Hi,

The management of my trailer park wants to give away 4-5 older mobile homes that have been abandoned and that there are no titles for. How complicated is it going to be for me to get the titles so I can fix them up and rent them out? I live in Colorado. Thanks ahead of time for any answers!

Well someone owns them and there are titles, if the owner abandoned them and there was a lien on then, then the bank really owns them

You can check or should be able to check with the court house ( where you register your car titles normally but some places have special offices for trailers) and by using the serial number trace who is the registered owner. Also their could be past due taxes for personal property due on them also.

If the park management put a lien on them for lot rent not paid, the park owers can take them and get a new title and then sell it to you.

So go talk to the title people and see what they will require

Thanks so much for that quick response! This may be out of your field, but do you know where the serial numbers would be located? These are all older mobile homes (1970s or so).

Well now that I don't know, I am sure it will be stamped on the frame somewhere, I bet a trailer dealer could tell you.

Now this is of course one of those "what if" most likely no one is ever going to come back after this trailer, it was wrote off long ago.
And if you don't plan on moving it, I often have to ask what would I do.

If someone was going to "give me" a old trailer, and it did not have a title, but the current person had possession of it for several years.
I may take it, and take a risk on it. I would get a bill of sale for one dollar or something to show you got it though legal transfer.

I have bought several old cars and trucks like that ( in some states older cars and trucks may not have titles at all) The two boats I have now I bought though a charity sale and never got a title on one ( and to be honest I have never found the serial number of my speed boat and I have looked everywhere)

So I try and give you the legal basis, and warnings, so knowing what you should do, you understand the risks and can still go ahead if you want to.

So if this was close to me, and he wanted to "give me" 5 trailers, I would most likely take them, but doing so know the risks I take and that I may not be able to sell them, but would have to keep them for rental property.

The serial number and ID is usually on a small metal tag by the area where "tongue of mobile home was, on outside and front of MH.

Check with states Manufacturing division and you can look up information about home w previous owners etc. And usually have to mention about who moved home, etc.

How about this:

New owner signs a purchase agreement for a mobile home... purchase agreement states seller acknowledges there are no encumbrances on the title. Seller obtains transfer of title signature AFTER signature of buyer is received on purchase agreement. Buyer finds out title, 5 months later, is not in sellers name and there is a tax lien against previous owner. Buyer enters quick sale agreement with actual owner of home. Is buyer to be held responsible for purchase order when home did not legally belong to seller, and title is still in a previous name as it was 5 years PRIOR to signing of purchase order. Is buyer as defined by the purchase order allowed to make unapproved repairs to the residence since ownership was never obtained by "seller", holding buyer responsible. And no... NO TITLE was ever transferred into "sellers" name before repairs were made...