Buying a Mobile Home in Utah: Resources and Information

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Buying a mobile home in Utah is as complicated as any other state. Mostly, because they are treated as automobiles.

Buying a mobile home in any state can sometimes be an overwhelming process. In this article, we share resources and information that can help anyone buy a mobile home in Utah.

Tips for Buying a Pre-Owned Mobile Home in Utah

If you’ve found a mobile home you want to buy in Utah you’ll need to have an inspection done by a licensed mobile home inspector. Please do. A couple of hundred dollars is well worth knowing that your subfloors aren’t waterlogged or the wiring isn’t working in one room

There are numerous articles about buying a used home:

• Buying a Used Mobile Home
• Learn Why a Manufactured Home Inspection is so Important

Facts About Mobile Home Living in Utah

Did you know that manufactured homes in Utah are built specifically with their unique climate in mind? That means they are built to be as energy efficient as possible with very low maintenance required. Some other facts about mobile homes in Utah from Mobile Home Village include:

The average price of a pre-owned home:	$67552
Average model year of a pre-owned home:	2011
Average pre-owned home size in square feet:	1249
The average sites in a manufactured home community:	108
Average year a community was developed:	1984
Number of age-restricted communities:	16
Number of all-age communities:	159

Mobile Home Titling in Utah

Assuming you’ve had the home inspected and are ready to buy, the next step is to make sure the seller has the latest title in their name. If they cannot produce a title with their name on it they will have to apply for a duplicate title and that can take weeks. Do not buy a home without a good title in your hand as soon as the money is exchanged.

Technically, you do not own a mobile home until the title has been registered in your name.

You can learn more about mobile home titles and title issues here.

Like most states, Utah uses the DMV for their title processing. If the home is attached to real estate, the title will need to be surrendered and the home will then become real estate.

The majority of the time if you purchase a new manufactured home from a dealer, they will take care of the titling process for you. Just make sure to ask during the closing process.

Application for Duplicate Title

If you need to order a new mobile home title in the state of Utah you will fill out one or more of the following forms:

• Vehicle Application For Utah Title
• Certificate Of Inspection
• Ownership Statement

You can find a lot of helpful information in the Utah Manufactured/Mobile Housing Standards of Practice booklet here.

Evidence of Ownership Checklist

If you absolutely cannot get a title you can use the following process to get one:

• Photocopy of picture(s) or a print-out of digital photo(s) of the home that clearly shows the condition of the home. (This will help determine the condition and value of the home, if necessary
• Ownership Statement, form TC-569A, containing at least the following information:

• a) A complete recital of facts explaining the absence of a negotiable title;
• b) How the home was obtained, from whom, and any other information pertinent to the acquisition or possession of the home;
• c) A statement indicating any outstanding liens or encumbrances on the home (if known); and,
• d) A description of the condition of the home.

• VIN Inspection, TC-661 form: A VIN Inspection can be completed by a Certified Safety/Emission Station Inspector or by a Utah Law Enforcement Officer.
• A completed TC-656, Application for Registration/Title along with a check or money order for $6.
• A ‘Bill of Sale(s)’, ‘Contract of Sale’, ‘Warranty Deed’, or ‘Deed of Trust’ from the previous owner. A chain of ownership is required by the DMV to verify that the current owner(s) of home are valid.
• Lien release is required, when applicable, on agency or financial institution letterhead.
• Need last 5yrs. Property tax clearance from County Assessor, to show ownership.

Check the Home for Liens

If the title is in hand your next step is to check for liens. Luckily, Utah has an online title, lien, and registration search online which is something we don’t often see. It costs $2.00 to do a search but that can help you establish whether the home you are about to buy has any liens attached to it.

Utah Department of Motor Vehicles

The DMV handles mobile home titles in Utah. You can find the contact page of their website here. Their main office address is

Utah State Tax Commission
Motor Vehicle Division
P.O. Box 30412
Salt Lake City, UT 84130

Telephone 801-297-7780 or 1-800-368-8824

To get forms about mobile homes click the following link and then type ‘mobile home’ in the white search box —-> tax.utah.gov

Reclassifying a Mobile Home from Personal Property to Real Property

You can have your manufactured home classified as real property in Utah. For the home to be considered an improvement to real property it must:

• the home must be permanently attached to the property
• the person seeking the reclassification must own the home and the land though some leased land situations may qualify.
• surrender of ownership and an affidavit of affixture
• a statement certified by the assessor of the county in which the manufactured home or
• mobile home is located that the owner of the manufactured home or mobile home

You can read all of the rules here.

Sales Tax on Mobile Homes

If I’m understanding correctly, only new manufactured homes have sales tax.

“A partial exemption for new manufactured homes and a total exemption for used manufactured homes are provided in Utah Code Ann.59-12-104(37), which exempts from taxation:(a) 45% of the sales price of any new manufactured home; and (b) 100% of the sales price of any used manufactured home.”

You can read more here.

Mobile Home Owners Associations

There are a couple of different associations for manufactured housing owners to join and get resources from in Utah. The Rocky Mountain Home Association includes several states and their goal is “to promote acceptance of manufactured and factory-built housing through education and government officials.”

Utah Housing Alliance’s website looks to have been hacked but if you can include a section to help their section to find dealers, retailers, finance companies, and even communities in the state.

Where to Turn if Things Go Wrong

Unfortunately, there are times after the purchase of a new manufactured home when things don’t go quite right. Whether its a defect from the manufacturer or a problem during the installation, sometimes you just need some help to get things fixed.

Your first option should always be reaching out to the dealer you purchased from. You can find how to report issues and get your manufactured home fixed under warranty here. Typically, they have a dedicated staff that is trained to take care of any issues you have. Don’t forget you have an automatic one year warranty with your new home. Just be sure to keep a record of any correspondence you have and try and use certified mail so you have a record of your efforts.

If you aren’t able to get your issues handled, you will need to reach out to the HUD Manufactured Housing Dispute Resolution Program. Utah doesn’t administer their program. Instead, they are a part of the federal program that is in place. You can submit your complaint in the following ways:

Online
Email: ten.prdduhobfsctd-5546cf@ofni
Phone: 571-882-2928
Fax: 888-819-5191

Mail (preferably certified):
ATTN: Manufactured Home Dispute Resolution Program
1676 International Drive
Suite 501
McLean, Virginia, 22102

Utah HUD State Administrative Agency (SAA)

Chris Rogers, Bureau Manager
State of Utah
Div. of Occupational and Professional Licensing
P.O. Box 146741
160 E. 300 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84111-6741
PH: (801) 530-6720
FAX: (801) 530-6511
Email vog.hatuobfsctd-583007@sregorc

Mobile Home Taxes

Mobile and manufactured homes are taxed in Utah based on their appraised market value. Market value is estimated one of two ways: cost approach value or sales comparison. Weber County has a website where they explain the process:

Once market value is established, taxes are assessed according to the tax rate in each tax district. Such tax is collected and apportioned to the county, cities, school districts, and other taxing entities to pay for local governmental services.

Weber County Assessor’s Office

Should you not agree with the appraisal on your mobile home you can appeal. Weber County has their form online here.

Mobile Home Park Residency Act

As manufactured homes continue to rise in popularity I hope to see more states giving mobile home owners living in parks better protections. Utah seems to have stepped up to the plate with Utah’s Mobile Home Park Residency Act here.

A Look at Mobile Home Living in Utah

Utah has very nice homes at seemingly very fair prices on Zillow.

Ready to Buy a Mobile Home in Utah?

State associations, realtor sites like Zillow, and sites like Mobile Home Living are all great resources for potential and current mobile homeowners. We are all in this together!

As always we thank you for reading Mobile Home Living.