sell a mobile home in a park and you quickly learn the hard truth: you own the house, but the park owns the dirt under it. This guide settles the question most owners are scared to ask — can the park block your sale, force you to move the home, or take a cut? In most cases, the answer is no. State manufactured-home laws give you the right to sell in place, and they put real limits on what a park can demand.
How Sell A Mobile Home In A Park Actually Works
Your ownership is split in two. You own the home as personal property, usually with a title. You rent the lot under a written lot agreement. That split is why the rules feel confusing. When you sell a mobile home in a park, you are really doing two things at once: transferring the home’s title to the buyer, and handing off the lot tenancy.
The park’s role is limited to that second part. Most state acts say a park may approve or reject the buyer as a tenant, but may not block the sale itself. For example, Colorado’s Mobile Home Park Act says no one may prohibit the sale of a mobile home or require removal from the park at the time of sale, as long as the buyer meets park requirements.
Rhode Island law (§ 31-44-4) says a park cannot force removal of a home that is safe, sanitary, and meets aesthetic standards.
Deadlines and duties vary by state. Here are exact figures from five states:
| State | Your notice to the park | Park’s deadline to respond | Key protection |
|---|---|---|---|
| California (Civ. Code § 798.74) | Notice before close of sale | 15 days to give written screening standards, including the minimum credit score | Buyer’s screening fee refunded in full within 30 days if the park rejects them |
| Oregon (ORS 90.680) | 10 days’ written notice | 7 days to accept or reject a complete application (10 days if you skipped the notice) | Park that misses the deadline waives its right to sue over buyer approval |
| Washington (RCW 59.20.073) | 15 days’ written notice of intended sale and transfer | Written refusal at least 7 days before the transfer date | Consent to assignment “shall not be unreasonably withheld” |
| Maryland (Real Property Art.) | 30 days’ written notice of intent to sell | Approval standards must be reasonable | Park may take a commission only under a separate written agency agreement |
| Colorado (§ 38-12-212.3) | Follow lot agreement notice terms | Screening on the park’s normal standards | No entry fee may be paid or received as a condition of the home staying in the park |
Sell A Mobile Home In A Park: Your Rights, Step by Step
Work in order. Skipping step one is what gives parks leverage. Here is the path most owners follow when they sell a mobile home in a park:
1. Pull your lot agreement and park rules. Find the sale and transfer section. 2. Send written notice of your intent to sell. Use email or certified mail and keep a copy. 3. Ask, in writing, for the park’s written tenant-screening standards and its required document list. 4. Confirm your home title is clear and any lien is payoff-ready. 5. Have your buyer apply to the park directly. 6. Get the park’s decision in writing.
7. Close the title transfer, then confirm the new lot agreement is signed.
Typically, a rejection must be in writing and based on real grounds — bad credit, unpaid judgments, or an inability to comply with park rules. “We’d rather buy it ourselves” is not a legal ground in most states. If you rent a lot, our state-by-state mobile home tenant guides can help you find your own state’s act.
The Mistakes That Cost Tenants
The biggest mistake is verbal-only communication. Owners tell the manager they are selling, hear nothing back, and lose the buyer. Put every step in writing. As a result, you build a paper trail that shows the park missed its own deadline.
The second mistake is paying fees you do not owe. Many parks ask for a “transfer fee,” “exit fee,” or a commission on your sale price. In most cases those charges are illegal unless the park actually acted as your agent under a separate signed agreement, or state law specifically allows the fee. Ask for the statute or lease clause in writing before you pay anything.
The third mistake is accepting a lowball buyout after being told the home “must be moved.” Moving costs $5,000 to $15,000, so that threat is powerful — and often wrong. If your home is safe, sanitary, and meets the park’s posted condition standards, most state acts protect your right to sell in place. Also beware of surprise repair demands that appear only after you announce a sale. A rule enforced against you alone may be retaliation.
When to Get Help (Legal Aid or an Attorney)
Call for help early, not after closing falls apart. Good triggers: the park rejected your buyer without a written reason, demanded a fee you cannot find in the lease, or told you the home must be removed. Another red flag is an eviction notice that lands right after you list the home. If you are facing an active eviction, contact a local legal-aid office or tenant attorney immediately — those deadlines can be days, not weeks.
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Free help exists. Start with LSC’s legal-aid finder at lsc.gov, your state court’s self-help portal, and your state attorney general’s housing division. Some states run a dedicated program — Oregon’s Manufactured Communities Resource Center and California’s Mobilehome Assistance Center are examples. Many tenants in these states can get free advice, mediation, or a demand letter that resolves the standoff without a lawsuit.
You may also be able to recover damages or attorney fees. Several mobile home park acts include fee-shifting when a park violates the statute. Ask a local attorney whether your state’s act applies to your situation, and check with your court or a local legal-aid office before signing anything the park drafts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the park make me move my home when I sell it?
Usually not. Most state mobile home park acts bar a park from requiring removal at the time of sale if the home is safe, sanitary, and meets posted condition standards. However, a few states allow removal for genuinely dilapidated homes, so get the demand in writing and check your state’s act.
Can the park charge me a fee to sell a mobile home in a park?
In most cases, no. States like Colorado prohibit entry fees as a condition of the home staying in the park, and Maryland allows a commission only under a separate written agency agreement. If you are asked to pay, request the exact statute or lease clause in writing first.
What if the park keeps rejecting every buyer I find?
Ask for the written screening standards and each written rejection. A pattern of vague refusals may be an unreasonable withholding of consent, which most acts forbid. Save the documents and contact a local legal-aid office or your state’s manufactured-housing program.
Protect your stuff while you sort this out
A landlord’s insurance does not cover your belongings — renters insurance does, often for a few dollars a month. Compare options before your next move.
Find Your State’s Exact Rules
Notice periods, deposit caps, and the eviction timeline all change from state to state. Pick your state to see the exact days, dollar limits, and steps that apply where you live.
See Tenant Rights in All 50 States →
Sources & How to Verify
The rules on this page are drawn from official government and legal-aid sources. Tenant law changes, so always confirm the exact rule with your state’s statute or a local legal-aid office.
- HUD: hud.gov — federal renter protections and fair housing
- Legal Services Corporation: lsc.gov — find free legal aid in your state
- Cornell Legal Information Institute: law.cornell.edu/wex — plain-English legal definitions
- Your state statute & court self-help portal: search “[your state] landlord tenant act” and “[your state] court self-help eviction” for the exact law and forms
Content last reviewed August 2026. If you notice outdated information, please contact us.
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Informational only — not legal advice. Tenant Rights Info is an independent educational resource, not a law firm, and this page does not provide legal advice. Landlord-tenant law varies by state and city and changes over time, so always verify the exact rule with your state’s statute, your local court’s self-help portal, or a legal-aid office. For urgent situations like an active eviction, contact a local legal-aid office or a licensed tenant attorney in your state right away.