If you’re shopping for manufactured homes, you may find some that are advertised as “home on land” or “sits on private land.” This means that, unlike mobile homes in communities, you own the land that the home sits on.
This is a popular option for many manufactured home buyers. In fact, some will only consider buying a mobile home with land out of personal preference.
The question of whether you’ll own your own land is a big one when you buy a mobile home. So, it’s incredibly important to do some research and determine whether or not you’d like to own your mobile home with land, or lease the land your home sits on.
Here, we’ll go over some of the benefits of owning private land for your mobile home, as well as how to find land if you’re looking for a mobile home on land for sale.
Benefits of a Mobile Home On Your Own Land
The most obvious benefit of owning a mobile home with the land included is the freedom that comes with owning the land outright.
By owning a mobile home and the land it sits on, you have nearly limitless possibilities when it comes to landscaping your home. Whether you decide to build a fence, plant some bushes, or do something else with your land entirely, you can take advantage of having your own land to do with as you please.
In fact, we’ve written before about the remodeling possibilities in store for your mobile home’s exterior if you have private land.
The added privacy is another positive aspect for many. Many mobile homeowners seek out homes on private land because of the added space it gives them. Because there’s so much extra space, you have more room to roam about without being so close to your neighbors.
But, one of the biggest benefits of owning the land your home sits on is the expansion potential. If you want to add a site-built extension onto your mobile home, you can do so if you own the land. You also have more freedom to make other extensions, such as if you want to increase the width of your driveway or add a garage.
Finding A Mobile Home to Move to Your Own Land
If you’re shopping for mobile homes for your land, you have a few options. Of course, you’ll have to choose between buying a new or pre-owned manufactured home.
If you buy a new mobile home, you can do so directly from a dealer or manufacturer. This also opens up your options for adding custom features to your home, like we mentioned earlier. If you want a manufactured home with a larger master bathroom or countertops made out of your favorite material, you can do just that with a customized manufactured home!
When buying a new manufactured home, you’ll be able to have it sited on land that you own, provided that the land has been properly graded – more on that below.
If you’re purchasing a pre-owned manufactured home, there’s an easy option to consider. When you shop for manufactured homes on MHVillage, the nation’s largest platform for buying, selling, and renting manufactured homes, you can use the home search function to filter out various criteria.
Most importantly, you can filter for homes that are on private property or can be moved to a new home site.
To access this feature, simply click on the “Location Type” dropdown menu and click on the “Private Property” or “Must be Moved” options. This way, you’ll only see mobile home listings that are on their own land, or can be moved to private land that you own.
Choosing Land for a New Mobile Home
If you’re looking for mobile home lots for sale, or are choosing land for a new mobile home, there are some things you should know about the process.
Firstly, you have to make sure that the land is graded according to federal, state, and local regulations.
For example, the land under your home must be able to properly move drainage away from the home site. Your land must also pass a perc test for adequate septic, and have access to well or city water and other utilities. This includes ensuring your mobile home can access the electrical grid and any nearby hookups for internet access.
More likely than not, you’ll need to do some excavation to ensure you have all of the right connections for your utilities. Your retailer can work with you to ensure you have the right amount of work done to your land prior to the home being sited.
The land must also be able to support the foundation your home will rest on. Again, this may require some excavation to clear and level the space for a mobile home foundation, or dig a basement if you so desire.
If you work with a retailer for your manufactured home purchase, they will be able to point out the exact land needs for your home. However, these aren’t the only requirements you’ll have to consider when picking land for your mobile home.
You should also consider how far your land is from the nearest main road. You should have easy access for deliveries, as well as for your own car. If it’s a hassle just to pull out of the driveway from where your land sits, you may need to consider a different site for your mobile home. And, if your home is too far off of the main road, you may not have access to all of the utilities you need.
Keep in mind the delivery and installation of the home itself, too. A large truck will need enough room to maneuver the home onto the land.
You’ll also want to find land that’s close to your favorite stores and other city functions. For example, if you find yourself regularly going to the post office to drop off deliveries, you probably don’t want to pick land that’s 30 miles away from the nearest post office, or grocery store for that matter.
Lastly, you should take into account any seasonal issues with the weather. If snow removal is going to be a hassle, or if the land you’re considering is in a flood plain, you may need to find an alternate site for your home or purchase flood insurance.
Financing Options
When financing a mobile home with land, you may also be interested in financing the purchase of your land as well.
Thankfully, there are several loan types that allow buyers to finance a mobile home with land at the same time. The most common type of loan in this vein is called a land-home loan. These are loans that, true to their namesake, bundle the land and home in one loan.
You may also consider other loans if you’re financing a mobile home with land. Government lending programs, such as programs offered through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, offer loan options for manufactured home buyers looking to site the home on vacant land. Programs like these include MH Advantage® and Freddie Mac CHOICEHome℠.
These options are good if you need to finance both a manufactured home and the land it will sit on. However, consider your financing options if you already have the land, but just need a home. In this case, you’ll have more options for financing if you finance just the manufactured home. A lender should be able to advise you on which type of loan is best for your home if you’re moving it to land that you own.
What if the opposite is true? What if you already own a manufactured home, but need to finance a land purchase? Some buyers may take out construction loans that will finance a land purchase.
Ready to Buy a Mobile Home With Land?
If you’re ready to shop for mobile home and land packages, MHVillage is here to help. You can head over to MHVillage today to browse for thousands of mobile homes for sale, including many that can be moved to your own land.
