Bought a SFH, turned out to be a mobile home (Still made 36k)

Bought a SFH, turned out to be a mobile home (Still made 36k)

Member since 2026 · 6 posts · 3 votes

Investment Info:

Single-family residence fix & flip investment.

Purchase price: $61,100
Cash invested: $1,900
Sale price: $97,500

This was a challenging deal. Big props to the local agent, Lee-Ann Henry, who helped me coordinate the sale on this.

What made you interested in investing in this type of deal?

Seller had a lot of motivation and was willing to give me deal for a quick sale.

How did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

Found via my Google Ads.

How did you finance this deal?

No financing.

How did you add value to the deal?

Renovations to exterior to meet safety standards, Full clean out, & deep clean

What was the outcome?

36k gross profit.

Lessons learned? Challenges?

Disaster was a Near-miss, considering this property was pitched, inspected, bough, & taken title to, under the impression that it was a SFH. Turns out it was a double-wide mobile home that was yet to be de-titled. All data, including the full home inspection, initially reported the property to be a single-family. Title company made no disclaimers either. Massively impacted out ARV estimate, but we still made profit. Shoutout Lee-Ann Henry for coordinating de-titling and exit sale.

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Lee-Ann Henry in Blairsville Pennsylvania charged 4% as a dual agent, since she brought the end buyer to the deal directly, and she pulled many strings with the previous seller to get this property de-titled. Massive help, unlikely the deal would've moved as soon as it did if it weren't for her putting in the work.

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Chris SeveneyBusiness Member
Moderator
Investor · VA · Member since 2015 · 21k+ posts · 19k+ votes
5mo

how did you not know this was a mobile home when you inspected it?

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  • Chris SeveneyBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Investor · VA · Member since 2015 · 21k+ posts · 19k+ votes
    5mo

    how did you not know this was a mobile home when you inspected it?

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    • Member since 2026 · 6 posts · 3 votes
      5mo
      Quote from @Chris Seveney:

      how did you not know this was a mobile home when you inspected it?

      Inspector marked it as a SFH, and so did the title company.
  • Honolulu, HI · Member since 2008 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    5mo

    Modular, not mobile.  

    • Member since 2026 · 6 posts · 3 votes
      5mo
      Quote from @Richard F.:

      Modular, not mobile.  

      How can you tell?
    • Honolulu, HI · Member since 2008 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
      5mo
      Quote from @Mehrshad Vafa:
      Quote from @Richard F.:

      Modular, not mobile.  

      How can you tell?
      Generally, a "mobile home" still has axles either attached or stored underneath, as well as the trailer tongue. The home sits on a pad, or dirt/gravel, with an access point to an above ground crawl space 9to reach HVAC ducting, plumbing lines, etc.) in the "skirting". Mobile homes usually also have more compact and unique HVAC and other systems within, differing from "normal" home construction elements. In the past (not sure of current new methods) they were built with 2x2 construction, vs. 2x4, with the "skin" providing additional strength to the overall structure.

      Generally, a "Modular home" sits on a legit foundation. That foundation is usually rectangular, to accept two or three modules (the size of a mobile home) that attach to each other. Every one I have seen in the past had an apparent ceiling "beam" running the full length where each module was connected. Certainly, these can have modifications, especially years later, as the actual construction is largely the same 2x4 framing as regular construction, it is just performed in a factory.

      The true  "modular" is different from "panelized" modular homes, which can be pre-made packages, or completely custom homes. Large panels are premade in a factory to specs, with wiring, insulation, plumbing, all ready to just assemble and finish in a short amount of time, relative to normal methods. 
  • Jake YuskaitisBusiness Member
    Lender · New Jersey, USA · Member since 2022 · 254 posts · 67 votes
    5mo

    Nice, that's a very tough one. I have a lot of experience with manufactured on perm foundations but finding out an SFR is mobile can kill a lot of deals.

    Title, appraisal, and inspections should have caught that though. 

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