{"id":6698,"date":"2025-07-31T11:24:54","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T15:24:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/?p=6698"},"modified":"2025-07-31T11:24:57","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T15:24:57","slug":"buy-safely-learn-from-others-anticipate-pitfalls-in-manufactured-home-deals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/buy-safely-learn-from-others-anticipate-pitfalls-in-manufactured-home-deals\/","title":{"rendered":"Buy Safely. Learn From Others. Anticipate Pitfalls in Manufactured Home Deals."},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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At Royal Village, a manufactured home community in Toledo, Matthew Caton fought hard for his rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthew was among a number of residents who lingered in a rent-to-own status. They\u2019d been promised their titles 180 days after they bought in. But they\u2019d been waiting more than a year when they heard they\u2019d finally receive their titles on New Year\u2019s Day, 2024. Still, they waited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s excuse after excuse,\u201d one resident told a 13 Action News<\/em> reporter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The news team called the company that owns Royal Village. The rep there had no information. The local title office said the residents could go to court to get their titles. That would cost several hundred dollars and the court determination wasn\u2019t guaranteed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why should it be up to the residents to attempt a legal fix? Wasn\u2019t it up to Royal Village to come through on its contractual promises?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Persistence\u2014And Media Coverage\u2014Pays Off<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Frustrated by the property manager\u2019s inaction, Matthew Caton hired a lawyer. And this year, Matthew\u2019s persistence paid off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13 Action News<\/em> talked again with Matthew, asking what happened since the news team\u2019s initial visit. Matthew\u2019s lawyer had called the property manager\u2019s office three times before an appointment was finally set up with an auditor to transfer the title. Today, Matthew Caton\u2019s name is on the title. And the company issued a statement confirming the transfer of title \u201cto its rightful owner, Mr. Caton.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPlease rest assured that we would never sell a home that we do not own. Unfortunately, we encountered some delays in the title transfer process,\u201d the company added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Matthew told reporters the company sold him the mobile home when they didn\u2019t hold the title themselves. And the news team confirmed that take. The reporters spotted a title transfer from the previous owner of the manufactured home to Royal Village just days before the company finally conveyed the title to Matthew Caton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new title holder told the news team that his sympathies are with the other owners still waiting for their titles, unable to pay for a lawyer\u2019s support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Royal Village, Manufactured Homes are Personal Property<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The title to a Royal Village home is registered through the state motor vehicles department \u2014 not the county recorder of real estate deeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Available homes at Royal Village are<\/em> listed on the major real estate sites, with photos. For under $50K ($314 per month), a household could move into a 960 square foot, two-bed \/ two-bath manufactured home. Google, Yelp, and other review sites display customer experiences with the company. Those who buy into any housing community should consider reading the online review sites. In some cases, stories from current residents can help buyers come to informed decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Potential buyers should also note the comparative advantages in getting a deed to the land on which a manufactured home exists. Where state law enables this, the land purchase can be financed with a mortgage. Buyers have a harder time getting loans for the structure only. They pay more for these loans, and wind up with less overall protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buyers should carry out due diligence on manufactured home financing. There are fewer consumer protections, state or federal, for contract financing \u2014 especially as many contracts aren\u2019t publicly recorded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Normally, manufactured homes have real estate deeds if ownership includes the land underneath. But a state may require deeds for mobile homes in any case. See <\/strong><\/em>this example, for New Hampshire<\/em><\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Browser Beware! Mobile Home Buyers Should Look Out for Imposter Sellers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Better Business Bureau now warns consumers about a certain mobile home scam. The group on their radar uses the name Rose Harvey Mobile Homes. Look out for fake pictures of mobile homes on their website and social media accounts. The Louisiana address is a real address for a mobile home community, but the real business has nothing to do with the fake listings online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The scammer says it will deliver a mobile home to any site in the state for $1,500. That low price alone is a red flag, says the consumer group. And there are plenty of places where mobile homes aren\u2019t allowed<\/em> to be placed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The scammers urge their targets to wire money for their mobile home purchases. One target claims to have wired $3,500 to a scammer for a nonexistent home. So, the WBRZ <\/em>media team sent reporters from \u201c2 on Your Side\u201d to South Louisiana to investigate. These reporters quote Carmen Million, who heads up the BBB of South Central Louisiana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Million warns potential buyers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n