With skyrocketing housing prices, it’s unsurprising that people have turned to buying or downsizing to a mobile home. Yes, there are still monthly costs of owning a mobile home. But there’s still a massive difference compared to buying or building traditional houses.
For instance, a typical home in Sacramento, California, costs $503,651, according to data from Zillow.
Meanwhile, depending on the mobile home, you only have to spend between $40,000 to $100,000. The former is for single-wide mobile homes. They’re around 600 to 1,300 square feet. The latter is for triple-wide mobile homes reaching up to 3,000 square feet.
But as mentioned earlier, you’ll still need to consider the monthly cost of owning a mobile home. But what exactly are these expenses, and how much would you need for each one?
Here’s a quick overview:
- Land expenses
- Gas utility
- Power utility
- Sewage utility
Let’s look at the details below.
Monthly Cost of Owning a Mobile Home: What to Expect
1. Land expenses
Owning the land
First, you’ll want a reasonable price point for the land your mobile home will occupy. You have two options here. You can either buy the land or rent it.
Buying land will heavily depend on your chosen location. For example, a piece of land in California will significantly cost you more than buying land in Arizona. There are also taxes to consider.
A mobile home falls under the personal property category. Some states may also require annual fees and taxes similar to vehicles. On top of that, the tax will depend on the home’s overall value. And that’s not counting the tax you’ll need to pay for the land.
In short, you’ll need to pay personal tax for the mobile home and property tax on the land since you own it. However, if you affixed the mobile home to the ground, then it will be considered real property rather than personal property.
Therefore, you’ll pay property taxes like owning a traditional house in such a scenario.
Renting the land
On the other hand, if you’re renting the land, you will have to pay a monthly fee. But, of course, you won’t need to worry about property taxes.
Your monthly fee will depend on the mobile home park’s management. If the park has amenities, you will also pay for that.
That may include but is not limited to:
- Swimming pools
- Fitness centers
- Recreational facilities
- Storage
- Enclosed dog park
You need to factor in other utility expenses as well. Let’s look at a few of them.
2. Gas utility
Gas is one of the most basic mobile home expenses. You can connect your mobile home to a propane tank or natural gas line.
If you choose propane tanks, you’ll have to spend more. However, propane is more efficient and powerful. So if you value that, choose propane.
Natural gas is more budget-friendly but isn’t as efficient as propane. But connecting to a natural gas line is the way to go if you’re trying to save cash.
3. Power utility
Power utility will take up the lion’s share of your monthly expense. Lighting, outlets, electrical appliances, and several more elements will play a role here.
Again, your mode of payment will vary. For most, you’ll be paying power bills to your local service provider. But some landlords include it on your monthly rent.
Investing in an energy-efficient mobile home can save more on your electricity bill. That may include:
- Insulated roofs
- Adding insulation to the walls
- Adding insulation to the belly
- Adding insulation to the skirting
You can also incorporate solar into your mobile home expense. It can help tremendously with keeping your mobile home cool in the summer or warm during cold days.
But solar and mobile homes are a different topic altogether.
4. Sewage utility
Your sewage utility expense isn’t as costly as the other items on this list. But you’ll still need to keep an eye on it.
Your payment will depend on the property manager. You can either pay for it at the end of the month. Or the expense is included in your monthly rent.
Most of the time, your landlord won’t have a say on your sewage expenses. Instead, your local sewage company oversees that.
All of these elements are important when owning a mobile home. In fact, you’ll need to map all of them before you even begin your mobile home installation.
Handling Your Mobile Home Expenses
Tracking your mobile home expenses can be tricky for first-time owners. But familiarizing yourself with them will save you money and preserve your sanity in the long run.
If you already have a mobile home, the next step is to find the perfect location for it. Try researching areas that interest you. If you are searching for the Sacramento area, our senior mobile home park in Sacramento, CA, for instance, have a good reputation and may be the perfect place to settle.
Country Squire Estates is a 55-or-better mobile home community of located near Citrus Heights and I-80.
There are a lot of shops, theaters, and restaurants nearby for your convenience. But, despite that, our little corner of the world is a serene location surrounded on three sides by Arcade and Ripple Creeks.
If you want to know more, send us a message or you can visit us at 5720 Oak Hill Drive, Sacramento, CA 95841.
