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Mobile Home Parks on City Water and Sewer: What Buyers Check
A park connected to city or county utilities still needs a careful utility review. A buyer wants to know who supplies water, where wastewater goes, who owns the lines and how the bills are collected. Dreamify Properties buys only mobile home parks served by public water AND public sewer. One public connection is not enough; both services are required.
Public (city/county) water AND public sewer required for our purchases.
Get a real cash offerConfirm both public providers first
Start with recent water and sewer bills and the names of the actual service providers. “City utilities nearby” is different from an operating public connection serving the park. If one provider bills for both services, ask for documentation confirming both. A park inside city limits does not automatically prove public water and public sewer service. Address the service itself, not just the mailing address.
Show which lots are connected and whether service arrangements differ across the property. A nearby sewer main does not mean an unconnected section is ready to occupy. Identify vacant pads with disconnected service or unresolved account issues. A buyer can review the existing connections more efficiently when the owner separates documented service from planned extensions.
We do not buy parks relying on wells, septic systems, private water or sewer systems, package plants or lagoons. If you are uncertain about a system’s status, ask the utility provider before describing it as public. A private distribution line downstream of a public service connection is a different question from a park operating its own water supply or wastewater treatment system; disclose the arrangement clearly.
Understand the meter arrangement
Under direct individual metering, residents may receive provider bills for their own accounts. Under a master-meter arrangement, the park receives a main bill and may handle resident charges separately. Some parks have submeters behind the master meter. These setups create different recordkeeping and collection responsibilities, so a buyer should not infer the arrangement from a single meter seen near the entrance.
Provide a meter schedule showing the account holder, meter location and what each meter serves. Identify office, common-area and vacant-home usage. Where submeters exist, explain their age, reading process, maintenance responsibility and any known failures. Do not describe a submeter as a utility-owned individual meter unless the provider confirms that relationship.
Reconcile total provider usage with resident readings if records are available. Differences can reflect common use, timing, leaks or inaccurate readings. They are a reason for investigation, not proof of one particular problem. A buyer may request a specialist’s inspection or additional operating history before deciding what repair allowance is appropriate.
Document billing back to residents
If the park pays the utility bill and charges residents, show the actual process. Is water included in rent, charged from readings or handled under another arrangement? Supply lease language, sample resident statements, provider invoices and a ledger of amounts collected. Keep reimbursements and the corresponding utility expenses visible so the same income is not counted twice.
Do not assume that owning submeters permits any billing formula or administrative fee. Requirements can depend on the jurisdiction, provider rules and resident agreements. Have qualified counsel and the appropriate utility or regulator confirm whether the method, disclosures and charges are compliant. This guide does not supply a nationwide authorization for submetering or a state-specific billing rule.
A buyer should distinguish billed amounts from collected reimbursements. If residents are behind, provide the delinquency schedule rather than treating the entire billed balance as dependable recurring income. Also identify whether outstanding provider balances must be settled before account transfer. Utility collections can affect operating cash flow even when base lot rent is fully paid.
Find the boundary between public and private lines
Public service does not necessarily mean the utility owns every pipe inside the park. Ask the provider where its maintenance obligation ends and the property owner’s begins. Gather service agreements, available as-built drawings, easements and repair records. A buyer wants to understand both the legal responsibility and the physical condition of lines that will come with the purchase.
For owner-maintained lines, describe known material, approximate installation dates if documented, recurring breaks, backups and prior repairs. Do not guess at the pipe condition from the absence of recent complaints. Depending on the property, the buyer may request leak testing, sewer-camera work or a qualified contractor’s review. An inspection plan is more useful than an unsupported claim that every line is problem-free.
Access matters as well. Identify utility lines crossing neighboring property, shared connections and any recorded easements. Show where shutoffs and cleanouts are located. If ownership or access is unclear, flag it early for the title team and utility provider instead of waiting until the handoff.
Ask about tap, impact and expansion fees
Existing service and expansion capacity are separate questions. A vacant pad may require a tap, meter, reconnection, capacity payment or other work before it can return to service. Ask the provider for written information about the specific pad or proposed project. Do not use an old invoice as proof of today’s fees or treat an undeveloped area as fully permitted income-producing lots.
List any unpaid utility-related assessments or obligations, even if they appear on a tax bill rather than a monthly invoice. Explain whether fees were paid for particular connections and preserve receipts. Capacity, approvals and costs should be verified before assigning value to additional lots.
Prepare a utility handoff folder
A practical folder contains provider contacts, recent bills, meter and account lists, resident-billing samples, line drawings and known repair history. Add pending disputes, deposits and transfer instructions. Our park due diligence checklist puts these records alongside the lease and ownership review. Missing drawings do not require inventing them; identify the gap and provide what is available.
For a real cash offer, send the county, lot count, occupancy, current lot rent and both public provider names. We can review the current operation without assuming future rate increases or vacant-pad expansion. This is general information, not engineering, tax or legal advice. Have qualified professionals confirm condition, billing compliance and service obligations for your park.
Parks we buy
We buy mobile home parks and manufactured housing communities served by public water and public sewer. Tell us the number of lots, occupancy and current lot rent, and we'll get you a cash offer within 24 hours. We can close in as little as 14 to 30 days.
- Public water and public sewer required
- Park-owned or tenant-owned homes
- Full or partly occupied parks
More resources for park owners
For an offer, see sell my mobile home park for cash. For the steps and documents, read how to sell a mobile home park.
State-specific owner guides: North Carolina · Idaho · Georgia · Tennessee · South Carolina · Texas · Arkansas · Alabama · Indiana · Kentucky.
Frequently asked questions
Do you buy parks with public water but septic sewer?
No. Dreamify Properties buys parks served by public water AND public sewer. Wells, septic systems, private utility systems, package plants and lagoons do not meet our buy criteria.
Does public service mean the city owns every pipe?
Not necessarily. Confirm where the provider's ownership and maintenance obligations end and where the park owner's responsibilities begin.
Does having submeters automatically permit resident billing?
No. Confirm the proposed billing method, charges and disclosures with qualified counsel and the relevant utility or regulator for the property's location.
Are vacant pads automatically ready for public utility service?
No. Verify connections, capacity, approvals and any tap, meter, reconnection or impact costs with the provider before counting future income.
Get a cash offer on your park
Tell us the park address, lots, occupancy, current rent and both public utility providers.
Prefer to talk? Call (855) 800-0177.