What should you ask a seller about a possible move?
Ask directly whether the home has ever been moved from another site, when, and what paperwork exists. Then ask for copies, not summaries.
What are the questions?
- Was the home ever installed anywhere other than this address?
- If so, where, and when was it moved here?
- Who moved it, and who set it up at this site?
- Are there transport, installation, or permit records?
- Has any engineer or inspector reported on the home before?
- What repairs, additions, or changes have been made since it was set up?
- Where are the data plate and the exterior HUD label, and are both still there?
How should you record the answers?
Write each answer next to its question with the date and the person's name. "The seller thinks it moved" and a dated installation record are not equivalent evidence, so mark which kind you were given. Our guide on records that show a home was moved helps you weigh what comes back.
What if the seller does not know?
That is common, especially with an estate or a long ownership. Ask the listing agent, family members, or the previous owner if you can reach them. If the answer stays unknown, say so in your notes. Do not guess to fill the gap.
What if the answer is vague?
Ask a smaller question. Instead of "Was it moved?", try "Do you have anything from when it was set up here?" Specific questions get documents, and documents are what you can use.
Should you ask an agent or an heir differently?
If you represent a buyer, put the questions to the seller's side in writing. If you are an heir, check the papers in the house and any older closing or financing records. In both cases ask for copies and keep the dates.
Why does it matter?
A lender may want to know about a move, because it may ask for an engineer's report on a relocated home. Our guide to why a lender cares explains. Your lender decides what it needs.
Can an engineer help before you buy?
An engineer can document how the home sits now and any visible evidence of damage, alteration, or settlement. Our moved home inspection works from the address. Reports are signed by an engineer licensed in the state where the home sits: Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, or Indiana.
Send us the address and the answers you have. We reply within one business day.