Mobile homes, otherwise known as manufactured homes, are available in a variety of layouts and sizes, and they have become a very popular housing alternative, thanks to being cost-effective, when compared to other options.
For your information, modern mobile homes for rent, and even mobile homes for sale, are available with various quality features, including, but not limited to, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, and huge walk-in closets.
With that said, there is the challenge, like anything else, of finding the mobile home for rent that meets all of yours and your family’s needs. The good news is that there are different avenues through which you can easily get a reliable and quality mobile home for rent.
In this article, we help you with tips on how to obtain that perfect mobile home for rent.
How to Find a Mobile Home for Rent
Finding a mobile home for rent can be easy if you know where to look. Below are tips for how to find the best mobile home deal:
Consult People You’re Close To
One of the best ways of finding a mobile home for rent is to approach people that you know on a personal level and trust. These people may be aware of the best manufactured housing deals in and around the neighborhood.
They might also be aware of people willing to sublease their property, however, in the case of a sublease, ensure that the landlord is aware. A landlord might kick you out of the mobile home after you have moved once they realize that a sublease arrangement was made without their approval.
Consider Rental Listing Websites
Rental listing sites offer some of the easiest ways to find a good manufactured housing deal. You can employ the main search feature to find a manufactured home of your preference. Use the filters to narrow down your mobile home search even further by available amenities, lease length, or if pets are allowed, just to name a few.
Rental listing sites are among the most convenient ways of getting a manufactured housing unit for your renting needs. They even offer virtual 3D mobile home tours for you to view.
Below are some websites that we recommend:
● Apartments.com
● ManufacturedHomes.com
● MHVillage.com
● Trulia.com
● Zillow.com
Approach a Real Estate Agent
No one has more knowledge about buying and selling mobile homes than a real estate agent. They can assist you in getting the best manufactured home at a cost-effective rate.
Real estate agents will do all of the leg work for you, and they may have the inside scoop on some off-market mobile homes for rent or sale listings that you would not find anywhere else.
With that said, their services do not come without a cost. They typically will charge a commission for every mobile home you rent. Just visit their offices to find out all of the relevant information.
Go Through the Newspapers
We understand using the internet to access mobile home information more than any other source, especially due to its convenience. However, the newspaper also provides information on listings for mobile homes for rent.
Your local papers in cities like Grand Rapids or Cedar Springs will certainly have great insight on mobile home listings and the local manufactured home communities, like Cedar Springs Mobile Estates.
Visit Mobile Home Communities
Sometimes the best way to get the right mobile home for rent is to visit your local mobile home park in person. Even if you are too busy during the week, you can take a Sunday to drive through the mobile home park that you desire.
When at the community, you can ask the management staff to take you through tours of the vacant mobile homes. Cities like Cedar Springs and Grand Rapids offer some of the most reputable mobile home parks you’ll ever come across.
We recommend checking out Cedar Springs Mobile Estates for the best mobile homes for sale in Kent County, MI.
Check on Social Media
If you’re not aware yet, social media is full of all sorts of valuable information, including available manufactured homes for rent. For instance, you can gain access to many mobile home groups on Facebook or Whatsapp. You can join these groups to search for vacant manufactured homes people are listing for rent.
Searching for Mobile Homes Online
The process of finding a manufactured housing unit online is pretty straightforward. All you need is a computer or smart device and access to the internet. Below are steps to help you search for a manufactured home with ease:
Select Your Preferred Location
The first step would be to have a location or preferred neighborhood in mind. Most rental websites allow you to search for a mobile home or mobile home parks by zip code rather than a nearby city.
To avoid getting manufactured homes that are not within the limits of your desired locations, you should research your preferred nearby city in advance. From there, you can easily narrow down the search to at least one or two zip codes.
Visit Your Website of Choice and Search for a Manufactured Home
It’s now time to visit the website from which you would like to find a mobile home. While there, enter your chosen zip code to bring up the available mobile home listings in that area.
Apply Filters Where Necessary
If you don’t know how to apply filters, take some time and learn about them. Before you do anything, you should at least consider the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and square footage that you require.
Many websites even allow you to filter mobile homes based on amenities. The more specific you become, the easier it will be to get the best manufactured housing deal.
Go Through the Mobile Home Listings
We recommend that you carefully go through every listing and take a good look at the photos. Some mobile homes might even list the floor plans, along with mobile home virtual tours. You can even come across some critical details, such as the availability of the backyard, how old the mobile home is, various appliances included, etc.
Consider Checking Other Websites
If you are looking for the best mobile homes in Grand Rapids or Cedar Springs Mobile Estates, for example, you may not get all of the manufactured home listings that are available from a single site. Due to this, we recommend checking in at least two websites. Searching on multiple sites enables you to develop a comprehensive list of mobile homes and communities to visit.
Once you have narrowed down your choices to a few (three or less), we still ultimately recommend visiting the mobile home parks in person to see how the manufactured homes are with your own eyes, let alone the neighborhood and surrounding areas, too.
Additional Tips
Below are some additional tips to make it easier for you to get the best mobile home deal:
Always Begin the Hunt Early
The best mobile homes available, as far as price, location, and features are concerned, are usually occupied fairly quickly. It is, therefore, wise to start looking for a mobile home at least two months before your official move date.
Waiting later than this to look for a mobile home will either land you a bad manufactured housing deal or one that you ultimately will settle for due to lack of time.
Have a Budget in Mind
Regardless of the location or amenities that you are looking for, it’s important to have a clear budget in mind. It’s common to be tempted to rent a mobile home that is way above your budget due its overall appeal.
Before renting a mobile home, you should ensure that you can afford the monthly rent, along with other expenses that come with mobile home living, without struggle. Always lean towards being conservative and go for what you can realistically afford.
Avoid Falling for Mobile Home Scams
There are so many online scams seeking to extort money from you in this modern era. Beware in all possible ways, including online scams and fake landlords.
We recommend that you only pay for the first month’s rent and security deposit upon seeing the property. Even then, you should insist on signing a rental lease with the landlord.
The Final Verdict
As we have seen, getting a cost-effective mobile home for rent or sale in the nearby city you want can be very easy, especially if you know where to start.
To get the best mobile home deal, we recommend approaching a real estate agent, checking on social media, visiting a mobile home park, checking local newspapers, or visiting rental websites for home listings.
To achieve a successful mobile home search, follow the above provided guide. Do not forget that you need to have a budget in mind before starting the process of looking for a mobile.
You should also be very careful to avoid any scams. For the best manufactured homes, we recommend the Grand Rapids area or Cedar Springs Mobile Estate in Cedar Springs, Michigan.
