Rules and approval

1. Can I have the community rules and the age policy in writing?A friendly answer at the office is not the same as the written rules. In a 55+ community, the age policy decides who can live with you.
2. What does the approval process ask for, and how long does it take?Most parks check background, income, who will live in the home and pets. Do not close on a home, sign a lease or pay a mover until approval is in writing.
3. What are the guest rules, and how long can visitors stay?If the grandkids or family will visit, the guest limit matters. Every park sets its own.
4. What are the pet rules: how many, how big, which breeds?Pet rules change a lot from one park to the next. Get them in writing before you fall in love with a home.
5. Can I rent out the home, or have a caregiver live with me?Some parks ban rentals or limit who can live in the home. It matters if your plans change.

Rent and costs

6. What exactly does the lot rent include?Water, sewer, trash, lawn care, cable and the amenities. Two parks with the same rent can be very different once you add what is not included.
7. What has the lot rent been each year for the last three to five years?The rent history tells you more about future rent than any promise.
8. Can I read the prospectus and the lot rental agreement before I sign?In Florida, parks with 26 or more lots must give you a prospectus before you sign, and you have 15 days after receiving it to cancel. Rent increases need 90 days of written notice.
9. Who owns the park, since when, and is the land for sale or being rezoned?Rents often rise faster after an investor buys a park, and a park sold for a new use can close. County zoning records are public.
10. Is there a homeowners association, or is the park owned by its residents?In a resident-owned co-op you pay a maintenance fee instead of lot rent, and a resident board makes the decisions.

11. If I bring my home: which years, sizes and wind zone do you accept, in writing?Each park sets its own rules on which homes it accepts, and the home must be built for the county's wind zone. Check the data plate inside the home.
12. What setup standards apply: skirting, steps, carport, shed, driveway?Many parks require a specific look. Knowing it before the move avoids paying for the same work twice.
13. Who may work on the lot, and on which days and hours?Some parks limit contractors, trucks and work hours. It changes how a move or a repair is scheduled.

14. Is the park, and this lot, in a flood zone?Look it up yourself on the county flood map. In a flood zone, storm damage can decide whether a home may be repaired at all.
15. How did the park do in the last hurricanes, and where do residents go to shelter?Most Florida counties ask mobile home residents to evacuate when a strong storm comes. Know the plan before you move in.
16. If I buy a home already in the park: when were its anchors last checked?Rusted or loose straps are common. A current tie-down inspection can also lower your insurance premium.

17. Can I see the activity calendar for the last few months?A calendar full in January and empty in July tells you how many residents stay year round.
18. Are the pool, courts and clubhouse open all year, and is anything extra to pay?Brochures show the amenities; the rules decide when you can use them and what they cost.

We send you the link to this list so you have it on your phone when you visit a park.

We only use your email to send the list and, now and then, guides for mobile home owners. Unsubscribe anytime.

Related guides