All Forum Posts by: Chandra L.

I have a question too - does anyone have advice on where to find a good contract to use with a mobile home mover and installer? The contract we were given by the mover is not acceptable (too much money upfront, no provisions for lien releases, not enough detail about what is going to be done and by whom, no stipulations about insurance, etc...the contract favors the mover/installer and has no protections for us, which makes sense since he prepared it). Have other people used an attorney to prepare a contract? Or does anyone have a good example somewhere of a contract that protects the customer a little bit better?

Just got a quote in Ocala, FL to move a single wide approximately 85 miles, for $3800 for breakdown, transport and set-up, plus $400 per site for a tractor plus $175 for hitches (if needed). This did not include preparation of the pad ($700, with 2 loads of clay/soil), or any permits or impact fees. Additional quotes were as follows: plumbing hookups ($650), electric hookup ($1600, includes upgrade to 200 amp service - sounds a bit high to me - anyone have any advice on that), and skirting ($750).

Speaking of particle board (which Jerry mentioned in an earlier post), do standards now require that floors be made of plywood rather than particle board, and if so, when did those standards change (i.e., when would be the latest year in which particle board could still be used)? Or can floors still be made of particle board, even to this day? Thanks to everyone for all your most helpful comments!

Does anyone have advice on how to find a third-party escrow service who is willing to perform like a title company, but for the sale of a mobile home without real property (hold a deposit, allow me to do an inspection of a mobile home, then if acceptable, collect clear title from the seller and collect the remaining funds from me and disperse them)? Local real estate title companies don't seem to offer this service, but I have heard others here talk about this service, and so I am wondering how you found someone to do it. Thanks!

I am contemplating making an offer on a 1995 double-wide mobile home through one of these auction sites but saw two problems that concern me: 1) the back door won't open - it seems to be pretty firmly jammed shut; and 2) there is evidence of damage on the ceiling of the same side of the home, near a fireplace. My question is: what are the chances that either of these problems represent a significant and expensive issue (such as improper setting of the home, or settling, or something)? I am assuming the roof is original and will have to be replaced sooner rather than later. But I am concerned about the door too...could I be getting into some really expensive problems here, with the way the home is set on the lot? An inspection is not going to be an option before the bidding period ends tomorrow, and so I will have to bid without the benefit of a full inspection if I do so...so I'd appreciate any thoughts anyone has about what might be going on here, particularly with the door. Thanks!

Thanks to all of you for your replies! In case it helps, the "tenant" (squatter) is actually a relative who I suspect is bitter because his daughter (the granddaughter of the deceased), rather than he, inherited the house. I would categorize the current occupant as a squatter, rather than a tenant, because he was never authorized to move in (he did so after the owner died, and without anyone's permission, or so I'm told), and the daughter wants him out. I suspect there is some hostility there - likely to be considerable - and apparently the present squatter has not allowed any real estate agents in, and so I'd imagine he won't allow an inspector in either. I am also concerned he may trash the house if there is hostility (as I suspect there is), which is why I think it'd be a good idea to have him out before closing. Ideally I'd like to use a FARBAR As Is contract (as you mentioned, Wayne) and include a stipulation that the inspection period doesn't start until after this squatter is out. Does that sound reasonable, though, and are there other things I may not be thinking of? Thanks again to all of you!!!

I am a new investor and am wondering if anyone has advice on how/if to make an offer on a home that has an unauthorized occupant? Would you make an offer contingent on the seller getting the occupants out, but offer to pay the seller's legal fees at closing for ejecting these occupants? Would you also add a contingency to make the inspection period start after the occupants are out? The situation is that seller lives remotely and inherited the house (and didn't know that until recently), doesn't want to spend the money to get the occupants out and just wants to get rid of the house. The house is also in pre-foreclosure, and I do not know the payoff amount of the mortgage, but the seller says it is less than what they want for the property (although she is not sure of the exact amount). Any advice on how to approach this and break it down into an actionable plan for making an offer (what I should do, and when)? Would anyone here take the (substantial) risk on buying the house with the unauthorized occupants still there, and do the ejectment themselves? Do I need to know the mortgage payoff amount before making an offer, or do I make the offer and then worry about that later? Thank you!