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Seller Financing: Are You Able To Get Financing When Buying A Sarasota Mobile Home?
Is seller financing a viable way to buy a mobile home in Sarasota or should one look to seek financing from their local bank or credit union?

Most mobile homes that we sell here at The Mobile Home Dealer are sold for cash, without financing, directly from the Seller of the home to the new Buyer.

We fully realize this is not possible for everyone to buy in cash as this can get expensive fast. The question then begs to be asked, can mobile homes on leased land be loaned through traditional financing measures?

As discussed in the past, mobile homes that are physically located on leased land, are classified in the State of Florida as personal property which is the same way a car is sold.

Traditional loans that can usually be used for financing a vehicle are not available for mobile home purchases. Traditional mortgages that can be used for stick and brick homes are not available to be obtained for mobile homes either on leased land because, again, mobile homes on leased land are viewed as personal property.

So then where does one come up with financing for a mobile home on leased land if they need it?

This is where seller financing comes into play for those needing a financing option on mobile homes that are on leased land.

Seller financing is a financing option where the Buyer pays a Seller directly a down payment for the home and then negotiates a monthly payment to be made each month that will count towards the remaining balance of the home loan. In this arrangement, it is up to the Buyer and the Seller on whether or not interest will be charged on the loan that is being serviced by the seller themselves.

When seller financing occurs, the Seller will be put on the title as a lien holder and the Buyer will have the Seller’s name on the title until the note is paid in full and the seller reports this to the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Once the loan has been satisfied and the Department of Motor Vehicles has been notified, the Buyer will then need to go down to the DMV to apply for a new title with their name as the sole owner of the property. This will remove the Seller from the title as a lien holder.

Having said that, although seller financing may sound like a good option for buyers who don’t have any choices, there are also pros and cons one must know before finalizing the deal.

Disclaimer: The Mobile Home Dealer is not a financial institution or authorized to give any legal financial advice. This information is purely based on our experience and may be useful for people who are buying and selling mobile homes.

Seller or owner financing can be a good option for buyers who don’t qualify or can’t find the right mobile home mortgage. For sellers, owner financing provides a faster way to close the sale because the buyer can skip the lengthy mortgage process. Another advantage for the seller is that they may be able to sell the home as-is without spending on maintenance which allows them to pocket more money from the sale.

The pros and cons of seller financing that both the seller and the buyer need to understand:

Pros for Buyers

Faster closing. No processing and waiting for the bank’s loan officer.
Flexible downpayment. No government or bank-required minimums.
Alternative for buyers who can’t get bank financing. A better option for buyers who can’t secure a mortgage.

Cons for Buyers

Higher interest than the bank. Depending on how you negotiate with the seller, the interest can be higher than the bank.
Due-on-sale clause. If the mobile home is mortgaged, the bank of the lender can demand immediate payment from the owner/seller. To avoid this problem, make sure that the mobile home is not a mortgage and that the seller doesn’t owe anything from the lender involving the mobile home. Also, make sure that the mobile home is not used as collateral.
Balloon payments: With many owner-financing arrangements, a large balloon payment becomes due after five or 10 years. If you can’t secure financing by then, you could lose all the money you’ve paid so far—plus the house.

Pros for the Sellers

Can sell “as-is”. The seller can sell the mobile home right away without spending on repairs.
Good investment. Potential to earn better rates than investing your money somewhere else.
Lump-sum option: The promissory note can be sold to an investor, providing a lump-sum payment right away.
Retain title: If the buyer defaults, then you keep the down payment, any money that was paid—and the house.
Sell faster: Potential to sell and close faster since buyers avoid the mortgage process.

Cons for the Seller

Dodd-Frank Act: Under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, new rules were applied to owner financing. Balloon payments may not be an option, and you might need to involve a mortgage loan originator, depending on the number of properties that the seller finances under owner-financing deals each year.
Buyer Default: The buyer could stop making payments at any time. If this happens and they don’t just walk away, then you could end up going through the foreclosure process.
Repair cost: If you do take back the property (for whatever reason), then you might end up having to pay for repairs and maintenance, depending on how well the buyer took care of the property.

Seller financing has been around for years, and we do not see it going away anytime soon as it is usually the only surefire way to obtain financing for a mobile home on leased land.

Even though it is a mainstay in the mobile home industry many Sellers still prefer the idea of an all-cash purchase as opposed to holding the note for the Seller.

However, if the amount of cash the Seller is asking for the home is not affordable to you at the time, then certainly ask if the Seller will accept an owner financing option.

If the Seller is motivated enough to sell, they certainly might consider that a viable selling option to provide seller financing!

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 22, 2023
Should You Try And Rent Your Sarasota Mobile Home When Selling?
Selling And Renting Your Home In Sarasota? Should You Try And Rent Your Sarasota Mobile Home When Selling?

Should you have your mobile home rented when you’re trying to have it sold at the same time?

This question was posed to us this week when working with a home our sales team has not yet sold.

Selling a mobile home in Sarasota County is a relatively competitive task, as, at any one time, there are several dozen homes for sale around the Gulf Coast of Florida.

It is also common practice in the mobile home space for each park to increase its lot rent at the start of each year, as discussed in previous videos.

So, with raising lot rent in a home that is not being sold as fast as you like, should you go ahead and rent the home while trying to sell it?

I mean, getting double your money is the best way to do this, right?

As previously discussed, it is imperative to get your home sold fast to make it as easy as possible for the Buyer to buy your mobile home.

At no point in time do you ever want to make it a challenge or a headache for the closing to occur between you and your Buyer.

I have seen where a Seller made it so difficult for a Buyer to buy their home it turned out to be a disaster.

Another thing to remember is that potential buyers may be put off by the fact that the property was previously rented out. They may be concerned about potential damage from past tenants or general wear and tear. If you’re unwilling to make any repairs or cosmetic updates before selling, it’s probably best to avoid renting out your mobile home first.

In this situation, the contracts were all agreed to, the park approval was done, and the money was about to exchange hands, only for the Seller to pull a rabbit out of their hat and change the agreement at the last second. The pre-approved Buyer walked, and the home sat for an additional month on the market with no further interest whatsoever.

I hope this story illustrates that the Buyer does not have to buy your home, but the Seller usually has to sell. Renting your home should cover your lot rent payment at a minimum, which could reduce the stress of having a mobile home for sale within a mobile home park.

When looking at renting your home while it is for sale, I feel there is a right and a wrong way to do this.

Let’s go ahead and cover both now so that you have a better idea of how to handle whether you should decide to rent your mobile home while you’re trying to sell it.

In our opinion, the right way is to ensure the renter knows the home is still for sale during their rental period.

In the rental lease that you have with the renter, make sure they know that there will be showings and that it is their responsibility to not only keep the place cleaned up but also to leave the property when a showing is scheduled to take place.

This will allow the potential Buyer to see a nicely presented home that is clean, safe, and ready to be moved into upon their closing.

In our opinion, the wrong way to do this is to have the home still on the market but not require the renter to be available to clean up the home for a showing or leave the premises when a showing is scheduled. I have personally been involved in one of these in the past, and when I went to show the home, it looked like a bomb went off right before we walked into the property!

You guessed it, the home was not sold with this showing.

We all strive to maximize our income potential, and when selling a mobile home, you should consider doing the same.

However, we suggest that you be cautious of just how you do this and who you rent your home to, as the quick cash of having a renter could seriously backfire when you go to try and sell the home should the renter not be able to show the home.

Although renting your mobile home while in the process of selling can generate extra income that would covet its lot rent, there are also some disadvantages that you, as the owner/seller, must be careful with.

Assuming there is a buyer, is the 30-day moving period enough for your tenant to prepare to move and look for another place to live?

Renting a mobile home for sale could also attract fewer renters than those not for sale because living in a house for sale means the renter may not have peace of mind knowing they could be asked to move out at a moment’s notice. This is the burden that every renter must carry while living in a home on the market. Some renters don’t want to get disturbed, so finding someone to rent in a “for sale” mobile home could be challenging.

Remember, guys, always make it easy for the Buyer to buy your home, not difficult!

The Mobile Home Dealer is a 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, don’t hesitate to 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. We help mobile home Buyers and Sellers improve their lives.

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September 22, 2023
Will Sarasota Mobile Home Lot Rent Stay The Same?
Do Sarasota Mobile Home Lot Rents Always Go Up? We at The Mobile Home Dealer get this question all the time from first-time mobile home buyers looking to begin enjoying all that a mobile home park has to offer.

Homeowners in different Saratosa, Florida, mobile home parks may see lot rental increases each year for a myriad of reasons, which we will discuss in this article.

Once you move into your mobile home in Sarasota, Florida, located on leased land, you may wonder how long the lot rent will stay the same.

How soon will the lot rent go up, and how much?

Also, why will lot rent increase in the very first place, isn’t the lot rent already high enough to begin with?

All of these questions are ones that the traditional mobile home Buyer thinks about when purchasing a mobile home on leased land within the Sarasota Florida area.

Do Sarasota mobile home lot rents increase each year?

Generally speaking, the answer is, yes, lot rents will increase each year, and it would be unreasonable to think that they will not increase whatsoever or become capped for an extended period of time.

A good rule of thumb when budgeting for your mobile home is always to remember that lot rents will increase at the rate of inflation at the start of each year at a bare minimum. Expect to pay 2% to 3% more for your lot rent each year you’re living in the mobile home park that you currently reside in.

But the question then is, “well, Mark, why does it have to increase at all”?

This is another question we regularly field at The Mobile Home Dealer. The answer to this question is the same when asking why the price of groceries, fuel, or electricity continues to increase yearly. It directly concerns the national cost of inflation and how it affects everything in the economy.

You see, as much as we would all like the cost of things such as groceries or fuel to remain the same each year, it just doesn’t.

For example, in the mobile home park, most lot rents include the cost of lawn care, which would be blowing, trimming, and cutting your lawn weekly for the entire year.

Now, if the cost of fuel is going up each year to run the lawn equipment that is taking care of your lawn, then the owner of the landscaping company will more than likely need to charge the park more each year to keep up with the rising operating costs of their business. The park then will pass these increases in price to you as a mobile home park resident. Although this is a terribly simple example of the increase in lot rent, I imagine you are getting the point of why the lot rent will continue to increase each and every year.

Lot rents occasionally do not increase or stay stagnant for a year or two without much, if any, increase.

Many times, this will be directly related to national inflation and the value of American currency for that current year.

Although we would all love for mobile home lot rents to stay the same forever, unfortunately, this is a fairy tale and one that should not be expected to happen each and every year.

The following three reasons are most likely to affect the price increase of lot rents.

Rising Costs Of Service Providers

Most mobile homes on leased land will have lawn care provided within the monthly lot rent. This may include lawn mowing around each mobile home in the park, upkeep of all the green space in the common areas, and additional maintenance of trees and flowers throughout the park.

It is reasonable to expect that each year the laborers and the tools they use for this work will increase. As such, mobile home parks will need to pay these higher rates to the companies they contract for the labor to be accomplished. Increased rates passed on to the park will lead to increased lot rent amounts for the residents.

Inflation

Whether we like it or not, inflation is a part of society. Simply put, inflation is the rising costs of goods and services that further devalue the country’s currency. This can be attributed to external factors such as the economy or global trade issues but, for this situation, we will just state that inflation increases yearly by around 3% nationwide.

With this understood, expect to pay around 3% higher for lot rent each year.

Park Improvements

One of the perks of owning a mobile home on leased land is that the park takes care of just about everything in the park other than the upkeep and maintenance of your individual property.

These updates may include the streets in the park, clubhouse, pool, fitness center, and green spaces.

With additional updates such as putting in a new pool or adding a bark park for the community residents to use, someone has to pay for these items.

Anytime a park adds a large public use structure to the community, expect your lot rent to increase to pay for it.

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

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September 22, 2023
How Can A Mobile Home Dealer Help Sell Your Sarasota Home?
How can a mobile home dealer help you sell your Sarasota mobile home?

When we are starting the process of selling a client’s mobile home we often see the clients struggle with the decision of whether to sell the home themselves or to utilize the service of a licensed mobile home broker such as The Mobile Home Dealer.

The mobile home housing sector is quite broad and competitive, in addition, selling a mobile home is a topic that requires a lot of touches, patience, and treatment with the client. It is also important to know the market and to know what price range you may sell your house in and get the best possible price. For this and many other reasons, people choose to carry out the process through a mobile home broker.

Have you been trying to sell your mobile home, but have not had any luck getting it sold on your own?

Are you tired of having to constantly speak to potential Buyers, going over the same details just for them to not be interested?

Better yet, how about getting a home showing set up and you get the home ready to show, only for the potential Buyer to never show up or even provide a courtesy call?

Does this sound familiar?

This is just the start of many issues Sellers run into when trying to sell their mobile homes themselves.

Many times, the current owners of a mobile home had in the past purchased the home they currently live in from an individual Seller several years ago.

Perhaps they were contacted by a friend in the park who told them that the home that they had been looking at in the past was now available.

Maybe the current owner drove by the home and saw a for sale sign, called the number listed, and wound up buying that exact home.

Well, this may have been the case in the past, but the question remains, do you, as the current Seller, want to rely on a drive-by or a family friend to call their buddy to come and take a look at your home?

What if you don’t live in the home full-time?

Who is going to show the home to you to ensure that there are no issues with each show?

Does this person showing your home carry business insurance in case someone slips and falls while they’re looking at your home?

Another point to bring up is, what marketing is really, I mean really, being done in order to get your home sold quickly? Is it just a sign and a word of mouth between the other seasonal neighbors in the community?

The Mobile Home Dealer handles these questions and more on a daily basis.

Throughout our tenure serving the greater Sarasota area, we feel we have been able to not only address each one of these questions, but also exceed all of our client’s expectations in our ability to professionally list, market, and sell a mobile home throughout the area quickly.

Through utilizing our services we provide our clients with a hands-off approach by utilizing a licensed, bonded professional, who is showing their home to qualified buyers.

Although we can all agree that having someone drive by and offer you the exact amount of money you want for your home is the best scenario, the reality is that the industry is changing and it’s very competitive to sell a mobile home.

Mobile home brokers such as Mobile Home Dealer dealers know all the procedures and documentation necessary to avoid frequent setbacks or errors. Hiring a mobile home broker will not only represent you but also give you the opportunity to have advice and guidance in view of a viable business with your mobile home.

Another obvious advantage is that a mobile home agent knows how to filter among the possible candidates, the people interested in visiting the home, and people who are only asking, and may even provide an analysis of which person is the best potential buyer.

If you are looking to sell or lease your mobile home, hiring a professional mobile home agent is the key step, however, there are many factors involved in this process. Currently, The Mobile Home Dealer has many options for you to show your mobile home safely while complying with all the requirements

Selling or leasing a mobile home is a long process and, therefore demands a lot of time. By having an expert on your side, you can have adequate advice and it is only necessary to deal with the right broker, which will play the role of intermediary so you do not have to worry about anything. The main benefit of hiring a licensed mobile home broker is to streamline the sales process and help avoid setbacks.

The conditions and expenses of everyday life are increasingly difficult, so people are doing everything possible to reduce costs. So, if you are looking to buy or sell a house, it is also important to save long-term money, and this is where a licensed broker like The Mobile Home Dealer comes into play.

When you’re ready to sell your mobile home, it’s important to have a broker on your side. The Mobile Home Dealer can help you in a few different ways:
A mobile home broker is familiar with the market and can help you price your home correctly.
A mobile home broker has a network of potential buyers and can help market your home.
A mobile home broker can handle the negotiation process and help you get the best price for your home.
Selling your mobile home by yourself can be time-consuming and stressful. With a mobile home broker on your side, you can sell your home quickly and for the best possible price.

Having a trained professional on your side, helping you guide you through all the steps in the process, and getting your home sold in a timely fashion will save you time and additional headaches!

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 22, 2023
How Did Sarasota Mobile Homes Sell In 2020?
How did mobile homes sell throughout Sarasota County during the year 2020? Mobile homes in Sarasota County saw robust sales in 2020 despite economic uncertainties. The allure of affordable housing and flexible living arrangements drove demand, buoyed by low interest rates and a desire for homeownership amidst the pandemic. Sarasota County’s coastal location and amenities attracted buyers seeking a balance between affordability and lifestyle. Mobile homes emerged as viable options for retirees and young families alike, offering budget-friendly housing solutions. Throughout the year, the market witnessed consistent sales, underscoring the enduring appeal of mobile homes in Sarasota County amid evolving economic conditions.

Did COVID-19 have an effect on the market?

And if it did, was it positive or was it negative?

I believe we can all agree that the past year was one that we will not soon forget because it was filled with uncertainty that no one ever had seen before in their lives.

With the arrival of the pandemic caused by COVID-19, uncertainty has taken over the mobile home housing sector. It is difficult to forecast exactly how the market will be affected, but it seems obvious that the duration of confinement and the time we take to recover normality will be one of the main factors in the final effects.

But regardless of the duration of the problem, it seems clear that most of the main indicators in the evolution of the price of manufactured housing will be affected. The situation of the mobile home sector prior to the pandemic already showed symptoms of a slight fall in housing sale operations, as well as a price stagnation, and even a decrease in some areas. In fact, some experts think that the real mobile home sector can be reinforced by the COVID-19 crisis.

The dynamics have changed from the moment the pandemic reached our country, all sectors of the economy have been forced to transform, and technological acceleration came more strongly, but how has COVID-19 affected the housing market in the US?

The residential real estate market has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which broke into a time when the cycle of this market was in a phase of maturity. The activity descended sharply in the first months of the health crisis, affected by the restrictions adopted.

Mobile home sales for the year reflected much of this, as there were several unusual trends that came up that we had not seen before on our end.

Whether you are interested in buying or selling a mobile home in Sarasota, it is important to remember that we are working within the affordable housing industry.

This industry is not affected by the housing bubbles or crashes that traditional real estate continues to see.

As mentioned in several of our previous videos, if a mobile home is priced correctly and is marketed right, then usually the home will not have any issue in selling so long as both of those points are in alignment with what the community can support.

What we mean by this is when a mobile home is priced too high for what other homes in the community are being sold at or listed, it usually tends to sit on the market for longer than if the home was priced correctly, right from the beginning.

Always remember, to make it as easy as possible for the home buyer to buy from you.

If you are ever confused or unsure of how the home should be priced, then feel free to reach out to us here at The Mobile Home Dealer, as we will always be happy to help you accurately price your home for a fast sale!

Throughout 2020, we saw fewer homes come up for sale than we had expected.

We believe this had much to do with the concerns of COVID and that many snowbirds were hesitant in their thinking of if they were looking to sell or to come down for the season like normal.

So instead of acting one way or the other, many decided to do nothing while waiting out the situation that we have, unfortunately, all gotten used to at this point.

This has continued throughout the start of this year with a slight slack of inventory throughout the Sarasota County area.

Even though there is a slight lack of inventory at the moment, this does not mean that the homes that are currently on the market are able to demand a much higher price point. Homes that did go on the market and were priced correctly, flew off the shelves throughout the second part of the year, which was great to see!

All in all, when reviewing the buying and selling part of the mobile home industry throughout Sarasota, we can all agree that it was a very unique year, but one that continued to show that when a mobile home is priced right and marketed correctly, they sell no matter what else is going on in the world at this time.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced real estate agencies and mobile home brokers to innovate and do it at a rate never seen before. The housing market is currently in a situation in which if they do not innovate, they may not survive.

Some of the technological advances that are being implemented are:

Visits in virtual reality. With this technology, the possible buyer could experience how he would feel in his new home without moving.

We, here at The Mobile Home Dealer, utilize this type of technology through the utilization of virtual tours. Virtual tours are videos that show the potential Buyer everything there is to see about the property so that they have a better idea of exactly what the home is without ever having to step foot in the home

The signing of virtual contracts. Virtually signed contracts so that the agent, the seller, and the buyer do not have to move and/or schedule a meeting. Each can sign the contract with their electronic device from home or office.

Virtual meetings. The commercial team can meet and exchange opinions, as well as see the evolution of planning in a virtual way and without any physical contact.

This is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the type of innovation that we could see coming from the real estate and manufactured home industry.

When an unforeseen event of the magnitude of COVID-19 occurs, difficult moments are presented for the economy and the population, but when things return to normal this is never as before. Hopefully, the new normality will change for the better.

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 22, 2023
Do Sarasota Mobile Home Pest Inspections Include Termite Treatment?
Homeowners face an uphill battle keeping pests off their property. According to the National Pest Management Association, bugs, rodents, and unwanted creatures of all kinds can wreak havoc in the home. Just consider these statistics:

– Termites cause over $5 billion in property damage every year.
– 6% of pest control professionals have battled a bed bug infestation in the past year.
– As many as 30% of all homes have had a rodent problem at some point.

Do pest treatments for mobile homes include termite inspections all the time?

This is a question we were presented with just last week and we feel it would be a good idea to review this for all Sarasota mobile home Buyers.

We had a Buyer who purchased a mobile home from a Seller, who kept up on their pest treatments every quarter of the year, for the entire ownership time of their home.

Before we go any further, for all of you non-Floridians watching, let me point out for a moment that when you have a mobile home in Florida, it is imperative to keep up with unrequired pest treatments each and every quarter that you own the home.

The reason why is that much of a mobile home is built on, and manufactured with, wood.

From the floor support beams to the plywood floors, which are both prime location for termite attacks, this is how what mobile home is built on.

Add to the fact that we here in the Sarasota area experience quite a few hot months followed by several very wet months with tons of rain and we are in a perfect location for severe termite damage if the home has not been treated on a regular basis.

If termite damage becomes severe enough, then a mobile home may have to go through the tinting process in order to deeply clean it, if you will, the home, for termites and termite damage.

As mentioned in a previous video blog here on the site, a tinting service can be so serious that the entire home needs to have all food, pets, and people, removed for several days in order for the entire process to be completed.

Add to all of this headache, is the cost of the tinting, which can run well over $2,000 for a double-wide mobile home tint job, from front to back. Many full tint jobs will need to be done not only on the home itself, but also on the carport, the support beams, and all storage areas both attached to the home and in the backyard.

It is a really serious process when it comes to termite application through the tinting process!

All of this may be avoided if the quarterly pest service includes termite treatment.

What we have learned is that when hiring a pest spraying service, make sure that the service professional goes forward and actually does the termite treatment each and every time they come to your house. This will cost more, but it can save you thousands and thousands of dollars in the future if it is not done. Not only that but also the headache.

Regarding the Buyer that we spoke of earlier, we wound up finding that the Seller did not do the treatment on the last spraying and that was all. Lucky for the Buyer, it was only a one-time deal. The Buyer was able to rectify the situation and get the home re-sprayed before any serious issues occurred with those pesky little termites!

Hiring a pest control company to treat your mobile on a regular basis is necessary and having a trusted company is highly recommended. If you just moved to your Sarasota Florida mobile home and don’t know any pest control companies here, follow these simple tips on hiring the right pest control company.

Get a written quote. If you find the company online call or email them for a quote. Estimates vary per company. Some companies lure customers by presenting a low estimate initially and then excessively charging them once they are done with the service. It is always important to get a written quote.

Ask for a Guarantee. Pests like termites can always come back, but it’s not as likely if they were properly treated in the first place. When hiring a pest control company, be sure that they implement preventive measures to keep pests from destroying your property. A guarantee or assurance must be given to you by the company if pests are not fully eliminated or when you are not pleased with the outcome.

How long they have been in the pest control business? When it comes to pest control, experience is very important. Research & find out how long the company has been in the pest control industry. Consider working with a local company, since they have local pest expertise and experience. A company with a proven reputation is easier to trust and there is an assurance that if something goes wrong they can handle it right away. They should be able to answer all your questions.

Determine if their pest control treatments are safe. The majority of new pest control products are formulated to kill pests while being safe for humans and pets. Clarify how safe the products they are using especially when you have children or pets at home. A licensed pest control professional will be able to justify why their treatments are safe, inform you of the things to do before & after pest control treatment, and ensure you that everything will be safe.

Check for their reviews to see what their clients have to say about them. Credible pest control providers will provide truthful reports on their blogs and customer reviews. Websites like Yelp, Facebook, and Google present truthful opinions & feedback from previous clients, and you can assess if they are the right pest control company for you.

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 22, 2023
Does Past Due Lot Rent Need To Be Paid On A Sarasota Mobile Home?
Before you continue reading this article, if you are buying or planning to buy a mobile home in the Greater Sarasota Florida area, you must understand that mobile homes here are considered personal property, therefore, they are not taxed as real estate property. Most of the mobile homes here are sitting on leased land owned by mobile parks. So, it is important to understand that when buying a mobile home, you must obtain park approval first before you can move to a mobile home.

Lot rents are paid to the park owners and not to the seller. In this article, we will explain how difficult it will be if the lot rent of the mobile home you just purchased has not been paid on time.

What happens if the Seller of a mobile home does not pay the lot rent, and goes to sell the mobile home instead?

Are they able to just sell the home and not pay the lot rent that is owed?

Is the new Buyer responsible for the lot rent that was not been paid by the previous owner?

Does it even matter if the lot rent from the previous owner has even been paid?

This is the scenario I ran into last week when I went to sell a mobile home for one of our clients.

We utilized our marketing skills to obtain an interested Buyer, an offer was accepted, and the Buyer was excited to go to the park office, to begin the park approval process, so that they could move into their new home.

And then…… the problems began!!

You see the Seller did not tell us that they owed back lot rent on the home, which, as you can imagine, did not make the park manager very happy that they were not getting paid on time.

Now, before I go any further, I will stress to you that I am not an attorney, I do not represent any legal firm, and I’m certainly not giving any legal advice with these next comments.

We found out that the seller still needs to pay the past lot rent due at the time of closing.

The park manager asked that we sell the home for, at the very least, the past due lot rent that was owed on the property. When the home went to close, the manager asked us to take the amount of money that was owed to the park out of the proceeds that were initially going to be paid to the Seller.

The Seller would then be issued the remaining funds for the sale of the home after the past-due lot rent that needed to be paid to the park was paid.

The park informed us that since the home was within a land-leased mobile home park in the state of Florida if the lot rent was then not paid the park would be able to invoke a landlord-tenant rule against the new owner.

This was explained to me as follows: if the seller does not pay the lot rent, the park has the right to evict the property because the home owner is renting the land through their monthly payment of lot rent.

Since this home that we sold was too old to obtain permits to move, the park would then try to have the home sold by the Sheriff’s department at auction, and try to then obtain what the lot rent that was owed to them, in payment, at the time of sale.

We at The Mobile Home Dealer, stress, to any mobile home Buyer that you need to make sure that you do your due diligence on any mobile home that you buy.

Always check to see if the home that you are buying is current on lot rent with the park.

If the home is not current, make sure you bring this to the Seller’s attention prior to signing any paperwork to buy the home.

If this critical step is not followed, then you could very well be in a very sticky situation!

We understand that some mobile homeowners are selling their property for various reasons, one of which includes financial difficulties. When a homeowner is selling their mobile home because they can’t afford to pay the lot rent anymore, they may be behind for a month or more.

If the mobile home you are interested in buying has past due lot rent that is not paid it is imperative to speak to the park manager directly to get a written ledger of exactly how much money is owed and what stage of eviction the mobile home is in. Prior to purchasing the home the Buyer and Seller need to agree on who is paying what back lot rent prior to closing on the mobile home.

Although park owners have the option to repossess a mobile home through eviction many of the parks do not want to do this simply because they are not in the buying and selling business of mobile homes. All they need to get paid is the lot rent owed to them. Taking over the property is the last thing every mobile home park owner would like to do.

For sellers who are in this situation, make sure to explain everything to the buyer and cooperate with them in order to avoid problems beyond financial matters. Tell them that once they paid, you are going to pay all owed past due lot rent to the park managers.

If you’re selling your mobile home, one of the first things you need to do is make sure all your past due lot rent is paid up. If you have unpaid lot rent, it will be very difficult to sell your home. Not only will potential buyers be turned off by the unpaid rent, but the park owner may also put a lien on the property. This means that even if you do sell your home, you’ll still owe money to the park owner. So before you put your home on the market, make sure you’re current on all your lot rent payments.

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 22, 2023
What Is My Sarasota Mobile Home Worth? Volume 3
Welcome back to the third installment of “What Is My Sarasota Mobile Home Worth?”

Before we discuss today’s topic, let’s briefly review what we have covered over the past few weeks so we are all on the same page.

Two weeks ago, we discussed the pros and cons of selling your mobile home fully furnished.

Here, we discussed that even though the mobile home will often sell faster when fully furnished, it does not necessarily mean that it will sell for any more money once the house gets to the closing table.

Last week, we discussed the importance of keeping up with your air conditioning service, regardless of if it is a window unit or central air conditioning system that cools your home. We further discussed that the cost of a new air conditioning system will not necessarily convert to more money at the closing table for you.

Remember, a large part of the value derived from a new air conditioning system is staying cool during the many Florida hot months throughout the year!

Today, we are going to review the importance of selling your home with all the appliances included.

Many times we at The Mobile Home Dealer find Sellers who are looking to recoup as much money as they can when they go to sell their mobile home. We all can understand this thought process since we all want to make sure that we sell our homes for as much money as possible when it comes time to move on to the next step of our lives.

Some mobile home Sellers we have encountered will get flustered with the sales process and go to remove their appliances to either move them into a new place they’re living in or sell them outright themselves before the sale of their home.

PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS!

Although I can certainly understand the desire to get the most money for everything in your home at the time of sale, I cannot suggest or condone removing your appliances from the home to try to make more money.

This is such a problem because, like our previous topic of selling your home fully furnished, if you do not have appliances, the home will have a more difficult time selling!

Mobile home Buyers can understand that they may need to purchase furniture if the home does not come fully furnished, but very few, if any, Buyers that we have ever sold to can wrap their heads around buying a mobile home without the basic appliances included.

Not providing appliances in the sale of your mobile home will force the Buyer to make yet another purchase at the time of closing, and worse yet, during the time they see the home, it makes it that much more difficult for them to see themselves enjoying their new home right when they move in!

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

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

Consider our suggestion if you want to sell your mobile home fast and avoid paying monthly lot rent. If you want to pay monthly lot rent and wait for a miracle to happen, 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 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, although nice in nature, these upgrades 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 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 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. We have seen that 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!

Remember, guys, always make sure it is easy for a Buyer to buy from you, but not difficult!

This is Mark Kaiser with The Mobile Home Dealer. We help mobile home Buyers and Sellers achieve better lives!

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September 22, 2023
How To Get Your Sarasota Mobile Home Ready For Sale?
How do you prepare a Sarasota mobile home for sale?

Sellers ask us all the time what they need to do in order to get their mobile homes ready for sale.

We find that many times Sellers don’t exactly know what to do in order for their home to show well for photos, videos, and actual in-person showings.

So without further delay, let’s go through just a few of them.

Choose an agent, determine the correct sale price, and organize your home: when it comes to selling your home, a lot of work happens behind the scene before the “Sale” sign appears.

If it is the first time you sell a house, the process and all its initial steps can be a surprise. While you can bring a mobile home agent to take care of the details, you and your family are still responsible for much of the heavy work that involves the preparation of your mobile home for sale, especially if you want to make the most of the sale.

To help you prepare for what you can expect, then we present the first steps you need to know to sell your mobile home successfully.

Choose your mobile home Broker

While you can do it alone, 91 percent of vendors work with mobile home brokers during the housing sales process, according to the National Manufactured Home Owners Association (NMHOA). It is not surprising that most owners choose an agent: they know the complexities of the mobile home housing market and all the particularities involved in the preparation of their mobile home for sale.

However, do your homework by selecting your agent. The ideal is an agent who is familiar with his neighborhood and who has a great experience in the industry to do the job. Look at the agents’ websites, read their online comments, and request references from neighbors. Ask about their commission rates, how they operate, and what to expect from their services.

The choice of your agent is the first fundamental step: ultimately, they have the fiduciary liability to ensure their best interests in the housing sales process and guide it in the next steps. Keep in mind that you do not have to use a mobile home agent; For sale by owner is another route that one can also take.

Determine the value of your mobile home

Mobile homeowners may be tied to the nostalgia of their home, but they must decide carefully when setting the price of their property to sell. The strategy is to find that optimal point in a price that attracts the most prospective buyers while preparing the stage to maximize their profit margin.

If the price of your mobile home is too high, it will scare buyers, but if the price is too low, you may think that something is wrong at home or that you are pointing to a war of offers.

Fix your mobile home

Now is the time to rise and get to work so that your home is worthy of a successful sale.

Among the recommendations of your agent after a tour and an inspection list prior to the list, it can concentrate on the most necessary repairs and renovations. (Prelisted mobile home inspections are an optional step, but they provide an invaluable vision of how you will go home in an official inspection later and give you the opportunity to solve the problems proactively).

Other major tasks to do

First Task:
Make sure your mobile home is cleaned up!

We can’t tell you the number of times we have scheduled showings for prospective Buyers only for the home to look like a fraternity party just finished moments before we arrived!

Now, although I am joking, I am serious when we say it should be cleaned up for all media and showings. This means taking out and getting rid of all of the excess clutter in the home. Make sure the bathrooms and kitchen are clean and present well and always look to have the floors and carpet steamed or at the very least just vacuumed.

Second Task:
Check and make sure all animals are out of the home!

Just last week, I showed a home to an interesting couple and the Owner forgot to take the two dogs out with them. The dogs were left in the home without me knowing they were even there. When I walked into the home to get the lights on before the Buyers showed up, I had to figure out how in the heck am I able to handle these two dogs!

At another showing a few months ago, the Owner had a parrot, and the bird was squawking the entire time I was showing the house!

True story!

As an animal lover myself, I have no issues with these furry friends or feathered little guys being around, but that does not mean that the Buyers want to have this as their first introduction to your zoo!

Third Task:
Always have your mobile home cleaned out of any bad smells prior to a showing.

Although this obviously will not come up in any photos or videos, this can be a huge turnoff to any excited Buyer who comes in to see your home.

Common odors that we run into all the time are smoke and animal smells and, what we refer to as, just a stale smell.

We found the best way to combat these odors is to get the windows open and have as much fresh air in your home as possible.

If you know there is a showing happening later in the day, make sure to open the windows and turn on your fans as this will help in getting the odors out of your home so that when an excited Buyer comes to look at your home, they will not run out whenever they walk in!

And last but certainly not least, always make sure you are doing all that you can to make it easy for the Buyer to buy your home!

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 22, 2023
What Does “The Season” Mean For Sarasota Mobile Homes?
What does “The Season” mean regarding mobile homes in Sarasota, Florida?

Does “The Season” even exist?

If it does, when is that time?

We hear all the time that many mobile home Sellers around the Sarasota area will hold onto their homes and look to sell them during the season.

What does this even mean?

Well, when one hears the season it is specifically referring to the snowbird season, which is loosely defined as the months of December, January, February, and March as this is the time of year when the most out-of-state visitors come to the state of Florida to enjoy great weather and beautiful beaches.

Many mobile homeowners, around the Sarasota area, use their mobile homes as their second home that they use during this time and, oftentimes, will keep them vacant the rest of the year.
You can see which areas of Sarasota have a heavier snowbird population when driving through the parks in, say, the middle of July, as there will be several empty streets at that time of year, many of which will be full during the winter months with out-of-town residents looking to escape the cold for the winter.

Mobile homes located within mobile home parks are the best affordable option for housing.

These homes will be bought and sold throughout the year, regardless of what Holiday, month, or any other issue that’s going on, as they simply provide the best bang for your buck when it comes to housing in the Sarasota area.

What we, at The Mobile Home Dealer, see is that the homeowners who hold on to a home, they really do not want to live in or pay for in hopes of selling it during the winter, are many times let down by how many other homes are up for sale at that time.

More homes on the market create more competition and pricing, which is great for Buyers, but not so much for Sellers.

This is exactly the reason why we stress to all our Sellers to look to sell their home 12 months a year as opposed to only the four months when everyone else is trying to sell their home within the park.
Less inventory available on the market creates more demand, which as we see all the time leads to a higher price point when looking to sell your mobile home.
Does a season exist in mobile home sales within Sarasota, Florida?

Yes, it certainly does. If you are looking to sell your mobile home the best season, sell it 365 days a year!

With all the focus on the high real estate market everywhere throughout the country, one must think, when is the best time to sell your mobile home on leased land?
Is there a better or worse time of year to sell your mobile home when your home is located within a mobile home park?

Should you wait and sell the home until all the other homes in the community are sold, so that you are the only one for sale in that exact mobile home park?

Will selling your mobile home during the time of year when more snowbirds are in the area be a better time to sell your property for more money? Or when they are leaving?

This is a question that can be asked the opposite way too, should you look to sell your Sarasota Florida mobile home in the Fall before the snowbirds arrive for the snowbird season?

While both questions could be looked at in detail we, here at The Mobile Home Dealer, do not believe that there is a right time or a wrong time to sell your mobile home so long as your home is priced right and marketed correctly.

Let us explain.

If the Seller of a Sarasota mobile home looks to sell their mobile home to a snowbird at the start of the snowbird season then they are betting on the fact that the snowbird is going to be coming down to the greater Sarasota area without lodging in place as the Buyer will more than likely want to move into their new property right away.

If the Seller of a Sarasota mobile home is looking to sell their mobile home to a snowbird at the end of the snowbird season then they are betting on the fact that the snowbird is going to spend a chunk of money right before they head back to their out of state primary residence before they head home.

Either bet is exactly that, a gamble that we feel does not need to be taken.

Mobile homes on leased land in the Sarasota Florida area are one of the last affordable housing options for those who are looking to call the Sunshine State either their winter retreat or their full-time residence.

When looking to sell your Sarasota mobile home we feel that the best time of the year to sell is twelve months a year!

The Mobile Home Dealers 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 to a better place in life.

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September 22, 2023