PLACING YOUR HOME ON YOUR OWN LAND Or IN A RENTAL COMMUNITY

If you own or plan to buy land for your manufactured home, there are several matters you should consider.

Zoning

In cities and suburban areas, and in some semi rural areas, you may face zoning requirements that must be met. In certain areas, there may be a prohibition against manufactured homes, or certain requirements regarding their size and exterior appearance. You can find out if there are any restrictions or requirements by contacting the local community's planning and land use department. Consult your local telephone directory for the office nearest you.

Restrictive Covenants

Restrictive covenants are limitations in property deeds that control how you can use the land. These may include a requirement that homes be a certain size or a prohibition that lands not be used for certain purposes. The title search, conducted when you buy the land, may reveal information about such restrictions. Sometimes, however, the restrictions are described in ways that are difficult to understand. You may want to check with an experienced real estate attorney to see if there are any restrictive covenants that would keep you from placing your home on the land you are considering.

Utilities

Although a manufactured home comes complete with plumbing, electrical, and heating systems, it must, like all homes, be connected to electrical, water, and sewerage facilities. If your site is in a well-developed area, all necessary utilities may be available, subject to connection charges. Find out exactly what utilities are available and how much it will cost to connect your home to all utility sources. Contact your local public utilities division for information about utility services in your area.

Make sure the applicable zoning laws and the deed on your land will allow a manufactured home to be placed there.
There are a number of important questions to consider when placing your manufactured home in a rental community.

Electrical Facilities

Electricity is usually available in all areas. But if the area where you plan to live does not have ready access to electric power, connection could be quite expensive. Check with the local power company to find out whether electricity is readily accessible.

Water Facilities

In many locations, there may not be local government-supplied water lines. If there is no water, you may have to drill a well. Do not assume that all drilling will provide water. Check with a local well-drilling company about costs and whether success is guaranteed. Also, check with local health authorities to make certain there are no problems with the quality of the water in the area.

Sewerage Facilities

Many areas still rely on septic tank systems instead of a city or county sanitary sewerage system. If you cannot connect your home to a sewerage system, you must check with local authorities about installing a septic tank. Properly installed septic systems can work quite well. But sometimes they cannot be used; for example, where the soft is not able to absorb the discharged waste. For more information, contact the local health department or the office responsible for granting building permits.

PLACING YOUR HOME IN A RENTAL COMMUNITY

You may want to place your home on a leased site in a community especially planned for manufactured housing. Placing your home in such a community usually involves fewer practical problems.

If you are interested in a rental community, visit the ones in the area where you wish to live. In addition, some manufactured home retailers may operate their own rental communities, so you may wish to ask the retailer for information and advice about them. Find out what each community offers and the differences among them, including the financial aspects, such as rental and installation costs and any miscellaneous service charges.

There also are several questions you will want to ask before deciding upon a particular rental community.

Is a written lease required and, if so, for how long?

What are the charges for utility connections or other services?

Do the community's rules require that it be responsible for installing your home, or can you let your retailer do the job?

What charges will be made for installation? Who will be responsible for ground maintenance, snow removal, refuse collection, street maintenance, and mail?

What are the community's rules and regulations? For example, are pets prohibited? Can you accept and live with such rules?

Are there any special requirements or restrictions when you sell your home?

Are there any provisions to protect you if the owner of the manufactured home community where you lease your home site sells the property for another purpose? If you must move because of a sale, will the owner help with relocation expenses, or is private or public assistance available?