The tie-down straps are attached to the metal frame. If the foundation is around the outer edge of the home then the frame and tie=downs would be inside of that and possibly out of sight. If you are serious about purchasing, I would invest $100-$200 and have the installation inspected by an licensed installer...a mobile home dealer should be able to give you a name if you can't find one in the yellow pages. They should also inspect the electrical and plumbing installation. If this is incorrect and you are ordered to make it right in the future, it could get expensive.
Mark

Link is to picture of tie down bolts. They are set into the cement foundation before pour. Not sure how it would be if the foundation is blocks.

There is a strap that slides into the slot and up to the frame. I did not actually see how it was done because the house was already over the bolt at that point.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tie down bolts.

Thanks, I will have my husband look at them. It seems that the home would have to pass stringent inspections here- there are very strict. I did find out the women actually put in up in 2008 and only lived a few months. I am haggling with Vanderbilt trying to get the price down, but, it's on .85acres, nice flat land bumped up to a forest, and barely lived in. They are asking $55-, and here in TN, that seems a reasonable price. You couldn't buy a new one, the land (which was 10 grand), and set up costs for that. What do you all think? Fair price?

While you are inspecting, if the water is on a well and if there is a septic tank, be absolutely sure to have those done as well.

$55k with land sounds very reasonable for what is offered. You could probably make some comparisons on Craig's list real estate and/or realtor.com, searching for manufactured homes in your area.

I would like to resurrect this thread because I am having a similar problem. We are selling our manufactured home and the inspector informed us that our house was not tied down. It is a 2004 double wide on a cement block crawl-space. It is also within the city limits and code requires the tie downs. I have NO CLUE how we passed inspection the first time (when we put the house in) or why it wasn't done.

Could the house be bolted down to the foundation and I not be able to see it? Anyone know how it could pass without the tie downs? What is the cost of having them installed? Thanks in advance for any information!

I am having the same problem as well. I have a manufactured home on a basement foundation. I consulted a professional in the field and he said most likely the home is anchored with a sill plate that wouldn't be visible. He couldn't imagine any home would be set without being anchored in some way. He suggested I contact the company that installed the home to see how it was anchored. I have a call in but haven't heard back. If I don't hear back soon I will hire the first guy I talked to and ask if he could do an inspection to see if it was anchored and if so, give a report. I hope you've already gotten answers to your questions but I'll post more information as I get it. Something has to happen this week!!

Our home doesn't have tie downs, because they were not required until the year after we purchased (2004) DH works for his father, who owns the park our home is in. I have seen him tie down many a house since. We are not in high wind or tornado prone areas, and according to DH and his Dad (who built the park in the 60's with his dad) tie downs are overkill in our area. That said, they seem to be a fairly straight forward process, and I imagine you could probably get someone to do it if you wanted to.

I think the problem I was having is the job I need done is a small job. The few people in the area that set up homes either don't have enough time to work in such a small job or don't want to mess with it. I finally found someone who has many years of experience in the field but is semi retired and doing small jobs on his own. He came out and could not find any sign of anchoring. I have hired him and he will be back next week to do the job. I live in Kansas...tornado alley and although nothing helps in a tornado, anchoring is required. Unfortunately my home was set 15 years ago and the guy who set it is now retired. Now I'm having to pay almost $500.00 plus parts to have this done, it should have been done at the time the home was set but now I don't have any choice but to pay for it myself.

I am trying to refinance my doublewide and everything went well until the foundation was inspected and no tie downs were there. They want 2000 to install them or no loan. I live in a rural no high wind zone and HUD passed it the first time. They also said I could do it myself and take pics but that is not possible. I don't want to pay 2000 but am unable to find someone who can do this cheaper.

$2000 for tie downs is in the ballpark of what the previous owner had to pay to pour concrete for the existing tiedowns. That said - it was a scam. The company he hired (out of Tyler, TX) sent some huge fat guy out here to do the work. He had two young kids with him. I just happened to come by to get some measurements for something entirely different - and observed him giving the kids a bag of cement and a claw hammer. Then he sent them down under. They scratched a shallow trough around the existing tiedowns (not in concrete)....and then sprinkled concrete in the trough. They were out of here in less than 45 minutes.

The inspector came out - and signed off that all was good.

Wow! This is really interesting, and a cautionary tale for all of us MH owners! Never, ever assume! Part of the responsibility of being a homeowner, whether stick, modular, or manufactured, is to make it your business to know and understand what is required, and to see for yourself that it's being done properly. That being said, the house being tied down properly is something that wouldn't even cross most people's minds, and it sure looks like some of the above commenters were ripped off. Netxtown, that's a harrowing tale! I would have called Child Protection Services on the guy who used children to do his job.

In Spokane county, Washington, where I live, the tie-down rules are very, very strict. The cement piers have to go waaay down into the earth, and the inspection process is brutal. People may wonder why, since we are not in a hurricane or tornado area, or even a high wind area. Well, I'm thankful for the law, because the first of November we had a "freak," once in a lifetime wind storm. We saw winds up to 85 mph! There was millions of dollars of damage throughout the county, and some people didn't get electricity restored until after Thanksgiving!

In my park, there was damage. A tree fell on my neighbor's porch and smashed it to smithereens. About 3/4 of my skirting blew off. Luckily, none of it was damaged, and it all stayed on the property. The former owners, who are still living there, were able to put it all back on, and it looks great.

Despite the damage and the two weeks without power, not a single home moved an inch. The tie-downs did their job. Based on that experience, I would recommend that all MHs be tied down, whether or not it's required by law. Because you never know.

I have a thread on this forum posted within the last couple of months that describes different types of tie-downs, if anyone is interested.

Luckily my house was bolted down and I found out no tiedowns were needed so unless it is an FHA loan I was fortunate. Maybe this is another reason manufactured homes don't sell. The house is in good sound shape but the laws are strict.