Remember This When Buying a Mobile Home in Minnesota

With only 5 states to go, this week we are exploring buying a mobile home in Minnesota. Minnesota is home to over 5.6 million people. No doubt that’s why there are so many people making mobile homes their new home.

Minnesota Facts and Figures

I bet you didn’t know that Minnesota is home to over 10,000 lakes. This makes it a great spot for vacation homes such as Park Models. Here are some other interesting facts about mobile homes in Minnesota:

Average price of a pre-owned home: $62229
Average model year of a pre-owned home: 2009
Average pre-owned home size in square feet: 1236
Average sites in a manufactured home community: 115
Average year a community was developed: 1983
Number of age-restricted communities: 14
Number of all-age communities: 312

Know Before You Buy

Before buying a mobile home in Minnesota you are going to want to visit the Minnesota Manufactured Housing Association page. While you are there you can find potential communities, retailers, a list of builders in the state, and where to find help with financing and insurance needs.

Minnesota MHA
1540 Humboldt Ave.
W Saint Paul, MN 55118
(651) 450-4700
www.mnmfghome.org

What’s Next After the Sale

Minnesota is one of many states that still consider manufactured homes as personal property rather than real estate. You will need to title your new or new to you home at your local DMV using the application for title to a manufactured home form.

Keep in mind, when buying a mobile home in Minnesota the state does recognize the mobile home if it’s placed on private property that you own and have a Mortgage this home is then permanently affixed to real property. In this scenario, the Certificate of Origin would need to be SURRENDERED to the Driver and Vehicle Services and it is canceled. Once it is surrendered the homeowner then needs to record the Affidavit of Affixed Manufactured Home to Real Property with the county recorder or register of titles for the county where the real property on which the manufactured home is affixed or located.

Dealer and Setup Issues

If you are buying a new mobile home, it includes a one year manufactured warranty. Any problems or defects that come from the factory or during installation can be taken care of by contacting your dealer. They typically have a staff that handles any problems that occur. Don’t forget to keep a record of any correspondence (typically contact them in writing via certified mail) so that you have a paper trail in case your issues aren’t resolved.

If you are not able to get your issues resolved, it may be time to file a complaint to get your issues handles. Minnesota handles its own HUD dispute resolution program and information regarding the filing process can be found on the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry site or by contacting the office directly at:

Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry
Construction Codes and Licensing Division
443 Lafayette Road North
St. Paul, MN 55155-4341
PH: 651-284-4341

Mobile Home Living in Minnesota

One of our favorite parts of this state series has been taking a look at a few of the wonderful homes that can be found in each state. Zillow had over 300 mobile homes last time we checked. You can also find mobile homes on the Facebook marketplace and other realtor sites as well. So many great options are available.

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Related: A Look at Park Model Homes.

With an ever-growing population, buying a mobile home in Minnesota is a smart choice for potential homebuyers. Not only are they more economical than stick-built homes but they also hold their value as well as conventional homes! Stay tuned as we wind down our state guide series with only 4 states left to cover, with a look at New Jersey next week.

Thanks for reading Mobile Home Living.