Ask about the park first, then the home. Before you drive out, find out what the park requires from buyers, whether it’s a 55+ or all-ages community, what the lot rent covers and whether the seller has a clean title. A five-minute phone call can save you a wasted afternoon, and in a Phoenix summer, that afternoon is hot.
What should you ask about the park?
Start with approval. Every park in the Phoenix metro runs its own application for new tenants, and you have to pass it to live there. Ask what the park checks, what documents it wants and how long approval usually takes.
Next, ask whether the park is a 55+ community or open to all ages. The park’s rules decide who can live there, so this question can rule a home out before you ever see it. Our post 55+ vs. All-Ages Mobile Home Parks in Phoenix: What Buyers Need to Know explains how that works.
Then ask for a copy of the park rules. They cover pets, vehicles, parking, sheds, guests and how the home and yard have to look. Read them before you tour, not after you’ve fallen for a kitchen.
What should you ask about lot rent?
Ask what the current lot rent is and what it includes. Some parks include water, sewer or trash. Others bill those separately. Two homes with the same price can cost very different amounts each month because of what the lot rent covers.
Also ask how often the rent has gone up in recent years. Arizona doesn’t cap lot rent, so a park’s history tells you a lot about what to expect. Read What Is Lot Rent and Why Isn’t It Included in the Sale Price? for the basics.
What should you ask about the home itself?
Ask the year it was built. Homes built on or before June 15, 1976, can be treated differently when they’re sold, and some parks have rules about older homes. Then ask what’s been replaced and when. The roof, the AC and the water heater matter most in Phoenix, because those are the systems that work hardest here.
Ask the size, too. Is it a single-wide or a multi-section home? A double-wide has two sections and two MVD titles, so you’ll want to know that before you get to paperwork.
If the home has been remodeled, ask who did the work and whether the seller has receipts. We wrote a whole post on this: What to Check Before You Buy a Remodeled Mobile Home.
What should you ask about the title?
Ask who owns the home and whether the title is in that person’s name. In Arizona, mobile homes on rented lots are titled through the MVD. The person selling should be the person on the title, or someone with legal authority to sell it.
Ask for the serial number before you tour. When you visit, you can compare it to the number on the home. A seller who dodges this question is telling you something.
What should you ask about financing?
Ask how you can pay for the home before you get attached to it. Banks rarely lend on older mobile homes in parks, so many buyers in Phoenix need another route.
We offer owner financing on every home we sell, and we carry the note ourselves. That means you can ask us about financing on any listing we have. Read How Does Owner Financing Work for a Mobile Home in Phoenix? or visit our owner financing page to see how it works.
What should you ask to protect yourself from scams?
Ask to see the home in person, inside and out, before you send any money. Ask for the seller’s full name and compare it with the title. Ask how payment works, and be wary of anyone who wants a deposit by gift card, wire or payment app before you’ve toured.
Scammers copy real listings and post them at low prices. They count on buyers being too excited to ask questions. Our guide How to Avoid Common Mobile Home Buying Scams in Arizona covers the red flags in detail.
What should you bring to the tour?
Bring your list of questions, a flashlight and your phone for photos. Take pictures of the data plate, the water heater and anything that looks off so you can compare homes later. If a park visit is part of the tour, stop by the office and ask for an application packet while you’re there.
For the full path from first call to move-in day, see How to Buy a Mobile Home in Phoenix, Step by Step. You can browse homes by area through our city guides.
Ready to look at homes? Browse our current listings or call (602) 641-3237 to join our Preferred Buyers List.