I just sold several mobile homes. When I told the appraisal district I had sold them and no longer had them on the property she said since they were there after Jan 1 I will have to pay the taxes for the whole year.What in the world is that about?I cant wrap my head around the logic of this.When you sell a house the taxes stop the day you sell whats the difference in a mobile home?Can anyone enlighten me on this?
At least in Texas, 100% of the personal property taxes due on a mobile home, for the whole year, accrue and are imposed on January 1st. Bills for that year’s Jan 1st taxes are usually available in October of that year. Whoever was the owner on Jan 1st that year is responsible for paying them before January of the following year.
As far as the state is concerned, apportioning the taxes between the buyer and seller for a mid-year sale is not their problem.
Edit – Again in Texas, you can’t transfer title (get a new “SOL” ) to the home without a statement from the county tax assessor that the taxes have been paid or escrowed. So the seller (you) is supposed to have already incurred the cost at the time of sale (otherwise you couldn’t have transferred title).
When the tax bill comes out in the late part of the year, you may have to contact the tax department and tell them to withdraw the payment from your escrow that you paid earlier. That should satisfy the county and state.
When you know the proper amount charged against your escrow, you could in theory go to your buyer and give her some of the refund or beg her for some fair contribution. But if you want the buyer to contribute I think most people would either factor it into the sales price of the home or as a separate line item at the time of the sale.
Brandon@Sandell
This park is in also in Texas.Thanks for clearing this up all this was new to me.Thanks again!