Whether your mobile home in Arizona is a primary residence, rental, vacation home, vacant property, inherited house, or anything in between, this is your most comprehensive guide on how to sell it for the most money, guaranteed. I absolutely LOVE mobile homes and have spent the last three years buying, renovating, and selling them. I made countless mistakes when I first got started and realized there’s a sizable information gap I intend on closing with this guide to help others sell their mobile home for more money. I will break down many of the options you have when it comes to selling, renovating, and negotiating all with the intention of setting you up for success when you go to sell your mobile home. I’m excited to share this information with you so let’s start by getting some of the basics out of the way.
What’s a Mobile Home?
A mobile home, otherwise known as a manufactured home, trailer, or prefab home is a dwelling constructed off site from where the home will sit and transported to the owners desired location. Unfortunately, it would be incorrect to use all of those terms interchangeably therefore we need to understand the definition of each one so that you know exactly the type of property you have.
Mobile Home: A structure built prior to June 15, 1976, on a permanent chassis, transportable in one or more sections, and designed to be used with or without a permanent foundation as a dwelling when connected to on-site utilities. This definition does not include recreational vehicles or factory-built buildings. A.R.S. § 41-2142
Manufactured Home: A structure built on or after June 15, 1976, that is eight or more feet wide and forty or more feet long, has a permanent chassis, is transportable in one or more sections, is equipped with complete plumbing, heating, and electrical systems from the factory, and is designed to be used with or without a permanent foundation as a dwelling when connected to on-site utilities. A.R.S. § 41-2142
Park Model: A structure built on a single chassis, mounted on wheels and designed to be connected to utilities for operation of installed fixtures and appliances. A park model has a gross trailer area of not less than 320 square feet and not more than 400 square feet when it is set up. This category does not include fifth-wheel trailers. A.R.S. § 41-2142(30)(c).
Mobile home manufacturers save time and money by being able to build many different homes in one location as opposed to sending crews out to the homeowners vacant lots to build. I know what you’re thinking and I get it, maybe you’ve heard it from one or two people before. Mobile homes get a bad rep. The connotation surrounding mobile homes leans negative but I see them as amazing starter homes and a great way to break into home ownership. Forget all of those baseless assumptions about what mobile homes are. The information you’re about to dive into will hopefully serve as a blueprint for anyone who owns any of the different types of modular homes to be able to sell them with ease.
In this article, I will break down a few different types of mobile homes and present a couple different ideas about how to sell your mobile home for the most money and save you the most time.
These are the types of mobile/manufactured homes we will cover throughout this article.
- Single wide
- Double wide
- Affixed/Not Affixed
- Park models
What Does Affixed Mean?
We already went over the fact that a mobile home is constructed at an off-site location and transported to the land that it will then reside on. In theory, it could be transported, again, to another piece of property or wherever the home owner desires. However, most homeowners, when buying a brand new manufactured home, will elect to have their mobile home installed on the piece of real property (land) they own so the manufactured home and land now have identical ownership. This is what people are referring to when they say the mobile home is affixed. If a mobile or manufactured home is not affixed then the owner should still have the title to the unit. Once that unit gets affixed to the land it now becomes real property and the owner may surrender the title at that point. As you can see in the picture above, this mobile home still has the trailer hitch on the front and can easily be moved.
Affixing a manufactured home allows it to be financed through many traditional means and getting a loan on those is fairly simple if the buyer is qualified. This would be no different than getting a mortgage on a traditional single family home. You can still affix a mobile or manufactured home to the land even if you did not buy it brand new. Some owners elect not to because there’s a chance their property taxes will increase since the land now became more valuable with the addition of a livable dwelling. It’s important to understand what your potential buyers will be facing when looking to sell your mobile home for the most money. Next, we will take a look at financing options for these units.
What Kind of Financing is Available?
When deciding to sell your mobile home it’s important to know how potential buyers will be able to purchase the property so that you know what to expect for your sales price. Mobile homes built prior to June 15th, 1976 are NOT financeable by traditional banks. In order to purchase these properties a buyer would have to pay cash or find a private money lender that would issue the loan. This is a big deal because there are not a lot of people that have the amount of cash on hand it would take to purchase a mobile home without a loan. The sales prices on these are noticeably cheaper than manufactured homes built after this date. You’re buyer pool shrinks significantly if your mobile home is not financeable.
If you own a mobile home that cannot receive traditional bank financing there are still some options available to ensure you can secure the highest possible price. If getting the full amount for the property in one lump sum is not important and you can structure a seller carry-back with a buyer and have them pay you over time. This would typically require that buyer to come to the table with a down payment and the remaining balance will be amortized over an agreed upon time. Since you’re carrying the loan for the buyer you will also be able to charge an interest rate on the loan so you end up making MORE than your purchase price. Here is an example of what this would look like:
Manufactured homes built after June 15th, 1976 that have been affixed to the land they sit on are able to be financed through traditional banks. This means a qualified buyer is able to secure financing pretty easily to purchase your mobile home which means your manufactured home can command a higher purchase price!
What if I Have Additions?
The simplicity in the construction of manufactured homes is what makes them so unique. Sure, they could have some complex design choices depending on the owners taste but there’s usually less decisions that need to be made because the houses are not custom. The beauty comes from the simplicity and the ease of construction. However, once a manufactured home is affixed to the land there are a number of additions that could be made that have the ability to increase the value of the property. At the same time there are some additions to be weary of and they may not necessarily help the resale value on the open market. Let’s get in to some of those now.
Arizona Rooms
An Arizona room gets it’s name from where the idea originated, which is in the great state of Arizona. The room is a screened in porch typically situated off the back side of a house or manufactured home which can be accessed directly from the living room. These rooms can be sometimes run the entire length of the manufactured home providing the owner with more space and a larger living area to take advantage of the beautiful weather Arizona has to offer. They create and outdoor feeling while keeping out bugs and excessive heat. Since the owner can run electricity to the Arizona room they can add fans to keep the air moving while being shaded from the sun.
I believe these rooms increase the value of a property by giving the owners more options to relax, entertain, and enjoy the great weather. Despite the options they give homeowners, these Arizona rooms do not count as additional square footage to the home unless the air conditioning duct work is routed to the room and there are vents present. The construction of an Arizona room would require a permit from the city. There have been examples of incorrect listings on the MLS where the square footage from the Arizona room was counted towards the square footage of the home only on the listing and was discovered just days before closing. Those deals that I have seen first hand typically fall out of escrow once the misrepresentation is discovered.
These rooms provide a lot of value to the owner even if they don’t technically count towards Square footage of the home itself. Highlighting the Arizona room in a listing is highly recommended and these rooms even provide additional value to a cash buyer if you’re looking to sell your manufactured home for cash quickly.
Permitted Additions
Another value add you may have on your manufactured home is a permitted addition either installed by yourself or a previous owner. As stated in the previous section on Arizona rooms these additions will have AC duct work running to the space and have also been cleared by the city. You can count the additional square footage to the home on listings or when talking to cash buyers. The additions will likely reflect on county tax records as well. As you might imagine, adding square footage to a property increases the value so these can be a smart choice as a potential addition or a value to an already existing home. It is always recommended to research the addition you may be looking to make on your manufactured home before starting construction to be sure you will get the return you’re looking for if it is being installed to increase resale value. If you’re making additions because you want the extra space and aren’t concerned with how much it may increase the value then build away!
Unpermitted Additions
Now we are starting to get into the gray area of what types of additions add value to a manufactured home and which ones do the opposite. Unpermitted additions are usually made with good intentions to add living space and increase the size of a home. Some of your potential buyers may also share that same vision and admire the additional space while others will steer clear from them. These additions do not add county recorded square footage to a home and can not be counted towards total square footage on a listing. Since the city has not approved the addition they likely do not know about it and can not make proper adjustments to the county records. Even more importantly, the addition was not made with their specific specifications therefore if a buyer looks to officially add the square footage to the home and get the addition permitted they may be in for a rude awakening. The city may require they to completely demolish the addition and start from scratch because it is not up to code or was not done correctly. This would likely cost too much to justify.
Unpermitted additions are a major red flag for many retail buyers and will likely hurt the resale value of the manufactured home. Even cash buyers will tread lightly with these because they know it could be expensive to repair if they wanted to have it permitted. Selling to a cash buyer would likely yield the best results since that type of sale will not require inspections, appraisals, or the red tape that accompanies the sale of a place with unpermitted additions. These types of buyers are usually used to working with the city and getting the clearances they need to get everything permitted an up to code. Because they are usually paying cash you don’t need to worry about inspectors or appraisers blowing up the deal and requiring you to come out of pocket to make repairs.
Carport Awnings
Another valuable addition that can be found on a large percentage of manufactured homes is an awning or carport. These usually extend off of the side of the home and provide covered parking for one or two vehicles. they also provide shaded entrance usually to the back door of your manufactured homes. One of the major advantages of the carport is that they won’t cost an arm and a leg to install and may or may not need a permit depending on the size and cost. While the carports will not add any square footage to the home they are definitely sought after by buyers and a smart addition to have on the home.
Summary
In this section we covered some of the various additions found on manufactured homes in Arizona. If these additions are permitted and constructed correctly they will add square footage to the home to likely increase the resale value. Carports or Arizona rooms that won’t add square footage to the home but are valuable to buyers also increase the value of these homes. Unpermitted additions will make buyers cautious and may end up hurting the resale value. Understanding these various scenarios makes selling your mobile home in Arizona for the most money much more doable since you understand what buyers will be looking for. The overall condition of the home will still be the biggest determining factor when deciding whether to sell your manufactured home traditionally or to a cash buyer. The various addition that you may or may not have play supporting roles in that decision.
In the next section we will speak in detail about what to do if you have a missing title to your mobile home.
I Lost the Title For The Mobile Home, Now What?
If you lost the title to your mobile home you will want to do everything in your power to replace the title before moving forward to sell. If you still have a title to your mobile home then there is a high likely hood that mobile home is not affixed to the land where it sits and will need to be prior to closing. It would be unwise for a buyer to purchase your mobile home without the title to it because there is no telling who the true owner of that dwelling is. If your wondering what you need to do to replace the title and how long it might take, don’t worry I will answer those questions next.
The DMV is responsible for issuing titles of mobile homes here in Arizona. To apply for a mobile home title, contact DMV and upload applicable documents to your online account or bring them in person to drop them off. If you’re applying for the title of a single wide mobile home the cost will be $7 and $14 if it is a double wide. It is important to note that processing could take up to six weeks so if you’ll have to adjust your expectations if you are wanting to sell your mobile home fast for the most money.
The timeline gets pushed out if there is no way to obtain a duplicate title. In this case you should look to try and obtain a bonded title for that home. A bonded title means that there will be a notice sent out to anyone who has previously owned that home to give them a chance to come out from the shadows and claim ownership of that dwelling if they believe they are the owners. This process is lengthy and can take up to 6 months or sometimes longer. For the majority of buyers this process is a necessary evil because they will not be able to confidently work on the project if there is no guarantee they own the mobile home. No matter what the situation you’re facing with your mobile home there are still multiple options you have for selling and we will cover those next.
What If I Need To Sell It Now?
If you find yourself in a situation where you don’t have the time or energy to replace the title to the mobile home and need to sell it fast then finding a cash buyer who specializes in mobile home purchases will be your best bet. Going through the bonded title process will cost you time and money so selling that property to a professional that handles these types of situations more regularly is a wise choice. If you’re leaning towards moving forward with a cash buyer be sure they have the experience necessary to handle these situations and will not leave you hanging by pulling out of the deal a few days before closing.
What Are My Options to Sell?
Knowing how to sell your mobile home for the most money requires a thorough understanding of the different options you have to sell. There are three options you have and each one has it’s own pros and cons. The rest of this section will be dedicated towards highlighting those and providing you with a clear picture of the options. Those three options are as follows:
- List the property on the market with an agent
- List the property for sale by owner
- Sell the property to a cash buyer
Below I will describe why you might want to opt for or against these options.
List The Property With An Agent
Nothing like a good old fashioned traditional sale. This process is no different than listing any other type of property on the open market. You will decide on a mobile home friendly agent, use their guidance to highlight the property features and list it on the market for all potential buyers to see. This option is best for you if your manufactured home is in great shape, not in need of any repairs, and you have the time to wait for a full market price offer. Perhaps you have been renting the proeprty out for a number of years and your tenant moved out. Because of that you made some of the necessary repairs, freshly painted the place, and spruced up the landscaping therefore getting it ready to hit the market. By reviewing some of the comparable sales in the area with your realtor beforehand you can get a good idea of a potential sales price and adjust your expectations accordingly.
If you decide to go this route it will be very important to choose your realtor wisely and make sure they have experience dealing with mobile homes. Because some mobile homes don’t qualify for financing and must be purchased with cash depending on the year they were built could make comping the proeprty difficult for a newbie. As with the sale of any property you want to be sure you’re pricing it correctly in order to get the most amount of eyes on the property and get offers in the door. If you do choose the correct realtor for the job they can make this process go very smooth and enhance your experience with the sale. This option could be more time consuming so you will want to make sure time is on your side should you choose to go this route.
Pros
- You get the most property exposure
- Higher sales price
- Hands off approach
- More activity and offers if priced correctly
Cons
- More time consuming
- The property can sit vacant longer thus attracting squatters
- Inexperienced realtors can do more harm than good
- The property may not qualify for financing therefore would be a bad fit for retail buyers
List The property For Sale By Owner (FSBO)
If time is on your side and you’ve bought or sold properties before, listing your Arizona mobile home for sale by owner could be a viable route. This method removes the need to pay realtor commissions and can save you money as a seller. One of the realities of this option that I can’t stress enough is that while you may save money by not having to pay an agent you will likely spend a lot more of a resource even more valuable; your time. Those that opt to list there house FSBO need to go into it knowing that they will get calls from buyers on all different experience levels and will likely be answering the same questions over and over with new people. There will be a lot of buyers that will waste your valuable time, not actually be serious about buying, or not have the means to pay the price you’re asking. Most realtors require their clients to have a pre-approval letter from a bank so that the realtor knows the buyer has the ability to pull the trigger on a property they like if presented. There is no pre-approval needed for a buyer to call the number on your sign and waste your time.
In order to have success, going with this route you need to make sure you have all of your information straight on the property and you’ve got to price it correctly. I’m not an advocate of wasting peoples time but if your knocking around the idea of selling and trying to figure out how you should do it it wouldn’t hurt to get a few realtor opinions of value on the home first and comparing that with your own research. The reason for this is that if you want the most qualified buyers bidding on your property you need to give them something worth bidding on. Why not take the average listing price you receive from three realtors, subtract how much commission you’d pay the realtor, and list is for slightly higher than that amount? This way you’re netting more money than you would have by listing it and giving your end buyer a better deal because there are no realtors to pay in the transaction. That’s a win-win.
In order to get the most money for your mobile home in Arizona, pricing the property correctly is the first step. Next you’ll want to know all of the important facts about the property including maintenance, utility schedules, unique attributes a buyer would want to know, and anything else of importance. The mistake I see many FSBO sellers make is feeling like they need to hide information from the buyer that may turn them off to the property such as deferred maintenance and repair items. News flash, the buyer is going to get an inspection done on the place and find out anyway. If they feel that you were intentionally withholding information and being sneaky they may pull out of the deal and you’ve wasted 2-3 weeks when you could have been honest from the start. Be forthcoming in your dealings and you’ll find yourself dealing with more qualified buyers and get your mobile home sold faster.
So, you’ve determined a fair sales price on the property, made a list of important information buyer would want to know, and now what?
It’s time to get your mobile home some exposure to the market!
Listing Your Mobile Home FSBO
Once you’ve completed writing out your compelling listing you’ll need to get that in front of people. The first step I would recommend and would seem like a no brainer is to simply put a sign out front. For all you know your neighbors could be looking for a place for friends or family to move closer to them and your mobile home in the same area could be just what they need.
Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace
The next place I would focus on is using Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. Both of these have long been used to sell real estate off market and I have heard of both buyers AND sellers having a lot of success making deals happen here. Scammers have been much more prevalent on these sites and their schemes have become more elaborate. Just remember to always vet your inquiries and be sure you speak with them on the phone before you start exchanging any information that may be too personal. If it feels too good to be true then it probably is!
After you’ve put a sign out front and uploaded that property to Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace you might be wondering if you can kick your feet up and wait for the calls to roll in. Sure, you could… I wouldn’t recommend stopping there though. Keep in mind, the reason people list their mobile homes on the market is so that they reach the largest buyers pool available. If you stopped with those two websites you could be missing out on a much larger buyers pool just waiting for a property like yours. If you’re convinced that you’ll get the most money for your mobile home by listing it FSBO then I would highly suggest considering taking this next step.
Flat Fee MLS
But I don’t want to pay the fees, that’s why I’m selling it myself. Isn’t the MLS for agents? Yes, the MLS is most associated with realtors HOWEVER home owners can pay a flat fee of $75-$500 to have their property listed on the MLS. If you’ve been following along with this article then you’ve heard me talk about exposure and short of having a realtor pushing your property to potential buyers this is the next best thing. You’re putting your property out there for all realtors to see and those realtors have buyers. I get you’re trying to save money by not having to pay fees but sometimes you’ve gotta pay (a little) to play and spending $400 to flat fee list your property to potentially save you weeks of time and headache sounds like an easy decision to me. If you were to sell your mobile home for $150,000 and pay a conservative 5% realtor commission you would be giving up $7,500 from the sale as opposed to a trivial $75-$500. Once again this is recommended to protect your peace of mind, get your mobile home sold faster for more money, and help you be as efficient as possible. Investopedia has a fantastic article on the FSBO process if you’re looking for more details on the process.
We’re getting close to finishing up with this section but I would be remiss if I didn’t touch on some of the best tips and tricks to negotiating a better deal for your FSBO mobile home.
Bonus Section: Negotiating The Deal
You’ve priced your mobile home correctly, took note of important information that would affect the sale, listed your property everywhere you can including the Flat Fee MLS, and now your phone starts ringing…
People are interested! This is amazing! You’ll have the home sold in no time!
Not so fast…
These people calling in may be realtors who saw your property on the MLS, buyers who found you from Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist, or simply drove by the property and saw your sign. They could have been made aware of your listing from a friend or family member that sent it to them. You won’t know until you start asking questions. people who list their mobile homes for sale by owner will have to deal with the reality that there will be a percentage of people that call in and will inadvertently waste your time and will never be qualified to purchase your mobile or manufactured home. Because there are no qualifications needed for a FSBO buyer to call in you will need to have a set of questions to ask these buyer who are calling in to be able to vet them out to see if they are serious or not. A few of those questions might be:
- Where did you see the listing posted?
- Are you looking at this property for yourself, a family member/friend, or a client
- Are you (or they) pre-approved?
- What did you like most about this mobile home?
- Have you bought properties like this before?
This is a short list of questions to kick the conversation off and depending on their answers it will give you a good idea on if you’re speaking with a qualified buyer or not. Let’s say, for example, you have a qualified buyer on the phone looking for a for a new personal home for herself, is pre-approved, and you have a good feeling about her as a potential buyer. How are you going to handle the situation if she makes you and offer for $30,000 less than your asking price? There’s a few ways that can go:
- You can tell them to kick rocks
- You can accept it and hope they come through
- You can get upset, insulted, and write them off as a buyer
- You can understand their perspective, reason for the lower offer, and try to work with them.
As you could probably imagine I am the biggest advocate for number 4 on that list. Let’s be real here, When you list a property FSBO you are going to have to negotiate if you want to show good faith and get a deal done. I have tried to buy mobile homes from FSBO sellers in the past and the ones who stay absolutely firm on their price and won’t accept a penny less are usually still sitting there with their properties listed months later. Not to mention they are likely over priced. Whether the mobile home is listed by an agent, FSBO, or sold to a cash buyer there will be some negotiating so it’s better to embrace that reality than resist it. I’m not saying you should just take the offer on the spot especially if it’s the first offer your receiving, and you certainly should not take the offer as a personal attack on you and get upset about it. Take it for what it is. An offer.
Now because you’ve already asked them your list of qualifying questions and used your judgement to determine that they are in fact a qualified buyer it will be worth understanding the offer a little more. You set the price on your mobile home at lets say $150,000 and the offer is $120,000. There’s a gap there of $30,000 that needs to be addressed and I will give you a few pointers on how to do so.
First thing, you should do is remain calm and seek to understand why they might be offering you that amount. Ask them to explain how they arrived at that figure, if they are true buyers at that number, and find out more about their situation. They could have offered you that amount because they simply can’t afford any more, the comps were lower, they did not see eye to eye with you on condition and value, or maybe they just want to see if they can get a better deal on the mobile home. Regardless of what their reasoning is you need to understand it if you want to successfully over come the gap and try to come to an agreement. if they are seeing lower comps in the area there is a chance you missed it in your analysis. If that’s the case, ask them to provide you with the comparable properties they are referencing and compare those with the ones you have to determine if they have a legit case for their offer.
Remember, a serious buyer who has the means of buying your mobile home and makes an offer that’s not terribly far off needs to be taken seriously. They should not be brushed off because they didn’t take it at your asking price. Asking for their comps provides you with a good opportunity to open up a discussion about the value of surrounding mobile homes in comparison to the one you’re selling. For this example lets just say their comps are in line with yours but you’ve listed your property on the higher end of those other properties you’re both seeing.
They may have offered you $120,000 because that is simply all they can afford. It’s a little bit harder to overcome this because if they are truly maxed out there then there’s not much they can do. Still, keep in mind, you listed your property on the higher end of the comps and they likely did not come right out of the gate with their highest and best offer.There is likely some room both of you have to make a deal. Find out what they are pre-approved for, what they are able to put down, and where they need the monthly payments to come in at. You may be able to structure a more creative deal that helps them financially and helps put the most money in your pocket from the sale of your mobile home. Be genuinely curious about their situation and figure out where they are completely maxed out to see if it is worth continuing the conversation. Let’s say that through a series of thoughtful questions you find out that they are short on down payment funds and can’t afford to put 20% down on the property which is why they needed to come in at $120,000. You know that there are loans they could get that could be as low as 3.5% down therefore you know they have some wiggle room.
As previously stated sometimes buyers will offer a lower price just because they want a better deal on your mobile home. Who doesn’t want to get a better deal!? In this case you still go through your process of understanding there offer and if you determine there is no true reason they came in lower then it is at your discretion to come down on your price as you please. It’s still worth figuring out what price gets the deal done because you can save yourself serious time and energy by determining that important piece of information.
Keeping with the example at hand you determined they offered you a lower price because of their inability to put 20% down. I am not going to tell you what to sell your mobile home for but i will say that sometimes a little cooperation from your end can go a long way towards getting a deal done. Let’s say you have a conversation about different lending options a bring up an option for them to put 10% down and perhaps they discuss this option with their lender. After gaining some commitment from their end to explore other options you can thank them for their interest and maybe mention that you’d be willing to work with them slightly on the price or offer an agreement on the payment of the closing costs. You’re not committing to a specific number but the gesture to work with them can go a long way in how they view you as a seller/person and they will be more inclined to hold up their end of the bargain and do they legwork to make a deal work. Once again if this is a serious buyer it is worth the effort. You may save yourself time negotiating with a bunch of other buyers and feel really good about the deal you make in helping someone buy a home.
The reality when negotiating these deals is that some people may act serious and give all the right signs but in the end when it comes to make a firm commitment to purchase your mobile home they will get cold feet. It’s all part of the game. Don’t get discouraged, hang in there, stick to you process, and if you’ve done it right you will find a grateful buyer of your mobile home in the right amount of time!
Next up we will discuss the last option you have when selling your mobile home for the most money and that would be selling to a cash buyer such as myself.
Pros
- Keeps you in control of the process
- You won’t have to pay agents a commission
- You can make things happen on your timeline
Cons
- More time consuming dealing with buyers and answering the same questions
- The property can sit for a long time if it doesn’t get the right exposure
- Pricing the property incorrectly will turn buyers off
- You will likely deal with less experienced people
Selling to a Cash Buyer
If you own any type of property in Arizona there is a high likelihood you have been approached by a cash buyer looking to potentially buy your home. Based on the feedback I’ve received throughout the years in this industry it became clear that there are some people open to the idea, some closed off, and others that need to hear more about the process. If you’re completely closed off to the idea of selling a property to a cash buyer then the rest of this section will not be of any use to you. However, if you can hang in there and hear me out, you may come to realize that there are instances where this could be the best option for selling your mobile home in Arizona. Let’s get into it.
Cash buyers save sellers time. Plain and simple. If your mobile home in Arizona has a bunch of deferred maintenance, unsightly landscaping, junk everywhere, or problem tenants, it is going to require a lot of time, effort, and money to fix the problem before selling. Insert a cash buyer. They buy the property from you in as is condition, charge you ZERO fees, and can typically close in any time frame needed. They work with you on your schedule and do the all the legwork necessary you get your mobile home closed and get you paid.
“But they aren’t giving me market value for my mobile home!”
“It’s worth so much more than what they are offering”
“They are trying to steal it from me!”
The fact of the matter is that cash buyers purchasing your mobile home that may be suffering from any of the conditions I mentioned above are solving a huge problem for you. They are also saving you the time and headache it will take to fix these issues yourself and putting money in your pocket faster. These buyers will typically not require you to move all of the belongings off the proeprty and may even take it with tenants in place. This alone can save you months of time getting the tenants out and requires less planning when it comes to moving out. Those who understand this are more likely to be open to cash offers because they realize they are choosing the most convenient option with a hassle free sale.
Cash buyers are also relied upon in the market because there are many properties out there that will not qualify for traditional financing. For example, if you own a mobile home which was built prior to June of 1976 it will not qualify for a traditional mortgage. This means that your pool of buyers will be smaller since many more people may not have the means to buy your mobile home for cash. Add in the possibility of deferred maintenance and some other issues and taking that property to the retail market will do more harm than good. Cash buyers don’t require full disclosure (although it’s appreciated), don’t do formal inspections, and don’t need to rely on appraisals to be ready to buy your mobile home. The process can move a lot faster and with less headache because these are experienced buyers used to taking on mobile homes regardless of the conditions. If you value your time, can see your mobile home for what it might be, and see this as a viable solution I will get into the nuts and bolts of navigating the process next.
I’m Open To The Idea, Now What?
You may have received marketing material from cash buyers in the form of mail, text messages, phone calls, online ads, or maybe someone came to your door and asked if you’d be open to selling. Getting the conversation started is as simple as that, just respond. If you prefer to do your research before starting a conversation then a quick online search for mobile home cash buyers in your area should return a number of results. Don’t be overwhelmed if you feel like there are too many options. You should be able to use your best judgement once you start talking with some of them to see who you feel most comfortable with.
Before you start having these conversations, much like the FSBO option, it would help to have a general idea of the value of your mobile home, the renovations it will likely need, and what you want to sell it for in as-is condition. Although you may want the ease and convenience of selling to a cash buyer, it’s hard to move a conversation forward when you don’t know what you want to sell it for or what you would be happy with. The conversations you have with these buyers will be a lot more beneficial to both parties if you have some of this information handy.
Now you may not want to do ANY legwork and that is okay too. In that case, I would talk with a few different cash buyers and get a feel for where their offers come in at and make your decisions from there. Bonus points for the buyer if they can come meet you at the property so that they know what they are buying and there are no surprises down the road. Similar to some of the other options this process can be as hands on or hands off as you’d like.
I’m Feeling Pressured
One common complaint I’ve heard from mobile home sellers who have dealt with cash buyers is that the process feels high pressure. You may want things to slow down so you have time to think through your decisions and may feel like it was a mistake to get into the conversation in the first place. I understand where you’re coming from. The fact of the matter is that cash buyers are used to having these conversations regularly and this could be your fist time experiencing the process. if this is the situation you find yourself in then it is okay to take a step back and slow it down. If a buyer is pressuring you to make a decision, sign a contract, or is demanding information that is making you feel uncomfortable then it’s fine to ask them to stop. It’s okay to decide you don’t want to work with the individual or company and find another that makes you feel confident about the process and one that you can trust. if things are moving to fast you can say things like:
- I’m sorry, this feels like it’s moving to fast, can you please go back and explain (insert what you need more clarity on)
- I do not want to sign anything today because I am weighing my options. Please respect that.
- I want to be sure I am making the correct decision and would like to talk more about (insert term or condition)
Be honest with your potential buyers. Tell them you are getting 2-3 offers before making a decision so you can be sure you’re getting the most money for your mobile home. if they are a true professional they will understand you are doing what is best for you and respect it. They will be confident in their offer and look to work with you to get a deal done if it is within their power. If they continue to push forward against your wishes then it may make sense to find another buyer that respects your boundaries and makes the experience much more pleasant.
Respect Goes Both Ways
While any professional mobile home buyer will respect your wishes and work with you to the best of their ability it’s important to remember this respect should be reciprocated. In the past I have had open and honest conversations with the sellers only to find out I was being lied to regarding their true intentions about the property. Remember these buyers are hopefully solving a problem for you, helping you get out of a sticky situation, or just being a convenient option for you to sell. They are investing time, energy, and resources into you and your mobile home and beyond that they are still a human being. Lying, withholding information, not doing what you say you’re going to do make the experience less enjoyable for everyone involved and will likely dampen the outlook you have on the whole experience in the end. Lying and being lied to do not make people feel good so when deciding to go with this route just keep in mind you and any cash buyer have the same goal in mind: get your mobile home closed and get you paid.
We’ve touched on how to find cash buyers, how to prepare for these conversations, how to react is things don’t feel right, and how to handle the process. Below i will list my pros and cons for deciding to sell your mobile home to a cash buyer.
Pros
- This will save you the most time
- You won’t have to deal with property issues or fixing anything
- You will have your money from the sale sooner and you won’t pay fees
- You will have plenty of options
Cons
- You may not receive as much money from the sale as you would if you fixed everything yourself
- Bad buyers or pushy salespeople can ruin the experience
- It won’t make sense if your mobile home is in great condition
Should I Renovate Before Selling?
When you’ve decided to sell your mobile home and want to make the most money doing it, this will likely be one of the first questions you ask yourself. I want to break down a few of the scenarios you find yourself in to determine which decision might work out best with your home.
Minor Renovation Needed
Now I understand using the term minor renovation can leave a lot of gray area that could make it hard to determine if your mobile home falls into this category. For your mobile home to require minor renovation we will have to assume the major house items such as the roof, AC, water heater, and foundation are all regularly maintained and there are no issues with them. Your mobile home does not need to be freshly renovated however it can’t look like it’s time traveled from 1990 either. Some of the best minor renovations you can make on your mobile home that won’t cost you a lot but could get you more money for your mobile home are:
- Fresh coat of paint for the exterior
- Freshly painted cabinets
- Exterior yard clean up and landscaping
- Updating cabinet fixtures, door knobs, and potentially faucets
The goal here is to make your mobile home have the best curb appeal as possible without having to dump tens of thousands of dollars into it. The proposed renovations above may cost you $4,000-$7,000. Fresh paint goes a long way and gives a mobile home a fresh new smell, makes it pop in pictures and in person, and gives the perception the place is newer. The same goes for painting cabinets because with a little design knowledge you can give the home a completely new and modern color scheme without having to buy and install new cabinets.
Landscaping speaks for itself. Picture pulling up to a property you’re thinking about buying and the first thing you noticed is a manicured front yard with a cozy spot on the front porch to enjoy the Arizona weather. The shrubs and trees are trimmed to your liking and the outside of the house is freshly painted. I’m not certain but i would suspect you would feel much more excited to go into the mobile home and see what else it has to offer because it has passed the eye test from the outside. As you make your way into the mobile home you notice the freshly painted interior, updated fixtures, and cabinets that scream MODERN. Assuming the asking price is within your budget and aligns with the comps in the area you can be sure you’re going to put an offer in on that property.
That is how you want your buyers to feel about your mobile home especially if you’ve decided to list that property on the market. If you haven’t already figured it out a mobile home that needs minor renovations may be best off getting listed on the market assuming you have the time, resources, and energy to put into the project. You could also opt for listing it yourself if you follow some of the steps listed previously in this article on how to sell your mobile home FSBO. Unfortunately not all Mobile homes in Arizona just need minor renovations so what if your Mobile home needs more extensive renovations? Let’s get into that next.
Major Renovations Needed
You can probably guess where I’m going with this one. The maintenance has got away from you over the years, your AC is 17 years old, the roof sprung a small leak from the last monsoon, kitchen cabinets are missing doors, and the back yard has been used as storage for all of the old cars you swore you’d restore someday. You’ve decided you want to sell this place but don’t know where to start.
Perhaps you don’t have the time to clean the place out, you don’t have the money to replace the AC or update the kitchen, and you’re wondering who in their right mind would buy a place like this. Insert a cash buyer again.
Unless you’re handy or have good contacts to help you restore you’re mobile home so that you may try to get top dollar for it I would advise selling your mobile home to a cash buyer. When a mobile home needs major renovation those costs can really stack up and may not pay for itself when you go to sell. You don’t want to find yourself out $30,000-$40,000, dealing with unreliable contractors, and wondering why you ever decided to take on this project when there is a long list of other things you could be spending your time doing. Not to mention the possibility of squatters or unwanted people moving into your home while you’re trying to renovate it. Cash Buyers have systems and processes to fix these properties up usually at cheaper prices, can turn it around faster, and know how to deal with squatters. In this case, you can sell your mobile home for the most money in Arizona by finding a reliable cash buyer that will give you a fair price for your mobile home in as-is condition.
I’m not saying it’s impossible to fix it up yourself or hire the people to do it. I’ve seen it done successfully before and I have also seen it go badly. Receiving a check within 2-3 weeks for your mobile home in as-is condition surely sounds better than spending $30,000-$50,000 and 3-4 months of your time working on a project you’re not completely sure of. If your mobile home in Arizona needs major renovation and you want to sell it I would recommend finding a cash buyer you can trust.
Which Path is Right For Me?
Choosing how to sell your mobile home in Arizona is a decision that is ultimately up to you, those closest to you, or those have a hand in the sale. The point of this guide was to cover the majority of the scenarios you may find yourself in in regards to selling your mobile home and I hope the information is helpful.
To summarize some of the points I made I will leave you with a few things to remember:
- If you want to sell your property faster while putting in little to no work then a cash buyer you trust will be your best option to sell it
- Mobile homes in great condition with minor repairs should likely be listed or FSBO
- Arm yourself with the knowledge on comparable sales, renovations needed, and what you want to sell for prior to engaging in conversations about selling.
- If you have an uneasy feeling about someone you’re working with it’s okay to tell them you do not want to move forward with them.
- Your goal of selling your mobile home is likely aligned with whoever you are speaking with whether that be a realtor or cash buyer. Respect your teammates.
- Don’t overthink it and try to enjoy the process 🙂
Thank you for reading and I truly hope this article left you better than when you found it. Armed with the right information to make selling your mobile home in Arizona as easy as possible. Best of luck to you!