Rent-to-Own Mobile Homes

Mobile Homes, also called manufactured homes, are an affordable option instead of buying a traditional house that is attached to the property.

So, pursuing a Rent-to-Own agreement for a manufactured home could be the solution for someone that wants to own their own home in the future.

What is Rent-to-Own?

A Rent-to-Own Agreement, or a lease-option agreement, are contracts that allow you to live in the house while also putting money aside for a down payment. It’s an excellent option for those that don’t have good credit or enough money for a down payment on a house.

Finding a Rent-to-Own mobile home is difficult but not impossible to come by. You can find a mobile home for this process by:

• Find a seller having a difficult time selling their manufactured home and contact them about a potential RTO agreement.
• If you’re a long-term tenant looking to buy, talk to your landlord about setting up a Rent-to-Own agreement.

In any situation, it is best to find a real estate agent or attorney knowledgeable in Rent-to-Own.

It may be difficult to find an agent experienced in RTO for mobile homes, so it is a good idea to research the market in your area for manufactured homes.

Additionally, Rent-to-Own should still be considered an investment in your future. You should be aware of the condition of the mobile home you’re looking to commit to, so get an inspection before signing any contract.

Benefits of Buying a Mobile Home

Renting-to-Own, a Mobile Home, is a good option for anyone that wants to own a portable, environmentally friendly, affordable home that is also larger than Tiny House.

So, if you’re looking to Rent-to-Own a mobile, but you’re unsure, here are some benefits to think about:

• Safety. Despite the common belief that a mobile home will fly away in a tornado, they are required to meet standards set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

• Quality control began in 1976 when manufactured homes had to meet heating and AC systems, fire safety, electrical systems, and structural design standards.

• Having a sense of community in a mobile home park. Many parks have community activities and events and other fitness or swimming amenities.

• The overall cost of living. The price of a mobile home per square foot is about half of a traditional home.

Furthermore, the cost of utilities is also about 90% less than a Site Built House.

A Minimalism Life (Optional). Like a Tiny House, a Single Wide Mobile Home has less space, leaving less room to overbuy or shop for unnecessary items.

Living in a smaller space also decreases the amount of work to maintain your home and less potential for costly repairs.

A minimalist life has been proven to improve your mental health because of the stress decrease. However, minimalist life is not required to live in a mobile home.

Maintenance of the mobile home is your landlord’s responsibility. Unlike other Rent-to-Own agreements, maintenance of the house, the land, and land rent fall on the landlord unless otherwise specified.

Read the entire contract before signing to be aware of any extra cost that you might not be aware of.

The Cons of Buying a Mobile Home

Like anything in life, there are two sides to this coin. Before signing a contract to Rent-to-Buy or purchasing a mobile home, be aware of all the risks or downsides to weigh your options effectively.

The cons of Mobile Homes are:

• The stigma that is attached to mobile homes could scare some buyers away from committing to buying one. Be aware that a stigma is NOT fact.
• They’re difficult to sell. While this could be to your benefit when you’re looking for a home to Rent-to-Buy, it could be difficult to sell later. If your mobile home is in a Park, it could be more difficult to sell unless you find a buyer willing to stay in the Park.
• They’re expensive to move. Just because it’s mobile doesn’t mean that it’s easy or inexpensive to move. Moving a mobile home is difficult once connected to the property and costs thousands of dollars to relocate.
• The additional cost of land rent. If you don’t own land to put your mobile home, then it’s likely that you would have to pay a land rent of around $300 and/or Homeowner’s Association (HOA) fees. It might not be a lot to some people, it is still something to consider when looking to buy a mobile home.
• You could be evicted from a mobile home park. As mentioned, you must pay additional land rent to live in a mobile home park. So, if you or your landlord fail to pay land rent, then you could be forced to move or sell your home.
• Depreciation of the Mobile Home. Because it is not attached to the land it sits on, it is considered personal property. However, if you own the land, you’ll notice that the land increases in value, but not the mobile home.

Conclusion

Renting to own a manufactured home could be a reasonable decision for you if you’re looking for an affordable process to buy your own house. Nevertheless, remember to look at this process from all angles of the pros and cons to ensure it’s the right decision for you and your life.