Selling a traditional, site-built home is basically a pretty straightforward affair. It’s the kind of real estate transaction most people are familiar with. Selling mobile homes (or manufactured homes, as they are known today) is a little different and often more complicated. You also have to factor in whether an agent will really benefit you and how fast you need to sell. So let’s see if we can find a satisfactory answer to this question: “Should you use an agent to sell your Tucson mobile home?”
Top Concerns for Selling Manufactured Homes
When it comes to selling mobile homes in Tucson, AZ, (or really anywhere for that matter), there are a few top concerns that you’ll need to think carefully about. Probably, the most important ones are:
Real Property vs. Chattel
The first thing you’ll need to consider is whether your mobile home is real property or what is called chattel.
If you own the land your mobile home sits on and the home is tied down, then it will be considered real property, that is, real estate. In that case, the sale will proceed much as it would with a traditional home, and it might be a good idea to use an agent to sell your mobile home.
If, on the other hand, you don’t own the land your manufactured home sits on, then it is considered chattel or personal property instead of real property. The sale, in this case, would be akin to selling your car than selling a home.
In fact, about half of mobile homeowners are in this position of owning the home, but just leasing the lot in a mobile home park – which is a “lot lease” scenario. As a result, it may not do you much good to use an agent to sell your mobile. The park management will have some say about whom you can sell your home to, and many agents aren’t licensed to sell manufactured homes under these conditions. A better and easier course in this instance might be to go through a reputable Tucson mobile home buyer.
Pricing Your Mobile Home
A further consideration in deciding whether to use an agent to sell your mobile home is pricing. You simply have to price competitively and in accordance with fair market value to make a sale. And that’s not always an easy task with manufactured homes.
One thing you have to keep firmly in mind is that mobile homes, unlike traditional homes, typically depreciate (that is, lose value) over time, but land usually appreciates. So if you own your mobile home and the land it’s situated on, pricing right can become a fairly complicated matter. And if you want to use an agent, you’ll have to shop around to find an agent with the expertise and experience to get it right.
Speed of Sale
Another important consideration is how fast you need to sell. The sale process when you use an agent can be pretty lengthy – involving appraisal, inspection, listing, meeting with buyers, negotiating, making offers and counteroffers, making repairs and/or concessions, and finally closing.
So if you need to sell your Tucson mobile home fast, a cash deal might be better for you. Just be aware that many cash buyers are looking for a great deal and will be out to lowball you. That’s why a cash deal demands that you put in the effort to locate an experienced, reputable Tucson mobile home buyer.
Pros and Cons of Using an Agent to Sell Your Mobile Home
Let’s take a look, then, at the pros and cons of selling your mobile home without an agent:
Pros
- You know your home and the area better than anyone else and will be better able to point out to buyer’s features, amenities, and personality of the neighborhood.
- You won’t have to pay the agent’s commission, thus saving yourself around 6% of the sale price.
- You have control. You can set the price and appointment times, as well as being able to handle negotiations yourself.
- You have more skin in the game – it is, after all, your mobile home – and will put more effort into getting the best deal.
Cons
- You will often sell for less. Typically, mobile homes sold without an agent sell for 15% less than those sold with an agent.
- You will get less visibility by not being able to use an agent’s marketing expertise and, as a result, not being able to leverage the MLS to its fullest.
- It will take you longer to sell simply because you’re not familiar with the process.
- You will have to take care of all the paperwork yourself, possibly even opening yourself to adverse financial and legal consequences.
- You will have to invest a lot of time meeting with and weeding out buyers, especially the mere tire kickers.
When You Need to Sell Your Tucson Mobile Home Fast
As we mentioned above, for many mobile home sellers, the speed of sale is the primary concern, and using an agent may not be the best way to sell your Tucson mobile home fast. Instead, if you need to sell your mobile home fast, consider a Tucson mobile home buyer for the following advantages:
- You get a full cash payment upfront without paying an agent’s commission.
- You can sell as-is and increase your profit because you don’t have to make repairs.
- You can close within a matter of days.
- You won’t have to deal with a mountain of paperwork.
- The buyer will communicate with park management.
- Basically, you have far fewer headaches and hassles.
Consider a Premier Tucson Mobile Home Buyer
So should you use an agent to sell your Tucson, AZ, mobile home? The answer, as we’ve shown, depends largely on your unique situation and those important considerations we laid out in the beginning. Using an agent does have certain advantages, but there are also definite downsides, especially if you need to sell your mobile home fast.