There's a lot of things to do before putting your mobile home on the market, especially in today's climate. With interest rates rising, buyers are becoming more picky. Multiple full-price offers are being replaced with cold feet, more days on market, and lower-priced offers with contingencies and negotiations.
That's why, if you choose to list your home yourself or through a realtor, it's more important than ever to put in the effort to fix up your mobile home so it has a better chance of standing out. Below are the top 5 things to consider before putting your mobile home on the market.
If you would like an offer from Mobile Bye Bye, keep in mind that we won't require any of these to be done. We make offers on mobile homes as-is, meaning we handle all fixes and repairs. It's completely free and no-obligation to receive an as-is quote. I would strongly encourage you to at least see what your offer would be before investing time, energy, and money into repairs and marketing the home yourself. You may be surprised! Get a free "As-Is" quote here.
WAIT! Get an "As-Is" Quote BEFORE Renovating!
Remember, ALWAYS get a free "As-Is" quote for your mobile home BEFORE spending money on renovating. If your renovated price isn't significantly higher than your "As-Is" offer, you may choose not to waste time and money renovating!
1) Inspect & Fix the "Core" Components First
Think of "core" components as large items that, if damaged, would make the mobile home not livable. Holes in the roof, unstable foundation, broken or outdated AC (especially important in Texas!)—these items should absolutely be addressed first.
You will want to ensure these items are in good working condition. It's OK if they are older and in good condition. If they are older, you may consider replacing them, but at the very least get an inspection and service if needed. These items tend to scare new home buyers as they are costly and very important, so whatever you can do to mitigate this will help the sale of your home!
Core Component Checklist
- Roof: Is the roof in solid condition? Sealed properly?
- Foundation: Is the home secured properly to the ground? Is the underlying pad in good condition?
- Siding: Any holes in the siding or deterioration?
- Doors / Windows: Are all doors and windows in place and properly sealed?
- AC / Heater / Blower: Does the home heat and cool properly? Has the HVAC been serviced regularly? (Ideal if you have records of service!)
- Electrical: Do all the outlets and lights work? Do the breakers turn off the correct outlets and lights?
- Plumbing: Are there any leaks under the mobile home? Underneath sinks? At or around the connection points? Are pipes insulated properly?
- Subfloors: Are any of the floors soft from water damage?
- Vapor Barrier: Is the plastic underneath the home intact?
- Septic (if applicable): How long has the septic been installed? Regular inspections?
2) Inspect & Fix the "Visible" Components Second
After the "core" items are covered, you will want to move on to the "visible" components of your manufactured home. These are items that are less critical to the integrity of your mobile home but are sometimes given even MORE weight than the core components just because they are easily seen by potential buyers.
One very simple way of identifying these items is to step back and scan your home. Make a note of what items you see that are damaged, outdated, or unclean. Here are a few common visible components to check:
- Skirting
- Paint
- Walls
- Trim / Baseboards
- Ceilings
- Cabinets
- Tile / Laminate
- Door / Cabinet handles
- Vents
- Light Fixtures
- Switches
3) Focus on Curb Appeal
Very similar to the "visible" items from step 2, but with a focus on how the house looks from the outside. The term "curb appeal" is related to how your house looks from the curb, or from a distance as you approach the home.
You may have lived in your mobile home park for years and likely don't even consider what your home looks like. But try to think back to the first time you saw your home in the community. Do you remember what your initial judgment was? This is what a new home buyer will do. Before stepping foot inside your mobile home, a potential buyer will already have a hundred data points just from walking up to your front door.
Make sure your outside looks very presentable:
- Trim the bushes
- Paint the mailbox
- Make sure house numbers are clear and visible
- Fill any holes in the driveway
- Seed dirt spots that need grass
- Consider simple landscaping
- Look at other homes in your neighborhood for ideas and inspiration
Don't get too unique though. Often just simple and clean changes will be enough. Make sure to check with your mobile home park manager before making big changes.
4) Clean!
You could have the most amazing home but if it's dirty, moldy, or even dusty, it could be a major turnoff for a potential buyer.
If you are currently living in the property, this will be a challenge but it's VERY important. Make sure to put away dirty dishes, laundry, and clean up any messes. When potential buyers visit your home, they will want to imagine themselves living there and will have a hard time looking past a mess!
We highly recommend hiring a professional cleaning service to deep clean your property before listing it for sale.
5) Stage Properly
Finally, you are ready to stage! Staging a home includes putting simple decor, furniture, pictures, and accessories to make your home more inviting. Often new buyers have a hard time visualizing what an empty home "could" look like. Empty mobile homes can also feel cold and uninviting. Staging is a great way to help buyers see what's possible!
If you are living in the home, this step may be easy as your furniture is already in the home. While this step may not be necessary in many communities, if your home is in an upscale mobile home park, it will go a long way in attracting buyers!
Some realtors will help stage your mobile home for a fee. There are also professional staging companies, but be warned—these get pricey very quickly.
Now Your Home Is Ready to Sell!
If your home is older, that may have been a lot of work. If your home is newer or well taken care of, these steps may have only taken a few weeks and not a lot of effort. Now you are ready to list and market your mobile home!
Check out our next blog post about selling options: Ways to Sell Your Mobile Home Austin, Texas. And to find out what your home is worth right now, read How Much Can I Sell My Mobile Home For?