With 828,000 mobile homes in Florida alone, the mobile home life is thriving. If you want to rent or own a mobile home in the state, you have many options available. Before you dive into the search for the perfect place, however, here are 6 things you need to know.
1. You have lots of options for buying or renting
The sheer number of mobile homes in Florida means you should have no difficulty finding a beautiful and affordable place to live in the Sunshine State. However, you also have choices when it comes to the type of mobile home you select.
a) Renting your mobile home
In this situation, you rent your home and the land on it, typically within a mobile home community.
b) Buying your mobile home
In this situation, you purchase your mobile home and own it yourself. You may or may not own the land on which the mobile home sits.
c) Renting to own your mobile home
In a rent to own situation, you rent your mobile home, but according to your lease you have the option (or requirement) to purchase the home after a specific period of time. Your rent may be applied to your down payment when the time of purchase comes.
2. Chances are, you will need to pay for the land
When budgeting to rent or own a mobile home, you should always take the land into consideration. Choosing to rent? The lot rent will be included in your monthly lease amount. Planning to own a mobile home? You will either need to rent a lot within a mobile home community (Usually only a few hundred dollars a month) or buy land on which to put your mobile home. In order to avoid financial stress in the long run, find out how much land expenses will impact your rental or purchase costs before you settle on a home.
3. Familiarize yourself with the costs of buying or renting
Regardless of the mobile home you choose, planning ahead for your expenses can help ensure the affordability and financial security of your choice. Here are some of the expected costs associated with both renting and owning a mobile home.
Costs to Rent a Mobile Home:
- Security Deposit
- First and last month’s rent due upfront
- Periodic rental increases
- Utilities
- Trash removal
- Monthly rent
Costs to Own a Mobile Home:
- Mortgage Payments
- Lot Rentals
- Maintenance
- Upgrades and Improvements
- Utilities
- Trash Removal
4. Buying or renting a mobile home makes Florida living attainable
While there are financial obligations that come whether you rent a mobile home in Florida or own a mobile home in Florida, the reality is that mobile homes make Florida living attainable for almost any budget.
For example, while the median home price in Florida is around $400,000, used mobile homes average around $48,000. With lot rents of just a few hundred dollars, many people can sell their stick-built homes elsewhere, move to a mobile home community such as those offered by Bedrock Communities, pay cash for their home, and enjoy a comfortable retirement regardless of their income level.
With Bedrock Communities in some of Florida’s most desirable locations, that means that sunny Florida life is within financial reach. Living in a mobile home may even give you the financial leeway you need to enjoy life’s little luxuries in some of the nation’s most beautiful locations.
5. Mobile homes in designated communities have a lot to offer
Some people choose to purchase a mobile home and put it on their own land. However, many mobile homes are available in dedicated communities that have endless amenities and activities to offer residents. Here are just a few of the features that mobile home communities have to offer, whether you choose to rent or buy your mobile home:
- Social activities and clubhouses
- Friendships and support networks nearby
- Laundry
- Fishing
- Pet-friendly housing
- Boating
- Shuffleboard and pétanque
- Swimming pools
- Lake or ocean access
- Libraries
- Billiards
- And more
A strong community, practical and recreation amenities, and access to some of Florida’s most exciting destinations make Bedrock Communities’ 55+ mobile home communities an appealing option when you are seeking out mobile home life.
6. Mobile homes are beautiful and reliable homes
The rundown mobile home of years past is no longer the reality in many mobile home communities across the nation. Trading in a stick built home for a manufactured or mobile home does not have to mean trading down.
Instead, whether you choose to own a mobile home in Florida or rent one, you can expect to find beautiful, reliable, and desirable housing. For example, at Bedrock Communities, you can expect quality, beautiful finishes, new appliances, and other features to come standard in many of our homes. That can make retiring and living in a Florida mobile home as rewarding as living in a stick built home, without the expenses that could make Florida life impossible to enjoy.
If you are thinking about moving into a mobile home in Florida, you are making a choice that has served thousands of Florida residents very well. Learn more about Bedrock Communities and the mobile home life we can offer you today!
