Tag: trailer park background check disqualifiers

10 Reasons Why Mobile Home Parks Will Deny Your Application
The dream of owning a mobile home and residing in a mobile home park is a reality for many individuals seeking affordable housing options. However, the journey to securing a spot in these communities is not always smooth. Mobile home park applications can be denied for a variety of reasons, leaving applicants perplexed and disappointed. Understanding the grounds for rejection is essential to improve your chances of success.

In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the diverse factors that may lead to the denial of your mobile home park application. From credit history and income requirements to criminal background checks and adherence to park-specific rules, we explore the intricate web of criteria that park management assesses when reviewing applications.

Bay Indies Mobile Home Park Lagoon

By shedding light on these potential roadblocks, we aim to equip you with the knowledge and insights necessary to navigate the application process successfully, whether you’re a first-time applicant or someone reapplying after a prior rejection. Understanding the reasons behind application denials is the first step toward securing your place in a mobile home park community.

Mobile home parks may reject applications for a variety of reasons. While the specific reasons can vary depending on the park and its policies, here are ten common reasons why a mobile home park might reject your application:

1. Poor Credit History

A poor credit history is a significant factor in mobile home park application rejections. Most mobile home parks routinely perform credit checks on prospective residents to assess their financial stability. A history marked by unpaid debts, a low credit score, or past bankruptcy filings can be grounds for rejection. This is because a robust credit history is often seen as a sign of financial responsibility, indicating an applicant’s ability to meet their lot rent and other financial obligations.

To improve the chances of being accepted, individuals with suboptimal credit may consider addressing and repairing their credit issues or seeking co-signers to vouch for their financial stability.

2. Criminal History

Criminal History can play a pivotal role in mobile home park application denials. Certain parks may impose stringent restrictions on applicants with specific criminal convictions, particularly those associated with violent crimes or drug-related offenses. This measure is often taken to ensure the safety and well-being of the community’s residents. While the exact criteria may vary from one park to another, a history of such convictions can trigger apprehension in management, potentially leading to application rejection.

To navigate this obstacle, applicants may consider inquiring about the park’s specific policies regarding criminal backgrounds or exploring alternative housing options if their criminal history doesn’t align with the park’s criteria.

3. Insufficient Income

Insufficient income is a common reason for mobile home park application rejections. Parks often demand evidence of a minimum income to ensure that applicants can comfortably cover the lot rent and other associated expenses. This requirement is in place to safeguard the financial stability of both the applicant and the community. Without the assurance of a steady income, it can become challenging for residents to meet their financial obligations, potentially leading to issues like late payments or delinquencies.

To mitigate this concern, applicants can explore options to increase their income, provide co-signers or guarantors, or seek housing alternatives better aligned with their financial means if they do not meet the income requirements of their chosen mobile home park.

4. Previous Evictions

A history of previous evictions can significantly impede your mobile home park application. Mobile home park management is often wary of applicants with eviction records, as it suggests a history of non-compliance with lease agreements or an inability to meet financial commitments. Evictions can signal potential disruptions to the community’s tranquility and harmony. Consequently, applicants with this blemish on their record may find it challenging to secure a spot in a mobile home park.

To overcome this hurdle, it’s essential to demonstrate a commitment to responsible tenancy, potentially offering references from landlords who can vouch for your improved rental behavior and financial stability or opting for housing alternatives that may be more accommodating of your history.

5. Pet Policy Violation

Failure to adhere to a mobile home park’s pet policy can result in application rejection. Parks typically have specific rules governing the type, size, and number of pets allowed, as well as requirements for vaccinations and leashing. If an applicant’s pets do not comply with these regulations, or if they fail to disclose their pets altogether, it can create concerns for park management. Non-compliance can disrupt the community’s atmosphere and potentially lead to conflicts among residents.

To avoid rejection on these grounds, applicants should thoroughly review the park’s pet policy and be forthright about their pets during the application process. This allows the park to assess whether the applicant and their pets align with the community’s established guidelines.

Spanish Lakes Mobile Home Park in Nokomis Florida

6. Incomplete Application

An incomplete application is a common cause of rejection in mobile home parks. When applicants fail to submit all the required information or documents as outlined in the application guidelines, it can make the review process challenging for park management. Incomplete applications not only delay the decision-making process but can also raise doubts about an applicant’s commitment or organizational skills.

To enhance the chances of a successful application, it’s crucial to meticulously follow the instructions and provide all requested details, including proof of income, references, identification, and any other documents the park requires. A complete and well-prepared application reflects positively on the applicant, demonstrating readiness and responsibility in adhering to the park’s application procedures.

7. Age Restrictions

Age restrictions are a key consideration when seeking residency in a mobile home park. Some parks enforce age-related guidelines, either setting a minimum age requirement for residents or instituting policies that exclude children. These age restrictions are often implemented to cater to a specific demographic or lifestyle, such as retirees or older adults seeking a quiet and age-appropriate living environment. Applicants who don’t meet these criteria may face rejection.

To navigate such restrictions, it’s essential to thoroughly research the park’s rules and regulations beforehand, ensuring they align with your age and family composition. For those who don’t meet the specified criteria, alternative housing options that cater to diverse age groups may be a more suitable choice.

8. Poor Rental History

A poor rental history can have significant implications for your mobile home park application. It typically includes a record of late rent payments, incidents of property damage, or disputes with previous landlords. This history reflects on an applicant’s reliability as a tenant and their ability to maintain a harmonious and respectful relationship with property owners and management. Such blemishes on a rental record can lead to application rejection as they raise concerns about future conduct and financial responsibility.

To enhance the prospects of a successful application, individuals with a less-than-ideal rental history may consider providing explanations, references from landlords who can vouch for their improved behavior, or exploring housing options that might be more lenient regarding past rental issues.

9. Failure to Meet Park Criteria

Failure to meet the park’s specific criteria is a significant reason for mobile home park application rejection. These criteria can encompass a wide range of factors, including the condition and age of your mobile home, the type of utilities it uses, and compliance with aesthetic standards. Not meeting these criteria can lead to rejection, as it can disrupt the uniformity and quality of the community.

Lake Village Mobile Home Park

To navigate this challenge, it’s essential to thoroughly review the park’s requirements before applying and ensure your mobile home aligns with these standards. If your home doesn’t meet the criteria, you may need to make necessary improvements or seek alternative housing options that better match the park’s guidelines.

10. Unapproved Mobile Home

An unapproved mobile home can lead to the rejection of your application in a mobile home park. The park management typically has specific requirements concerning the size, condition, and appearance of mobile homes within the community. Failing to meet these criteria can result in application denial, as it can affect the overall aesthetics and quality of the park.

To navigate this obstacle, applicants should thoroughly understand the park’s standards and ensure that their mobile home complies with these guidelines. If the home does not meet the park’s requirements, it might be necessary to make necessary modifications or explore alternative housing options that better align with the community’s specifications.

It’s important to note that each mobile home park has its own unique rules and criteria for accepting residents, so it’s crucial to review their guidelines and be honest in your application to avoid potential rejection. If your application is rejected, you can inquire about the specific reasons and, if possible, work on addressing those issues to reapply in the future.

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October 23, 2023
What Does A Sarasota Mobile Home Park Check On The Park Application?
Ahh yes, the mobile home park application process! As licensed mobile home brokers in Florida, here at The Mobile Home Dealer are all too familiar with this process, as we cannot sell a mobile home to someone who is not already park-approved at the time of closing.

We are unable to sell a mobile home to someone who is not already park-approved because if we did sell these Buyers a home and then they went to get approved and were denied, then they, along with their new home, would need to be moved out of the park!

Mobile Home in Nokomis Florida

This can create a MAJOR problem for these new would-be Buyers as most mobile home transport companies within the state of Florida will not move a mobile home if it is older than 20 years old due to the transporter not being able to obtain a permit from the county the home is in to transport the home legally.

As you can quickly see, this can become an issue as now the Buyer has a home they legally own, that they can not live in, that can not be moved!

Now that everyone knows why it is so important to have approval on file with the mobile home park before purchasing a mobile home in the greater Sarasota area let’s go ahead and tackle the actual application itself.

Most mobile home parks that have mobile homes on leased land within the Sarasota area of Florida follow a standard application process.

Some parks are a little more tech-savvy than others and offer everything through their online portal and others are not that far advanced and require the application to be filled out in paper form either at the office or to have this application physically mailed to the Buyer’s residence.

The application usually is pretty short and checks the potential applicant on three main categories:
1. Credit History
2. Criminal Background
3. Reported Income In Relation To Lot Rent
Credit History:

While we do not work for any park and do not see or review any applications in the mobile home park approval process, we understand that each park will pull a basic credit history of each applicant. Required credit ratings are a bit of a mystery, but generally speaking, most parks look for over a 550 credit score.

For each household wishing to live in the community. A common benchmark for many communities is a minimum credit score of 550. However, other parks may have much lower or higher minimum credit beacon score requirements. Remember Update as of December 2022:

Since mobile homes on leased land in Florida are taxed as personal property and not real estate, they require different but specific documentation. It is important to prepare these documents in advance to expedite your sale.

These documentations include
- The vehicle title of the manufactured home (if titled as chattel) or the real estate deed (if titled as real estate)
- Bill of sale for the manufactured home, with both the seller’s signature and the buyer’s
- Tax records to prove the seller has paid all applicable taxes on the manufactured homes.
Most mobile home parks around the country will require a minimum credit score for those who apply for the park. If two people are applying to be on the same park application, many parks will average the two scores together to get a single score required for park approval

Criminal Background:

A standard background check will be done on each applicant. Usually, the fee associated with the application fee is used in part to pull the criminal background of all would-be applicants.

Most mobile home parks nationwide screen for criminal offenses locally and nationwide. Remember to be honest and forthcoming when speaking to Park managers about your past. Criminal restrictions in parks vary wildly from community to community. Some communities will not allow DUI offenses in the past 20 years, and others will not care in the slightest.

To protect their investment, mobile home & trailer park owners must screen park residents to be a good fit among their established residents. Background checks enable you to protect good tenants while enabling a calculated risk decision to avoid what could be a problem tenant.

Reported Income About Lot Rent:

This is usually a standard 2-3X the lot rent. What this means is that if, for example, the lot rent is $500, then the park would look for the entire household to have reported income somewhere around $1,000-$1,500 per month. The reason for this is that the park wants to do its part in making sure that the applicant has on paper enough money to cover their monthly lot rent payment.

Mobile Home for Sale in Sebring

In addition to the above three most common checking categories, some mobile home parks around the country screen for previous evictions. This will be a deal-breaker in many communities; however, the length of time since the last eviction will absolutely vary from community to community.

After being in the mobile home industry for quite some time, we at The Mobile Home Dealer have yet to find a park owner or manager who will provide us with a hard-lined set of standards that they require all applicants to meet.

Most park managers and owners we have spoken to send all of the information to a third party and the third party that completes the approval has a set standard on which they base their approvals or denials.

What we do for certain is that whatever a park requires the applicant to provide in order for the application to be completed needs to be sent in as soon as possible because if it is not then it will lead to additional delays in the approval process.

While certain mobile home parks may contain several restrictions, they vary from park to park. Aim to keep an open mind and proactive attitude when reaching out to park managers and aiming to get approved within the community. It is typically better to have more clarity rather than less clarity while purchasing or investing in any mobile home on private land or inside parks.

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
How Long Should The Approval Process Take In A Sarasota Mobile Home Park?
One of the most common questions buyers always ask us is how long it takes for the mobile home park to approve new residents. Although different mobile home parks differ in processing times, this article will explain everything you need to know in order to have a successful mobile home park approval process.

“You need to get approved by the park before buying a mobile home!”

How familiar does this one-liner sound when you are looking at buying a mobile home within a mobile home park in Sarasota Florida?

Pretty familiar, right?

Mobile home in Florida

As licensed mobile home brokers within the state of Florida we, here at The Mobile Home Dealer, require that each Buyer become park-approved prior to the sale and closing of any mobile home. As such, we are very familiar with how the park approval process works and how important it is for the applicant to fill out and provide the park office with all the information that is required of them in a timely fashion.

Mobile home parks within the Sarasota Florida area require each Buyer to be park-approved prior to closing on and moving into their mobile home.

While each park has its unique standards and requirements for what an applicant must provide to get the park approved the consistent theme is that each Buyer must go through this process so that they can move into the community.

By having a park approval process in place it assures each current resident that the new Buyer of the mobile home in their park is held to the same standards as the previous person who has moved in which creates a uniform expectation for all residents in the mobile home park.

Most parks follow the same guidelines and will check the applicant’s criminal background, credit score, and debt-to-income ratio.

In all of our time working in mobile home parks we, here at The Mobile Home Dealer, have yet to find a park owner or manager who can explain why or what they weigh the most when looking reviewing an applicant file to see if they are approved to become a resident or not.

About half of the mobile home parks within the greater Sarasota area complete all of their park approvals in-house, meaning, the park manager takes all of the information down and runs it through their company’s database. When this is done the application process can move very quickly, usually within a few days, to determine if the applicant has been approved to live in the park or not.

The other half of mobile home parks will send each applicant’s information out to a third party to complete all of the background screenings. When this happens the would-be applicant should plan on the application process taking 1-2 weeks and sometimes longer.

In order to get the application process completed as quickly as possible it is imperative that the applicant provide the park office with all of the necessary information as quickly as possible. Most parks usually will provide the applicant with a list of all the information that is needed and will then leave it up to the applicant to supply these documents to them on their own.

We have never, ever, seen or heard of a park following up with an applicant to remind them of outstanding paperwork that is needed. When the Buyer is looking to get approved it is their responsibility to get all of the information into the office in a timely fashion as their application will not be submitted for approval until everything has been sent in.

If you are in a hurry to get approved by the mobile home park of your choice, make sure to prepare all the necessary documents at hand. If you already submitted all of the requirements and there is no response from the park manager, be proactive and send a follow-up request.

Sarasota Fl, Mobile Home

Park managers and caretakers have other things on their hands and sometimes, the lack of attention from your side makes it more complicated. If your application is rejected because of the lack of proper documentation, fix it right away and don’t wait for the park manager to remind you because they simply do not do the follow-ups.

When looking to buy a mobile home throughout the Sarasota Florida area all Buyers need to know that the purchase of their mobile home will not be complete until after the park approval process is done and on file. Trying to buy a home before being park-approved will create a world of trouble for the Buyer and, possibly, the Seller. This is something we strongly suggest not doing!

The length of the approval process in a Sarasota mobile home park can vary depending on the specific park, the details of the application, and other factors. Generally speaking, the approval process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. If the application is approved, there may be additional steps that need to be taken, such as obtaining a permit from the local municipality or obtaining insurance. During this time, a mobile home park may offer assistance to help ensure that all paperwork is properly completed and submitted. Once all the necessary steps have been taken, the approval process should be complete.

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, 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 which helps mobile home Buyers and Sellers get to a better place in life.

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September 25, 2023
What Is Needed For A Sarasota Mobile Home Park Approval?
When looking to obtain mobile home park approval for a mobile home park in Sarasota, what will you need to provide them?

We here at The Home Dealer have a company policy where we will not sell a mobile home in a mobile home park to anyone prior to them obtaining and providing us their park approval.

But why do we do this?

As registered mobile home brokers in the State of Florida, we want to make sure that all Buyers are purchasing a clean, safe, and affordable property that they can call home for years if they choose to do so.

Part of providing this to our clients is to first make sure they are legally allowed to own the home that they live in!

Each mobile home park will have its own requirements for park approval, but usually, they are all about the same.

Each park has its own way of going about the actual approval process. Usually, every park will require each person that is going through to be approved to fill out a written application. Along with the application the applicant will need to provide a photo ID, pay a nominal application fee, and agree to have their background checked by the park. If you or your applicant friend does not have a current driver’s license that is okay as usual, a state-issued photo ID card or a passport will do the trick.

The reason is simple: if the Buyer is not park-approved prior to purchasing the mobile home through us as a licensed mobile home broker then we will not be able to close on the home.

The reason for this is that, as licensed mobile home brokers with the state of Florida, we are required to make sure that all parties who are looking at becoming residents within the mobile home park they are buying their home in have passed the approval process and are allowed to become residents within the mobile home park.

Many times, folks will skip this step and just assume that they can buy and move into any mobile home in any mobile home park in the Sarasota area without a second thought.
The park will need a copy of your driver’s license or a state ID card and will run a background check, usually a credit check, and in some instances an eviction check on all previous rental history.

Most parks charge a minimal fee for this service as well, but due to COVID, we have seen many parks waive this fee for the application.

Most parks will also have a paper application that is required to be filled out and on file which the park will use to judge if you are approved or not as a resident in the park.

Each park manager has their own approval system and works with their own sense of urgency, but it would be reasonable to think that if you have everything that is asked of you, you should hear an update on your approval notification within a few business days.

What we have seen is that if you are an out-of-state or out-of-country resident, then sometimes it will take a few additional days to obtain your approval from the park. Although I am not sure why this is, it does seem to always take a few additional days for those Buyers to get approval.

There is no universal credit score that is needed, to my knowledge, as everything on your park application is weighed pretty evenly in order to determine your park approval status.

One of the only aspects that I have personally seen that may cause an immediate issue with approvals is if the individual who is applying for residency does not meet the needed age for the park.

Many parks in the Sarasota area are age-restricted, requiring certain ages of those living in the park, to live there. If the potential resident does not meet the age requirement this could immediately cause a problem.

If the Buyer is not park approved prior to the closing and tries to obtain approval after buying the home and gets denied residency then all of a sudden this Buyer owns a home that they are unable to live in!

When this happens one of two things may happen:
The Buyer may be asked to move their home.
The Buyer is told they are unable to live in their home and will need to have another person live in the property.

In the first situation above, if the Buyer is asked to move their home this is not nearly as easy as it sounds. The reason for this is that, in Florida, a mobile home mover will not be able to obtain a moving permit on a mobile home if it is older than 20 years of age.

In the second situation, many mobile home parks in the greater Sarasota Florida area do not allow for a mobile home to be lived in by anyone other than the owner of the property.

In each situation, you can quickly see how the Buyer of the mobile home can get into a sticky situation very quickly if they are not approved by the mobile home park prior to purchasing their mobile home.

The key for you to know here is in order to purchase a home, make sure you are approved before closing on the property.

In order to get the park approved, make sure you contact the park and get them everything you need in order to make the approval process swift and easy for everyone involved.

If you don’t do this, expect quite a few delays 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
What Does It Mean In Sarasota To Be “Park Approved”?
What does park approval mean to Sarasota mobile home park residents?

When looking to buy or sell a mobile home in Sarasota, it is important to know the importance of what park approval means, and how it can affect both the purchase and the sale of a mobile home, both in positive and negative ways.

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 prior to 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.

Does it even matter that this is done before buying a mobile home on leased land in Florida?

Many times those who are not familiar with the buying process of a mobile home on leased land do not realize that getting approved by the park is a part of the mobile home purchase process.

This then begs the question to be asked, what is park approval?

When buying a mobile home in a mobile home park, every resident needs to be approved as a resident within the community in that the home is physically located. Different parks have different requirements but, generally speaking, if you are in an age-qualified community, every person who will be physically living in the home will need to be approved by the park. If you are buying a mobile home in an all-ages park, you will need to have approval for everyone living in the home who is over a certain age to be able to be approved for residency.

Each park has its way of going about the actual approval process. Usually, every park will require each person who is going through to be approved to fill out a written application. Along with the application the applicant will need to provide a photo ID, pay a nominal application fee, and agree to have their background checked by the park. If you or your applicant friend does not have a current driver’s license that is okay as usual, a state-issued photo ID card or a passport will do the trick.

The reason is simple: if the Buyer is not park-approved before purchasing the mobile home through us as a licensed mobile home broker then we will not be able to close on the home.

This approval is, usually, handled by the manager in the park. Or, if the park is small enough, it can be done by the owner.

Parks have different criteria when it comes to being approved, but it usually comes down to a credit check, a criminal history screen, verification of income, and an in-depth look to see if there has ever been an eviction with the applicant.

Most of the time parks, usually, put the most emphasis on the income and eviction portion of the application process.

The reason why they do this is that when buying a mobile home in a park where the owner leases the land they will be required to make a monthly payment to the park for the usage of that land, known as lot rent.

Many times, parks will have it laid out in the rule book that if the tenant does not pay the lot rent each month, then their home could be forced into eviction due to not paying lot rent.

Having a thorough screening of past evictions on every tenant applying for the park will ensure the park’s safety net, and is the park’s way of trying to get the most qualified tenants in their park.

The entire park approval process should take a few days after the tenant fills out their paperwork and gets it to the appropriate person who runs the process.

So, is it really necessary to get park approved before buying a mobile home within a Sarasota mobile home park?

YES, IT IS!

Failure to have yourself approved before purchasing a home could lead to the home that you just bought being evicted due to you not being approved by the park before this purchase.

This could create a very costly and stressful situation that could have been avoided should you have gone forward with the approval process before buying your mobile home.

While looking at mobile homes is fun and exciting it is of utmost importance for both the Buyer and the Seller to not get too excited due to the park approval process being a needed part of the closing puzzle.

Without park approval on file, there is no sale.

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