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Your purchasing power increase few hundred thousands for that payment towards the mortgage instead.If you do decide to invest back in CA - there are places in central valley, further east in east bay (Patterson, Stockton, parts of Tracy) etc. that you can consider.

There are so many items you need to check on a mobile home park in due diligence and we wrote a course around it.Here is a short list of the most "deal-killing" items:1) Test ad.2) Certificate of Zoning from the city or county.3) Phase I environmental report.4) Review of last 3 years of P&L (and tax returns if available).5) Forward forecasting budget.6) Rent roll and payment history.7) Review of the water, sewer and electric systems.8) Size of each lot.9) Confirmation of which homes are occupied and which are vacant.10) Rent comps on all competing mobile home parks.11) Study of the metro market.12) Survey and title.Mobile home parks are much more complicated than they look.

As a note for everyone, in MN with moratorium you do NOT have to sign or agree to make a lease month-2-month terms during moratorium, the moratorium itself automatically gives all expired lease's month-2month BUT with the power that when it ends so does the lease.

.#3....Get a realtor and go shopping.Texas is a giant place....for example Dallas to El Paso is 1/2 way to LA.....so 1/2 the trip is within Texas...so you'll probably want to buy in a combination of close to where you will work, then in the price range that fits your income or borrowing power.

@Po Chan  You might also see if you can close via a limited power of attorney, which gives someone else the right to close for her. 

This would get that job done (which is a big job) but at the same time increase the property value.The new rental suite will likely rent for $1500/m but to get city approval, the whole house as a duplex/triplex needs to be bought up to code  (fireproofing, electrical, plumbing) which will likely make the whole build cost close to 300k (contractors estimate).

Residential conforming loans require the 1 yr occupation unless you get an "investment" conventional loan.Other than mortgage fraud issues, if you just "wake up" one morning before the 1yr is up, I don't think the 'power thats be" will know in it of itself. 

How close is the power, water, and cable TV to the lot?

Electricity would be easy, the plumbing would be a bit more work, IMO.