Mobile Homes are the only type of housing units that can either be titled as personal property (chattel) or real property. If you are looking for a loan and you own the land below it, it is critical that the home is titled as real property so that the lender can have security interest in both the home and land. The truth is that until the titling is secure, your manufactured home is treated just like a car or RV in the eyes of a lender.

Since titling for manufactured homes varies state to state, there is often confusion at the time you are trying to qualify for a loan. In some states in order to recognize the home as real property, there is a procedure of surrendering the certificate of title in a "paper" transaction. In Arizona and Michigan, this is called an Affidavit of Affixture.

In other states, for instance California, Idaho, New Mexico and Texas, the distinction between personal and real property is determined by the type of foundation and underpinnings that support the home. In addition to "detitling" (removing its registration as personal property and putting it on the assessor's real property tax roles), some states like California actually records a document called the 433A which specifies that the home has been installed on a permanent foundation. To understand the different titling requirements, you can go to: https://www.efanniemae.com/ to get California requirements.

Since the individual state requirements vary significantly, the Engineer Certification Letter or Affidavit helps to provide a standard of consistency. This is a complicated issue and we can help you determine the titling to make sure your home and land are considered a package deal in order to qualify for a loan! Call Robert at (800) 346-5718 or email us to get more information.