Texas: the Lone Star State. It carries a reputation for many things: the Alamo, the great BBQ eats to be found, and for being the largest of the 48 mainland states.
However, Texas is also known for being a large (and still growing) market for mobile homes. Often, we’ll receive inquiries about how to find mobile homes in Texas, or how to navigate the process of finding a mobile home in a park.
So, here, we’ll cover the ins and outs of buying a manufactured home in Texas, along with some other things to know along the way to help you get into your dream home.
Texas as a Mobile Home Market
To look for Texas mobile homes near you, you can visit MHVillage to get the process started. Simply head over to mhvillage.com/homes/tx to view available homes in your market.
If you’re looking to live in a Texas mobile home park, you’re in a great state for that, too. The Lone Star State is home to thousands of parks that list their information on MHVillage.
So, if you’re curious about when your favorite community will have mobile homes for sale, or want to know which parks near you have your favorite amenity, then you’re in a good place to start looking for the answers you need.
Finding the Right Mobile Home For You
Since there are so many manufactured homes to choose from in Texas, it’s important to find a mobile home that best meets your needs. This is similar to how you would shop for site-built homes. As you’re looking for your new digs, keep the following considerations in mind:
Private Land or Community Living?
This is one of the biggest factors to keep in mind when shopping for manufactured homes. You’ll have the choice between buying a home in a manufactured home community, or on your own private land.
Many homeowners prefer to go the community route. In mobile home parks, you may have access to a number of amenities that range from walking trails to clubhouses to pools and saunas. And, you may have some of your utilities covered under your “lot rent” – such as water, trash pickup, or even high-speed internet.
You can read more about the benefits of living in a manufactured home community.
The other primary option is living in your manufactured home on private land. This also has many benefits for the homeowner. For one, you can have your Texas mobile home moved to a lot that’s as big as you like, provided it’s gone through the right site preparation. Many homeowners also prefer the privacy that comes with a mobile home on private land.
If you’re interested in reading up on what it takes to own a mobile home on private land, check out this blog post from the MHVillager.
Home Size
How many people will live with you? Do you want extra space in your kitchen for entertaining? Would you like an extra room to use as a home office or a flex room?
These questions are just a few that you’ll want to think about as you consider what size of home you should buy. Single-wide manufactured homes can offer enough space for a family and offer the most value. Or, if you want something bigger, you can also consider a multi-section home that offers even more space and options.
Cost
Of course, you have to ensure you have a budget laid out for your mobile home purchase. You want to ensure you have enough saved up to cover the down payment for your new home, as well as for closing costs and any renovations you may want to make once you move in. It’s also important to remember that the cost of mobile homes on average are usually far less than that of site-built homes.
The Offer, Inspection, and Closing
Once you’ve found the home of your dreams, you’ll likely want to tour it, either virtually or in-person, and decide whether you’ll make an offer on the home. When you decide to offer, you’ll contact the owner to begin the sale process. Keep in mind that the sticker price rarely matches the final selling price on the home, depending on what you decide to offer or what the seller’s counter-offer may be.
When your offer has been accepted, there are just a few more things to take care of before you’re ready to move in. First is the mobile home inspection. Even if the seller has ordered an inspection prior to listing the home, you’ll want to have one done yourself to make sure you fully understand the condition of your new Texas mobile home.
Before the home is officially yours, you’ll also have to sign the closing paperwork. What exactly you sign will vary from state to state when it comes to mobile homes, but you can generally expect to sign a transfer of ownership agreement, along with a bill of sale.
Texas-Specific Considerations
In many states, a “title” is the document that certifies you as the owner of a mobile home. In the state of Texas, this document is referred to as a “Statement of Ownership and Location” – or SOL. This document functions similar to a title, but is more online-friendly. In fact, you may not even need it for the closing paperwork.
Something else that Texas has is an online network of registered mobile homes in the state. If you’re interested in buying a mobile home and want to learn more about a home you’re looking at, you can search it using this database and see if it has any active liens, or to verify its age or ownership status.
Ready to look for mobile homes in the Lone Star State? If you are, then head over to MHVillage today to get started!
