How To Transfer a Mobile Home Title in Arizona
Arizona is an extremely popular place to relocate, thanks to the state’s warm climate, outdoor recreation, vibrant communities, affordable housing, and job opportunities.
If you’re planning to sell or buy a mobile home in the Grand Canyon State, it’s important to understand how to transfer a mobile home title in Arizona for a smooth and hassle-free transaction. This post will provide you with an in-depth review of the Arizona mobile home title transfer process as well as what to look for when selling a mobile home and transferring the title to the buyer’s name in the state.
How Do I Transfer a Mobile Home Title in Arizona?
A mobile home title is a legal document that establishes the ownership of a mobile or manufactured home by an individual, business, company, or mobile home park. This document ensures that the rightful owner can legally sell or transfer ownership of the mobile home to another person. Fortunately, learning how to transfer a mobile home title in Arizona is quite straightforward, as Arizona’s process is fairly simple.
Here is an overview of the Arizona mobile home title transfer process:
Gather the Necessary Documents
Before selling a mobile home, the seller and buyer must gather documents such as the mobile home’s title, title application, tax certificate, notarized bill of sale, certificate of occupancy (CO), lien release, warranty deed, mobile home insurance records, mobile home appraisal or inspection, community documentation, seller’s disclosure, and any other relevant documents that support the transfer.
Since mobile homes are not classified as part of traditional real estate, their titles are issued by the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division (AZ MVD). A legitimate mobile home title should include the following:
- Name of the owner
- Names of any lien holders
- The model of the home
- The make of the home
- Where the mobile home was constructed
- Names of the mobile home’s constructors
- The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or serial number of the mobile home
- The year the mobile home was built
- Date of the title issuance
- An area for the seller’s and buyer’s signatures
Check for Back Taxes
In Arizona, all mobile homes are subject to property taxes like other types of real estate. Therefore, a mobile home seller or buyer must obtain physical proof that all property taxes on the home have been paid. That said, you’ll need to visit the local county treasurer’s office where the mobile home is located. Remember, calling may not help because this information is usually not provided over the phone.
Ensure you have the mobile home’s VIN or serial number when visiting the local treasurer’s office. If the property taxes on the home are paid in full, you’ll be issued a tax certificate, receipt, or clearance. If the property taxes are not current, the seller and buyer may reach an agreement to deduct the owed amount from the mobile home’s purchase price. This way, the buyer can repay the owed taxes once they transfer the title of the mobile home in Arizona.
Do you owe back taxes on your mobile home and need to sell it?
We can help you by making a cash offer on your manufactured home in Arizona — no need to worry about back taxes!
Check for Any Liens
Before transferring the mobile home title to the buyer, the seller must ensure that all outstanding liens or loans on the home have been released or paid off. In Arizona, no law dictates that liens must be cleared before a manufactured home title is transferred. However, if the buyer wants a clear title or needs financing, the lien must be cleared and a lien release issued.
To verify whether the manufactured home you’re purchasing has any outstanding loans or liens, visit the local MVD office in the county the mobile home is located.
Complete the Bill of Sale
Once a tax clearance letter and lien release on the manufactured home have been issued, it’s time to complete the bill of sale. This legal document should contain the names of the seller and buyer, their contact information, the purchase price of the mobile home, payment details, the mobile home’s VIN or serial number, and the date of the sale. Both the seller and buyer should sign the document. Notably, a notary is needed during the signing of the bill of sale and mobile home title.
Complete the Title Transfer
The buyer is required to present the necessary documents for the title transfer at the local MVD office and pay the title transfer fee. However, it’s highly recommended that the seller and buyer visit the local MVD office together to fasten the transfer process and promptly resolve any last-minute issues that may arise. The transfer fee usually varies depending on the age and value of the mobile home. Once the transfer fee is paid and all documents are notarized, the buyer will walk out of the MVD office with the manufactured home title.
Get a 504 Property Tax Clearance
If the buyer intends to move the mobile home from one location to another, they must get a 504 property tax clearance permit as per the Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) §28-1104.
Mobile Home Title Transfer After Death in Arizona
In Arizona, the paperwork for the transfer of a manufactured home title after the owner’s death is a bit complicated. If the deceased owner did not sign over the mobile home’s ownership, how to transfer a mobile home title in Arizona in such cases may involve the MVD or an authorized personal representative, depending on several conditions:
- The transferee has the legal right to inherit the manufactured home by the deceased’s will or intestate succession.
- At least a month has passed since the owner’s death.
- The value of the manufactured home doesn’t exceed $50,000.
If the three conditions are met, the transferee will simply present the necessary documents at the local MVD office, pay the transfer fees, and get the mobile home’s title. However, if these conditions are not satisfied, the probate court will get involved to oversee manufactured home title transfer in Arizona.
Recently inherited a mobile home after a death in the family?
We pay cash for mobile homes in Arizona! There’s no need to worry about the title transfer – we can help!
What to Look for When Selling a Mobile Home and Transferring the Title to the Buyer’s Name
When considering how to transfer a mobile home title in Arizona while selling, keep these considerations in mind:
- Ensure you have a clear and valid title for the mobile home.
- Familiarize yourself with laws and regulations about how to transfer a mobile home title in Arizona.
- Get a pre-listing appraisal to find out the estimated value of your property.
- Conduct a home inspection to identify and fix any potential issues with your mobile home’s condition.
- Partner with a reputable realtor with years of experience selling mobile homes.
- Price your manufactured home based on the Arizona real estate market and buyer demographics.
- Invest in bigger windows, a sunroom, and an extra bathroom to help increase the value of your mobile home.
Partner with Phoenix Mobile Homes Today
If you’re looking to buy or sell a mobile home in Arizona, don’t hesitate to reach out to Phoenix Mobile Homes. We make no-obligation cash offers on mobile homes in Arizona. We also have a broad inventory of mobile homes in the Great Canyon State to choose from.
Contact us today at (480) 462-6575 or fill out the form on our website to learn more about our solutions and how to transfer a mobile home title in Arizona.