Selling a mobile home in Maryland

Maryland's Mobile Homes law, Real Property Article Title 8A, protects a resident's right to sell a home where it sits. A park cannot block a sale in place or force the home out because it was sold, and the fees around a resale are tightly limited. The information below describes how the law generally works; anyone selling should consider consulting a licensed attorney in Maryland.

What the statute says

The core protection is Md. Code, Real Property §8A-601:

A park owner may not: (1) Prevent a resident from selling his mobile home in the park; and (2) Require the resident to remove the mobile home from the park because of the sale of the mobile home.

The fees around a resale are limited by §8A-402: no "entrance or exit fee," and a resale inspection fee that (absent material deterioration) may be charged no "more than one time within a 12-month period" and may "not exceed $60." A park also may not take side payments to steer a sale: §8A-501(6) bars a park owner from accepting "any gratuity ... made to facilitate, influence, or procure any advantage over other prospective residents." Where a resident has acquired a home (for example by inheritance under §8A-101(j)(2)), §8A-202(g) lets them offer it for sale, apply to rent the site, or remove it — and the park "may not unreasonably deny" the rental application.

How it works in general

A resident may sell the home on its lot, and the park cannot stop the sale or demand the home be hauled away simply because it changed hands. The buyer who wants to keep the home in the park will generally apply to become a resident, and the park cannot unreasonably deny that application. The park cannot charge an exit fee, cannot charge more than $60 (or more than once a year) to inspect the home for resale, and cannot accept a side payment to favor one buyer over another. These protections sit alongside the fact that the home itself is the resident's titled property (see the Maryland title guide).

Common scenarios

General examples Maryland park residents commonly encounter:

• A park tells a resident the home must leave when sold. Section 8A-601 forbids requiring removal because of a sale.
• A park charges a large "inspection" or "exit" fee at resale. Exit fees are banned, and a resale inspection fee can't exceed $60 or be charged more than once a year (§8A-402).
• A buyer wants to stay in the park. The buyer applies as a resident, and the park can't unreasonably deny the application (§8A-202(g)).

Other authorities that may apply

Title 8A protects the sale in place, limits resale fees, and bars gratuities; the buyer becomes a resident under the §8A-201/§8A-202 rental-agreement rules. Ownership of the home transfers through the MVA certificate of title (see the Maryland title guide), and the bill of sale and any financing documents also control. A violation of Title 8A is enforceable by civil action with damages and possible attorney's fees (§8A-1501).