I am a co-owner of a mobile home park located in southern Arizona. We purchased this park early 2016. We’ve got plenty of spaces ready to receive homes, but are having trouble locating mobile homes that are
(a) in the state (so they have the Arizona housing stickers and are a legal residence
(b) within our price range - free to $15k
It seems as though most of the units available for purchase are either located in a different park or are brand new, well above our price range. Does anyone have experience locating, or a source for trailers that fit this criteria in Arizona?
We aren’t set on owning trailers but it seems as though most would-be residents don’t own their own trailers, or are unable to pay to move them. Has anyone had luck with incentive programs to convince prospective residents to move?
I use Facebook marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp, etc. I also tried a mailout using the state’s mobile home registration data and had poor results because I didn’t clean it up correctly. I ended up mailing owners who bought a home 10 years ago instead of an owner who owns a 10 year old house. Will try this again once ready for my next one…hoping there will be a sweet spot of variables to get a decent response rate.
People all the time buy homes for under 10K that are listed for 25K or more. Make offers and you will find the right timing where someone just wants to be done with the home. My last purchase was listed for 12K and picked it up for 3K. 15 year old 16x76 singlewide in fair shape. I was actually hoping they would say no as I would have preferred a 10K home that needs 1K of work instead of a 3K home that needs 5K of work. Less overhead to get it ready to sell.
@jhutson That’s really useful feedback. Thank you! So are you only buying these to flip in place? Or do you also move them to a park of your own prior to selling?
I move them. The one I mentioned above was $3,500 to move 120 miles over two days. I have started asking the movers to pull the meter loops too when I have permission. I can re-use the meter cans and 200 amp breakers in many cases, sometimes the risers and poles, but the local utility makes rules on height and pole types. 
jhutson,
Could you please tell us more about your experience of buying used homes?
Do drive out and inspect them yourself? Or do you have an employee do it?
How do you get them so low - do you wave cash in their faces, do you have a basic strategy you follow?
Do you pull them from other parks?
Hi @Randy_CA,
Yep I inspect them myself. I focus on homes that are not in Parks and are at least 30 minutes from any metro - ultra small towns and the countryside. There are fewer buyers out there and home prices are already more reasonable in rural areas. This is basically doing a 2-3 hour road trip in one direction and inspecting 3-5 homes along the route that I have found from various places online, the movers I have used, etc.
I call the Sellers to understand their motivation to sell and that the home isn’t completely trashed and free of very major defects (e.g. lots of floor repair, ceiling stains, etc). After inspecting the home I make an offer that reflects the repairs needed to make it nice and livable. I negotiate very little and let them know I have other homes to inspect today. I get rejected a lot, and I get called the next day sometimes.
It also helps there is a good supply of homes here, which I recognize is not true everywhere.
Hello @r_crane. I also own a park in SoAz. Were you able to find a source for homes? I only need one as of right now. How did you do?