What do you do when your mom's savings are close to the line of Medicaid but not close enough to qualify? If you spend down you get a benefit now. But if you keep the savings, you'll have cash after she dies to pay utilities and rent on mobile home property while you try to sell it. How do you know what's better?
Mobile homes tend to be low on resale value to begin with. If it’s in a park, so no land value to add into the sale, even more so. It may not be worth dealing with a sale if your state does not allow for a diversion. It may not be worth doing any repairs either, as the $ you spend on moms property cannot easily be reinbursed or repaid to you from the sale as it will more than likely be considered “gifting” by mom to you by Medicaid. You’d need some sort of legit & notarized memo of understanding or promissory note done beforehand to try to get around this and even then it could stall application.
For an individual elder to continue to own thier empty home & be on NH Medicaid, the choices for family are limited...... they can rent property, disclosing all to Medicaid so part of rent goes into SOC; or family pays all if a reasonable expectation of exemption or exclusion to estate recovery (& doesn’t mind risk on that expectation) exists and has the ability to pay all needed property costs & then deal with probate & or MERP for however long it takes to distribute as per will. It can be a tough decision whatever path taken, especially if finances fall to 1 person but many others /heirs.