This week, our attention turns to buying a mobile home in Wisconsin and what you need to know. From how to title your home to some of the great homes found in the state, you can learn it all here.
Wisconsin Mobile Home Facts
Wisconsin appears to be a hidden gem of lakes and state parks. The state has over 1.13 million acres of water area and you can find mobile homes scattered all over the resort areas of the state. Other mobile home facts about Wisconsin include:
Average price of a pre-owned home: $38137
The average model year of a pre-owned home: 1998
Average pre-owned home size in square feet: 1122
Average sites in a manufactured home community: 89
Average year a community was developed: 1986
Number of age-restricted communities: 26
Number of all-age communities: 503
Deciding to Buy a Mobile Home in Wisconsin
Wisconsin actually has one of the best-manufactured housing sites we have seen. The Wisconsin Housing Alliance is a wealth of information about finding your new home, financing it, and making sure you are happy with it after the sale. They include information about the standards of manufactured homes and why mobile home living is a great choice!
What to Remember After the Purchase
After you have found the perfect mobile home for you and your family it will be time to make it yours legally. Wisconsin actually has its own division to title mobile homes. Most states use the DMV to obtain and transfer titles, but Wisconsin uses the Department of Safety and Professional Services, which also handles their professional licensing programs, to handle titles and registrations of manufactured homes. You can visit their site to learn more and download the correct forms for your home situation at:
Department of Safety and Professional Services
4822 Madison Yards Way
Madison, WI 53705 Phone: (608) 266-2112 option 3 Fax: (608) 267-0592
Keep in mind, when buying a mobile home in Wisconsin and placing it permanently on land you own, it will be considered real estate and not need to be titled but will need to registered with your local county clerk office.
Where to Turn if there is a Problem
Another thing to keep in mind if your purchase was of a new manufactured home, is what to do if there are any defects or problems after set-up. All new homes automatically include a one year warranty after installation. This covers any defects from the set-up or from the factory. So, you will want to inspect your new mobile home carefully and resolve any issues as soon as possible. Dealers are usually equipped with an entire department to handle any maintenance or repairs that might need to be done, so start there first.
If you try to handle your mobile home issues with the dealer and don’t have any success, your next step will be to reach out to the federal HUD Manufactured Housing Dispute Resolution Program. You will need to file a complaint with them and they will be able to help you:
Online Email: [email protected] Phone: 571-882-2928 Fax: 888-819-5191 Or by Mail (preferably certified): Manufactured Home Dispute Resolution Program 1676 International Drive Suite 501 McLean, Virginia, 22102
A Glimpse of the Mobile Homes in the State
Our favorite part of our state guide series is taking a peek at a few of the great mobile homes that can be found in each state. Here are just a few that we found on Zillow in Wisconsin. There were so many to choose from!
It is great to see that mobile home living is being embraced all throughout the country. It is easier than ever to purchase a manufactured home and thankfully the stigma of mobile homes is fading. Our state guide series will continue next time with a look at Buying a Mobile Home in Illinois. Stay tuned!
We appreciate you reading Mobile Home Living.