The Beginner’s Corner
Q.
I am beginning to consider a mobile home as a housing option. What are my major considerations?
1. Where is it going? Do you own land?
2. Zoning
3. County regulations – permitting associated with a mobile/manufactured homes
4. Cost
Q.
Please break these down and discuss only the most important aspects
1. Where is it going? Do you own land?
Your first consideration should be, “Do I have land and is it zoned to accept a mobile home?” If you can answer, “yes” to both of these, you are well on your way and should skip down to
Regulations and Permitting.
If you do not own land, you may want to browse other options we have available and consider:
· Buying a home and renting a lot from a park or individual.
· Renting a mobile home and a lot from a mobile home park
· Renting a mobile home and a lot from an individual.
· Buying land
· Buying a land/home package
2. Zoning
If you are not sure about your local zoning, phone your county government’s zoning board.
We provide links for many counties in our county
regulations section. While government web sites are usually
fairly reliable, even they have disclaimers making it best to contact them in person. An added measure: for $10 you can obtain a “zoning board clearance letter”. This letter will stand up in court should issues arise between the time you plan/purchase your home and the time you buy/move it to the site.
3. Regulations and Permitting.
Before we get to county regulations, the State of South Carolina requires (on all mobile homes) that the method of sewage disposal be approved by the
health department before a permit is issued. What this means, in effect, is that if you own your own land, before you start serious mobile-home shopping, you should contact your
county health department and apply for a septic tank permit or sewer system tap. They will schedule a visit to test your soil, a process that may take up to 8 weeks. You do not have to be there. You should have flags up (four corners) indicating where you intend to put your home. Also place flags along your property line.
Permitting is done and varies greatly by county. Work is underway to post the permitting procedures of the seven upstate counties on this site.
Please be aware that it is your responsibility (or your contractor’s, if you agree beforehand) to make sure you are not building or setting up a mobile home over or beneath any utility lines or within any rights-of-way or easements for any utilities.
You should check the following before shopping for a home or beginning work:
· Check for sewer main under mobile home and surrounds
· Check for gas main under mobile home and surrounds
· Check for phone line under mobile home and surrounds
· Check for power line under mobile home and surrounds
· Check for water main under mobile home and surrounds
· Check for storm drain lines under mobile home and surrounds
· Check your deed and legal conveyance for your lot before buying a mobile home
· Be sure you can meet all required setbacks that may be stated on your permit
· Check for all types of easements on your property
· Check for any restrictive covenants that may apply on your property
The issuance of a permit does not mean that the county has reviewed your application to be sure that you are not located within one of these “NO BUILD” Zones. The county is not liable for any loss you may suffer for failing to check all of the above.
Having done all of the above you are ready to begin shopping for your mobile home.
4. Cost
I am sure we have all heard someone say, “I bought a repossessed like-new double-wide, extra-long mobile home for $8000.00.” They may not have been lying. But what they are failing to point out is the associated cost.
Before you begin any type of home shopping it would be wise to determine what you can afford. This may sound so obvious that it need not be stated. But there are a lot of repossessions on the market, and many are due to the fact that people simply bought more than they could afford.
Many of these people were talked into
buying more home than they could afford by a lot salesman who doctored their credit or work history, helped them apply for a loan with an inflated price tag, and then stuck them with a 19% interest rate, all while promising them no money down, 0% interest and no payments for a year. We
sympathize with these folks; many are currently homeless and their credit is wrecked for
a minimum of seven years.
And remember, you must have cash for these repossessed mobile homes. As stated above, there are associated costs. At the very least include in your budget:
- Septic tank and drain field, or sewer tap
- Possible grading. This may or may not be necessary, but a mover may charge you extra if your home site is not level, is in a hole or up on a hillside. So it may be a matter of paying one contractor or the other. Also, your septic tank contractor may be a
very capable grader that can do both for one price.
- Moving. In only the most general terms, expect to pay roughly $1500.00 for a single wide, $3000.00 for a double wide move-and-set. This will be from a level lot to a level lot, within 50 miles of the homes’ present location, and does not include decks, nor blocks (for piers) nor underpinning. Most movers will do these extras, but they will charge you for it as well. Also, most movers normally include your hook-ups: plumbing to sewer/septic, water, and electrical. (Incidentally, buying a repossessed home in the field saves you the cost of move-to-dealers lot/move-to your site).
- Disconnecting and reconnecting your split-unit heat pump/air conditioner
- Decks
- Blocks
- Underpinning
- Permitting (usually less than $100.00).
So, now that we have burst your bubble and talked you out of buying a repossessed mobile home, keep in mind that you are going to have these same cost with used as well as new mobile homes. We have intentionally been straightforward about this for your benefit. We are trying to be a different kind of company. Just let us add one final note: It is possible for you to have a like-new 2000 square foot mobile home, set-up and ready to move in for under $25,000.00.
You be up front with us about what you can do and so will we. Where else will you hear straight talk and get a deal like that?
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