Buying a Mobile Home in Tempe, AZ
Tempe is small, central and busy. About 180,000 people live in roughly 40 square miles, with Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler and Scottsdale on every side, and Sky Harbor is about two miles away. If you want a mobile home close to everything in the Valley, Tempe is about as close as it gets. Here’s what living there is like before you start touring homes.
What is Tempe like to live in?
Tempe is a college town inside a big metro. Arizona State University’s main campus sits in the middle of the city, and you feel it: bikes, students, game days and a downtown that stays busy at night.
North Tempe is the most active part of the city, with downtown, Mill Avenue, ASU and Tempe Town Lake. South Tempe is quieter and more suburban, with neighborhood shopping centers and bigger streets. Most mobile home parks sit in between, along the major roads.
The city can’t grow outward because it’s surrounded on every side. That means very little new land, and most of what’s here was built decades ago, the mobile home parks included.
What’s the housing like for mobile home buyers?
Nearly every mobile home in Tempe sits in a land-lease park. You buy the home and rent the lot from the park. Your monthly cost is your home payment plus lot rent, and the park has to approve you before you move in.
Tempe has both all-ages and 55+ parks. Contempo Tempe is 55+, and Chaparral Village and Tempe Cascade are all-ages. Check before you tour, because the park’s rules decide who can live there.
Many Tempe parks date to the 1970s and 1980s. Contempo Tempe opened in 1975 and Tempe Cascade in 1980, so expect a range from fully remodeled homes to originals. Ask each park for the current lot rent and what it covers, 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?
You’re never far from anything in Tempe. Tempe Marketplace, an open-air shopping center southeast of Tempe Town Lake, has big-name stores and restaurants. Arizona Mills on the city’s west side is one of the largest malls in the state. Mill Avenue downtown is the place for local restaurants, bars and coffee shops, with a lot of foot traffic from ASU.
Grocery stores and everyday errands are spread along the main roads, including Baseline, Southern, University and Broadway.
A couple of local favorites:
- Pita Valley on East University Drive serves Lebanese food. Get the shawarma or a plate of kabobs, and don’t skip the meat pies and spinach pies. It’s a few minutes from Tempe Cascade.
- Brick Road Coffee on South Rural Road in south Tempe is a local coffee shop with house-made pastries, including vegan and gluten-free options, and plenty of seating if you want to settle in with a laptop.
What is there to do outside?
- Tempe Town Lake is the city’s centerpiece, with walking and biking paths, kayaks and paddleboards, and big events like the Ironman triathlon in November.
- Papago Park in northwest Tempe has hiking, biking and rock climbing among red sandstone buttes.
- Hayden Butte (A Mountain) is a short, steep climb right by downtown, named for the “A” on its south face.
- Kiwanis Park has a lake, tennis courts and the only indoor wave pool in the Phoenix area.
- Spring training: the Los Angeles Angels play at Tempe Diablo Stadium every February and March.
Schools and community resources
Most of Tempe is served by the Tempe Elementary School District and the Tempe Union High School District. Parts of the city fall in the Kyrene, Scottsdale Unified or Mesa Public Schools districts, so look up the district for the exact address before you buy.
ASU is the city’s largest employer as well as its biggest school, and its libraries, museums and events are open to the public.
How do you get around Tempe?
Tempe is one of the easier places in the Valley to live without driving everywhere. Valley Metro light rail runs through downtown Tempe and ASU, west to Phoenix and east to Mesa. The Tempe Streetcar loops through downtown and Mill Avenue. The city’s free Orbit shuttles run neighborhood routes near ASU seven days a week.
If you drive, you have every major freeway close by. I-10 runs along the west side, US 60 cuts east-west through the middle of the city, Loop 101 follows the east edge and Loop 202 crosses the north side. Sky Harbor is about two miles northwest, one of the shortest airport trips in the metro.
Big employers include ASU, State Farm and JPMorgan Chase, all with large offices in Tempe. Commutes are short, but the freeways around Tempe back up at rush hour, so drive your route at your real commute time before you buy.
The honest downsides
Game days and events. ASU football, concerts and Town Lake events bring traffic and crowds to north Tempe. If you live near downtown, you’ll learn the calendar.
Older homes. Because Tempe’s parks are older, so are many of the homes in them. Look closely at the roof, plumbing and AC, and budget for repairs on an original home.
The heat. Summer regularly runs over 100 degrees from June into September. In a mobile home, a working AC unit matters more than anything else on the checklist.
Limited inventory. Tempe is built out and doesn’t add new parks, so the number of homes for sale at any one time is limited. When a home comes up in a park you like, be ready to move.
Lot rent can change. The park sets lot rent and can raise it at renewal. Ask what the increases have looked like in recent years.
What newcomers learn their first year
The free Orbit shuttles and the streetcar are worth learning. A lot of short trips around north Tempe don’t need a car.
Check the ASU calendar before you plan errands near campus on a fall Saturday.
Monsoon season runs from about July through September and brings dust storms and sudden heavy rain. Pull over when a dust storm hits.
Park approval takes time. Have your ID and income information ready so the application doesn’t hold up your move.
Mobile home parks we work with in Tempe
Chaparral Village
400 W Baseline Rd, Tempe, AZ 85283
All-Ages Community
Chaparral Village is a large all-ages community in south Tempe with approximately 359 home sites, near the I-10 and US 60. It has two pools, a baseball and soccer field, a basketball court, a playground, a clubhouse and a walking and biking path.
Visit the Chaparral Village community website
Tempe Cascade
2340 E University Dr, Tempe, AZ 85281
All-Ages Community
Tempe Cascade is an all-ages community on University Drive, just off the Loop 101, with about 273 home sites. It opened in 1980. It has a clubhouse, pool and whirlpool, fitness center, basketball court, playground and RV and boat storage.
Visit the Tempe Cascade community website
Contempo Tempe
2609 W Southern Ave, Tempe, AZ 85282
Age-Restricted Community (55+)
Contempo Tempe is a gated 55+ community off Southern Avenue with about 454 home sites, one of the larger parks in Tempe. It opened in 1975. It has a clubhouse, pool, spa and sauna, fitness center, pickleball courts and planned resident activities.
Visit the Contempo Tempe community website
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there mobile homes for sale in Tempe, AZ?
Yes. We sell mobile homes in Tempe parks, including Chaparral Village, Tempe Cascade and Contempo Tempe. Join our Preferred Buyers List and we’ll contact you when a Tempe home becomes available.
Are there 55+ mobile home parks in Tempe?
Yes. Contempo Tempe on Southern Avenue is a 55+ community. Chaparral Village and Tempe Cascade are all-ages.
Do I own the land when I buy a mobile home in Tempe?
In most Tempe 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 Tempe?
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 Tempe?
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 Tempe? Browse our current listings or call (602) 641-3237 to join the Preferred Buyers List.
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