Question: Which comes first, the manufactured home or the placement site? Answer: Both – “Putting the cart before the horse” is often applicable to purchasers of new manufactured homes. Certainly understandable for those falling in love with today’s modern manufactured home, and signing into a purchase agreement before knowing where that home will be placed, with the sales contingent upon locating a home site in a geographical area acceptable to the homebuyer.
That site will be either on private property or within a land-lease community (aka “mobile home” park). Find them a place to locate the home, and you have made a sale.
Sounds simple, eh? Not so fast! We will address the private property option first and the community option afterwards.
Private Property – Not all land is the same. In fact, some lots and acreage have specific building codes that may limit manufactured home placements or condition the type of installation.
The most common installation of manufactured homes in rural areas is setting up the home utilizing a support block or pier method. This is the least expensive set-up system and often is included in the price of the home that the buyer has chosen.
In some areas, usually close to urban areas, the local housing authorities may require the manufactured home to be installed utilizing a permanent foundation system, whereby the home is attached to real estate, or have zoning areas that prohibit all forms of manufactured housing. (Note: A retailer’s personnel should have a grasp of ongoing knowledge about housing and placement regulations throughout the geographical areas served.)
Land-Lease Community – (aka Mobile Home Park) – If the home purchaser intends to place a new home within a manufactured home land-lease community, a professional salesperson will be aware of which park has spaces available and hopefully will have developed a relationship with the community management. That positive relationship will often lead to park managers referring customers to the salesperson when a purchaser inquires or when a home site space becomes available. That will only happen if all customers previously placed within the community are satisfied with all aspects and interactions with the retailer and salespersons.
The post Keys to Locating a Manufactured Home Site – Private Property or Land-Lease Community appeared first on Manufactured Homes.
