Reviewed by Casa Academy and updated July 29, 2026 using the current DBPR checklist and Pearson VUE scheduling guidance.
Chattel Mortgage
A chattel mortgage is a security agreement that pledges personal property (chattel) as collateral for a loan, common for manufactured homes not permanently affixed to land, equipment, or vehicles used in business.
Exam context
If the loan secures a mobile home on a leasehold interest only, expect a chattel mortgage. If the home and land are one fee simple parcel with a permanent foundation, expect a real property mortgage instead.
Personal property collateral
When collateral is not real estate, lenders perfect the lien through UCC filings rather than county deed records in most states. Manufactured homes on rented pads often remain chattel until affixed and retitled as real property. Default may lead to repossession under personal property remedies.
Conversion to real property
Affixing a manufactured home to owned land, removing axles, and recording as real estate can retire the chattel mortgage in favor of a real property mortgage. Exams ask whether financing documents match how the asset is classified on title.
Examples
Park model on leased lot
A buyer finances a manufactured home in a rental community. The lender files a chattel mortgage against the unit serial number.
Commercial equipment
A restaurant borrows against kitchen equipment using a chattel mortgage perfected under the UCC.
Keep studying
Related terms
- Blanket mortgageOne loan covering multiple real property parcels.
- Bundle of rightsReal property ownership sticks vs personal property title.
Related resources
- Free exam prep
Practice related licensing questions with instant feedback.
- Real estate glossary hub
Browse all published national glossary entries.
- Florida exam topic hub
Florida-specific explainers and question sets for this topic area.
Sources
- Cornell LII: chattel(Cornell Legal Information Institute)