in MI, home part mod/part stick no numbers help!

14 years ago

This is the original post I found here -

Hi!

We bought an old mobile home on a permanent foundation on 3 acres in Wichita, KS about 6 years ago (2001). When we bought it we asked if we needed a title, and we were told no, it was considered real estate. Now we want to sell it and we are being told that the laws have changed and we need to get a title so that we can have the title eliminated. Problem is, we have no VIN number and without it, we can't do anything. I have called every county and state office possible and more,(DMV, appraisers, title companies, brokers, deeds office, records office)and there is no past record of a VIN number on this home. The man who owned it before me is deceased and his daughter has no clue about the history of the home. It is on record as being a 1973, but that is all the information we have about it. We have looked everywhere for a VIN, but there is very little that is original on this home. (We are not sure if it is a mobile or a modular either. No axle or wheels, or anything under it).

ANY help would be appreciated. Can I get a new VIN number assigned to this home? I have been told that I should just tear it down and start over, but I can't afford to do that. I paid for property with a home on it and I need to be able to sell it the same way if I am to get my money back! It seems so unfair that the laws can change so that I can not sell a home I bought 6 years ago!

Thanks for any help,

and

here is my situation -

Similar situation. Bought home in 89 with 10 acres, refinanced a few times was always called stick built berm home, now last was in 99, now its 2009 and we are now being told its a mobile/manufactured home and cannot do anything without the plate/vin number/title, which does not exist. Home completely gutted remodeled, completely remodeled outside, no numbers on any framework still left down there in the crawlspace. But its there so its a mobile. Is there any way to get a 'new title' to satisfy this requirement or to grandfather in this obviously way before built home to this law that went into effect in 2003/4. CAN ANYONE HELP? Been everywhere looking for anything, not even building permits anywhere from home built in 85. Guy we bought it from would be near 80 if still alive, and a jerk so likely did something illegal or simply just wouldn't help even if he could. So.... any help out there? Thanks!

Comments (4)

christopherh
14 years ago
Contact an attorney. Have him/her do the footwork for you. They can open some doors you can't.
bus_driver
14 years ago
I would sell the real estate. Leave the mobile home out of the description. Typically, improvements are not enumerated on the deed anyway. Who is going to come and claim that mobile home? And if someone wanted to do so, how would they find it and identify it? I think you have been asking too many questions of the wrong people. Ask an attorney.
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pris
14 years ago
There's more than one solution to this. If it has been completely remodeled, contact the County Appraisal office and find out what else needs to be done to have it appraised as a permenant type house. This is from memory of a previous conversation and may not be everything but, part of the requirement has to do with making the cinder blocks permenant. Normally they are just stacked. They need to be cemented together, etc. Then it becomes part of the real estate and will be appraised as such.

If you want to sell just the mobile home and have it moved, apply for a lost title. Contact the DMV for the proper forms or search the internet. Contact the manufacturer if you know who it is and they might be able to help locate a number elsewhere on whats left of the original home. I'm sure it must be somewhere other than on the tag at the ends of the home. Probably close to name tag.
pris
14 years ago
Have you checked to see if the original MH siding was removed or covered over? If covered over, carefully remove the siding on the end (try one and if not there, remove the other) The vin plate and name plate is usually close to the bottom of the original siding on the end of the MH so you shouldn't have to remove very much. I called my friend and when facing her front door from the outside, hers is on the left end.