If you are considering purchasing a mobile home in a 55+ community, there are many things to consider. First of all, do you like a lot of activities? Bingo anyone? How about joining a card game? Bring your favorite dish to a potluck, maybe? Join other residents in the billiards room for a round of billiards?

Do you like to stay healthy? How about joining other residents for a morning walk, and if you have a dog, taking it with you? As for pets, there are size limits, always check with the park manager about weight, height and number. Some playpens are 20 pounds. and only one, others may allow two.

Most of the activities take place in Greenbrier Estates. There is Greenbrier Estates East (GBE) and Greenbrier Estates West (GBW). GBE has the parks office and clubhouse and can be used by all GBE and GBW residents. The clubhouse is large with a full kitchen and a stage. Several dinners are held throughout the year and on certain holidays.

The clubhouse also has a coffee room with free coffee and there are several tables there, for any activity. There is also a library and yes you can donate your unwanted books to them. There are also his and her bathrooms. Behind the club house is a good size pool and also a jacuzzi.

GBW has its own swimming pool and a lovely green belt at the back with paths for a relaxing walk. There is also a tennis court in the green belt. Both mobile home parks (managed by the same company and located almost next to each other) have large spaces and everything is kept up very well. There are no single wide mobile homes, they are mostly double wide mobile homes and there are also some triple and even quad wide ones.

Used mobile homes sell for between $65,000 and $140,000. Prefer a new manufactured home? Yes, the community is regularly updated with new manufactured homes with all the bells and whistles. They sell for between $175,000 and $250,000. All butcher block kitchen cabinets with drywall, upgraded carpeting, corian countertops, tile surrounds, upgraded light fixtures and faucets and more. Most are two bedrooms and a living room and also have a wood burning fireplace.

Rent for the space for the new owner in Greenbrier Estates is currently $734 and is rent controlled. It is linked to the City of Santa Clarita Consumer Price Index and the space rent goes up on January 1 of each year. The last increase was 2.9%. For more details, contact the park office.

Both GBE and GBW have a gate that closes at 8pm Centrally located with shops across the street. There is Sam’s Club and a Super Walmart and also several restaurants and other stores. Even in the 24 hour Fitness Club. Metrolink is a couple of blocks away and so is the famous Santa Clarita Swapmeet that takes place every Sunday and Tuesday. They don’t have admission on Tuesdays and they also sell fruits and vegetables at very cheap prices, yes, not organic.

What other 55+ communities are there?

Canyon Palms. Both single-width mobile homes and double-width mobile homes. A total of 45 seats. Very clean, but some spaces are small and there is a clubhouse with a full kitchen for birthday parties, etc. There is also a smaller pool. There are no activities unless you create them yourself. There is a public laundry available.

Centrally located with shops, restaurants, post office and fire station all within a block or two. There is a bus stop right outside the park entrance. Rent for the space is only $500 for the new owner and is rent controlled.

Sierra Park. A total of 76 spaces, mostly single-width mobile homes, some double-width mobile homes. There are also some newer manufactured homes and some model parks. A park model is not considered a manufactured home. They are only eleven feet wide by thirty-two feet long and you cannot get financing for them. They are a “cross breed” between a manufactured home and an RV. Sierra Park also has several RVs.

Quiet and well maintained community. There is a clubhouse with books and plenty of videotapes to borrow for free. Sometimes there are dinners hosted by the manager and the clubhouse is free of course to use for any activity such as birthdays, potlucks or a game of cards. There is also a pool table.

Pets are welcome and please check with manager for size, weight and number. Sierra Park is located almost across from Canyon Palms, so shops, restaurants, etc. are readily available. Rent for the space to the new owner is $475 and is rent controlled. There are currently about six homes for sale there, between $38,777 and $47,500. They are one or two bedrooms.