North Star mobile homes

The housing landscape in Fort Collins, Colorado, is notoriously competitive, making the prospect of home ownership feel out of reach for many. North Star Mobile Home Park, situated at a prime location on Laporte Avenue, offers a crucial alternative for residents seeking a more accessible path to home ownership right in the heart of the city. Mobile home parks like North Star operate on a model where residents typically own their manufactured home structure while leasing the land, or lot, beneath it. This separation of land and dwelling ownership is what makes it a key source of affordability in a high-cost area.

Built in 1983 and comprising approximately 65 units, North Star Mobile Home Park is a well-established community catering to all ages. Its location, less than three miles from Colorado State University and minutes from Fort Collins’ vibrant Old Town, is perhaps its most significant asset. This is a residential option that truly delivers on the promise of proximity, offering easy access to work, education, shopping, and recreation.

As a homeowner in a land-lease community, one enjoys the privacy of a single-family home lifestyle—a significant benefit compared to apartment living—along with private or semi-private outdoor spaces. However, prospective residents should be aware that the management style and fee structure have been noted in public reviews as requiring careful consideration. Buyers looking into North Star are strongly advised to investigate the current lot rent, rules, and management policies thoroughly before purchasing a home in the community. As with any manufactured housing park, the approval of the prospective buyer by the park management is contingent on the sale of an existing home.

Address: 1700 Laporte Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA

• Old Town Fort Collins: The community is only a five-minute drive from the historic and bustling Old Town Square, offering immediate access to the area’s best dining, shopping, breweries, and cultural events.
• Education Proximity: North Star is highly convenient for students, staff, and employees of Colorado State University (CSU), which is just a nine-minute drive, approximately 2.6 miles away. This makes it an ideal, more affordable option compared to on-campus or close-in housing.
• Bike-Friendly Access: Fort Collins is known for its excellent cycling infrastructure, and the park boasts a Bike Score of 78 (Very Bikeable). Residents can easily use the city’s bike paths and lanes to commute to the university, Old Town, or nearby natural areas, offering a sustainable transportation alternative.
• Natural Areas Nearby: Residents can enjoy quick access to local parks and natural spaces, including The Farm (5-minute drive), North Shields Pond Natural Area (4-minute drive), and Butterfly Woods Natural Area (4-minute drive), providing immediate relief for outdoor enthusiasts.
• Healthcare Access: Poudre Valley Hospital, a major regional medical center, is conveniently located approximately 3.5 miles away, ensuring quick access to comprehensive healthcare services.
• Physical Accessibility: The property includes Wheelchair accessible parking lot features, addressing specific needs for accessibility within the community.

• Lot Leasing: The primary service is the rental of individual home sites, allowing residents to own their home structure while leasing the land.
• Parking: The community provides a surface lot for resident parking, with a typical allowance of one maximum space per unit noted in some rental data.
• Utilities – Separate Billing for Water: Unlike many mobile home parks in Fort Collins that bundle water, sewage, and trash into the lot rent, reviews indicate that North Star implements a separate fee structure for water. Specific feedback states an additional $50 charge monthly for water (as per past resident review), which is a key point of consideration for budget planning.
• Standard Utilities: Residents benefit from having access to standard municipal utilities, though they are individually responsible for connection and billing:
  • Electric Service: Available through the City of Fort Collins.
  • Gas Service: Available through natural gas providers like Xcel Energy.
  • Sewer Service: Connected to the City Sewer system.
  • Water Source: City Water, with the billing handled through the park before being passed on to the resident.
• Home Maintenance: Homeowners are responsible for all maintenance, repairs, and upkeep of their individual home and lot to comply with community rules and city codes for the home's exterior.

• Exceptional Location in Fort Collins: The central position on Laporte Avenue is the park's strongest feature. This is not a secluded, out-of-town mobile home community but one that is integrated into the city's fabric, offering short commutes to all major Fort Collins destinations.
• Affordable Housing Option: Despite having lot rents that may be considered high for a mobile home park in the region (past reports indicate lot rents around $725 plus water, with separate listings showing lot rent at $875.00), the overall cost of buying a mobile home and paying rent remains significantly lower than the cost of a traditional home or a comparable apartment rental in the immediate 80521 area.
• Community Age and Size: The community, built in 1983 with 65 units, is relatively small and established, which can foster a sense of stability for long-term residents.
• Pet-Friendly Policy: Some past listings indicate that the park may be small dog-friendly, with restrictions (e.g., dogs 40 lbs or less) and specific rules regarding aggressive breeds and park registration, which is a major advantage for pet owners.
• Walkable/Bikeable Environment: The high Bike Score and Car-Dependent Walk Score of 48 mean that while driving is often required, a significant portion of local errands and commutes to the university or nearby natural areas can be managed by bicycle, promoting an active Colorado lifestyle.
• Customization Potential: Purchasing a mobile home in the park allows owners the freedom to remodel and renovate their homes (interiorly) as they wish, a flexibility not found in most apartment rentals.

Address: 1700 Laporte Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
General Contact Phone: (844) 283-4443

The unique selling point is unquestionably the address. Living on Laporte Avenue means being immersed in the Fort Collins environment, with short commutes to CSU, Old Town, and the Poudre River corridor. For individuals or small families who need an affordable entry point into the Fort Collins real estate market, North Star provides a rare opportunity. The ability to own a home and have a fenced yard (as noted in some individual home listings) while paying less than the average rental for a nearby apartment can represent significant monthly savings. However, transparency is key. Prospective homeowners must be prepared for what has been described as a strict and unprofessional management style, a higher-than-average lot rent, and a fee structure that separately charges for water, which are all serious factors detailed in public resident feedback. A wise choice involves thoroughly vetting the park's rules, confirming the current lot rent and fee structure, and speaking with current residents to weigh the high value of the location against the documented management concerns. For those who prioritize urban access and cost savings above all else, North Star Mobile Home Park serves a vital niche in the competitive Colorado housing market.

North Star mobile homes

1700 Laporte Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA