Buying a mobile home in Texas

Texas gives a buyer full up-front disclosure, a six-month-lease right, and a clear ownership-transfer process through TDHCA, under the Manufactured Home Tenancies chapter (Tex. Prop. Code Ch. 94) and the Manufactured Housing Standards Act. The information below describes how the law generally works; anyone buying should consider consulting a licensed attorney in Texas.

What the statute says

Under Tex. Prop. Code §94.051, "at the time the landlord receives an application from a prospective tenant, the landlord shall give the tenant a copy of (1) the proposed lease agreement; (2) any manufactured home community rules; and (3) a separate disclosure statement" — prominently printed in at least 10-point type — stating the right to a six-month initial lease, the 60-day nonrenewal notice, and the 180-day notice if the land use will change. The lease must then disclose the rent, charges, deposit, maintenance responsibilities, and emergency contact (§94.053). A buyer of a home already on a lot must be "approved in writing by the landlord" and sign a lease (§94.252(a)). The home's ownership transfers through a Statement of Ownership issued by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs under the Manufactured Housing Standards Act (Occupations Code Ch. 1201).

How it works in general

A Texas buyer who plans to keep a home in a community is entitled, at application, to the proposed lease, the community rules, and a plain-language disclosure statement spelling out the six-month-lease right and the notice rules — so the terms are clear before committing. The lease itself must disclose the rent and every charge. To take over a home already on a lot, the buyer has to be approved in writing by the landlord and sign a lease; the community can screen the buyer under its normal standards, subject to fair-housing law. The home's ownership isn't a vehicle title — it's recorded through a TDHCA Statement of Ownership, so a buyer should confirm the Statement of Ownership and any liens or tax records before closing.

Common scenarios

General examples Texas buyers commonly encounter:

• A buyer wants the terms up front. The community must give the proposed lease, rules, and disclosure statement at application (§94.051).
• A buyer takes over a home on a lot. The buyer must be approved in writing and sign a lease (§94.252(a)).
• A buyer checks ownership. Confirm the TDHCA Statement of Ownership and any liens (Occ. Code Ch. 1201).

Other authorities that may apply

The Manufactured Home Tenancies chapter (Tex. Prop. Code §§94.051, 94.053, 94.252) governs disclosure and buyer approval; the home's ownership transfers through a TDHCA Statement of Ownership (Occupations Code Ch. 1201). Federal lending rules and the Fair Housing Act can apply. The disclosure packet, the lease, the rules, and the Statement of Ownership are the core documents to review.