Anyone doing Lonnie deals here in Florida?
I was looking into doing some, read the books, and understand what to do. I was all eager to start hunting deals when, following Lonnie’s idea of getting a mobile home dealer’s license, I discovered this disheartening bit of information.
Florida statues state that you must possess an active Mobile Home Dealer’s license to buy and sell even one MH! Yup. Even one as.
Florida Statutes 320.77
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0320/SEC77.HTM&Title=->2005->Ch0320->Section%2077#0320.77
I thought I was misunderstanding the statue, so I contacted the DMV in Tallahassee. They quoted the statue, but refused to clarify the issue for me. So, they ended up transferring me to the attorney who handles this section of the statute for the state (whatever that means).
Explaining that I wanted to purchase a few mobile home in my own name for investment purposes, I asked if I needed the license. He said “yes.” “What about people buying mobile homes themselves, aren’t they in violation of that statue?” He says no, since they are living in it. But, if there were to buy and sell with the intention of profit, they would need to have a license.
Ok. No problem I think. I can afford the cost and endure the paperwork. But the DMV requires a licensee to maintain a permanent office space, not in the home, where licensee transacts business, and only mobile home sales business. So, it can’t be a shared office space or anything like that. And, to make sure you comply, they require a DMV official to inspect your offices prior to getting the license. Geez!
So, technically if you’re buying and selling mobile homes in Florida without a license with the purpose of investment and profit, the state says your guilty of a 2nd degree misdemeanor. You’re breaking the law!
Yikes.
I’m sure these insane statues came about because of fraud committed by the unscrupulous mobile home salesmen in the past. Unfortunately, it’s a law that restricts my rights to own and use private property in my opinion. But hey, what’s new these days?
So, I’m just curious if anyone is doing Lonnie deals and not worrying about the whole license thing. Like Lonnie says, though, if your name shows up on the DMV systems often enough, you may just catch someone’s attention–someone who will ask you for your license.
Any comments?
Jimbo