How to Sell Your Park Model by "Doing It Yourself" (DIY)

To All Fiesta Grande residents who want to handle their own sale, last revised on 22 December 2022:

This article was originally published on www.FiestaGrandeNews.com and on www.AlBartsch.com on 7 December 2022.

Selling your park model by "Doing It Yourself" (DIY) is a VERY SIMPLE process. Here are the main steps:

Step 1: Get permission from Fiesta Grande office to sell your park model (fill out a form). Wait for approval signed by management.

Step 2: Install a For Sale sign. Free online advertising is available on the above websites (to see the Sales Spreadsheet go to FiestaGrandeNews.com and click on menu item "Park Model SALES"). To get the latest edition of the spreadsheet, make sure that your computer's "cache" has been emptied recently and that you refresh your screen.

Step 3: Post your own name and contact information online, and make appointments with prospective buyers to show your property. Prospective buyers love to meet the homeowner and have their questions answered directly by the person who is most familiar with the property. A word of CAUTION: If the homeowner has any reservations about showing their home to a particular person, kindly ask for the person's name and phone number, or ask to see the person's driver's license (see below for further safetety suggestions).

Step 4: When a buyer is found, negotiate a sale price with Earnest Money, if applicable, and an approximate date when ownership is to be transferred to the buyer (Title Transfer Date).

Step 5: Buyer applies for residency (get an application and instructions from Fiesta Grande office and pay a fee); this application is also known as a "Criminal Background Check".

Step 6: After passing the Background Check, seller and buyer determine a firm Title Transfer Date.

Step 7: It's advisable for the buyer to schedule a home inspection by a professional inspector licensed by the State of Arizona, such as SRM Home Inspections LLC, Scott Moore in Arizona City, 520-392-4559.

Step 8: Buyer obtains liability insurance effective on the Title Transfer Date as required by Fiesta Grande.

Step 9: On the Title Transfer Date seller and buyer go to the MVD office and complete the required paperwork. Seller signs the original Certificate of Title for the park model and simultaneously accepts full payment by Cashiers Check. Buyer pays the transfer fee and is furnished with a receipt which serves as a "temporary title”. Permanent Certificate of Title will be sent to an Arizona address provided by the buyer.

Step 10: The receipt must be submitted to Fiesta Grande office on the Title Transfer Date. The date on the receipt determines the Check-In date when the 12-months lot rent is due. Current annual lot rent for a standard lot is $5,057 as of 7 Nov 2022, subject to change without notice. Proof of liability insurance is required at the same time.

Step 11: Buyer calls APS 800-253-9405 to transfer the electric power account from seller's name into buyer's name effective on the Title Transfer Date, or a date acceptable by seller and buyer.

Step 12: Seller checks with office to confirm the mailing address for the refund of the unexpired portion of the prepaid lot rent.

Each of the above steps entails additional details that the seller and buyer should be aware of. One such detail may be the need for a Power of Attorney (PoA) by either the seller or the buyer, or both. Some sales may require a detailed Sale Agreement, especially if PoA's are required, or if Earnest Money is justified, or if the seller wants to continue occupying the property after the Title Transfer Date. Instead of using Al's own version of a Sale Agreement, the seller can furnish buyer with a simple Bill of Sale approved by ADOT. Click on: ADOT Bill of Sale

Any help and counseling with the above details is available by contacting Al Bartsch, 520-840-0262 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Al has been in the park since 1999 and helping residents with their park model sales since 2009. His "fee" can be a small donation (strictly optional) to cover expenses and the maintenance of his 2 websites.

Finally, people often ask this question: "When is the best time of year to sell my park model?” Undoubtedly, the best time to sell is the winter season (November thru mid April) while the owner is occupying the home and showing it to interested parties. Another word of CAUTION: Showings of your home by somebody other than yourself poses certain risks if the "buyer" discovers that the home is unoccupied, especially if there is no car in the driveway, and a "For Sale" is posted on the home. Only your summer care person, if any, should have a key.

Any comments or suggestions about the usefulness of this article are welcome. Thank you.

How to Sell Your Park Model by "Doing It Yourself" (DIY) - by Al Bartsch, Revised 22 Dec 2022