Buying a Mobile Home in Mesa, AZ
Mesa is the third-largest city in Arizona, with a little over 500,000 people, and it has a long list of mobile home parks, both all-ages and 55+. If you want a mobile home in the East Valley with room to spread out and mountains on the horizon, Mesa belongs on your list. Here’s what living there actually looks like before you start touring homes.
What is Mesa like to live in?
Mesa is big, but it doesn’t feel like a downtown city. It runs a long way east to west, and the two ends feel different.
West Mesa is older and more built-in. It borders Tempe, the streets are lined with established neighborhoods and strip centers, and downtown Mesa sits along Main Street with the light rail running through it. East Mesa is newer and more open. The farther east you go, the closer you get to the Superstition Mountains and the desert, and the more space there is between things.
The pace changes with the season. From roughly October through April, winter residents arrive and restaurants, golf courses and roads get busier. Summer is quieter, and most people do their errands early in the day.
What’s the housing like for mobile home buyers?
Most mobile homes in Mesa sit in land-lease parks. You buy the home, and you rent the lot it sits on from the park. That’s the main difference from buying a house, and it shapes everything else: your monthly cost is your home payment plus lot rent, and the park has to approve you before you move in.
Mesa has both all-ages parks and 55+ parks, and some areas lean heavily toward 55+. Check which kind a park is before you fall for a home there. If a park is 55+, the park’s own rules decide who can live there, not the seller.
The homes themselves range widely. Many Mesa parks were built in the 1970s and 1980s, so you’ll see older homes that have been remodeled next to homes that haven’t been touched in decades. Lot rent varies from park to park, and so does what it covers. In some parks water and sewer are billed by usage on top of lot rent. Ask the park for the current lot rent and what’s included, in writing, before you make an offer. More on that in What Is Lot Rent and Why Isn’t It Included in the Sale Price? and What to Check Before You Buy a Remodeled Mobile Home.
Where do people shop and eat?
Most errands in Mesa are a short drive. Grocery stores and big-box retail sit along the major roads in every part of the city, so you won’t be hunting for basics.
In east Mesa, Superstition Springs Center on Southern Avenue near the US 60 is the main mall. Downtown Mesa along Main Street is where you’ll find more local restaurants, coffee shops and the Mesa Arts Center.
A few local favorites:
- Chilaquiles Modern Kitchen is the breakfast and brunch spot to try first. Order the chilaquiles (it’s in the name) or the birria tacos. There are two Mesa locations: West Southern Avenue in central Mesa, and Signal Butte Road in east Mesa, a short drive from Sierra Estates.
- Superstition Ranch Farmers Market on East Main Street is where locals go for produce. It carries fruits and vegetables, local honey, bakery items and local salsas, and it’s open seven days a week.
- Mesa Amphitheatre downtown on Center Street is an outdoor concert venue with lawn seating for close to 5,000 people. It has hosted shows since 1979, and catching one on a cool fall or spring night is a good way to spend an evening in Mesa.
What is there to do outside?
A lot, as long as you plan around the heat.
- Usery Mountain Regional Park in northeast Mesa has desert hiking and biking trails. Wind Cave Trail is the one locals mention first.
- The Salt River and Saguaro Lake are a short drive north up the Bush Highway, and tubing on the Salt is a summer tradition.
- Red Mountain Park is the city’s largest park at 1,146 acres.
- Spring training comes every February and March. The Chicago Cubs play at Sloan Park, and the Athletics play at Hohokam Stadium, both in Mesa.
- Golfland Sunsplash on the US 60 is the local water park when it’s 110 degrees out.
Schools and community resources
Mesa Public Schools covers most of the city and is its largest employer. Parts of east and southeast Mesa fall in other districts, so look up the district for the exact address of any home you’re considering.
For adults, Mesa Community College is the largest of the Maricopa Community Colleges. ASU’s Polytechnic campus is in southeast Mesa. The Mesa Public Library has branches around the city, including Dobson Ranch and Red Mountain.
How do you get around Mesa?
You drive. The US 60 (Superstition Freeway) is the main east-west route and takes you to Tempe, Phoenix and Sky Harbor. The Loop 101 runs along Mesa’s west edge, the Loop 202 wraps around the north and east sides, and SR 87 heads north toward the Salt River.
Valley Metro light rail runs about four miles through Mesa, from Sycamore and Main to Gilbert Road and Main. That’s useful if you live in west Mesa or near downtown. It doesn’t reach east Mesa.
Two airports are close by. Phoenix-Mesa Gateway in southeast Mesa has a short list of mostly low-cost routes. Sky Harbor, west in Phoenix, is where most people fly from. Falcon Field in northeast Mesa is for private planes, and Boeing builds Apache helicopters next to it.
Big employers in town include Banner Health, Boeing, Mesa Public Schools, the City of Mesa and Walmart. If you’ll commute west to Tempe or Phoenix, drive the US 60 at your actual commute time before you buy. Morning westbound traffic is a different trip than a Sunday afternoon.
The honest downsides
The heat. Summer regularly runs over 100 degrees from June into September. In a mobile home, the AC unit matters more than the paint or the flooring. Ask how old it is and when it was last serviced.
You’ll need a car. Outside west Mesa and downtown, almost nothing is walkable in July, and transit options thin out the farther east you go.
Winter crowds. October through April, expect busier roads and longer waits at restaurants as winter residents arrive.
Fewer all-ages options in some areas. If you need an all-ages park, your list in some parts of Mesa gets shorter fast. Know what you’re looking for before you start.
Lot rent can change. Lot rent is set by the park and can go up at renewal. Ask what the park’s increases have looked like in recent years.
What newcomers learn their first year
Monsoon season runs from about July through September and brings dust storms and sudden heavy rain. Pull over when a dust storm hits.
Summer errands happen before 10 a.m. Locals shop, walk dogs and do yard work early, then stay inside.
Park approval takes time. Have your ID and income information ready so a background and application check doesn’t slow down your move.
Check how utilities are billed. Some parks bill water and sewer by usage, so ask what a typical month runs for a home like the one you’re looking at.
Mobile home parks we work with in Mesa
Sierra Estates
9431 E Coralbell Ave, Mesa, AZ 85208
All-Ages Community
Sierra Estates is a gated, all-ages community in far east Mesa near the US 60, with about 203 home sites. It opened in 1983. Residents have a clubhouse, pool and spa, fitness center, playground, basketball court and dog park, with staff on site. Park approval is required for every buyer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there mobile homes for sale in Mesa, AZ?
Yes. We sell mobile homes in Mesa parks, including Sierra Estates in east Mesa. Join our Preferred Buyers List and we’ll contact you when a Mesa home becomes available.
Are Mesa mobile home parks all-ages or 55+?
Both. Mesa has all-ages parks and 55+ parks, and the park’s rules decide who can live there. Sierra Estates is all-ages.
Do I own the land when I buy a mobile home in Mesa?
In most Mesa parks, no. You own the home and pay monthly lot rent to the park for the space it sits on.
Can I get owner financing on a mobile home in Mesa?
Yes. We offer owner financing on every home we sell, and we carry the note ourselves. Call us at (602) 641-3237 to talk through how it works.
How do I buy a mobile home in Mesa?
Find the home, get approved by the park, then close the sale. We walk you through each step, including the park application. Here’s the full step-by-step process.
Ready to look at homes in Mesa? Browse our current listings or call (602) 641-3237 to join the Preferred Buyers List.
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