No Title? That Doesn't Mean You Can't Sell.
One of the most common reasons people think they can't sell their manufactured home is because of title problems. They've lost the physical title document. There's an old lien from a finance company. The previous owner passed away and the title was never transferred. The home has changed hands multiple times with no paperwork trail. Whatever the situation, most buyers — and most realtors — walk away the moment they hear the words "title problem."
We don't walk away. We walk toward title problems because we know how to solve them. We deal with Indiana manufactured home titles every single week. We know the BMV process inside and out. We know what forms to file, what documentation to gather, and how to clear a path to a clean title so the sale can go through. And we handle all of that work ourselves — you don't have to figure it out on your own.
Common Title Problems We Solve
Here are the title issues we encounter most often, and how we handle each one:
- Lost or missing title — the most common problem. The physical title document has been lost, destroyed, or was never received. We can obtain a duplicate title through the Indiana BMV using Form 37533.
- Title in a deceased owner's name — if the titled owner has passed away, the title needs to go through the estate before it can be transferred. We work with estate processes, affidavits of heirship, and small estate procedures to clear this up.
- Old liens on the title — a finance company or personal lender has a lien recorded on the title. Sometimes the lien has been paid off but never released. Sometimes the lender no longer exists. We know how to obtain lien releases, even from defunct companies.
- Title never transferred from previous sale — someone bought the home years ago but never officially transferred the title at the BMV. This is extremely common with informal sales between friends or family members.
- Multiple owners or unclear ownership — divorce situations, inherited homes with multiple heirs, or homes sold multiple times without paperwork. We untangle ownership chains.
- Bonded title needed — when no other path exists, Indiana allows you to obtain a bonded title by purchasing a surety bond. We know this process and can guide you through it.
How the Indiana Mobile Home Title Works
In Indiana, manufactured homes have their own title — similar to a vehicle title — that's processed through the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), not the county recorder's office. This is separate from the deed to the land the home sits on. When you sell a manufactured home on land, both need to transfer: the home title through the BMV and the land deed through the county.
This dual-title situation confuses many sellers and scares off most real estate agents. But for us, it's routine. We handle both transfers as part of every deal we do. You don't need to visit the BMV. You don't need to file anything at the county recorder. We take care of all of it.
What About the Land Title?
Title problems can also exist on the land side, not just the home. Maybe there's a property tax lien, a judgment lien, or an unclear deed chain. We evaluate both the home title and the land title as part of our process. If there are problems on either side, we figure out solutions — or we factor the cost of resolving them into our offer so you don't have to pay anything out of pocket.
How the Process Works When You Have Title Issues
Start by calling or texting Roger at (502) 528-7273, or fill out the form on this page. Be upfront about the title situation — the more we know, the faster we can find a solution. Roger will evaluate the property, research the title history, and determine the best path forward. He'll make you a cash offer that accounts for any title work needed. If you accept, we handle all the paperwork and filing. You sign what needs to be signed, get paid, and walk away.
Title issues might add a few days to the timeline, but they don't stop the deal. Most transactions still close within 2-4 weeks, even with title complications.
Don't Let Paperwork Keep You Trapped
The worst thing you can do is let title problems convince you that your property is unsellable. Every month you wait is another month of property taxes, another month of maintenance, another month of owning something you don't want. Title problems have solutions. And we know every one of them. Call Roger and let's figure it out together.