Well I haven’t had the survey yet, but looking at the aerial with property lines (I know it may not be accurate) it looks like one of the homes may be about 2-3 feet onto the neighboring property.
Assuming that is accurate, any suggestions? Guestimate on cost to move 3 feet?
The park is otherwise a really good deal. It needs work and I have about $100K budgeted for repairs.
I guess I could just buy the park (seller financing) and wait for it to become an issue??
This is NOT the same park that I’ve been asking questions about. That deal is more or less dead due to issues that came up during DD. That seller has issues with the county trying to ignore grandfathering status and enforce the new zoning requirements. That and the apparent lack of demand were killers.
This happens all the time. Probably mom & pop didn’t really know their boundaries or weren’t paying attention when they moved the home in. The standard thought is that you already have the right to be there, after all these years, through the law of Adverse Possession (check the state statutes, but if you are on somebody’s property for a long enough time, you create the property right to be there forever as though it is your property). In some states that law is called “Constructive Reliance”. But even if you were completely illegal in being there, here are the realistic next steps:
- Nobody will ever notice. They haven’t yet, right?
- You could move the home forward 3’ or so (if the lot will allow it). The cost would be maybe $2,000.
- You could move the home to a different vacant lot where it will fit. The cost would be maybe $3,000.
- You could maybe pay the neighbor cash upfront or monthly for the right to overhang.
Don’t kill the deal based on just this issue – it’s really not that big an item. Just check out the laws and see if you can move the home forward or to another lot. Then factor in maybe $3,000 if you ever get caught and can’t work it out with the neighbor (which is doubtful).
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Thank you Frank, that’s pretty much in line with what I thought.
It would take something very serious to kill this deal. I’ll give details tomorrow after everything is finalized. The seller’s attorney is extremely slow moving.
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What are the best ways to move a home within the lot? (About 3 feet)
You’ll want a licensed MH Installer to move it. There’s really no other viable option.