An owner of a manufactured home may elect real-property treatment only if the home is attached to owned real property or land leased under a long-term lease, and if the election is made the owner must file and notify within 60 days after the department issues the copy.
Sec. 1201.2055. ELECTION BY OWNER. (a) In completing an application for the issuance of a statement of ownership, an owner of a manufactured home shall indicate whether the owner elects to treat the home as real property. An owner may elect to treat a manufactured home as real property only if the home is attached to: (1) real property that is owned by the owner of the home; or (2) land leased to the owner of the home under a long-term lease, as defined by department rule. (b) Repealed by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 77, Sec. 15(2), eff. September 1, 2009. (c) If the department issues a statement of ownership to an owner of a manufactured home treated as personal property, the statement of ownership on file with the department is evidence of ownership of the home. A lien, charge, or other encumbrance on a home treated as personal property may be made only by filing the appropriate document with the department. (d) If an owner elects to treat a manufactured home as real property, the department shall issue to the owner a copy of the statement of ownership that on its face reflects that the owner has elected to treat the manufactured home as real property at the location listed on the statement. Not later than the 60th day after the date the department issues a copy of the statement of ownership to the owner, the owner must: (1) file the copy in the real property records of the county in which the home is located; and (2) notify the department and the chief appraiser of the applicable appraisal district that the copy has been filed. (e) A real property election for a manufactured home is not considered to be perfected until a copy of the statement of ownership has been filed and the department and the chief appraiser of the applicable appraisal district have been notified of the filing as provided by Subsection (d). (f) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 46, Sec. 8(1), eff. September 1, 2011. (g) After a real property election is perfected under Subsection (e): (1) the home is considered to be real property for all purposes; and (2) no additional issuance of a statement of ownership is required with respect to the manufactured home, unless: (A) the home is moved from the location specified on the statement of ownership; (B) the real property election is changed; or (C) the use of the property is changed as described by Section 1201.216. (h) The provisions of this chapter relating to the construction or installation of a manufactured home or to warranties for a manufactured home apply to a home regardless of whether the home is considered to be real or personal property. (i) Notwithstanding the 60-day deadline specified in Subsection (d), if the closing of a mortgage loan to be secured by real property including the manufactured home is held, the loan is funded, and a deed of trust covering the real property and all improvements on the property is recorded and the licensed title company or attorney who closed the loan failed to complete the conversion to real property in accordance with this chapter, the holder or servicer of the loan may apply for a statement of ownership electing real property status, obtain a copy of the statement of ownership, and make the necessary filings and notifications to complete such conversion at any time provided that: (1) the record owner of the home, as reflected on the department's records, has been given at least 60 days' prior written notice at: (A) the location of the home and, if it is different, the mailing address of the owner as specified in the department records; and (B) any other location the holder or servicer knows or believes, after a reasonable inquiry, to be an address where the owner may have been or is receiving mail or is an address of record; (2) such notification shall be given by certified mail; and (3) the department by rule shall require evidence that the holder or servicer requesting such after-the-fact completion of a real property election has complied with the requirements of this subsection. Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 338, Sec. 14, eff. June 18, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1284 (H.B. 2438), Sec. 11, eff. June 18, 2005. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 863 (H.B. 1460), Sec. 26, eff. January 1, 2008. Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 77 (H.B. 2238), Sec. 15(2), eff. September 1, 2009. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 46 (H.B. 1510), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 46 (H.B. 1510), Sec. 8(1), eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 408 (H.B. 2019), Sec. 28, eff. September 1, 2017.