New to Board - Several Questions

[KVR]

I just found this web-site and have spent hours reading and find the info great. Just have a few questions about the selling of our home and buying a new one.

1. How do you transfer a mobile home title? We bought a paid in full home from DH's father on a 5 year note. The 5 years is almost completed and we will need to change the title from his name to ours. How to we go about doing this and what fees/expenses are involved?

2. Due to DH's job change and relocation, we are going to need to sell our home and move in about 1 year (Jan. 2005) What's the best way to sell our mobile home? I contacted our local Centry 21 agent, but not interested in their 6% commission. Selling it ourselves seems kind of scarey.

We live in West Texas (Ft. Stockton). Our home is an 1989 OakCreek. 28x60, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1 living area with fire place, formal dining area with 2 corner built-in hutches, breakfast area. Dry bar between breakfast area and living room. Master bath has huge roman tube, corner vantiy area, and 2 seperate sinks. We have remodled it within the last 3 years with new navy blue carpet, vinyl, white paneled walls, white kitchen countertops, sinks, re-did guest bath and most of master bath, new roof and new double-paned windows with a garden window in the kitchen. It sits in a community in a cul-de-sac (corner lot) on approx. 1/3 acre. Has huge covered front porch. 2-car caport, chain link fence in back and storage building. Some landscaping with small trees in front, one medium sized in back. Front has several flower beds with roses. Bermuda grass front and back - not completely filled in. We had no intention of selling this house, but due to circumstances beyond our control, we have no choice.

3. We will also be in the market to buy a new mobile home in/around Midland, TX. We looked a little, but have no idea what's really out there. I have previoulsy owned a 1996 Palm Harbor, and though I liked the home, I felt we paid too much for it and didn't want to go that route again. The home was retained by my "X" when we divorced. So far, I like Champion Homes, Solitare Homes and Clayton Homes. We've also looked a repossessions, and we've considered a pre-set home like ours, but haven't found anything as nice as what we have for a decent price. Any feedback on the quality or personal experiences with these homes?

Sorry for the long post, but would appreciate any help.

[rmurray]

Have you thought about moving your home...It could cost about $7000+/- a little..but this is far less than you will lose with the sale of the home...

Maybe you could buy a lot in Midland and even finance the whole package...

8% commission is small for real estate services..the biggest problem right now is that the used home market is very depressed and homes in parks are not selling well..

For the title info you will have to talk to your local title office...Your state has a great web site where you can get this info and even the forms...Try..

http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/mh.htm

[KVR]

With all the updates made to our current home and the landscaping, the Century 21 realtor felt he could sell it within 6 - 8 months. The home is not in a park is on land in a very nice housing development, which is a better selling feature. We would also like to upgrade a bit with a new home.

We looked today at Solitare Homes and fell in love. The standard tape and textured walls is just what we are looking for. I really dislike the pre-wall papered walls with the strips hiding the seams. Whoever picks out decor on some of the homes we've seem, must be color blind. However, they were a little more than we wanted to spend, but not completely out of budget. We liked the Champion homes also, so it will eventually be between the two.

There is plenty of land for sale in Midland and the surrounding areas. We'll just have to go searching when we are ready. We've looked some, but haven't covered all available areas. We would like to purchase the land and improvements first and get it ready before we buy a new home.

I appreciate the response. I will probably have more questions down the line as the process goes forward.

[rmurray]

Sorry about the misunderstnding...With this info..moving the home would be silly...

There is no question..selling the whole package is the right way to go..You might try a few months without the agent...or shop around for others and compare prices...but 6% of the selling price of a manufactured home and lot would be normal or low..

Good Luck...stop back often...