Florida Mobile Home Communities

Palm Beach County is home to around 123 Florida mobile home, trailer, and RV communities.  The idea of a Florida mobile home sounds particularly attractive to retirees, 55+, active adults, and those looking for affordable housing, investment opportunities, or a second seasonal home.  It is estimated that around 1,000 people relocate to the Sunshine state each day, and over 800,000 of the state's residents live in mobile homes.

The gorgeous sandy beaches on the Caribbean waters of the Atlantic Ocean with warm weather all year round, plus the fiscal advantages, such as tax benefits of living in Florida are just a handful of the many attributes that make the state a worldwide destination.  With home sale prices still at record highs, a Florida mobile home seems like a logical alternative.  Yes, a Florida mobile home may appear to be more affordable and have its perks, however, it is extremely important to get educated before you buy a manufactured or mobile home, so there are no surprises.

Jump to the following sections:

History

Definition

Lot Types

Construction

Financing

Taxes

Regulations, Safety, & Inspections

Click on the following cities to see browse mobile homes for sale in South Florida:

Boca Raton

Boynton Beach

Briny Breezes

Jupiter

Jupiter Inlet Colony

Lake Worth

Lantana

West Palm Beach

History

Before 1976, factory-built, prefabricated trailer homes were mass-produced and marketed as mobile housing.  Like campers and travel trailers, thanks to their trailer frames, axles, wheels, and tow-hitches, these dwellings could be transported and moved.  However, they were all different in size, furnishings, and construction.   After a number of problems, the federal government stepped in to be sure affordable housing was safer for the American public.  The 1974 National Mobile home Construction and Safety Act, followed by the 1976 HUD Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards.  In order to make dwellings safer and less vulnerable to the whims of Mother Nature, this series of legislation created federally regulated national building codes for all mobile homes.

Definition: What is a Mobile or Manufactured Home?

A mobile home, also manufactured, is a premade residential structure created in a factory.  Permanently attached to a structural framework or chassis, the units are transported by tow or trailer to a plot of land.  The slang term "Trailer" often refers to mobile homes that were built prior to HUD implementing federal standards on construction and design.  Trailers are small units with wheels attached permanently so they can travel often, mobile homes generally travel once, to their site.  (see below)

Considered a Mobile or Manufactured Home:

• A dwelling of at least 320 square feet
• Building occurred in a factory, not on site
• Transported as a complete unit to its current location for installation
• The structure has a permanent Chassis
• Constructed according to the federal building code

NOT considered a Mobile or Manufactured Home:

• A Recreational vehicle or RV
• A camper/trailer
• A modular home, which is built in factories, but transported in sections and constructed at the permanent site

Lot Types for a Florida Mobile Home

A Florida Mobile Home must reside in one of the following three situations:

Land Lease

• You do not own the land, you pay monthly rent
• Rather than purchasing an interest in the entire mobile/manufactured home community, like a cooperative, in a land lease, you own the dwelling but have no stake in the land
• This simply means that the mobile home is purchased, a monthly lot rent is paid on the lot
• Depending on the community, the lot rent may include garbage and recycling pick up, use of the amenities, lawn care, cable, internet, sewer, and water
• This is the most common type of 55+ housing in Florida, with around 2,400 communities
• The primary benefit to this type of ownership is you won’t have to invest additional money in purchasing the land
• The biggest concern of this type of ownership is that you do not own the land - at any point in time, the land can be sold, bought by investors, and fees and land rent can be raised - or you can simply be kicked off the land - Warning about RISKS and recent buy-out of parks

Co-op (Resident Owned)

• You share ownership interest in the entire mobile/manufactured home community
• You do not own the land that your manufactured/mobile home sits on (known as fee simple in traditional real estate), rather your ownership is comparable to being a stockholder, owning a share of interest in the entire community
• Monthly fees are generally half of the lot rent fees paid on a land lease basis for those homes without a share

Land-owned Subdivision Homeowners Association (HOA) Community

• You purchase the land with a specific legal description, lot, and block
• Monthly HOA dues are for the use of the facilities, amenities, and common area maintenance
• This option means you will not have to pay a larger monthly lot rent, but your initial costs will be much higher as you will have to purchase the home and the land
• This is a good option for people who want to own real property
• All lots in a land owned subdivision will be owned by the individual owners who form a homeowners association
• Members of the Association elect a board of directors to manage common elements

Additionally, be sure to understand your Florida mobile home community rules.  If you’re aiming to live in a mobile home park, you want to read through its regulations, including bylaws if there’s a mobile homeowners’ association.  These can give you a good understanding of what you’re getting into﹘especially the behaviors that may get you fined or evicted.

Construction Details

There are major differences in how manufactured homes are constructed compared to site-built homes.  When considering buying a Florida mobile home, these differences are of the utmost importance.  Particular and detailed attention should be taken, and all manufactured homes should be inspected before purchase.  There could be big red flags you may not notice in a manufactured home, for instance, the home separation called crowning.  A Florida mobile home may have floors that hang out beyond the width of the I-beams.  The steel outriggers may not be attached to the I-beams to support the weight of the extended floors, causing the walls to separate from the roof.  This is not a surprise you want to discover after purchasing your first Florida mobile home.  Also, it should be noted that modern mobile homes are usually permanently installed with a masonry foundation.  They can be moved, but it's very difficult and expensive to do so.

Foundation

Manufactured homes are built on a permanent chassis, which becomes part of the foundation once the wheels and axles are removed,  If you purchase a used manufactured home, the chassis should be inspected and free of rust to ensure that the home will remain structurally sound.  There is a concrete pad or pilings that most manufactured homes sit on.  This also needs to be inspected and found to be solid, without large cracks and/or excessive spalling.  The home inspector will also check the tie-down straps and frame anchors to be sure they haven't become loose.

Flooring

Manufactured homes have a floor framing system that consists of a moisture barrier and a floor covering, made of top sheet plywood or composite decking, placed on floor joists.  Even if the floor system of a newly manufactured home meets the rigid HUD requirements, some used manufactured homes may have floor issues.  The floor must be inspected for weak areas, creaky spots, waviness, or holes.  Additionally, if moisture is noted, it is likely the vapor barrier has been compromised and the floor frame structure needs to be checked for water damage as well.

Siding, Skirting, and Underbelly

The exterior of a pre-owned manufactured home is covered in a siding that has two primary functions.  One, it protects the home from the weather, and two, it improves the aesthetic appeal of the entire property.  The siding on a Florida mobile home that has been maintained with care and is in good condition should not have any apparent moisture issues in the walls.  Skirting should be inspected as well.  It plays a significant role in eliminating air drafts and reducing moisture-related problems underneath the home, and shouldn’t have any gaps or holes.  When checking the home’s underbelly, the inspector should look for signs that may indicate the home is shifting or sinking.  If the underbelly shows any signs of tearing or sagging at key pressure points, it might need to be repaired or replaced.  If the piers are shifting or pulling away from the structure it may indicate serious structural issues with the property and should be carefully evaluated.

Financing a Florida Mobile Home

While mobile homes cost less than traditional homes, you may still need financing.  According to Florida Law, a mobile home is only considered real property if the owner also owns the land it sits on and the home is permanently attached to that land.  If your manufactured home doesn’t fit this description, then it is likely to be considered a chattel, or moveable personal property.  Chattel loans typically come with higher interest rates, shorter loan terms, and fewer consumer protections.  If you are planning to purchase a brand new manufactured mobile home, then getting a bank loan or finance won’t really present a problem, so long as your circumstances meet the current lending criteria.

If you want to purchase a used mobile home, financial institutions will be very reluctant to lend money to purchase a mobile home that is more than 10 years old.  However, you can finance a manufactured home that is chattel through a personal property loan, similar to how you would finance a car.  This typically requires around five percent down with your home as collateral that your lender can repossess if you fail to pay.

Another option is the Federal Housing Authority’s Title I program.  These are usually 12 to 15-year fixed-rate loans that you can use to purchase a manufactured home, a lot, or both.  The down payment usually runs from 3.5 to 10 percent.   The definition of FHA Title 1 loan “improvements” is fairly broad: The Department of Housing and Urban Development says the money can be used for anything that makes your home "basically more livable and useful.”  That includes buying appliances, such as dishwashers, built-in ovens, refrigerators, and freezers.  Home improvements that aim to expand accessibility for disabled people are also allowed, as are energy-efficient upgrades such as solar energy systems.

FHA Title 1 loan details:

• The maximum loan term — the length of time you have to pay it back — is 15 years on a manufactured home on a foundation, and 12 years for a manufactured house without a foundation
• The maximum loan amount is $25,090 for a manufactured home on a foundation and $7,500 for a manufactured home without a foundation

If you own the mobile/manufactured home and the land under it, the following types of mortgages may be options:

Conventional loan

• These privately funded and insured loans offer competitive interest rates, but often require a good credit score, a low debt-to-income ratio, and about 20 percent down.

A US Department of Agriculture (USDA) loan

• You can apply to the USDA Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program, but you’ll have to meet certain income and geographic criteria to qualify.

A US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) loan

• The VA also has a guaranteed loan program that can be used for manufactured housing.

Taxes: How are Mobile Homes Taxed in Florida?

If your Florida mobile home is taxed as real property, you may be eligible for homestead exemption and other tax benefits of living in Florida. According to the Florida Department of Revenue, mobile homes are taxed in one of three ways:

• Assessed and taxed as real property.  Your manufactured home is taxed annually as real property if it’s affixed to land that you own.
• Subjected to an annual license tax.  If you don’t own the land your mobile home sits on, then you must buy a mobile home decal from the DHSMV every year.
• Assessed and taxed as tangible personal property.  This tax applies if your manufactured home qualifies for the mobile home decal, but does not have a current one on it.

Regulations, Safety & Inspections

All mobile/manufactured homes must adhere to and comply with federal, state, county, and if applicable, other local ordinances.  Federally, all mobile/manufactured homes must be built in accordance with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, regulations.  These rules and requirements, titled the Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards, were amended in 1994 to better ensure that mobile/manufactured homes can withstand high winds.

The State of Florida, the Department of Highway Safety and Motoore Vehicles specifies regulations on mobile/manufactured home inspections.  Compared to other states, home installation standards on a Florida mobile home are considered rigorous.  In accordance with Rule Chapter 15C-1, all mobile/manufactured homes in Florida must be installed by a licensed mobile/manufactured home installer.  All mobile/manufactured homes in Florida must be built in accordance with the Wind Zone standards of the county it is to be installed.  A competent, licensed inspector for manufactured homes understands the unique issues of factory-built homes.  This knowledge allows them to pinpoint current and future issues that may be unsafe, lower the value of the home, or be too expensive to repair.

In an InterNACHI forum, a manufactured home inspector shared a list of the ten most important things in a manufactured home inspection:

• Proper marriage line alignment
• Overextended Jack heads
• Wood pads with cracks
• Squeaking floors, warped or bowing floors that could mean water damage
• Toilets with bad wax rings, loose flanges, or a wobble
• A moisture barrier, belly wrap is present and healthy with no tears
• Damage around water heaters and furnaces
• Pier Spacing
• Healthy outrigger with no visible sagging
• Sagging ceiling panels (caused by broken 1″x2″ or 2″x2″ rafters)

Finding Serial Numbers & Data Plates on a Florida mobile home

In mobile/manufactured homes older than 1994, the Data Plate may have been placed on the master bath vanity door, kitchen cabinet door, in the utility room, inside the breaker box, or in the master bedroom closet.  Data plates are sometimes hard to find on older homes since they may have been removed, however, all manufactured housing units have the serial number on the front header (the I-beam that runs across the width of the front of the home, it will be found on the left side of the header when viewing the front of the home)  Since 1994, the Data Plate, including the model, serial number, HUD number, and additional information, will be located in the master bedroom closet.

If you are concerned with maintenance on a manufactured home you may want to look into a home warranty program that will help bear the costs of future maintenance.

Here is a list of Mobile Home Warranty companies:

• American Home Shield  - Phone: 888 429 8247
• 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty - Phone: 800.743.4210
• Old Republic Home Protection - Phone: 800-445-6999
• Complete Protection - Phone: 800-978-2022
• HMS Home Warranty - Phone: 800-247-3680
• Home Warranty of America - Phone: 888-492-7359
• American Residential Warranty - Phone: 800.588.9008

Insurance

Manufactured/Mobile homes are typically not covered by traditional homeowners policies because they tend to be more vulnerable to severe weather.  Manufactured home policies (HO-7) insurance policies generally cover the following.  Dwelling, this coverage pays to repair or replace the structure of your mobile home if it’s damaged by events your policy covers, up to a limit you choose.  These events typically include personal property.  An HO-7 policy provides coverage to the personal property in your mobile home, like furniture and clothing, for perils that are specifically listed — or named — on your policy.  If your personal property is destroyed following a named peril, the insurance company will pay out according to the actual cash value of your items.

Named perils to include:

• Lightning or fire
• Hail or windstorm
• Damage caused by aircraft
• Explosions
• Riots or civil disturbances
• Smoke damage
• Damage caused by vehicles
• Theft
• Vandalism and malicious mischief
• Falling objects
• Volcanic eruption
• Damage from the weight of snow, ice, or sleet
• Water damage from plumbing, heating, or air conditioning overflow
• Water heater cracking, tearing, and burning
• Damage from electrical current
• Pipe freezing

When selecting a limit for this part of your policy, you want an amount high enough to replace your mobile home if it’s destroyed. A standard mobile home policy will typically cover your items on an “actual cash value” basis.  That means it’ll pay the estimated amount your belongings were worth at the time of the claim, minus your deductible.  To receive enough to buy brand-new items, you may want to upgrade to replacement cost coverage.

Severe Weather, Hurricanes & Evacuation Zones