Apr 23, 2026
Dave and Beth Cole had been thinking about putting their mobile home on the market, but a new rule is preventing many of the RV park's residents from selling the homes they own.
"We never would have bought it if we thought we couldn't sell it," Beth, who lives in Yankee Traveler RV Park in Largo, Florida, told Tampa Bay 28 (1).
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Yankee Traveler is a mobile home community for older Americans aged 55+ which is largely aimed at snowbirds seeking a Florida lifestyle. The park, however, instituted a new rule that homes built in or prior to 1984 can't be resold.
That applies to the Coles' home, which was built in 1984. According to management, the couple has two options: put the home up for rent, or move it out of the RV park to sell it.
The owners of Yankee Traveler stated in a document given to the couple that "homes that are older and not well maintained bring down the quality of our neighborhood," and "often create maintenance problems."
Another resident, Jim Nelson, told Tampa Bay 28 that 44 residents in the park "are going to walk away with nothing."
Life in a mobile home community
For older Americans who want to age in place, mobile home communities can be an attractive option. After all, they come with a built-in community and some are designed specifically for older folks and include certain amenities.
About 3.2 million adults aged 60+ were living in mobile homes in the U.S. as of February 2022 (the latest data available), according to the U.S. Census Bureau (2).
While the term "mobile home" is still commonly used, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development categorizes movable homes built after 1976 as manufactured homes (3). The terms are often used interchangeably.
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These homes are factory-built on a permanent chassis and then shipped to a property site. An RV, on the other hand, is a recreational vehicle such as a motorhome that provides living quarters.
Living in a mobile home community is similar to living in a condo — without having to share walls with a potentially noisy neighbor. You own or rent your own home (though in most cases you rent the land your home sits on), while common areas and amenities are maintained by staff.
Some mobile home communities cater to retirees with minimum age requirements. They may also have rules or restrictions around noise, guests and maintaining your home's exterior.
Many of these communities can be found in the Sun Belt, like Florida and Texas — the Sunshine State alone has more than 1,600 to choose from (4). They often appeal to older Americans who are looking to downsize from larger homes in retirement.
But it's important to understand the rules before moving in. As Ardella MacPherson of Florida Retreat Mobile Home Sales told Tampa Bay 28, privately owned RV parks can enforce any rules they choose (1).
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What to know before you buy (or sell)
With mobile home parks, there are two types of leases. You either own the mobile home and rent the land it sits on, or you rent a landlord-owned mobile home and the land (similar to renting an apartment). While not as common, it's also possible to own the land your mobile home sits on through a cooperative or resident-owned community (5).
If you're looking to buy an existing manufactured home within a park, make sure you understand the lease — and all of the park's rules — before signing on the dotted line.
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For example, even if you own your home outright and don't have a mortgage, if you're renting the land, you'll still have to pay rent each month. It also means your landlord can increase your rent.
Ask to see the park's rent prices over several years, so you can get a sense of how much rent could go up. It's also good to ask if there's a homeowners association fee for maintenance. Keep in mind that, unlike standalone homes, manufactured homes tend to depreciate over time, similar to buying a car.
The park might also have rules around reselling. For example, when a mobile home is sold, it may need to be replaced by one that meets the park's age restrictions. If new age restrictions come into place, pre-existing homes could be grandfathered in. But that's up to the owners, and the owners of Yankee Traveler chose otherwise.
The Coles were told they could petition for an exception, so long as their home was well maintained, but they were turned down. And though they were told they could sell their home outside of the park, that's easier said than done.
Moving a manufactured home isn't simple, and "alternative sites are often hard to come by," according to AARP's Policy Book (6). Plus, "moving is burdensome and expensive," requiring permits and licensed, bonded professionals for the move.
While mobile home parks can create their own rules, they still have to abide by federal and state laws. Many states have laws that protect park residents from unfair practices. In California, for example, the Mobilehome Residency Law allows residents to challenge unfair practices in court (7). Florida has similar protections under the Florida Mobile Home Act (8).
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Vawn Himmelsbach is a veteran journalist who has been covering tech, business, finance and travel for the past three decades. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, National Post, Metro News, Canadian Geographic, Zoomer, CAA Magazine, Travelweek, Explore Magazine, Flare and Consumer Reports, to name a few.
