Buying a Manufactured or Mobile Home in California

By Matthew Martinez, Founder, CEO & Managing Broker, Diamond Real Estate Group. California DRE #01869679.

Buying a manufactured or mobile home in California works one of two ways: you buy a home that is titled and registered with the state Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), usually sitting on a rented space in a park, or you buy a home that has been installed on a foundation and recorded as real property with the land. The first is governed by HCD titling rules and, in a park, the Mobilehome Residency Law (Civil Code 798 and following); the second closes much like a house. Which one you are buying decides your paperwork, your financing, your tax bill and what you will pay each month for the ground under the home.

Step one: figure out what you are actually buying

Ask the listing agent for the HCD title or registration card, or for the recorded HCD 433A form, before you write an offer. That single document tells you which path you are on.

Question	Home in a park (personal property)	Home on owned land (real property)
Who records ownership	HCD Registration and Titling Program issues the title and registration	County recorder; HCD form 433A is recorded and HCD cancels its title (HCD real property installation guide)
What you pay for the land	Monthly space rent to the park, set by the rental agreement and any local ordinance	Nothing to a park; you own the lot
Main law	Mobilehome Residency Law, plus HCD titling rules	Health and Safety Code 18551 installation, then ordinary real estate law
Tax	Local property tax or the in-lieu vehicle license fee, depending on when the home was first sold (BOE FAQ)	Local property tax on home and land
Typical federal financing	FHA Title I (home only, or lot)	FHA Title II, conventional or other real estate loans

Homes titled with HCD

HCD’s Registration and Titling Program issues title and registration documents for new and resold manufactured homes and handles transfers, lien releases and duplicate titles. Transfer forms differ depending on whether the home is on local property tax or on yearly registration renewal, and whether the owner holds an HCD title or an older DMV ownership certificate (HCD transfer forms). Paying the seller does not, by itself, make you the owner: HCD’s resident FAQ stresses that the buyer should receive a signed title and register the home with HCD (HCD rights and obligations FAQ). Use an escrow company that handles manufactured home transfers, and have it run an HCD title search for liens before you release money.

Homes converted to real property

Under Health and Safety Code 18551, a manufactured home installed on an approved foundation system becomes an improvement to real property. HCD’s guide explains the steps: the local building department confirms the owner owns or is buying the land (or holds a transferable lease), confirms liens are cleared or lienholders consent, approves foundation plans and issues a permit. After inspection, the agency issues a certificate of occupancy and records HCD form 433A with the county recorder, and HCD cancels its title record. If a seller says a home is "on a foundation," ask for the recorded 433A. A home sitting on piers on land the seller owns may still be HCD-titled personal property.

Buying a home in a park: approval, the lease and your rights

In a mobilehome park you own the home but rent the space, so the park plays a role in your purchase.

Buyer approval. HCD’s FAQ, summarizing Civil Code 798.74, says management may turn down a buyer only for lack of financial ability to pay the rent and charges, a tenancy history suggesting you won’t follow the lease and rules, fraud or concealment, or a valid senior-residency rule. Apply early and make your purchase contingent on park approval.
Disclosures you should receive. The seller’s mobilehome condition disclosure (Civil Code 798.74.4), the park’s information for prospective homeowners on rents and fees (798.74.5), and the park’s rental agreement disclosure form on park conditions (798.75.5), per the HCD FAQ. The Senate Housing Committee’s 2025 MRL Handbook notes that a selling homeowner must give the buyer a manufactured home and mobilehome transfer disclosure statement (Civil Code 1102.6d).
Removal on sale. Management can require a home to be moved out of the park on sale, or require repairs to a home that stays, only under the conditions in Civil Code 798.73 and 798.73.5. Ask in writing whether the park intends to impose either.
Rent increases. Management must give at least 90 days’ written notice of a rent increase (Civil Code 798.30). State law doesn’t cap the amount; local ordinances may.
Rules. Park rules must be in writing and provided with the lease (798.15). Rule changes generally need homeowner consent or at least six months’ written notice (798.25).
Right of first refusal. A rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after January 1, 2006 cannot give the park a right of first refusal on your later sale, though a separate agreement for separate consideration can (Civil Code 798.19.5, per the MRL Handbook).

HCD does not enforce these Civil Code rights; they are enforced in court. HCD’s Mobilehome Residency Law Protection Program helps resolve certain disputes between residents and park management.

Local space-rent ordinances in the areas we serve

Several cities and counties regulate space rent increases in mobilehome parks, and the rules differ. A few we have verified:

Santa Rosa. City Code Chapter 6-66, enacted in 1993 and amended effective August 11, 2023, covers 16 parks with 2,154 spaces. The city’s page says annual increases are tied to the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward CPI and limited to 70% of CPI; for the 12 months ending August 2025 that worked out to 1.75% (City of Santa Rosa). Check the city’s current announcement.
Unincorporated Sonoma County. The county ordinance covers month-to-month space tenants. Exemptions include rental agreements longer than 12 months, spaces newly built after January 1, 1990, spaces that are not the tenant’s principal residence, and park-owned homes (Sonoma County).
City of Sonoma. Yearly increases are linked to CPI, and parks may apply to the City Manager for more (City of Sonoma).

Two state rules interact with these ordinances. A rental agreement longer than 12 months can be exempt from local rent control if it meets Civil Code 798.17, and a space that isn’t the homeowner’s principal residence is generally exempt under 798.21 (HCD FAQ). Before you sign a long-term lease the park offers, compare it with the month-to-month option and the local ordinance. For park-by-park context, see our Sonoma County mobile homes and Napa County mobile homes pages. If you are buying elsewhere, call the city or county housing office; we have not listed every jurisdiction here.

Taxes after you buy

The Board of Equalization explains that homes first sold on or after July 1, 1980 are subject to local property tax, while many older homes pay the in-lieu vehicle license fee unless converted. A home on property tax is reassessed at market value when sold, and once a home converts to property tax it cannot go back to the license fee (BOE FAQ). The homeowners’ exemption is $7,000 of value for an owner-occupant on the January 1 lien date. Expect a supplemental bill after a reassessment; see supplemental tax bills.

Financing: why it differs from a house loan

FHA Title I insures loans for a manufactured home only, a lot only, or a home and lot together. The borrower must intend to live in the home as a principal residence. For a leased space in a park, HUD requires an initial lease term of three years and at least 180 days’ written notice before the lease ends (HUD Title I). HUD’s Allowable Loan Parameters sheet (its file name is dated March 2024) lists nationwide limits of $105,532 for a single-section home only and $193,719 for a multi-section home only, with a 20-year-plus-32-day maximum term for home-only loans. HUD indexes these limits, so ask an FHA-approved Title I lender for the current figure.

FHA Title II treats the home as real estate. HUD’s long-standing requirements, from its archived reference guide, include a home built after June 15, 1976 to federal standards with a certification label, at least 400 square feet, a permanent foundation meeting FHA criteria, and a mortgage covering both home and site. Confirm the current rules in HUD Handbook 4000.1.

Conventional lenders and chattel lenders have their own rules for manufactured homes. Build your loan timeline into the loan contingency, because the appraisal and foundation paperwork can take longer than on a site-built house.

Inspections and due diligence

General home inspection by an inspector experienced with manufactured homes: roof, plumbing, electrical, water heater strapping, skirting, decks and steps.
Foundation or installation review. For real property loans, lenders often require a foundation certification. For park homes, look at the piers and tie-downs.
Permits. HCD’s FAQ says homeowners need HCD permits for home improvements and HCD or local permits for space improvements such as decks, and park approval under Title 25. Ask the seller for permits on any additions, awnings or carports.
Data plate and label. Find the HUD certification label and data plate; lenders look for them.
Hazards. Order a natural hazard report and check flood zones and fire hazard zones; insurance availability for manufactured homes varies.
Park records. Ask for the park rules, the proposed rental agreement, recent rent increase notices and any notice of park sale or closure.

Questions people ask

Is a mobile home real property in California?

Only if it has been installed on a foundation system under Health and Safety Code 18551 and the HCD 433A has been recorded. Otherwise it is titled and registered with HCD as personal property.

Can a mobilehome park refuse to approve me as the buyer?

Yes, but only on limited grounds. HCD’s FAQ, citing Civil Code 798.74, lists inability to pay the rent and charges, a poor tenancy history, fraud or concealment, and a valid senior-residency rule.

Will my space rent go up when I buy?

It depends on the rental agreement you sign and any local ordinance. Ask the park for the rent you will pay, compare it with the local ordinance, and read any long-term lease carefully, since leases over 12 months may be exempt from local rent control.

Do I need title insurance on a manufactured home?

On real property, yes, as with any house; see title insurance. For an HCD-titled home, ownership and liens show up in HCD records, so escrow should run an HCD title search.

Can I get an FHA loan on a home in a park?

Possibly, through FHA Title I, if the lease meets HUD’s terms: an initial term of three years and 180 days’ notice before it ends. Title II generally requires the home to be real estate with the land.

Do I pay property tax on a mobile home?

Homes first sold on or after July 1, 1980 pay local property tax; many older homes pay the in-lieu license fee instead. The BOE explains the rules and exceptions.

Who do I call about a dispute with the park?

HCD’s Mobilehome Assistance Center at (800) 952-5275 handles complaints, and the Mobilehome Residency Law Protection Program helps with certain disputes. Many MRL rights are enforced in court, so talk to an attorney for legal questions.

Sources & notes

Note: Civil Code section summaries come from HCD’s FAQ and the Senate MRL Handbook; read the current statute text before relying on a specific section. Local ordinance figures change each year, so confirm with the city or county. Other local ordinances in our service area are not listed here.

General information, not legal, tax or lending advice. Updated November 2026. Primary sources are linked in this guide.

Discuss your property plans

Share the property address or preferred location, your goals and your timing. Review the form’s contact choices before submitting.

Inquire about a listing or to schedule a meeting

Matthew Martinez

Your inquiry is processed through our iHomefinder service. Review the form’s contact choices before submitting. Privacy Policy · Terms of Use.