Selling a Mobile or Manufactured Home With Land in Florida: Titles, HUD Labels, and Options

Mobile and manufactured homes on their own land are common across Florida, from rural lots to quiet country roads. Selling one is a lot like selling a house, with a few extra steps. Most of them come down to paperwork. This guide explains what to gather, what buyers ask, and how each way of selling fits.

Mobile Home vs Manufactured Home

People use the words loosely. Here is the difference that matters.

• Manufactured home. HUD says all manufactured homes built in the U.S. after June 15, 1976 must be certified by the manufacturer to the federal HUD code. Each section shows a red certification label on the outside.
• Mobile home. HUD notes manufactured homes were “formerly known as mobile homes.” In practice, many people use “mobile home” for homes built before the HUD code began.

The build date matters a lot for financing, as you will see below.

Step 1: Find Out How the Home Is Titled

In Florida, a mobile home starts out with a certificate of title from the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV), like a car. When it is placed on land, there are a few ways it can be handled.

The title was retired

Florida Statute 319.261 lets the owner retire the mobile home title when the home is permanently affixed to land the same person owns. The steps are:

• Record the original title, the legal description of the land, and a sworn statement of ownership with the county clerk.
• Satisfy or release any lien on the home.
• File DHSMV form HSMV 82109, Application for Retirement of a Mobile Home Certificate of Title.

The statute says a home with a retired title is conveyed by deed, and only together with the land, unless a new title is issued. That makes the sale work just like a regular house closing.

The title was not retired

Many older homes still have an active title. The home may still be taxed as real property. Florida Statute 320.0815 says a mobile home permanently affixed to land and taxed as real property gets an “RP” series sticker instead of a license plate. The Hillsborough County Tax Collector explains that owners declare the home as real property using Form DR-402, and get a permanent RP decal. It also says that if you keep the title, a sale takes two transactions: one for the land and one for the home’s title. Owners have the option to retire the title at no cost there.

Check for problems early

• Is the title in your name, or a past owner’s?
• Is there an old lien on the title that was never released?
• Does the legal description on the deed match the lot the home sits on?
• Was the home ever moved, or are there two homes on the land?

A title company will find these issues. It is better to know before you sign a contract.

Step 2: Gather the Paperwork

• Your deed and the mobile home title, or proof it was retired
• Year, make, and serial or VIN numbers
• Photos of the HUD labels and the data plate inside the home
• Permits for additions, porches, carports, or new roofs
• Septic and well records, if the home has them
• Your current insurance and tax bills

What Buyers and Lenders Ask

When was it built?

HUD’s FHA reference guide says manufactured homes built before June 15, 1976 must be rejected for FHA insurance, with no exceptions. So pre-1976 homes are usually sold to cash buyers or with seller financing.

Are the HUD labels there?

HUD says a manufactured home must have the HUD seal on each section to be eligible for FHA insurance. HUD also says it does not reissue labels that have been removed or are missing. If yours are gone, ask a lender what it will accept.

Does it meet conventional loan rules?

Fannie Mae lists these basic property rules for its manufactured home loans:

• Built to the HUD code
• At least 12 feet wide and at least 400 square feet
• Built on a permanent chassis and set on a permanent foundation system
• Titled as real estate, with any vehicle title transferred or retired as state law requires

A home that misses one of these can still sell. It just may not qualify for that type of loan.

Can it be insured?

Insurance can be hard for older homes. Citizens says it requires a four-point inspection for mobile home applications on homes more than 20 years old. A buyer with a loan must get coverage before closing. Read our guide on insurance non-renewal and high premiums for more.

Your Selling Options

Cash, as is

Often the simplest path for older homes, homes without HUD labels, or homes that need repairs. You skip the financing hurdles. The price is usually lower than a retail sale, so compare the net.

Seller financing

Many buyers for manufactured homes on land cannot get a bank loan for the reasons above. If your home is paid off, you can carry the loan and earn monthly income. Use a Florida attorney to write the note and mortgage.

Subject to your existing mortgage

If you have a mortgage on the home and land, a buyer may take over the payments. The loan stays in your name, and the due-on-sale clause can apply. See our subject-to guide.

1% listing

If the home meets lending rules and would sell for more after cleanup and light repairs, a 1% listing through our licensed partner brokerage can bring a higher price, with more time.

If you inherited the home, start with our guide to selling an inherited house.

How HOMKEYS Can Help

HOMKEYS LLC buys manufactured and mobile homes with land across Florida, including older homes and homes with title questions. We can review your papers, show you a cash offer, and when it fits, seller financing, a subject-to purchase, or a 1% listing through our licensed partner brokerage. Every closing goes through a licensed Florida title company, which handles the deed and any title retirement work. We cannot promise a price or closing date until we see the home and the title.

Subject to qualification, property inspection, and transaction terms.

We buy in many areas, including Spring Hill, Lake City, Lake Wales, and Pensacola. Share a few details about your property or call (305) 914-4191.

Frequently Asked Questions

Not legal advice. This guide is general information about Florida home sales. Laws change and every situation is different. Talk with a Florida attorney, tax professional, or insurance professional about your own case before you sign anything.

⌂ Equal Housing Opportunity. HOMKEYS LLC does not give legal or tax advice. Talk with a Florida real estate attorney or tax professional about your situation.