check three things on each applicant:
- Credit Check
- Criminal History Check
- Eviction History Check
Each park is specific in how heavy they weigh each item listed above but, generally speaking, the park takes all of them into consideration to decide as to whether the applicant will be accepted in the park for residency.

So, what happens if you fill out the application and provide the fee needed to run your background, only for you to be told that you are denied moving forward with your residency with the park?

Now what?

The applicant has the right to discuss their denial with the park owner or manager to see what the problem is and to see if an exception will be made. Most mobile home parks have a standard number system they go by for credit. If this is a concern for you then you may want to provide documentation to the office when you drop off the application that will help further explain why your credit score may be a little lower than what you want.

If your criminal background is a concern then, again, it would be a good idea to bring this up to the manager or owner before they run your background so they are not surprised should you have something in your past that will put you in a less than favorable light.

Most mobile home park managers and owners are understanding of an applicant’s past so long as they are upfront with what has happened and are willing to explain or provide documentation that shows why certain things have come up the way they have.

What we at The Mobile Home Dealer have seen in the past is that most parks consider all items to decide whether to approve or deny the applicant from the park for residency.

If you are denied and seek to find out exactly why then perhaps you will be able to work on the reason for denial right away so that you can reapply to the park and be accepted the second time around.

Before making any purchase offers to a mobile home seller, make sure to speak with the park manager and understand the park’s application process and approval criteria. Is the park easy or strict?

It is certainly not uncommon for mobile home park managers to deny certain applicants who do not pass the park’s criminal, eviction, employment, income, pet, and/or credit background.

If your application is turned down or denied it is important to try to figure out why and how you could improve this process moving forward. Learn exactly what the park manager is looking for in a future resident.

Some managers will be helpful and suggest that the potential buyer obtain a cosigner or pay a higher-than-normal security deposit to get approved.

If you have been denied residency at a Sarasota mobile home park, there are a few things you can do. First, you should review the application to check for any errors or omissions that could have led to the denial. If you find any, you should contact the park management to address these issues and determine if the denial can be reversed.

If that does not work, you should look into other parks in the area that may be willing to accept your application. You may also want to consider looking into other forms of housing, such as apartments and townhomes, since they may offer more flexibility in terms of residency requirements. You can also look into other low-cost housing options in Sarasota and see if any of them would meet your needs.

Additionally, you can contact local government offices and advocacy organizations that may be able to provide assistance or resources for those in need of housing. These organizations can provide information about available housing options and guide how to navigate the application process.

Finally, if all else fails, it is important to remember that there are often legal protections in place that can help prevent unjustified denials of residency applications. If you believe that your application was unfairly denied, you should consult a lawyer who specializes in housing law to discuss your options.

When looking to purchase a mobile home in a mobile home park within the Sarasota area always make sure you look to get park approved before closing on the home. The reason for this is that if you buy the home and then go through the park approval process and for some reason you are denied then now you own a home that you can not legally live in!

The Mobile Home Dealer are licensed mobile home brokers in Sarasota Florida and the surrounding areas. We provide professional buy and/or sell assistance to our clients. If you have any questions, please get in touch with us by clicking this link. You may also visit our Facebook Page and send us a message.

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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September 25, 2023
How Much Can Lot Rent Increase In A Sarasota Florida Mobile Home Park?
Park owners can increase lot rent per year, but there are rules to follow. In this article, I will explain to you how much lot rent can increase in Sarasota so you can take a look at your financial conditions before jumping on the bandwagon.

One of the biggest questions we get on a regular basis here at The Mobile Home Dealer from mobile home Buyers who are new to the mobile home space is, “How much can the lot rent increase each year?”

Mobile homes on leased land in the state of Florida are viewed as and taxed as motor vehicles, as they have a title associated with the purchase and not a deed. The reason for this is that when a Buyer buys a mobile home on leased land they are physically buying the home and not the land the home sits on. Each month a fee will need to be paid to the mobile home park which is referred to as lot rent.

Lot rent is the payment that is paid to the park each month for the usage of the land the home sits on. Many parks throughout the Sarasota area also include the home’s water, sewer, trash, lawn care, and usage of park amenities within the lot rent bill that is collected each month.

Most new mobile home Buyers view this not really as a lot of rent fee but more of a condo association due as most mobile home parks make a mobile home a turn-key living experience where the only thing that needs to be taken care of is what is inside the home as much of the exterior upkeep on the property is included in the monthly fee.

Since most lot rents include additional fees such as the cutting, blowing, mulching, and upkeep of each tenant’s landscaping, it would be reasonable to expect that the lot rent would then increase each year to keep up with the price of inflation. The cost of groceries, fuel, and other items increases ever so slightly year after year and since many times additional services are included in the lot rent then it would be reasonable to see the lot rent increase to reflect this.

In the state of Florida, it is required that if a mobile home park lot rent is to increase then the owners of the park must give all of the residents a 90-day notice of the increase. Many times this is done through mailings directly to each resident’s home stating what the new lot will be and why it is increasing.

Most mobile home parks in the Sarasota area increase their lot rents each year around the first of the year so expect to see this letter come to your home sometime in the mid to late fall if the lot rent will increase.

What we at The Mobile Home Dealer continue to see year after year is that mobile home park lot rents will increase somewhere around 2-3% each year in order to match the national level of inflation. What this means is that if the lot rent is $600 now then it would be reasonable to expect that next year’s lot rent will be around $620 or so.

While the cost of lot rent is certainly due to increasing each year there are certain parks that will only increase the lot rent every few years. The reason for this is that many times these parks fail to accurately track inflation and will over-increase the lot rent one year only for the following year to remain the same so that the increase equals out over the following year.

When looking at buying a mobile home on leased land throughout the Sarasota Florida area we always suggest looking at your income now and asking yourself if will it increase over the time period where you are looking to own the mobile or if will it stay the same. Once this is determined we suggest next asking yourself how long you see yourself living in the mobile home. The reason for both of these questions is to better prepare yourself from a budgetary standpoint to decide how long you will be able to comfortably afford the mobile home park lot rent so that you are not in a position years down the road where you can’t afford it.

Unlike conventional house rentals, lot rents on mobile home parks are mostly non-negotiable and are applicable to every affected mobile homeowner living inside the park.

Another thing to be aware of is that mobile home park owners cannot increase lot rent for just any reason and must only follow what is written in the prospectus. However, no law prohibits park owners and mobile homeowners from agreeing to lot rental increases based on factors not disclosed in the prospectus. So, if the park owner increases the lot rent for a reason not disclosed in the prospectus and the homeowner agrees, there will be no issue.

In Sarasota, Florida, mobile home park lot rent can increase by a maximum of 10% every year. This is according to the ordinance governing mobile home parks, which regulates the amount by which mobile home park lot rent can be increased within the county. Additionally, the landlord must provide a written notice to the tenant 60 days in advance of increasing lot rent, in order for the rental increase to be legally binding.

It is always advisable to know the reasons why the park owner is increasing the lot rent and whether the factors are listed in the prospectus or not. If not, try to discuss it with the park owner.

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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September 25, 2023
Want More Money? Sell Your Sarasota Mobile Home Fully Furnished!
In this crazy real estate market that we are all in right now many mobile home Sellers throughout the Sarasota area are looking to see how they too can reap the benefits of a hot Seller’s market.

Mobile homes on leased land throughout the Sarasota area are a unique asset class in that they are titled as motor vehicles in the state of Florida and not as real estate because the mobile home comes with a title and not a deed attached to the ownership of the property. As such, a mobile home sale is not required to be posted anywhere for anyone to see so it is awfully difficult to pull accurate sales comps for any mobile home that has been sold.

Traditionally, mobile homes on leased land do not benefit from the tremendous surge in price that single-family homes do, Similarly, they do not depreciate the same way a single-family home does when the real estate market goes through a slump as it did at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic that swept the nation throughout much of 2020.

The question is, how does one make more money on the sale of their mobile home if they are not able to see the appreciation of that of a single-family home?

What we have seen at The Mobile Home Dealer is in order to capture the most money out of your home you may want to consider selling the home fully furnished, right down to the kitchen table and chairs.

If you look to do this, it really won’t bring you more money at the closing table but it will bring you more money in the speed at which the home is sold.

Do I have you confused yet?!

Let me explain.

Preowned furniture that comes with the mobile home will not have any real value to it whatsoever. However, the speed at which a home is sold when it is fully furnished is much quicker than that of a totally empty home. One reason for this is that many mobile homes throughout Sarasota are bought as second homes or vacation homes for new owners. Here, these Buyers are looking for an affordable way to live their Florida dream without having to buy a new mobile home and look to spend several thousand dollars on top of that to furnish the property.

Why buying furniture and furnishing your mobile home can save you a lot of money?

Sounds weird right? No! Let me explain.

A fully-furnished mobile home can be sold in a few weeks while an empty mobile home can be sold in six months or even more. Yes, you heard it right so how can you save money?

Assuming you spent $3,000 on furniture and sold your mobile home in just 3 weeks, you avoid losing thousands. Why? If your mobile home is not sold within 6 months, this means that you continue to pay lot rent for every month that your mobile home is sitting there waiting to be bought.

Assuming the lot rent is $700 per month, for six months you will be paying a total of $4,200 without any assurance that your mobile home will attract any buyer. But what if your home sits longer? Every month you are going to lose $700 more.

Can a fully-furnished mobile home really sell fast? Based on our years of experience selling mobile homes, YES!

Remember that the majority of mobile home buyers in the Sarasota Florida area are from other states and buying furniture, or bringing one, is not really part of their plan. Of course, a fully-furnished home will sell faster than an unfurnished one if both are at almost the same price.

If you want to sell your mobile home fast and avoid paying monthly lot rent, consider our suggestion. If, however, you want to pay monthly lot rent and wait for a miracle to happen, then do not buy any furniture.

In addition, take note that buying furniture to fill the mobile home so the next owner can use it, is totally different from mobile home upgrades.

For example; if you are looking to paint the home a fun beachy color, change the over-flooring, add custom shelving or change out the bathroom fixtures these certainly can liven up the home. However these upgrades, although nice in nature, are based on the owner’s personal preference and do not upgrade the structural integrity of the mobile home itself.

Sure, these will make the home look newer or “beachy” but it does not mean that the upgrades you put in here will bring you any more money when you look to sell the home.

The reason why is that there is no tangible value that can be passed on to the next owner.

Most mobile home Buyers are looking for a turn-key property where they can buy the home, toss their keys on the counter, and get to the outdoor activities that they have been dreaming about!

No, going to the furniture store does not factor into this excitement.

When looking to sell your mobile home for the most money look to provide it fully furnished as we have seen the home will sell faster saving you several thousand dollars in possible lot rent payments. This additional income on the sale of your mobile home won’t exactly come to you in a cash payment but it will stay in your bank account which is all the more reason to consider selling your Sarasota mobile home fully furnished!

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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September 25, 2023
Are Hurricanes A Problem For Sarasota Mobile Home Owners?
Hurricane season is upon us!

With the recent tropical storm Elsa that just went through the Sarasota area it is time to look at how much of a problem hurricanes and tropical storms are for Sarasota mobile homeowners.

Many times we hear that mobile homes are not as sturdy as single-family homes, and when a hurricane comes the owner of the mobile home will kiss it goodbye as it will fly away in the wind.

But is that really true or is that a myth that has been told over and over?

Mobile homes are actually much more storm-resistant than most people give them credit for and we at The Mobile Home Dealer see just how well they hold up throughout storms each and every year.

Mobile homes have more stringent standards than regional and national building codes for traditional on-site built homes. This is due to the fact that additional factors are being considered while moving the structure. The Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) is working hard to clear up the myths and negative stereotypes about mobile homes and inform the public that modern manufactured homes built after 1976 are subject to rigorous federal standards”.

“The standards for manufactured housing are subject to robust compliance and quality assurance regulations, sometimes more stringent than those for traditional site-built homes,” says Richard Jennison, President, and CEO of MHI. “The building materials in today’s manufactured home are the same as those used in site-built homes. The homes are engineered for wind safety based on the geographic region in which they are sold.”

In other parts of the country where hurricanes are not a problem, mobile homes are built to withstand winds up to 136 miles per hour.

Most mobile homes throughout the Sarasota area have what are called hurricane tie-downs attached to the home itself. When properly installed and maintained mobile home hurricane tie-downs will keep your home safe and level throughout an upcoming storm.

Mobile home tie-downs are large metal rids that will help prevent the high winds from a hurricane from lifting or moving your mobile home off of its concrete pad. The anchors (also knowns as straps) are driven deep into the ground and anchor your mobile home so that it stays safe and sound throughout the storm season. Pending on what type of soil condition your home sits on will determine what type of tie-down is used but, generally speaking, an auger anchor is the most common material that is used. These tie-downs are put on all four corners of your mobile home itself and many times they are added to the front, sides, and rear of your carport as well.

Tie-downs come in two forms and are easy to tell when looking at a mobile home which type of tie-down your home has.

The most common tie-down that you will see in Sarasota is the over-the-top tie-down system. This system is one of the originals that helps keep mobile homes safe from the high winds of hurricanes and can be seen when looking at a mobile home by seeing that the end of the tie-down strap hangs down under the home.

Frame anchors are also used as a hurricane tie-down and are usually used on newer models of mobile homes. This is not nearly as common in the Sarasota area as the average age of a mobile home in and around Sarasota County is 1979.

Update: “Florida law requires all mobile homes to be anchored with hurricane straps.

Aside from tie-downs, there are also safety measures that can help mobile homeowners stay safe during the hurricane. This includes keeping the surrounding areas of your mobile home free from other things like a portable carport and other things that may be attached to your house. These things can damage your house or your neighbors’ houses when hit by a strong wind. Make sure the exterior wall of your mobile home is clear of all debris that could cause damage to your or your neighbors’ homes.

If you are not convinced by the above safety measures, buying mobile home insurance can give you peace of mind. Mobile home insurance can cover not only storm damage but also fire and other physical destructions, legal liabilities, and other unforeseen damages based on different circumstances.

Mobile Homes Facts
- Mobile homes provide affordable and quality homes for more than 22 million low-to-moderate-income Americans.
- $26,000 is the median annual household income of mobile homeowners
- Mobile homes represent 7.3 percent of all the US occupied housing units
- Based on US Census data, mobile homes have an average square foot cost of $44, far cheaper than $94 per square foot of traditional homes.
When purchasing a mobile home feel confident that the common belief that mobile homes will just “blow away” during a hurricane is simply not true. Mobile homes with tie-downs are safe and sound and will hold up well to most hurricanes that pass through the Sarasota area!

The Mobile Home Dealer are licensed mobile home broker in Sarasota Florida and the surrounding areas. We provide professional buy and/or sell assistance to our clients. If you have any questions, please get in touch with us by clicking this link. You may also visit our Facebook Page and send us a message.

This is Mark Kaiser from The Mobile Home Dealer and we help mobile home Buyers and Sellers get to a better place in life.

See Also:
September 25, 2023