Mobile home pre-purchase inspection checklist

Inspecting a mobile or manufactured home before buying is one of the most useful steps a buyer can take. This is a general reference for what people commonly look at on a manufactured home — not instructions for any specific home, and not a substitute for a professional inspection or legal review. Consider hiring a licensed inspector familiar with HUD-code homes, and a licensed attorney to review the purchase contract.

What to look for on a mobile home

• HUD certification label (the "HUD tag") — the red metal plate(s) on the home's exterior, present on manufactured homes built after June 15, 1976.
• Data plate — the paper label inside the home listing manufacturer, build date, and the design wind, roof-load, and thermal zones.
• Foundation and supports — the piers, blocking, anchors, and tie-downs; signs of settling, shifting, or rust.
• Frame and underbelly — the steel chassis, the belly wrap, insulation, and any sagging or water staining.
• Floors — soft spots, slopes, or movement, especially near doors, tubs, and exterior walls.
• Roof and ceilings — the roof covering and seams, plus interior stains that suggest leaks.
• Walls, windows, and doors — separation at the marriage line (on multi-section homes), gaps, and seals.
• Plumbing — water pressure, leaks under sinks, the water heater, and the condition of supply and drain lines.
• Electrical — the panel, outlets, and whether wiring or the panel has been modified.
• Heating and cooling — the furnace, any A/C, and ductwork.
• Skirting and ventilation — the skirting condition and crawl-space airflow and moisture.
• The park lot or site — drainage, grading, trees, and (in a community) the lot lease terms and rules that come with the space.

Why each item matters

The HUD tag and data plate establish that the home was built to the federal HUD Code and record the zones it was designed for — relevant to insurance, financing, and whether the home suits the local climate. The foundation, frame, and floors reveal how the home was set up and whether it has shifted, which is expensive to correct. Roof, plumbing, and electrical are the systems most likely to drive repair costs or safety concerns. In a community, the lot and lease matter as much as the home: the lot rent, fees, rules, and term travel with the space.

Related reading

• The HUD Code, briefly explained
• Manufactured vs. mobile vs. modular
• Mobile home dealer fraud red flags
• Why manufactured homes appraise differently
• Closing on a mobile home purchase