Tennessee mobile home titles and ownership documents

Titled homes

A manufactured home that has not been permanently attached to land is generally treated as personal property and carries a certificate of title, handled through the county clerk in much the same system used for vehicles. The title names the owner and shows any lienholder.

If you are selling a home like this, the title is the document that transfers ownership. It needs to name the actual seller, and any lien on it needs to be released.

Homes converted to real property

When a manufactured home is permanently affixed to land the owner also owns, it can be converted so that it is treated as part of the real estate. After that conversion there is generally no certificate of title to find, and ownership moves through the deed like any other house. This is often what has happened when a homeowner cannot find a title anywhere and the home is taxed with the land.

Confirming which category a specific home falls into is what title companies and closing attorneys do. It is worth confirming rather than assuming.

Common paperwork problems and where they get solved

Almost every documentation problem has an established path. The path just usually runs through an office, not through a buyer.

• Lost title, start with the county clerk's office where the home is located
• Lien shown on the title from a loan you paid off, you need a lien release from the lender
• Owner has died, this is a probate question for an attorney or the court clerk
• Name change from marriage or divorce, the ownership record needs updating to match
• Home bought informally with no title transfer, an attorney can advise on options

Where our role stops

We are a buyer. We can tell you what we typically see and who normally handles it, but we are not a title company, a law firm, or the county clerk, and none of this is legal advice. For anything involving a death, a dispute, or a home attached to real property, talk to a Tennessee attorney or a title professional.