You have reached that age where you are ready to be out of your parents’ house, but really, you aren’t ready to be too far away from them. You have hashed it out repeatedly in your mind, and you’ve decided that what you’d like to do is put a mobile home on your parents’ land. However, you don’t even know whether you can do that.
In many cases, you can put a mobile home on your parents’ land, but you must first have permission. Your mobile home must have a foundation. You will need to acquire a building permit and ensure you meet all zoning requirements. Also, your mobile home must be constructed to the standards of the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards.
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Am I Allowed to Put a Mobile Home on My Parents’ Property?
While putting up a mobile home on your parents’ property does require a lot of planning, it can be just the situation you need, because of the proximity to your parents but also, the property taxes. With your parents’ permission, you can usually put a mobile home on their property.
You will need to fasten it to a foundation, but first, you will be required to get a building permit and ensure all zoning requirements are met. Both state and federal laws declare that your mobile home be constructed to meet the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards. You will also need to plan for a water supply, such as a well or city water hookup, electricity supply, and waste management service.
Can I Be Evicted From My Mobile Home on My Parents’ Property?
Yes, you can certainly be evicted from your mobile home on your parents’ property. If they evict you, or if they die and the land goes to someone else, and they evict you, you must leave the property. However, you will have “x” number of days to move your mobile home off the property if it is in your name.
You may choose to fight the eviction, and if you do, here are some factors that will matter:
- If your parents died, do you have any written proof that they promised the land your mobile home sits on to you in the event of their death?
- Did you make any improvements to the real property at your own expense that benefited them and increased the value of their it? (e.g., service road, well, septic system)
- Have you paid any of the property taxes on the land belonging to your parents, and do you have canceled checks or receipts for proof?
- Have you paid liability insurance or utility bills for their home (not just yours), and do you have canceled checks or receipts for proof?
Of course, the easiest thing to do would be to have the discussion with your parents right now about what would happen if they died. All kinds of legal entanglements could form. If you have other siblings, they can contest you just inheriting the land, unless it is clearly spelled out in your parents’ will.
Can I Put a Mobile Home on My Property?
In order to put a mobile home on your own property, you must consider zoning regulations, state regulations, and restrictions by private covenants.
Zoning Regulations
The appearance and size of your mobile home are what zoning regulations regard. You need to find out what the zoning regulations are in the area where you live before you choose a home. If not you may choose, say, a mobile home that is too large for your land plot. Contact a zoning administrator in your area for information.
State Regulations
State regulations point to the legal requirements of installing a mobile home. For one thing, you will need a building permit. Then, you will need to lay a foundation before your home is delivered to your home site. Once attached, it becomes a manufactured home. Your home must be constructed to meet the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards, meeting specific size requirements and using specific materials in certain areas.
Investigate state law, as well as city or county building codes early on in this process, as different regulations may apply to each city in each state. Consult building code enforcement for the city or county before moving too far along with your project.
Can I Rent Out a Mobile Home on My Land?
You can put a mobile home on your own land and rent out the home and land. You can also purchase a mobile home, place it in a mobile home park, and rent it out. However, there are pros and cons to using mobile homes as investments by renting them out.
Pros
There is one good reason to invest in mobile homes for rentals – low cost. While some brand new mobile homes can cost as much as traditional homes, used mobile homes can be purchased for a miniscule price. Plus, a low initial cost makes way for a high return on investment. It is certainly much less costly than building a traditional home.
Cons
There are a few cons to consider, though:
- Mobile homes depreciate, not appreciate.
- If you rent out of a mobile home park, lot rent is expensive.
- Mobile homes require more and more maintenance over time.
While it can be hard to procure financing for a mobile home purchase, that is usually for a brand new home. You can probably save for a used mobile home.
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Related Questions
How Many Mobile Homes Can You Put on 1 Acre of Land?
The legal number varies from one local to another, but the number of single-wide mobile homes that you can put on 1 acre of land is around 9. Each local municipality decides what this maximum number will be for that area.
How Many Acres Do You Need for a Mobile Home?
To buy enough land for a mobile home, you need to buy enough land for the mobile home, plus, several feet around it in every direction. Generally, mobile homeowners need to purchase at least 1/4 acre of land for 1 single-wide mobile home. When buying land for a mobile home, though, you must also consider how viable or suitable the land is for building on and drilling a well.
For instance, is it in the middle of a flood plain? Are utilities set up on the property? Is there an electric meter present with at least 200-amp service? Is there a freshwater supply? Is there wastewater treatment service? Is there natural gas service?
Related Guides
- How to Keep Pipes From Freezing Under a Mobile Home
- Neighbor’s Gutter Drains Onto My Property (Here’s What You Can Do)
- Can a Landlord Refuse Rent Payments?
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FAQs
Can I put a manufactured home on my property in Michigan? ›
Can I put a manufactured or modular home on private property? Yes! Your home retailer can help you find property (if you don't already own land) and you will need to know the local zoning requirements for single-family homes in the area.
Can I put a mobile home on my property in California? ›Manufactured homes may be installed on a permanent basis on private property subject to a permit and approval by the Building and Safety Division. Whether a manufactured home is permitted or not is determined by the land use zoning district of the intended location.
Can I put a mobile home on my property in Texas? ›Get all applicable permits
Several special permits, including a transport permit, building permit, occupancy permit, and/or utility connection permit, are typically required for the transportation and installation of mobile homes in Texas.
If the manufactured or mobile home is situated on a permanent foundation and a form 433A filed with the county recorder then the manufactured or mobile home and the land are real property. It is administered like any other real property asset owned by a decedent.
Do I need permission to put a mobile home on my land? ›Private Land – Without an existing dwelling present
You will need to apply for full permission before your development begins. Again, it's important to emphasise that different local authorities can have different rules surrounding planning permission.
A mobile home can be used in a garden without planning but you will need to justify how the use of the caravan supports the use of the house and how it will not become a separate or independent dwelling. For example the people who sleep and wash in the mobile home will use the cooking facilities of the main house.
Can I put a park home on my own land? ›Buying a lodge or park home on your own land is a great value way to add luxury accommodation to your existing property or land. With a much lower cost than a traditional bricks and mortar extension and more flexible design and build options, a Kingston lodge is perfect for providing extra space on your existing land.
Do you have to pay property taxes on a mobile home in Texas? ›Mobile Home Characteristics
Mobile homes affixed to land not owned by the homeowner are taxed as personal property. Mobile homes affixed to land owned by the homeowner are taxed as real property.
Pier and Beam Foundation
The pier and beam system is the most popular foundation type for manufactured homes. With it, anchors are driven into the ground to hold the home down and protect it against wind. Then, steel straps connect the anchors to a main beam of the home's steel frame.
An “uninsurable property” can mean one of two things: The home is not in good enough condition to qualify for FHA mortgage insurance (and thereby for an FHA loan). The home is ineligible for property insurance because the insurance company considers the home too great a risk to insure.
Is a mobile home considered a home by the IRS? ›
Yes, since owning a mobile home is the same as owning a house, you have the same taxable rights as all homeowners in declaring deductible interest and property taxes.
What is the difference between a manufactured home and a mobile home? ›The Difference Between Mobile and Manufactured Homes
The only difference between the two types of homes is the date they were built. According to HUD, a factory-built home prior to June 15, 1976 is a mobile home and one built after June 15, 1976 is a manufactured home.
You can apply for a Lawful Development Certificate for an existing use or development providing you can demonstrate that: the land has been in continuous use (other than as a dwelling) for more than 10 years. a condition or limitation on planning permission has not been complied with for more than 10 years.
How much money do you need to put down for a mobile home in California? ›FHA loans with terms up to 30 years are available for manufactured housing. They require only a 3.5% down payment and are more flexible about credit score.
Can a manufactured home be put on a permanent foundation? ›Yes. The first step to installing a permanent foundation is to obtain a permit from the agency with jurisdiction over your manufactured home. If the property is located in a state-approved manufactured home park, that agency is the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
What is the 4 year rule for mobile homes? ›The 4-year rule covers any breach of building or operations development which has not been challenged by enforcement action for the period of at least four years.
What can I build on my land without planning permission? ›- industrial premises and warehouses.
- some outdoor signs and advertisements - though there are special rules around adverts.
- demolition - but before you begin you must get approval to demolish from your local planning authority ( LPA ) through your local council.
These include such things as the resident's right to keep the park home on its plot, the pitch fee, other charges and services, and the park rules. Residents are obliged to keep their homes in good repair and make sure that they are clean and tidy, including any fences or outbuildings.
Can I live in a log cabin in my parents garden? ›If you're considering housing an older relative in your garden, it is important to make the building safe, secure and warm. It is possible for an elderly relative to live in an annex building in the garden provided you have relevant planning consent or suitable written approval from the local council.
Can you get planning permission for a mobile home? ›A All development requires planning permission by law. Mobile homes are considered development and thus require planning permission.
Can you live on land without planning permission? ›
It will normally* only become illegal for you to be living on the land when an enforcement notice against you comes into effect. If you appeal against enforcement, the enforcement order does not come into effect until you have lost the Appeal. The same applies if you take the matter to High Court.
Is a mobile home considered real property in Michigan? ›(a) A mobile home is "affixed" to real property if it meets all of the following: (i) The wheels, towing hitches, and running gear are removed. (ii) It is attached to a foundation or other support system.
Does a manufactured home have a title in Michigan? ›Mobile homes are titled in Michigan. Up until 1978, mobile homes were titled as a "trailer coach." Since 1978, they are titled as mobile homes.
How are manufactured homes taxed in Michigan? ›Manufactured homes that sit on individually owned lots are subject to the ad valorem property tax in the same manner as traditional site-built homes are taxed.
Do you pay property taxes on a mobile home in a park in Michigan? ›The State of Michigan requires the Township to assess personal property taxes on items that you own near or adjacent to your mobile home, such as awnings, porches, decks, carports or sheds. This only applies to homes in mobile home parks; residential homes are assessed for these items as real property.
Do you pay inheritance tax on park homes? ›If you have been left a park home in a Will the rules on inheritance tax for park homes are the same as any other property which forms part of the estate of the deceased.
Can you permanently live in a mobile home? ›A park home is a type of mobile home that you live in all year round. You buy the park home but rent your pitch from a residential site owner.
How do I get a title for an abandoned mobile home in Michigan? ›Owners of a manufactured or mobile home who need a title for a mobile home who cannot obtain an assignment of title from the prior owner, can bring a Court action to obtain a Court order assigning ownership. The court order serves in place of an assigned title.
How much does it cost to transfer a mobile home title in Michigan? ›The transferred mobile home title fee is $90 in Michigan, plus a 6% sales tax based on the purchase price listed on the title and bill of sale. The same fee of $90 is charged when acquiring an original title.
Does a mobile home have to go through probate in Michigan? ›If your titled mobile home cannot be transferred using the non-probate or abbreviated probate procedures, it will need to be probated through the general probate court process with the rest of your real and personal property.
What is the downside of a manufactured home? ›
Some of the downsides of manufactured homes are the following; Value May Depreciate. Reselling may be difficult. Financing can be complicated.
How much does it cost to build a manufactured home in Michigan? ›The average price range of a modular home in Michigan is $50 to $80 per square foot. Therefore, the average starting cost of a 1,800 square foot prefabricated home is $117,000, which makes the purchase of a modular home or manufactured home a fiscally responsible choice for Michigan's would-be home buyers.