What to gather before a Florida park evaluation

Stage 1 — enough for a preliminary range

Approximate numbers are fine here. Nothing needs to be audited or formatted.

Site count and occupancy

Total sites, occupied sites, and how many vacant pads are actually usable today versus needing utilities or clearing.

Tenancy mix

How many homes are tenant-owned versus park-owned, and whether any park-owned home is being sold on a contract or rent-to-own.

Lot rent

Current lot rent, when it last increased, and any concessions, discounts, or long-term arrangements with specific residents.

Utility responsibility

Who pays water, sewer, trash, and electric, and whether water is master-metered, sub-metered, or billed directly by a utility.

Trailing twelve months

Collections and operating expenses for the last year, even if the format is a bank register or a spreadsheet.

Stage 2 — needed before a written offer

This is where Florida-specific items show up that other states do not have in the same form.

Rent roll by site

Site number, resident, home ownership, rent, balance, and move-in date. Balances matter less than the pattern of collections.

Insurance declarations and loss history

Wind, flood, general liability, and any coverage on park-owned homes or common structures. Loss runs explain more about storm history than photos do.

Park-owned home titles

Florida titles homes as personal property through DHSMV. Missing or unreleased titles are a leading cause of closing delays, so pull these early.

Utility permits and reports

Well and drinking-water sampling reports, wastewater or package-plant permits, monitoring reports, and any notices of violation or consent orders.

Prospectus and community documents

Any filed prospectus and amendments, lot rental agreements, rules and regulations, and the history of rent increase notices.

Property tax bills and survey

The most recent tax bills, the parcel identification numbers, and the most recent survey or site plan if one exists.

Authority documents when applicable

Letters of administration for an estate, the relevant trust provisions, or the partnership or operating agreement and required consents.

Where to pull Florida records yourself

These are primary sources. Rules, maps, and fees change, so always read the current version at the source rather than relying on a summary — including ours.

• Florida county property appraiser and tax collector directory

  Parcel data, assessed values, tax bills, and the office to call about parcel splits or classification.

• FEMA Flood Map Service Center

  The current effective flood zone and map panel for your parcel — the same lookup an insurer uses.

• Florida Division of Emergency Management — Know Your Zone

  Whether the community sits in a designated evacuation zone, which is separate from the FEMA flood zone.

• Florida DHSMV — mobile home titles

  How Florida titles manufactured homes, and how to resolve missing or lien-encumbered titles on park-owned homes.

• Florida DEP — drinking water and onsite sewage programs

  Permitting and reporting expectations for community wells, package plants, and large on-site sewage systems.

• DBPR — Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes

  The state division involved with mobile home park filings and homeowner-association matters under Chapter 723.

• Florida Statutes Chapter 723 — Mobile Home Park Lot Tenancies

  The current chapter text, including sections on sale of a park, change in use, lot rental increases, and the prospectus.

• Florida Office of Insurance Regulation

  Context on Florida property insurance conditions, which drive a large share of Florida operating expense changes.