Expert: Michael McClure - 10/8/2008

Question
QUESTION: We are having trouble selling our 2006 mobile home in Santa Rosa CA.(Leisure mobile home park) and need a mobile home expert. Could you recommend one or would you represent us?

ANSWER: Hi Mark...would love to represent you, but couldn't do you proper service due to distance. I'm in So.Cal.
I would suggest the park management, Yellow pages for dealers(not Realtors, unless you own the land), call a couple of local escrow companies for leads on good dealers in the area.

If you totally fail, write back, and I will try to research your area and find someone.....good luck.    "~ M

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I am not understanding why a dealer as appose to a real estate company. The mobile home that we have is in a mobile home park and the only time that we have seen a dealer involved is when a home is 30 years or more old. Ours is 2 years. Is there something that I don't know?
Mark

ANSWER: Hello Mark,
Real property and leased land are 1000% different!  Of course a realtor will not tell you this, but the state of California has licensing from the board of realtors, and totally different the HCD...housing and community development.  Loans are not the same, terms, interest rates, and knowledge as a speciality of mobile homes.
A realtor, given the choice, will steer a interested buyer to a high commission property....we only deal in one area...Mobile Homes!
Deal with a Specialist....tell them you will not pay any fees, and the buyer must pay all expenses....that's the way it works....real estate wants $$ from both parties....hope this helps...."~ M

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Every experience that I have had with dealers has been them trying to buy my mobile for next to nothing. So how does that work with a dealer? When I was first looking at mobile homes the dealers were trying to sell me a new mobile. So I don't understand.
Thank you for any help
Mark Mountaintes

Answer
Hi  M

There are some less than scrupulous dealers out there for sure.  The way I would approach this situation is:

Call 2-3 dealers, tell them that you are considering selling your home.  You are interviewing agencies to determine who you will work best with, and who can be enthusiastic about it.  Ask them to run the comp. sales report for your park, so you can see what other homes similar to yours have sold for.  Come up with a reasonable price based on this info and how soon you need to move....no hurry?..hold to higher price. Don't sign up for a long listing, as you won't know how they will work for you...renew if you are satisfied, or go to the next one.
Find out how they advertise....Internet? Newspaper? Throw-aways?
Agree to a NET listing....you get the amount you agreed upon....no last minute dickering...you pay NO fees (escrow, etc).

Let me know how you make out...."~ M