Tag: i bought a mobile home with no title

All You Need to Know About Manufactured Home Titles
Owning a manufactured home offers a unique and often affordable path to homeownership. However, manufactured homes have a different titling process, unlike traditional site-built houses. Understanding manufactured home titles is crucial for ensuring legal ownership of your home and navigating future financing or sales. This comprehensive guide delves into everything you need about manufactured home titles.

What is a Manufactured Home Title?

A manufactured home title, also known as a Certificate of Title (COT) in some states, is a legal document that proves ownership of your manufactured home. It functions similarly to a deed for a traditional house, establishing you as the rightful owner and outlining any liens on the property. A manufactured home title is crucial for several reasons:
- Proof of Ownership: The title is the official ownership documentation for your manufactured home. It’s essential for presenting during any legal proceedings or transactions involving your home.
- Financing: If you plan to finance your manufactured home, lenders typically require a manufactured home title as proof of ownership before issuing a loan. They might also place a lien on the title, indicating their claim on the property until the loan is paid in full.
- Selling Your Home: A clear title is essential for a smooth sale of your manufactured home. The buyer will need to see the title to verify ownership and ensure there are no outstanding liens before finalizing the purchase.
How Does Manufactured Home Titling Differ from Traditional Homes?

The key difference between manufactured home titles and traditional home deeds is how the property is classified. Conventional houses are considered real property, permanently affixed to the land. Manufactured homes, however, can be categorized in two ways:
- Real Property: If your manufactured home is permanently installed on a foundation and meets specific local regulations, it might be considered real property. In such cases, the titling process becomes similar to a traditional home, often involving a deed instead of a Certificate of Title.
- Personal Property: If your manufactured home sits on wheels or isn’t permanently affixed to a foundation, it’s typically considered personal property. This is the most common scenario; a manufactured home title (Certificate of Title) is required to establish ownership.
Obtaining a Manufactured Home Title

The process for obtaining a manufactured home title varies depending on your location and whether the home is considered real or personal. Here’s a general breakdown:

For New Manufactured Homes:
- Upon purchase, the manufacturer typically issues a Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO), the initial proof of ownership.
- You must register the MCO with the appropriate state agency, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), or a dedicated housing department.
- Depending on your state and whether the home will be placed on a permanent foundation, you might need to obtain a Certificate of Title or convert the title to real property.
For Existing Manufactured Homes:
- If you’re purchasing a used manufactured home, the seller should provide you with a valid manufactured home title.
- You’ll need to transfer the title to your name by filing the necessary paperwork with the appropriate state agency, usually accompanied by a transfer fee.
Important Considerations Regarding Manufactured Home Titles

Here are some key points to remember about manufactured home titles:
- Title Search: Before purchasing a used manufactured home, it’s wise to conduct a title search to ensure no outstanding liens or ownership claims.
- Lien Information: The manufactured home title will detail any liens on the property, such as a loan from the seller or financing from a lender. Understanding these is crucial for budgeting and future transactions.
- Title Loss or Damage: If you lose your manufactured home title, you can request a duplicate copy from the state agency that issued it. This process might be fee-associated.
Final Thoughts

Understanding manufactured home titles is essential for any homeowner. A clear title establishes ownership, facilitates financing, and ensures a smooth sale in the future. Familiarizing yourself with your state’s titling process and the considerations involved can help you make informed decisions regarding your manufactured home.

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May 23, 2024
What Is A Sarasota Florida Mobile Home Title?
Buying or selling a mobile home in the greater Sarasota Florida area and not sure what documentation you need?

Are you looking to buy a home but don’t know what role a title plays in the purchase transaction?

Are you looking to sell a mobile home but are not sure what you are supposed to do with your title when it comes time to sell the home?

This is totally understandable as many times when we get asked these questions they are asked by mobile home buyers or sellers who only sell or buy a few mobile homes their entire life.

Don’t worry, we are here to help!

Mobile Home for Sale in Sebring

When looking at buying or selling a mobile home within the greater Sarasota Florida area one first needs to know, for certain, where the mobile home is located and what type of park the home is within.

As silly as this may sound, it makes all the difference in the world in how the sales transaction will be handled.

In the state of Florida, if a mobile home is within a mobile home park and the park is selling the home with the land included then this will equate to a real estate transaction, the same way a single-family home will be sold.

Here, a deed for the land will be issued for the sale of the home.

If, however, the mobile home is being sold and the Seller is paying lot rent and does not own the land the home resides on then this transaction will be viewed as and taxed as personal property.

Here, a title will be issued for the sale of the home.

Mobile home titles are blue sheets of paper that look the exact same as a vehicle title does.

One key difference is that, with mobile home titles, there is a title for each side of the home.

For example, if the home being sold is a double-wide mobile home then there will be a title for side a and a title for side b.

When you buy a mobile home it is a good idea to make sure the seller has the title to the home in their name.

Mobile homes must be registered with a current decal affixed to the mobile home unit at all times, even when unoccupied. For mobile homes affixed to land that is rented, mobile home decals will expire on December 31 each year. The registration fee for mobile homes is based on the length of the mobile home. Doublewide, triple-wide, or additional mobile home units require a separate registration and decal for each unit.

Individuals who currently have a regular mobile home decal and who own the land upon which the mobile home is affixed are required to have a permanent Real Property (RP) decal affixed to their mobile home. In such cases, the mobile home owner is required to obtain a Declaration of Real Property from the Property Appraisers Office. Then, the mobile home owner is to present their RP Declaration to a Tax Collector’s Service Center and purchase an RP decal for their mobile home.

Registration Renewal

Florida law requires mobile home decals and registrations to be renewed before they expire on December 31st. It is a violation of the law to fail to display a current registration decal. Mobile homes that fail to properly display a current decal are subject to late fees or tangible personal property taxation.

Mobile Home registration and decal renewals may be conducted online, by mail, or at one of the Tax Collector’s Service Centers.

Mobile home park

To renew by mail, be on the lookout for your registration renewal notice! As a courtesy, the Tax Collector’s Office mails renewal notices to mobile homeowners. The courtesy renewal notices are generally mailed no less than 3 weeks prior to the mobile home registration expiration date (December 31st). The renewal notice includes materials that allow mobile homeowners to easily renew their registration(s) by mail. Florida law does not require mobile home registration renewal notices for vehicles to be mailed, and failure to receive a courtesy renewal notice by mail does not relieve the mobile home owner of their responsibility to renew their mobile home registrations and decals.

With this understanding, it is of utmost importance that anytime a mobile home sale is being transacted that the Buyer and Seller have all titles necessary for the ownership of the home.

When looking at a mobile home title, the upper left-hand part of the title will list who the owners of the home are. This is important to note so that you are buying the mobile home from the individual or individuals who are legally able to sell the mobile home.

Oftentimes with the names of the person(s) who are on the title, there will be the words “and” or “or” between the names.

While this may seem like an insignificant word in the title it surely is not.

When the word “and” is in between the two owners’ names this should alert the Buyer that, unless an extreme circumstance such as death has occurred, both names of the Sellers need to sign off on the title for the documentation to be transferable to the Buyer. Barring an extreme circumstance, if this does not happen, then the title can not be transferred.

When the word “or” is in between the two owners then this will signal to the Buyer that either person can sign off on the title for the title to be transferred.

When looking at buying or selling a mobile home in the greater Sarasota Florida area it is always important to know exactly what documents are needed for the transfer of title so that when the sale is complete there are no issues with the paperwork going forward!

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 26, 2023
Lost Mobile Home Title? Read THIS!
Lost Mobile Home Title? Losing the title to a mobile home in Sarasota can be a significant challenge. Without the title, proving ownership becomes difficult, hindering potential sales or transfers of ownership. Replacing a lost mobile home title typically involves navigating a complex process through the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV). This process may require documentation such as a bill of sale, proof of residency, and identification. Additionally, there may be fees associated with obtaining a duplicate title. It’s essential for mobile homeowners in Sarasota to keep their titles in a safe place to avoid the complications and costs of replacing a lost title.

You have decided to sell your Sarasota, Florida, mobile home and move on to the next stage of your life.

Whether this move is to buy a bigger or smaller mobile home around Sarasota or to go a totally different path in life, you have made the decision that your current mobile home needs to be sold.

Here is the problem: you can’t find the mobile home title you are selling!

Does this sound familiar?

If so, you aren’t alone. We will discuss why losing the title to your Sarasota, Florida, mobile home is certainly not the end of the world.

In the state of Florida, when a mobile home is located within a mobile home park on leased land, it is viewed and taxed as personal property and not real estate.

Mobile Home

This means that the homes within these parks have a title with them and not a deed, so the purchase and sale process of the home is identical to that of a vehicle transaction.

In Florida, if a mobile home is within a mobile home park and the park is selling the home with the land included, this will equate to a real estate transaction, the same way a single-family home will be sold.

Here, a title will be issued for the sale of the home.

Mobile home titles are blue sheets of paper that look exactly the same as a vehicle title.

One key difference is that mobile home titles have a title for each side of the home.

For example, if the home being sold is a double-wide mobile home, then there will be a title for side a and a title for side b.

With this understanding, it is of utmost importance that anytime a mobile home sale is being transacted the Buyer and Seller have all titles necessary for the ownership of the home.

Mobile homes in the state of Florida within a mobile home park where the owner of the mobile pays lot rent are viewed as and taxed as personal property and not real property.

This is the same way a vehicle is taxed here in Florida.

The title of the mobile home details exactly who owns the mobile home, what, if any, leans are on the property, the VIN number, Florida ID number, and additional information about the property itself.

In Florida, the title of the mobile home is the ownership document, which essentially states who owns the house.

If a title does not exist or if the Buyer or Seller of the mobile home in Florida can not locate the title then that is not a big problem as the Department of Motor Vehicles can create what is referred to as a duplicate title.

A duplicate title comes with some additional paperwork and a small fee, but it can be printed off so that the mobile home owner has the proper documentation.

If a duplicate title is not applied for or a title is not obtained during the purchase or sale of the mobile home then, again, a duplicate can be printed off by the DMV. In order for this to happen the new owner of the mobile home will need to provide their photo identification along with a purchase agreement or bill of sale for the mobile home in question. Here the DMV will be able to get the information needed for the duplicate title without an issue.

We see issues when the Buyer of the mobile home buys the property but does not or refuses to obtain any information identifying the mobile home that was purchased, such as the VIN number or property ID. The state of Florida needs these identifiers to identify the property so that a duplicate title can be created.

The Department of Motor Vehicles has a process where the current home owner can move forward and apply for a duplicate title. This can be done so long as the owner of the home has had the previous title to the property and can present proper identification reflecting their ownership of the home. Here, the Department of Motor Vehicles will simply require the owner to pay a small fee and issue a duplicate title for the mobile home. In the upper right-hand corner of the title, it will state that the title is a duplicate and not an original which will not change the document’s legality.

Florida Mobile Home

When looking at selling your Sarasota, Florida, mobile home, it is essential always to have your paperwork set up and ready to go before the closing date. If, during this collection of documents, you are unable to locate the title do not worry, following the simple process of acquiring a duplicate title for your mobile home can be done easily so that there is no problem transferring the ownership of the mobile home from you as the Seller to the new Buyer.

Without the title, original or duplicate, then the ownership of the home can not be transferred.

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

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September 26, 2023
What Document Is Needed To Transfer The Title Of Your Sarasota Mobile Home?
Congratulations, your Sarasota Florida mobile home has been sold!

You have hung in there throughout the entire listing process, have negotiated the sale of your home, located at Buyer who has been park approved and you are ready to move forward with moving out of your mobile home and into your new home!

But, before you move forward too fast you first need to get your Sarasota mobile home out of your name and into the new Buyers name.

If you don’t do this then you, as the Seller, will still be responsible for paying the yearly registration of your mobile home to the Department of Motor Vehicles. Not only this, but the Buyer will not be able to pay their taxes from the purchase of the home to the Department of Revenue nor will they be able to get mobile the home insured should they decide to add an insurance policy to their new mobile home!

In Florida, when you are buying or selling a mobile home on leased land then it is referred to as personal property and not real estate. The reason for this is that when the home is sold with the property attached to it is then deemed as real estate, when the property is leased by the owner of the home then it is viewed as and taxed as a vehicle in the state of Florida.

With this understood then when selling a mobile home on leased land the Seller and Buyer will need to fill out and complete an 82040 Form with the DMV, which is more commonly known as a Change Of Title Application.

This form will allow the Seller and Buyer to sign off on the fact that the home was sold by the Seller and purchased by the Buyer for a disclosed amount of money and that this amount of money that the mobile home was sold for has had tax collected on it. This tax will then be reported to the Department of Revenue and the Buyer will be expected to pay this amount of money to the DOR within 30 days of the sale. Failure to pay these taxes may result in additional fines and penalties assessed to the Buyer.

It is important to note that the 82040 form will need to be filled out for each side of the mobile home that is being sold. Meaning, if the home is a double-wide mobile home within the state of Florida then two of these forms will need to be filled out, one for side A and one for side B. If the Buyer does not fill out one 82040 form for each side then the DMV may reject the transfer of title application due to both forms not being filled out correctly.

When looking at selling your Sarasota mobile home make sure you also have your physical title at the closing and have the ability to sign these titles over to the new Buyer of your home. If the Buyer does not have the signed titles on hand then they will not be able to complete the 82040 form as much of the information that is needed on this form is found on the front page of the title paperwork.

When selling or buying a Sarasota Florida mobile home there are several steps need to be taken in order to ensure the title has properly taken out of the Seller’s hands and into the Buyer’s hands. These steps, if not done correctly, may cause additional fines and penalties asses to either the Buyer or the Seller of the mobile home.

It can be wise for you, as a Seller, to go with the buyer to the DMV to make sure the ownership is transferred correctly so that taxes and liability are not in your name moving forward. Some buyers wait years to transfer title/ownership.

If for any reason a lien needs to be placed on the title, this will be done at the DMV while talking with the clerk who is helping you. The clerk will want to know the name of the lienholder and their address. The new title will be sent to the lienholder’s address. The lienholder will then transfer the title to you once they are paid in full.

Mobile home in a 55+ community

Florida uses decal stickers placed on the exterior of the property to show the taxes are current for the year. The future owner will receive a tax bill in the mail yearly. Once this is paid you will be mailed back a decal sticker for the home’s exterior road-facing window.

For buyers, aim to transfer ownership through the DMV soon after you purchase the mobile home to avoid a penalty or complications when you eventually do transfer ownership/title

The safest and most surefire way to sell a mobile home on leased land is to hire a licensed mobile home broker, such as The Mobile Home Dealer, to help you with this transaction. By having a trained professional helping guide you throughout the process then you as the Seller and the Buyer know that things are being done right throughout the entire process allowing for the sales process to be more streamlined and far less stressful!

This is Mark Kaiser with The Mobile Home Dealer which helps mobile home Buyers and Sellers get to a better place in life!

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September 25, 2023
What Are Sarasota Mobile Home Titles?
What are mobile home titles and what needs to be done with them when buying or selling a home in Sarasota?

Are you looking to buy a home but don’t know what role a title plays in the purchase transaction?

Are you looking to sell a mobile home but are not sure what you are supposed to do with your title when it comes time to sell the home?

This is understandable as many times when we get asked these questions they are asked by mobile home buyers or sellers who only sell or buy a few mobile homes their entire life.

Mobile homes on lease land are taxed in Florida as personal property, not real estate.

As such, these personal property homes have a title that shows proof of ownership and not a deed like traditional real estate has.

You may be familiar with the term title from when you bought or sold a vehicle. This is the same type of title we are referring to here. So, if you have any experience with vehicle titles then we’re halfway there already!

A certificate of title is proof of ownership of a mobile home in the state of Florida. Most mobile homes are required to be titled. The exception is mobile homes which are declared as real property.

When you purchase a new mobile home, bring a mobile home into the state, or there is a change in the ownership of the mobile home, you must apply for a registration and title in your name.

When you buy a mobile home it is a good idea to make sure the seller has the title to the home in their name.

Mobile homes must be registered with a current decal affixed to the mobile home unit at all times, even when unoccupied. For mobile homes affixed to land that is rented, mobile home decals will expire on December 31 each year. The registration fee for mobile homes is based on the length of the mobile home. Doublewide, triple-wide, or additional mobile home units require a separate registration and decal for each unit.

Individuals who currently have a regular mobile home decal and who own the land upon which the mobile home is affixed are required to have a permanent Real Property (RP) decal affixed to their mobile home. In such cases, the mobile home owner is required to obtain a Declaration of Real Property from the Property Appraisers Office. Then, the mobile home owner is to present their RP Declaration to a Tax Collector’s Service Center and purchase an RP decal for their mobile home.

Registration Renewal

Florida law requires mobile home decals and registrations to be renewed before they expire on December 31st. It is a violation of the law to fail to display a current registration decal. Mobile homes that fail to properly display a current decal are subject to late fees or tangible personal property taxation.

Mobile Home registration and decal renewals may be conducted online, by mail, or at one of the Tax Collector’s Service Centers.

To renew by mail, be on the lookout for your registration renewal notice! As a courtesy, the Tax Collector’s Office mails renewal notices to mobile homeowners. The courtesy renewal notices are generally mailed no less than 3 weeks before the mobile home registration expiration date (December 31st). The renewal notice includes materials that allow mobile homeowners to easily renew their registration(s) by mail. Florida law does not require mobile home registration renewal notices for vehicles to be mailed, and failure to receive a courtesy renewal notice by mail does not relieve the mobile home owner of their responsibility to timely renew their mobile home registrations and decals.

Here is your first tip of the day:

Do not buy a mobile home from someone whose name is not on the title as they do not have proof of actually owning the home in the very first place!

Check to see if the owner has a lien on the title.

If they don’t have a lien then it is referred to as the owner having what’s called a clear title. If a lien is present that means that the owner of the title has a lien against the property which also means that they owe money to someone or some agency before they own it in full. The lien information will physically be written on the title on the front page of it.

If you are selling a mobile home you will always want to make sure your title is ready for when the buyer is ready to buy and that you can sign over the title to the new owner.

Our second tip of the day:

Make sure you know where your title is and that you can physically locate it!

We, at the Mobile Home Dealer, work with buyers and sellers daily and help complete the entire title transfer process as part of our services.

Knowing what a title is and why it is important is the first step in knowing who owns the mobile home and the insurers you are buying the home from the correct person.

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 to a better place in life.

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September 22, 2023