Our series is continuing this week with a look at some helpful info when buying a mobile home in Illinois. We also found some really nice mobile home setups to share with you. From where to start your search to what to do after the sale, we cover it all here!
Illinois Mobile Home Facts
Illinois is the number one producer of pumpkins in the country, and the second-largest producer of corn. No surprise since it’s one of the flattest states as well, which makes it perfect for crops and for easy setups of manufactured homes. Another fact about Illinois, they have over 400 manufactured communities in the state, which means mobile homes are a popular home choice here.
Other statistics about mobile home living in Illinois include:
The average price of a pre-owned home: $56944
Average model year of a pre-owned home: 2002
Average pre-owned home size in square feet: 1299
Average sites in a manufactured home community: 132
Average year a community was developed: 1989
Number of age-restricted communities: 40
Keep This in Mind When Buying a Mobile Home in Illinois
One of the first research tools any potential home buyer should utilize is their state’s site for manufactured homes. There you can find financing options, retailers, and more. Luckily, Illinois has a great site to find all that and more. From the moment you visit their home page you are greeted with why factory-built homes are the best choice, and of course, we couldn’t agree more. Be sure to make their site your first stop!
Illinois MHA
P.O. Box 2008
Springfield, IL 62705
(217) 528-3423
www.imha.org
You’ve Got Your New Home, Now What?
Once you have decided on your mobile home you will need to make sure it’s ready for the potential of severe weather, like tornados, that are common in Illinois. Thankfully, manufactured homes built after 1976 are built to such high standards they will fair as well as any neighboring stick-built home if they are installed properly. There is a wealth of information about making sure your mobile home is storm ready online, including on the Illinois Manufactured Home Association site.
Also, once you have purchased your mobile home you will need to title and register it. Most states have a pretty straightforward process for titling your home, and your dealer will usually handle this for you if you are buying a new model. However, Illinois has a slightly different titling process. This is what we found:
Mobile homes must be titled and include a description of the home.The owner of a mobile home not located in a mobile home park shall, within 30 days after initial placement of such mobile home in any county and within 30 days after movement of such mobile home to a new location, file with the county recorder’s office a mobile home registration.
The registration must show the name and address of the owner and every occupant of the mobile home, the location of the mobile home, the year of manufacture, and the square feet of floor space contained in such mobile home together with the date that the mobile home became inhabited, was initially placed in the county, or was moved to a new location. Such registration shall also include the license number of such mobile home and of the towing vehicle, if there be any, and the state issuing such licenses
Source: AAA Digest of Motor Laws: Titles for Mobile Homes.
How to Handle any Defects or Issues After Setup
Once your new mobile home has been installed, take a good look at your home. If you see any issues that could have come from the factory or from setup be sure to address them with the dealer/manufacturer as soon as possible. Every new manufactured home comes with a one-year warranty that should cover any problems. Make sure to keep good records and hopefully your dealer will handle any problems quickly.
If unfortunately, you aren’t able to get your problems taken care of directly with the dealer, your next step will be to reach out to the Federal HUD Manufactured Housing Dispute Resolution Program.
You can submit your complaint the following ways: Online Email: info@huddrp.net 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
A Few of the Awesome Mobile Homes of Illinois
There were so many cool mobile homes on Zillow it was hard to choose which ones to share. From single wides in communities, to double-wides with nice landscaping, Illinois has it all.
Final Thoughts
Buying a mobile home in Illinois is pretty much like the process across the country. One important thing to remember, make sure your home is set up to withstand the high winds that storms may bring to the area. There are inspectors that will visit after set up to make sure you are good to go.
Thanks for reading Mobile Home Living.
