Moving into a manufactured home community: the complete checklist

Moving into a community is part home purchase, part rental application, and part regular move. This walks through each piece in the order you’ll hit it.

1. Decide if community living fits

• List what matters most to you: privacy, a yard, the monthly budget, your commute, schools, and amenities.
• Be honest about the trade-offs. You’ll follow community rules, pay lot rent, and take care of your own home.
• Some communities are open to all ages. Others are 55 and older. Pick the kind that fits your household.

2. Budget the full monthly cost

Add up lot rent, the home payment if you’re buying or financing, utilities (water, sewer, electric, gas, trash), and insurance. Then ask about fees for pets, extra vehicles, and amenities. Our hidden costs guide lists the ones people miss.

3. Find and check out communities

• Visit at different times of day, including an evening and a weekend.
• Talk with residents if they’re open to it. Ask what they’d want to know if they were moving in.
• Read the community rules and the lease before you apply. Here’s how to read them.
• Look at the basics: clean common areas, safe driving speeds, kept-up lots, and an office that answers the phone.

4. Applications and approval

Most communities screen applicants. Expect to show ID, proof of income, references, and details about any pets. Ask how long approval takes, what the deposit is, and whether any fees are refundable.

5. Inspect the home and the site

• Confirm the home’s age and that the community accepts it.
• Check anchoring, skirting, steps and railings, the roof, plumbing, heating and cooling, and the electrical panel.
• Look for water stains under sinks, around windows, and along outside walls.
• Find the HUD label and data plate. Our buying guide explains where they are and why they matter.

Codes, permits, and installation rules vary by state. Hire licensed pros for transport, setup, and major repairs.

6. Set up utilities

• Call each provider about two weeks before move-in. Write down account numbers and confirmation codes.
• Ask the office which utilities are billed through the community and which you set up yourself.
• If winters get cold where you’re going, check the pipe insulation and heat tape before the first freeze. See winterizing.

7. Plan the move

• Book movers or a truck. Ask the office about access roads, where the truck can park, and any hours for moving.
• Pack fragile things first and label boxes by room.
• File a change of address with the post office and update your bank, employer, and subscriptions.

8. Day one: safety and setup

• Turn the water on and check under every sink for leaks.
• Light gas appliances by following the manufacturer’s instructions, or have the gas company do it.
• Find and label the main water shutoff, the gas shutoff, and the breaker panel.
• Test every smoke and carbon monoxide alarm.
• Walk the lot and note trip hazards, loose skirting, and where water drains after rain.
• Take photos of the home and lot, inside and out, for your records.

Want the whole thing on paper? The free moving kit has this checklist, a budget worksheet, and more as printable PDFs.