We are considering buying a manufactured home that my fiance's bosses niece owns it seems very nice 1600 square feet. New roof new flooring ECT the home is from 2001 and is on 2.25 acres and is on a permanent foundation with crawl space and vents. Was hoping to get some of your opinions on buying something like this. Are they a decent investment? How do they compare to living in a stick built home. I look forward to all your input.
Opinions on manufactured homes
- Thread starter ram_man
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You might want to clarify that by "manufactured home" you mean one that's built section at a time in a factory and then 'assembled' on-site vs what some will presume to be a "mobile home".
In theory, these manufactured homes should be better than stick-built homes because things can be controlled so much more. Downside is, they probably trade some material quality in return for efficiency or higher-volume production.
In theory, these manufactured homes should be better than stick-built homes because things can be controlled so much more. Downside is, they probably trade some material quality in return for efficiency or higher-volume production.
So-called "brand new homes" do trade off quality in return for maximizing profits for the builder & developer. The faster they build, the faster they make money.
When my parents bought a house in a new development, they got to choose the options on the house, back in 2000. When completed drywall nails were already popping out... yes, drywall nails instead of screws were used.
When my cousin bought a house in a brand new development in the mid 2000's, she and her husband (at that time) dropped a lot of money on the house, to have things like the dishwasher not even attached to the counter.
When my parents bought a house in a new development, they got to choose the options on the house, back in 2000. When completed drywall nails were already popping out... yes, drywall nails instead of screws were used.
When my cousin bought a house in a brand new development in the mid 2000's, she and her husband (at that time) dropped a lot of money on the house, to have things like the dishwasher not even attached to the counter.
Like a trailer home? They are the only house that loses value over time and eventually cost money to get rid of.
As long as it's not something that's in a trailer park where you're renting the land it's sitting on, you should be fine. Investors are buying the parks and raising the rent through the roof because they know there isn't anything the owners can do but walk away. Moving a mobile home is not practical, despite the name they aren't mobile.
Originally Posted by ram_man
We are considering buying a manufactured home that my fiance's bosses niece owns it seems very nice 1600 square feet. New roof new flooring ECT the home is from 2001 and is on 2.25 acres and is on a permanent foundation with crawl space and vents. Was hoping to get some of your opinions on buying something like this. Are they a decent investment? How do they compare to living in a stick built home. I look forward to all your input.
My great niece and her husband bought a (show) home that was built elsewhere and moved (20 miles or so) to their property.There were a few cracks apparently but nothing much. It's a very nice home, well priced, well designed and apparently well built.
We are considering buying a manufactured home that my fiance's bosses niece owns it seems very nice 1600 square feet. New roof new flooring ECT the home is from 2001 and is on 2.25 acres and is on a permanent foundation with crawl space and vents. Was hoping to get some of your opinions on buying something like this. Are they a decent investment? How do they compare to living in a stick built home. I look forward to all your input.
My great niece and her husband bought a (show) home that was built elsewhere and moved (20 miles or so) to their property.There were a few cracks apparently but nothing much. It's a very nice home, well priced, well designed and apparently well built.
In general, stay away.
A manufactured home, i.e., trailer, mobile home, double wide, etc., is complete and utter garbage. Whether they sit on a permanent foundation or not, banks still classify them as "temporary" or "moveable" and don't want to lend on them. Insurers don't want to insure them. Yes, you will eventually find companies to provide these services, but you will pay significantly more for them over standard stick built housing.
Quality wise, they are garbage, built with the cheapest of the cheap materials, quality so low that these same components are not allowed (by code enforcement) in standard stick framing. If China could build a house for the market place, it would be a manufactured home.
Another poster mixed "manufactured" with "modular". While both are built in a factory, a manufactured home is built to completion, then permanently mounted onto a trailer frame and towed to the site in once piece, whereas a modular home is built in wall and floor sections, crated on a freight truck and hauled to site in a million pieces, where it is then assembled on site and finished as a normal stick frame home would be. Modular homes are a much higher quality version of a standard stick framed home and are no different in the eyes of lenders and insurers.
As for value/resale value, it really depends on your location. If you live in Trailerville, USA, then they will be cheap, plentiful, and quite possibly not have the financing or insurance issues of areas such as mine where trailers in the wild are uncommon, here they tend to be localized to "parks" and do not command the same values as stick built homes.
Repairs can be an issue as well. As previously stated, they are made with the cheapest of the cheap materials and you can only get replacement parts from a mobile home supplier. You would guess correctly that these repair materials are also much more expensive than what the local big box sells for conventional homes. And, finally, finding a qualified repair person to work on them will be commensurate with how prevalent trailers are in your area. Not everything is "proprietary", but you don't just start hacking into one either, especially the more, shall we say, "rustic" it is. You can, of course, convert the proprietary items to more conventional stuff from a big box, but it isn't a direct fit bolt-on type of deal.
Quality wise, they are garbage, built with the cheapest of the cheap materials, quality so low that these same components are not allowed (by code enforcement) in standard stick framing. If China could build a house for the market place, it would be a manufactured home.
Another poster mixed "manufactured" with "modular". While both are built in a factory, a manufactured home is built to completion, then permanently mounted onto a trailer frame and towed to the site in once piece, whereas a modular home is built in wall and floor sections, crated on a freight truck and hauled to site in a million pieces, where it is then assembled on site and finished as a normal stick frame home would be. Modular homes are a much higher quality version of a standard stick framed home and are no different in the eyes of lenders and insurers.
As for value/resale value, it really depends on your location. If you live in Trailerville, USA, then they will be cheap, plentiful, and quite possibly not have the financing or insurance issues of areas such as mine where trailers in the wild are uncommon, here they tend to be localized to "parks" and do not command the same values as stick built homes.
Repairs can be an issue as well. As previously stated, they are made with the cheapest of the cheap materials and you can only get replacement parts from a mobile home supplier. You would guess correctly that these repair materials are also much more expensive than what the local big box sells for conventional homes. And, finally, finding a qualified repair person to work on them will be commensurate with how prevalent trailers are in your area. Not everything is "proprietary", but you don't just start hacking into one either, especially the more, shall we say, "rustic" it is. You can, of course, convert the proprietary items to more conventional stuff from a big box, but it isn't a direct fit bolt-on type of deal.
Originally Posted by A_Spruce
A manufactured home, i.e., trailer, mobile home, ........... Insurers don't want to insure them. Yes, you will eventually find companies to provide these services, but you will pay significantly more for them over standard stick built housing.
Another poster mixed "manufactured" with "modular". Modular homes are a much higher quality version of a standard stick framed home and are no different in the eyes of lenders and insurers.
A Spruce hits the nail on the head.
I see it in Texas all the time - someone spends $70,000 on a big "manufactured (read: Trailer) home, set up on 1-5 acres, builds a nice brick skirting around it, etc. etc.
It looks like a nice home when all is said and done - - except the resale value is lousy and VERY FEW banks will lend on it. They almost have to be cash sale, or very high down payment.
A manufactured home, i.e., trailer, mobile home, ........... Insurers don't want to insure them. Yes, you will eventually find companies to provide these services, but you will pay significantly more for them over standard stick built housing.
Another poster mixed "manufactured" with "modular". Modular homes are a much higher quality version of a standard stick framed home and are no different in the eyes of lenders and insurers.
A Spruce hits the nail on the head.
I see it in Texas all the time - someone spends $70,000 on a big "manufactured (read: Trailer) home, set up on 1-5 acres, builds a nice brick skirting around it, etc. etc.
It looks like a nice home when all is said and done - - except the resale value is lousy and VERY FEW banks will lend on it. They almost have to be cash sale, or very high down payment.
I've had a modular since new 1995. It's the same issues you find in any house no more. The one thing you'll notice in mine is the interior walls went with 24 spacing which can be irritating when doing some things but nothing terrible. Most everything is how you spec it done.
Trailers oh how's this. KEEP AWAY. You can't sell them because banks won't lend on used . The people your going to be selling to surely won't have any money , White Trash comes to mind. Sell on a land contract and you'll regret it I promise.
I just disassembled one last year. everything just rips right off with a hammer, pry bar and saws all. Pure trash, everything substandard even the frame is useless .
Trailers oh how's this. KEEP AWAY. You can't sell them because banks won't lend on used . The people your going to be selling to surely won't have any money , White Trash comes to mind. Sell on a land contract and you'll regret it I promise.
I just disassembled one last year. everything just rips right off with a hammer, pry bar and saws all. Pure trash, everything substandard even the frame is useless .
Originally Posted by A_Spruce
A manufactured home, i.e., trailer, mobile home, double wide, etc., is complete and utter garbage. Whether they sit on a permanent foundation or not, banks still classify them as "temporary" or "moveable" and don't want to lend on them. Insurers don't want to insure them. Yes, you will eventually find companies to provide these services, but you will pay significantly more for them over standard stick built housing.
Quality wise, they are garbage, built with the cheapest of the cheap materials, quality so low that these same components are not allowed (by code enforcement) in standard stick framing. If China could build a house for the market place, it would be a manufactured home.
Another poster mixed "manufactured" with "modular". While both are built in a factory, a manufactured home is built to completion, then permanently mounted onto a trailer frame and towed to the site in once piece, whereas a modular home is built in wall and floor sections, crated on a freight truck and hauled to site in a million pieces, where it is then assembled on site and finished as a normal stick frame home would be. Modular homes are a much higher quality version of a standard stick framed home and are no different in the eyes of lenders and insurers.
As for value/resale value, it really depends on your location. If you live in Trailerville, USA, then they will be cheap, plentiful, and quite possibly not have the financing or insurance issues of areas such as mine where trailers in the wild are uncommon, here they tend to be localized to "parks" and do not command the same values as stick built homes.
Repairs can be an issue as well. As previously stated, they are made with the cheapest of the cheap materials and you can only get replacement parts from a mobile home supplier. You would guess correctly that these repair materials are also much more expensive than what the local big box sells for conventional homes. And, finally, finding a qualified repair person to work on them will be commensurate with how prevalent trailers are in your area. Not everything is "proprietary", but you don't just start hacking into one either, especially the more, shall we say, "rustic" it is. You can, of course, convert the proprietary items to more conventional stuff from a big box, but it isn't a direct fit bolt-on type of deal.
Well said!
A manufactured home, i.e., trailer, mobile home, double wide, etc., is complete and utter garbage. Whether they sit on a permanent foundation or not, banks still classify them as "temporary" or "moveable" and don't want to lend on them. Insurers don't want to insure them. Yes, you will eventually find companies to provide these services, but you will pay significantly more for them over standard stick built housing.
Quality wise, they are garbage, built with the cheapest of the cheap materials, quality so low that these same components are not allowed (by code enforcement) in standard stick framing. If China could build a house for the market place, it would be a manufactured home.
Another poster mixed "manufactured" with "modular". While both are built in a factory, a manufactured home is built to completion, then permanently mounted onto a trailer frame and towed to the site in once piece, whereas a modular home is built in wall and floor sections, crated on a freight truck and hauled to site in a million pieces, where it is then assembled on site and finished as a normal stick frame home would be. Modular homes are a much higher quality version of a standard stick framed home and are no different in the eyes of lenders and insurers.
As for value/resale value, it really depends on your location. If you live in Trailerville, USA, then they will be cheap, plentiful, and quite possibly not have the financing or insurance issues of areas such as mine where trailers in the wild are uncommon, here they tend to be localized to "parks" and do not command the same values as stick built homes.
Repairs can be an issue as well. As previously stated, they are made with the cheapest of the cheap materials and you can only get replacement parts from a mobile home supplier. You would guess correctly that these repair materials are also much more expensive than what the local big box sells for conventional homes. And, finally, finding a qualified repair person to work on them will be commensurate with how prevalent trailers are in your area. Not everything is "proprietary", but you don't just start hacking into one either, especially the more, shall we say, "rustic" it is. You can, of course, convert the proprietary items to more conventional stuff from a big box, but it isn't a direct fit bolt-on type of deal.
Well said!
Lots of honest advice above from different people.
I do agree to buy a regular house with cinder block construction.
I do agree to buy a regular house with cinder block construction.
Originally Posted by ram_man
We are considering buying a manufactured home that my fiance's bosses niece owns it seems very nice 1600 square feet. New roof new flooring ECT the home is from 2001 and is on 2.25 acres and is on a permanent foundation with crawl space and vents. Was hoping to get some of your opinions on buying something like this. Are they a decent investment? How do they compare to living in a stick built home. I look forward to all your input.
No.
We are considering buying a manufactured home that my fiance's bosses niece owns it seems very nice 1600 square feet. New roof new flooring ECT the home is from 2001 and is on 2.25 acres and is on a permanent foundation with crawl space and vents. Was hoping to get some of your opinions on buying something like this. Are they a decent investment? How do they compare to living in a stick built home. I look forward to all your input.
No.
My sister and BIL had a modular house erected. The modules have to be well constructed. They weren't. A shame because the process, done properly, should make a better product than the normal house.
Originally Posted by ram_man
We are considering buying a manufactured home that my fiance's bosses niece owns it seems very nice 1600 square feet. New roof new flooring ECT the home is from 2001 and is on 2.25 acres and is on a permanent foundation with crawl space and vents. Was hoping to get some of your opinions on buying something like this. Are they a decent investment? How do they compare to living in a stick built home. I look forward to all your input.
Its a personal decision, depends on price. mobile homes depreciate in value over time so make sure you are getting it at a bargain price, its now almost 20 years old.
But if you like the land and the price is right (cheaper then renting) you could always build a stick built home in future years and best case move to another place assuming the land is worth the price you paid.
Sometimes when buying something such as a home, the biggest danger of overpaying is knowing the person or someone of the person who is selling it.
The fact of the matter is this person is trying to sell the place and no one is buying it, yet your interested because someone you know is selling it.
That in itself is dangerous and bad thinking as far as an investment.
If your seriously considering it, you should at least look at 8 to 12 other properties to compare prices.
If at all possible, of course, a stick built home is best for value and energy efficiency.
Good luck with your decision, keep in mind, this is a financial transaction that you and your fiance are going to pay for, remove any aspect that you know of the "person" in making a decision and do not worry about hurting your fiance bosses feelings if you decline, its your life and most important, your hard earned money..
We are considering buying a manufactured home that my fiance's bosses niece owns it seems very nice 1600 square feet. New roof new flooring ECT the home is from 2001 and is on 2.25 acres and is on a permanent foundation with crawl space and vents. Was hoping to get some of your opinions on buying something like this. Are they a decent investment? How do they compare to living in a stick built home. I look forward to all your input.
Its a personal decision, depends on price. mobile homes depreciate in value over time so make sure you are getting it at a bargain price, its now almost 20 years old.
But if you like the land and the price is right (cheaper then renting) you could always build a stick built home in future years and best case move to another place assuming the land is worth the price you paid.
Sometimes when buying something such as a home, the biggest danger of overpaying is knowing the person or someone of the person who is selling it.
The fact of the matter is this person is trying to sell the place and no one is buying it, yet your interested because someone you know is selling it.
That in itself is dangerous and bad thinking as far as an investment.
If your seriously considering it, you should at least look at 8 to 12 other properties to compare prices.
If at all possible, of course, a stick built home is best for value and energy efficiency.
Good luck with your decision, keep in mind, this is a financial transaction that you and your fiance are going to pay for, remove any aspect that you know of the "person" in making a decision and do not worry about hurting your fiance bosses feelings if you decline, its your life and most important, your hard earned money..
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Price, finance rate and cost to insure because of what it is means a lot. The price of land means a lot, too. It might be a good deal if priced right.
I will note my wife and I bought a house on 5 acres. The house was built in the 50's and needed lots of work. It was in the best spot on the land to place a home.
So we let the local fire department burn it down for training. Something to think about. Although in my situation we didn't fiance so there were no hurdles.
I will note my wife and I bought a house on 5 acres. The house was built in the 50's and needed lots of work. It was in the best spot on the land to place a home.
So we let the local fire department burn it down for training. Something to think about. Although in my situation we didn't fiance so there were no hurdles.
Originally Posted by andyd
My sister and BIL had a modular house erected. The modules have to be well constructed. They weren't. A shame because the process, done properly, should make a better product than the normal house.
Normally most modular homes use 2x6 for framing so they can be stronger than homes that are built using 2x4. With the 2x4's, they will be 18" between framing, but with 2x6, they are normally 24 inches. Also gives you more room for insulation. But of course with anything, they can be well built or badly built. And once the parts are brought on site, they still need to be assembled and finished and problems can still occur then. I did have someone look into building one once, but he was in spot where there wasn't much room for them to stage the modules before construction so he couldn't have it done.
But as others said, modular is the same as regular stick built homes. If they're manufactured homes, very hard to get a loan on it and you should pass because even if you can get a loan now, when you go to sell, if the buyer has problems, you'll have problems selling it.
My sister and BIL had a modular house erected. The modules have to be well constructed. They weren't. A shame because the process, done properly, should make a better product than the normal house.
Normally most modular homes use 2x6 for framing so they can be stronger than homes that are built using 2x4. With the 2x4's, they will be 18" between framing, but with 2x6, they are normally 24 inches. Also gives you more room for insulation. But of course with anything, they can be well built or badly built. And once the parts are brought on site, they still need to be assembled and finished and problems can still occur then. I did have someone look into building one once, but he was in spot where there wasn't much room for them to stage the modules before construction so he couldn't have it done.
But as others said, modular is the same as regular stick built homes. If they're manufactured homes, very hard to get a loan on it and you should pass because even if you can get a loan now, when you go to sell, if the buyer has problems, you'll have problems selling it.
Originally Posted by ram_man
... Are they a decent investment? How do they compare to living in a stick built home. ...
Depends. Personally, I don't consider a dwelling as an investment, unless someone is paying me to live in it. One in the wrong place would be a loser. One in the right place, bought right, would be a good deal. Same as any other structure.
I bought a giant double wide, had it moved and set up on some property I own, changed my mind about what I wanted to do with it, but I get calls every week from folks wanting to rent it. I'm sure I could rent it for as much as a home built by traditional builders, but my acquisiton cost was a lot less, so I don't see why it would not be a money maker if I wanted to do that. Sounds like an investment to me.
Despite what has been said, these things certainly can be moved, as can traditional dwellings - I have clients that do this for a living. If the real estate may be repurposed, then the advantages of something that is readily movable are obvious. I don't recall noting any of the constructional / material shortcomings that some have noted, but I didn't pay that much attention to it. The plumbing, electric, fixtures, appliances, etc., looked like any other cheap house to me. Insulation looked robust. Seems like it used 2 x 6 framing instead of 2 x 4, but it has been a long time since I have looked at it apart.
I've never lived in one, but plenty of people call and want to do that, so it must not be that bad. The snootiness that some of these threads bring out is funny. I guess these guys that talk about living in trailerville USA and white trash are pretty classy guys. Probably drink their hot tea from a cup and saucer with their pinkie finger sticking out.
... Are they a decent investment? How do they compare to living in a stick built home. ...
Depends. Personally, I don't consider a dwelling as an investment, unless someone is paying me to live in it. One in the wrong place would be a loser. One in the right place, bought right, would be a good deal. Same as any other structure.
I bought a giant double wide, had it moved and set up on some property I own, changed my mind about what I wanted to do with it, but I get calls every week from folks wanting to rent it. I'm sure I could rent it for as much as a home built by traditional builders, but my acquisiton cost was a lot less, so I don't see why it would not be a money maker if I wanted to do that. Sounds like an investment to me.
Despite what has been said, these things certainly can be moved, as can traditional dwellings - I have clients that do this for a living. If the real estate may be repurposed, then the advantages of something that is readily movable are obvious. I don't recall noting any of the constructional / material shortcomings that some have noted, but I didn't pay that much attention to it. The plumbing, electric, fixtures, appliances, etc., looked like any other cheap house to me. Insulation looked robust. Seems like it used 2 x 6 framing instead of 2 x 4, but it has been a long time since I have looked at it apart.
I've never lived in one, but plenty of people call and want to do that, so it must not be that bad. The snootiness that some of these threads bring out is funny. I guess these guys that talk about living in trailerville USA and white trash are pretty classy guys. Probably drink their hot tea from a cup and saucer with their pinkie finger sticking out.
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