Recently, we wrote about how to go from listing to closing when selling your manufactured home. What about the other side of the coin – if you’re looking to buy a manufactured home?
There’s a lot that goes into buying your manufactured home that you’ll need to know before you officially start the process, so this guide on all of the steps to take when buying your home is a must-read.
Set Your Wants and Needs
Like with any home purchase, you’ll want to create a list of your priorities when getting ready to buy your manufactured or mobile home.
Consider first the things that you MUST have for your mobile home. This can include enough bedrooms for you and your family, yard space for your pets, central air and heating, and so on. Your needs should be the things that you cannot spend a single day without.
From there, you can set a list of added desires that you might look for in your dream home. Modern manufactured homes boast features such as jacuzzi-style bathtubs, kitchen islands, walk-in closets, and other fixtures commonly found in luxury homes. Take a look in your market to see what kinds of features manufactured homes near you have, and see which ones call out to you as desirable for your next home.
Set a Budget
Once you’ve firmed up your wants and needs, it’ll be time to figure out what your budget is when shopping for manufactured homes.
Your manufactured home budget won’t be a single price that you want to pay. Generally your budget will be a range of the lowest you want to spend on a manufactured home, as well as a “ceiling” value – the most you can spend on a home.
This range should be based on a few different factors, including:
- The price at which manufactured homes sell for in your area. You can get a good idea of this by browsing MHVillage and seeing manufactured homes similar to yours within a certain radius.
- The condition of the home you’re looking to buy. If you prefer a new manufactured home over a used manufactured home, for example, your sticker price will likely be higher.
- How much you personally are able to spend, given your financial health, including income and expenses.
Get Your Credit In Order
Before you begin the buying process, it’s important to take a look at your credit score to ensure it’s in the best shape it can be prior to buying your mobile home. If you have time, take some of the following steps to try boosting your credit score before your buy your home:
- Don’t open any new credit accounts in the months prior to your home purchases. Mobile home lenders will typically frown upon this when reviewing mobile home loan applications.
- Avoid changing jobs or close unused credit card accounts too soon before you buy your home.
- Pay down any existing balances you can and catch up on your past-due accounts.
If your credit score is less than perfect, don’t fret. Many lenders offer loans for mobile home buyers that are ideal if your credit score needs improving.
Find your Dream Home
Now comes the fun part – finding your dream mobile home! Looking in your market for the mobile home that’s right for you and your family can be fun, but it does have its challenges.
One of the most important things you’ll do throughout this process, however, is tour mobile homes that you want to potentially buy. This gives you a firsthand look at the home you may end up living in, while familiarizing yourself with its features and the surrounding neighborhood.
At this point in the process, you may already be asking yourself whether you want to live on private land, or in a manufactured home community. While both have their pros and cons, living in a community allows residents to take advantage of amenities and communal facilities while leasing the land that your home lives on.
Closing Paperwork
Once you’ve gotten an offer accepted on a mobile home, it’s time to go through the closing paperwork. Depending on which state you’re in and which type of manufactured home you’re buying, the exact forms you’ll fill out may differ.
You’ll most likely fill out a purchase agreement, which outlines the sale and the required contingencies needed to complete the transaction, whether that’s financing approval or a third-party inspection. During the process, you’ll also receive a mobile home title from the seller, or multiple titles if you’re buying a multi-section home.
Other paperwork involved during the process may include tax-related documents, a final purchase contract, and any documents from a manufactured home community if you’re moving into one.
Moving Time!
After all is said and done, you’ve finally gotten to move into the manufactured home of your dreams! Once you’ve closed on your home, you can take time after you’ve moved in to redecorate or remodel if you so desire. For example, a fresh coat of paint right before or after you move can really help make your home feel more, well, like your home.
So what are you waiting for? Now that we’ve given you the ultimate checklist on how to go from listing to closing when buying your manufactured home, start your search today. Visit MHVillage to browse and buy the latest manufactured homes for sale.
