What is a Mobile Home Community? A Guide to Mobile Home Communities

Thinking about living in a mobile home, before you go any further, you have to think about where you want your home to be placed!  If you haven’t thought about being a part of a mobile home community, now is the time to do so! 

What is a Mobile Home Community?

Residential developments that are designed to house mobile/manufactured/modular/vehicular homes are called mobile home communities and are also referred to as mobile home parks, land-lease communities, modular site parks, and stereotypically trailer parks. The purpose of these developments is to provide owners with plots of land to rent or buy, along with various services and amenities that can be used by all residents. They can be as small as5 units or extend up to communities with over 20,000 people. 

These communities usually have activities for the residents, which help foster a feeling of belonging and community among residents. Since these neighborhoods tend to be gated, age-restricted, or family-oriented, events take place to make residents feel welcome and typically create  Events, outings, game nights, dinners, picnics, dance parties, and even trips are planned in order to create a close-knit community

Not all mobile home parks are the same, rather each caters to a particular interest or niche: some are pet-friendly, while others are exclusively for older citizens (50+), some cater to families, and a choice few services those in need of luxury! 

It is important to choose the right mobile home community for your needs. The location has to be somewhere you feel comfortable living for a long time, especially if you are buying your own mobile home in a park! Something that you must look out for at the very beginning is: who owns the park? Is it resident/community-owned, small-scale owners, or big-pocketed investors? Knowing this will make it easier to predict what the future may hold for each mobile home park. 

Decide Your Budget 

When purchasing or renting a mobile home in a mobile home park, you will first have to settle on a budget. If your budget is low, you can look into renting a mobile home in an affordable community, in order to save money. If you have a medium budget you may be able to look for better communities, with access to schools, recreation facilities, and restaurants. However, if you are looking to live on a large budget, you will be able to find a number of mobile home communities that will offer you all the amenities you can enjoy! 

Make Lists! 

First, you will have to decide where you would like to live! There are a number of cities and states that are better for mobile homeowners than others. It would be good to compare cities, states, tax benefits, and interest rates to see what the best option for you would be. Once you have decided on the place, you will have to start looking out for different mobile home parks. You will need to shortlist a few because not every mobile home park will have immediate vacancies. Next, you will have to make a list of the amenities that are most important to you, and compare this with the amenities the parks on your shortlist offer. 

Prioritize resident-owned mobile home communities 

This is something important to keep in mind, especially if you are looking at a mobile home as a long-term investment. These mobile home parks generally offer residents a chance to own their personal share of the park, thus making it almost as if you own your own home, without having to pay park rental fees. Usually, the members of the community all share payments for services like maintenance and repairs, while also having the power to run the park as a community, instead of as a business. It is much harder to lose your home or to be evicted from this type of park, since you are a part owner, and have a say in how the park is run. 

Thinking of something luxurious, yet affordable?

Look out for high-end parks that cater to every aspect of your life. These luxury parks feature everything from outdoor parks to swimming pools, campsites to cabanas, and a number of other amenities to make your life that much easier and happier! These parks are part of a new wave of mobile home parks that want to cater to the millennials. These parks are carefully designed to be attractive options to people with money to spend and who couldn’t otherwise afford their own homes. 

RV communities are amazing as well!

If you aren’t looking for an instant move, and just want to dip your toes into a mobile home community, you can try renting out a unit at an RV park. RV parks usually are campgrounds or large sites that offer parking for your RV/mobile home, providing you with water, electricity, and sewage attachments. You can also get stationary travel trailer insurance for your RV/mobile home. If you stay in a more luxurious RV park, you not only get the above-mentioned attachments, but further amenities, like gyms, hiking paths, bars, restaurants, repair shops, recreational activities, and more! You also have more space for your RV, and additional services like complimentary vehicle washes/maintenance, laundry, and garbage disposal! 

Whatever type of community you are looking for, you can be sure there is a mobile home community that has exactly what you are looking for! Start your search for the perfect community now!