Before You Pay: The Title Verification Checklist
The most important protection you have as a buyer is verifying the title before money changes hands. Once you've paid, recovering from a title problem is difficult and expensive.
- Verify seller is the registered owner — The name on the title must match the seller's government-issued ID exactly. If it doesn't, stop — the seller may not legally own the home.
- Check for liens — The title document will show any lienholder. If there's a lender listed, the loan must be paid off and a lien release obtained before or at the time of transfer. Alternatively, the sale price can be structured to pay off the loan at closing — but this requires careful coordination.
- Verify the title record with the state agency — Call or search online with the home's serial number. The state agency's record is more current than the paper title, which may not reflect liens filed after the title was printed.
- Check for tax delinquencies — Unpaid property taxes or ad valorem taxes can block a title transfer (required in Texas and some other states). Ask the seller for a tax clearance letter or check with the county assessor.
- Confirm registration is current — In states with annual mobile home registration (Florida, etc.), overdue registration fees will be added to the transfer costs. Verify the current-year sticker is in place.
The Transfer Process: What Buyer and Seller Each Do
| Seller's Responsibilities | Buyer's Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Sign the back of the title in the assignment section | Complete the buyer information section |
| Provide any lien release documentation | Submit the signed title to the state agency |
| Provide tax clearance (if required by state) | Pay all applicable transfer fees |
| Sign a bill of sale with the agreed purchase price | Obtain and store the new title in your name |
Protecting Yourself: Common Scams and Pitfalls
- "We'll transfer the title later" — Red flag. Never pay in full without completing the title transfer simultaneously or having a documented escrow arrangement. If the seller disappears, you have no legal claim.
- Title in deceased owner's name. The seller may have inherited the home informally but the title still shows their deceased parent. See our after-death transfer guide — the seller needs to formally transfer the title into their name before they can sell to you.
- Missing serial number. If the seller can't provide the home's serial number and it's not findable on the home, this is a serious flag. The serial number is required for all title work.
- Seller has a "bill of sale" but no title. A bill of sale is not a title. The legal owner of record at the state agency is the legal owner — regardless of any private bill of sale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact the state title agency with the home's serial number. Most states can confirm the current registered owner, any liens on record, and any title holds or flags. In Texas, TDHCA has an online search. In California, HCD can confirm over the phone. In Florida, DHSMV records are accessible through the county tax collector. This call takes 10 minutes and can save you enormous headaches.
Not necessarily. Mobile homes on rented land (park) are personal property transactions — not real estate deals. You don't legally need an agent. However, if the home sits on land that is also being sold, or if the home has been converted to real property, a real estate agent and potentially an attorney are strongly advisable. For a simple home-only purchase in a park, buyer and seller handle the title transfer directly.
Yes, strongly recommended. Manufactured homes can have issues with roofing, skirting, underbelly insulation, plumbing, and electrical that are not visible during a casual walk-through. A licensed home inspector familiar with manufactured housing can identify these. An inspection is separate from the title process but should happen before you commit to the purchase.
Related: Lien Release Guide · After-Death Transfers · Title Transfer 101 · Path Finder Tool