3 years ago · Justin Becker · Comments Off on How to Deep Clean a Mobile Home

How to Deep Clean a Mobile Home

Since mobile homes go through normal wear and tear through the years, they require a thorough deep cleaning from time to time. This is very critical, especially if you’re in the process of selling a manufactured home.

Deep cleaning a mobile home goes beyond the routine sweeping of the floor, dusting the bookshelf, and washing dishes. With deep cleaning, you’re forced to scrub every nook and cranny of your mobile home, including spaces that are normally neglected during normal routine clean–up.

Therefore, deep cleaning leaves your home feeling like new again. Here, we highlight the steps to deep clean your manufactured home effectively.

How to Deep Clean a Mobile Home

Let’s consider the steps to deep cleaning your mobile home:

Clean Mobile Home Walls

Here, you should consider the wall type you’re dealing with and the paint that is on them. Mobile homes designed with different wall types, which include drywall, wood, tile, or even vinyl.

Dust Your Walls

This is the first step to take. If you aren’t careful, piles of dust can hang on your mobile home walla. Use a vacuum cleaner for effective dust removal before you clean mobile home walls.

We also recommend using a broom to remove cobwebs.

Focus on Stains

While dusting, you’ll notice crayon marks, random grime, and hand-smears on the walls. Employ any of the below mixtures to remove stains:

Baking Soda

Employ an efficient scrub with baking soda. Scrubs are effective on walls where grease and grime can form layers.

Use baking soda on ceramic tile backsplashes or painted walls. Scrub the stains and then wipe gently using a cloth.

Turpentine Oil

Turpentine has also proven to be effective at removing stains. Mix turpentine with equal parts of salt, and apply it to noticeable stains.

Let it settle there for a few minutes, then scrub it with a scrub brush.

Washing Soda

If you notice extremely stubborn stains, then applying a stronger cleaning solution will be helpful. Wipe your wall with a cleaning solution of four quarts of clean water and 3.5 oz of washing soda.

Cornstarch and Talcum Powder

Mixing cornstarch and talcum powder with water can clear up pesky stains. Smear the paste on stains and wipe it off after it dries.

Wash Your Walls

After removing dust and stain, it’s the perfect time to wash the walls so that they appear new again. Here, we recommend using white vinegar since it cleans your walls thoroughly without ruining them.

Please note that white vinegar is used to clean almost anything in a mobile home.

Dip your sponge into the vinegar solution and wash your walls gently. Ensure you rinse the sponge in warm water. You can also rinse the wall with water from a garden hose.

Finally, wipe your walls with a cloth and allow them to dry. Remember to clean mobile home walls from the bottom to the top.

Sanitize the Bathroom

Bathrooms get dirty, especially in a busy household. Deep cleaning improves the bathroom and disinfects the germiest places in mobile homes.

Sanitize the Sink, Bathtub, and Toilet

Start with sanitizing the bathroom fixtures. Spray the sink and bathtub with a multi-purpose cleaner that targets limescale, then allow it a few minutes to sink in.

Pay attention to what the fixtures are made of copper, granite, ceramic, and porcelain, since these surfaces require different types of care.

Scrub the bathtub and sink thoroughly using a durable scrubbing sponge. Remember to scrub handles, drains, and faucets too.

You might have to treat specific areas using a cleaning paste of hot water, vinegar, and baking soda. Rinse the areas using soap and hot water, then wipe the fixtures using a dry cloth.

You can then focus on the toilet, cleaning it with a toilet brush and an effective cleaner product.

Disinfect Mirror Surfaces

Use a glass surface cleaner to clean and disinfect your shower screen and mirrors. Clean the gunk in the mirror corners with a towel dipped in vinegar.

Clean Bathroom Floors and Tiles

Use products such as Clorox, CLR, or Lysol together with a bristled cleaning brush or old toothbrush to scrub between the tiles. Vinegar concoctions also function effectively to lift stubborn stains.

Conclude by mopping the floor to finish your bathroom off with a nice sparkle.

Cleaning the Kitchen

After you have sanitized your bathroom, it’s now time to shift to your kitchen. Below are critical areas to focus on:

Defrost the Freezer and Declutter the Fridge

This is the time to overhaul your kitchen ingredients and expired items. Empty your freezer, pantry, and fridge to remove food debris and crumbs.

Use a hot water and soap mix to gently scrub the inside of the fridge and freezer.

Wipe Down Cabinets

You now need organized and tidy cabinets to match your decluttered pantry and fridge. Take stock of your cutlery and plates, then donate all the items you don’t need.

After emptying the cabinets, remove dirt and dust from the inside.

Scrub the Appliances

The stovetop, oven, and microwave are all likely covered in dried pasta sauce and drippings. Use your go-to-cleaning products to scrub the surfaces of these items.

We also recommend a mixture of vinegar, warm water, and baking soda. Be mindful that some appliances, such as the oven, microwave, and dishwasher, might come with steam-cleaning or self-cleaning features.

Mop and Sweep

The kitchen floor will also need a thorough polish. Sweep dust, debris, and dirt, then mop the floor with warm soapy water to finish it off.

Deep Cleaning the Bedroom

Having already conquered your kitchen and bathroom, the bedroom won’t be difficult to deep clean. Follow the steps below for efficient cleaning:

Organize Drawers, Nightstands, and Closets

Whether you want to empty the nightstand or you need to swap your seasonal clothes, purge this personal space of things you no longer require.

Everything you keep should have a designated spot in your bedroom and should leave you plenty of room.

Wash the Linens

Strip the pillows, bed skirts, duvets, and sheets from your mattress and toss them into the washer/dryer to freshen everything up.

Disinfecting products, such as hydrogen peroxide, borax, and bleach can help you sterilize your linens.

Clean the Furniture

Your routine cleaning likely doesn’t involve checking behind furniture, under the bed, or along your headboard and bedposts. During a deep cleaning exercise, employ a microfiber cleaning cloth to wipe down all furniture.

Vacuum Behind Furniture

Use an attachment on your dust or vacuum cleaner to access hard to reach spots in your bedroom. If possible, move the furniture to access such spots well.

Tidying Common Areas

Since the living room is typically where your children gather to play video games and watch TV, you should always keep it in great shape.

Polish Wood Furniture

Common items that need this are coffee tables, wooden chairs, and bookcases. Employ a wood cleaner and dust cloth to work on these furniture items gently until they appear new again.

Disinfect Electronics

Some of the electronic devices, such as laptops, TVs, or remote controls, might be the dirtiest in your mobile home. Remember to disinfect them to kill any lingering germs.

Clean the Couch

Cleaning the couch is a chore that you can even assign to your kids. With that said, ensure they clean behind the couch and under the cushions thoroughly.

Put throw blankets and pillow cases into your washing machine for ultimate results.

Deep Cleaning the Rest of the Manufactured Home

Having completed the critical spots, it’s now time to shift to the rest of the manufactured home.

Clean Baseboards and Door Frames

Take a bucket full of dishwashing liquid and warm water, then gently wash all the baseboards and door frames.

Pay closer attention to the corners of your mobile home where dirt and dust can collect easily. Other parts that need closer attention include the tops of the ceiling fans and light fixtures.

Wash Window Sills, Window Frames, and Windows

Spray your windows using a cleaner, such as Windex, and wipe any cloudiness, smudges, and dirt. Professional cleaners usually wipe windows with vinegar and hot water.

You can also clean the exterior part of the windows, along with the vinyl siding, with a pressure washing technique.

Deep Clean Rugs, Curtains, and Carpets

If you have mats and rugs in your mobile home, take them outside the house and shake them. Before taking the rugs back into your mobile home, ensure you vacuum them thoroughly.

Clean new carpets professionally every year to keep them in perfect condition. Stick to mopping if you have vinyl or hardwood floors.

While working with cleaning chemicals, remember to wear eye protection.

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3 years ago · Justin Becker · Comments Off on Living in a Double-Wide Mobile Home: Things You Should Know

Living in a Double-Wide Mobile Home: Things You Should Know

Mobile homes are associated with affordability, ease of upkeep, and a less stressful way of life. Their popularity is a reference to the many advantages of living in a mobile home.

Although manufactured homes resemble regular homes in appearance, they differ in many ways regarding financing and the overall living experience. Manufactured homes, for example, are not eligible for typical financing sources, unlike regular residences or traditional homes.

When it comes to living experience, mobile homes are often known to be in communities that include shared amenities, like swimming pools, fitness centers, playgrounds, and clubhouses.

Living in a Double-Wide Mobile Home

Many first-time homebuyers are skeptical of their purchases unless they are provided convincing answers.

So, should you consider purchasing a mobile home? Like many other homebuyers, you want to examine the benefits and drawbacks before making a purchase.

Even if you’re a seasoned homebuyer, there’s likely a lot you don’t know about mobile homes. As a result, we’ll reveal some fun facts regarding mobile homes that you should be aware of.

What’s a Double-Wide Mobile Home?

A double-wide mobile home ranges in size from 24′-36′ wide and 48′-80′ long. They comprise two identically sized portions of a home, each about the size of a single wide, linked together.

The mobile home is delivered in two halves, then put together on-site to form a single unit. Despite double-wide homes being larger, they do not have as many bedrooms as you may imagine.

A typical double-wide home contains, at minimum, three bedrooms and two bathrooms, allowing residents to have extra living space.

According to the most recent data from the Census Bureau’s Manufactured Housing Survey (MHS), a new double-wide mobile home would on average cost you about $107,500.

So, here are things you should know about double-wide mobile homes (manufactured housing).

Large Living Space

As the name suggests, a double-wide mobile home is twice the size of a single-wide mobile home. It features 26 x 56 feet, on average, and floor plans that range from 1,000 to 2,300 square feet.

With that said, residents get the chance to enjoy a larger living space than living in a single-wide home.

In other words, a double-wide mobile home is a terrific way to save money while still giving you and your family the space you need to live a full life and have a comfortable place.

If you have a lot of personal property, a double-wide home is a better option for living than a single-wide home.

How Long Does it Last?

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a manufactured home could last as long as site-built homes, if installed correctly. If your double-wide home follows the HUD code, your home could last anywhere from 30 to 55 years.

Due to the following factors, however, a double-wide home may not endure as long:

Initial Installation

Many of the difficulties that appear later in a mobile home are caused by improper installation.

In this situation, the quality of the materials used and the construction process are never to blame because when a home is released from a factory, it undergoes a rigorous inspection in accordance with HUD regulations.

A mobile home’s design is also built to endure transportation pressure or vibration, if you will. As such, your home will arrive at the site as it should be, in the right condition and ready for installation.

You run the danger of jeopardizing a home’s structural integrity if you leave the installation process to untrained people.

As a result, after the installation, hire an experienced inspector to double-check that everything was completed correctly and that any issues were resolved before moving in.

Foundation

The condition of your foundation will determine the longevity of your home. If done incorrectly, the lifespan of your home may be less than you anticipated.

Ideally, there are various foundations, some of which are temporary and others that are permanent.

With that said, the type of foundation approach to select will be determined by the location of your home. A home built in a mobile home park, for example, may have a different foundation than one built on private land.

Water Damage

The presence of water significantly reduces a home’s longevity. Water is its greatest foe. Typically, if you have leaking plumbing, your home’s materials could be damaged quickly.

If you don’t tackle the problem right away, a little issue could evolve into a major issue that would cost you more money to fix.

Cost Savings of Double-Wides

A double-wide mobile home is more affordable compared to a stick-built home. You stand a chance to save more money than buying a traditional home.

When you compare the cost per square foot in a double-wide to that of a typical home, you’ll see how much money you’ll save.

Purchasing a typical home is often a significant financial investment. You’d need a large lump sum of cash for a downpayment, and you will spend a significant amount of money on interest rates over time.

On the other hand, a double-wide has a lower payment requirement and, thus, saves more money.

Transportation and Installation

A double-wide home, as the name implies, is larger in size. As a result, construction, transportation, and installation will cost a bit more and take a little longer.

A double-wide home requires two capable drivers who can coordinate the entire process in order to deliver the home safely. Experienced drivers have the knowledge and skills to navigate the road challenges and arrive at the installation site.

When the home arrives, the foundation is already prepared, and all that is left is to complete the installation.

Now it’s time to start putting the mobile home together after it’s arrived safely. The procedure entails leveling the home’s sides and ensuring that each end is perfectly aligned.

Even though the entire procedure may take some time, it is ultimately worthwhile. Nonetheless, before moving in, have a professional inspector evaluate your manufactured home for any potential errors that need to be addressed.

Upgrades and Options for Double-Wides

Mobile homes built prior to 1976 were not built to HUD code, so their quality is vastly different from those of today’s manufactured homes.

Furthermore, today’s mobile homes are constructed with the most up-to-date technologies and durable materials, making them more customizable than the ones built before 1976.

Most mobile homes are built to that factory standard, but modifications in siding materials, thermal and energy ratings, and even flooring options are available.

Buying a mobile home rather than a stick-built home saves money in the long run. On the other hand, utility expenses are bills that, regardless of the housing option you choose, will pile up if not addressed.

As a result, consider making energy-efficient modifications throughout your home, such as increased insulation, thermal windows, and LED lamps. In other words, heavily invest in making your home energy-efficient.

Even though these upgrades will cost you a little more money upfront, you will end up saving more money in the long term.

Does it Meet the HUD Standards?

The short answer is yes! All mobile homes built after 1976 are built according to the HUD code.

You can usually tell if a manufactured home is up to code by looking for the HUD tag, which is a metal plate that is fastened to the outside of the home.

The red tag often contains information such as:

• The date of manufacture
• Name and address of the manufacturing plant
• Manufacturer’s serial number and model
• A list of certification labels applied to the home
• Major equipment
• Roof load
• Heating/Cooling
• Wind zone information

The red tag is usually found at one end of each dwelling portion, about one foot up from the floor and one foot in from the roadside, or as close to that point as possible on a permanent part of the mobile home.

All manufactured homes leave the factory with a HUD tag or red tag on it to certify that they meet all the required standards. Sadly, the housing department doesn’t issue the red tags to homes built before 1976.

As such, you must confirm the type of mobile home (whether it was built before or after 1976) that you’re buying.

Financing

Despite the fact that mobile homes do not qualify for standard finance, a mobile home buyer can still acquire their dream house through various financing options.

Some of the financing alternatives available to you for securing your property are as follows:

• FHA Loans
• VA Loans
• Chattel Loans
• Personal Loans

If you acquire private land and place your double-wide on it, you may be eligible for conventional loans, much like stick-built homes.

Most mobile home loans offer a repayment plan that lasts up to 30 years. However, some loans, such as chattel loans, may require you to pay higher interest rates.

As a result, if you want better loan terms, work on improving your credit score and keeping it as high as possible.

If you want to qualify for affordable housing interest rates, you should have a credit score of at least 700; however, a credit score of 750 or higher will get you better loan rates on the market.

It’s not all doom and gloom if you have a bad credit score; you can still acquire mobile home financing. Consider paying bills on time, as even one late bill can cause your credit score to drop. Credit repair is not a simple task.

Depreciating Value

Unlike real estate or traditional homes, mobile homes depreciate over time. As such, if you plan to buy one, consider this factor.

With that being said, with proper care, and by that we mean following normal maintenance procedures, your double-wide can maintain, if not grow, its value for a very long period.

The benefit of mobile homes is that they require little care compared to real estate residences, which require extensive maintenance.

It’s critical to make repairs to your property as soon as you identify an issue before it becomes a severe one. Not only will you save money, but you will also prevent your home from requiring too many repairs, which will degrade it in the long run.

Not So Mobile

Even though the name suggests it is mobile, well, that’s not entirely true. Once your home is delivered to the site, the wheels are removed and the home is placed upon the foundation prepared.

Since some residences are built on solid foundations, it is unlikely that they can be relocated. That is why, before purchasing a mobile home, you must have a clear plan in place and assess your options for the future so that you do not have to relocate the home.

Stigma and Stereotypes

Across the country, mobile homes are still associated with stigma and misconceptions. Many people still link today’s mobile home with those manufactured prior to 1976.

Today’s manufactured homes are built in accordance with HUD guidelines, and the finished product is so similar to a typical home that you can’t tell the difference once you’re inside.

Many local communities have realized the need for affordable housing alternatives over the years and have opted for mobile homes as their preferred option.

As a result, local governments have loosened their laws to allow mobile housing to be included in their communities.

Positive actions like this have helped to improve the perception of mobile homes across the country.

Buying in a Park

When buying a mobile home, you have two options: buying one in a trailer park or buying one and putting it on your own land.

If you decide on the first option, remember to account for the park’s lot costs, as well as the park’s community laws and regulations.

In a perfect world, you’d be paying rent, but unlike renting an apartment, you’d have equity in your home.

Despite the rules and the lot rent, buying a mobile home in a park or trailer park provides a lot of advantages.

Minimal Maintenance

One of the key advantages of living in a mobile home park is low maintenance. The mobile home park management will handle the majority of the upkeep.

Almost all mobile home communities or parks offer on-site management and devoted personnel who will reply to your repair request at any moment and get it taken care of. Besides, you’ll spend less on maintenance compared to a traditional home.

In a traditional home, you are responsible for all maintenance. It’s up to you to contact the maintenance crew and control them. Furthermore, every time you call the service provider, you’ll end up spending a lot of money on the repair.

Privacy

You and your family will have limited privacy and space if you rent an apartment. On the other hand, mobile home parks have an advantage in this regard because neighbors are rarely so close.

In apartments, the walls are sometimes the only thing separating you from your next-door neighbor. Loud music may be heard on the other end from time to time, which can be annoying, especially if you prefer silence.

This is rarely the case in mobile home parks because manufactured homes are spaced apart, and tougher community standards ensure that no one is disturbed by other inhabitants or noisy neighbors.

Location

The majority of mobile home parks/mobile home communities are in convenient locations with beautiful views and ponds. As a result, significant amenities, such as public parks, shopping complexes, schools, and health care facilities are all easily accessible.

No Property Taxes

Property taxes are a feature of real estate properties, but not mobile homes, which pay minimal or no taxes because they are considered personal property. Purchasing a mobile home saves you money that would otherwise be spent on taxes.

Place on a Private Land

You may have some advantages over someone who lives in a park or mobile home community if you choose to buy a new manufactured home and locate it on private land.

For instance, you won’t need to pay lot rent every month; however, buying land may also mean you need a large sum of money upfront to purchase land.

The good thing about setting your home on private land is that the property’s value increases over time and you may recoup your initial investment.

Should You Choose Mobile Home Living?

Whether or not you should consider mobile home living is a significant question for us to respond to. Everyone’s social and financial circumstances are unique; therefore, deciding on the best housing option for you and your family is totally up to you.

That said, you must consider all of your options before deciding on the best course of action.

Here are some frequently asked questions about mobile home living:

How often should a mobile home be leveled?

Experts recommend that mobile homeowners double-check their leveling 90-days after installation, and then annually, especially in the summer.

How much does it cost to put a foundation under a mobile home?

Whether built on a concrete slab or on a crawl space, a single-wide home will cost around $3,000 on average. Depending on the size, a double-wide home might cost anywhere from $7,000 to $12,000.

How high should a mobile home be off the ground?

Ideally, a manufactured home should be 13 feet, 6 inches from the ground to the rooftop. This is about the same as the average ceiling height in a stick-built home, which is between nine and 10 feet.

What is the difference between a mobile home and a manufactured home?

The method of construction differs between a mobile home and a manufactured home. A manufactured home was built after 1976 and is subject to the HUD code, whereas a mobile home is built before 1976 and is not subject to the HUD standards.

How long does it take to deliver and set up a manufactured home?

Developing raw land should take no more than a week to six weeks. To put it another way, it depends on the project’s scope at your location. The longer it will take if your location requires further preparation, i.e. earth grading.

Is it worth it to upgrade your home?

Upgrades to your home, like replacing conventional bulbs with LEDs, will increase the energy-efficiency of your mobile home. Also, you may want to install a controlled thermostat. Increasing the energy-efficiency level ultimately lowers the monthly energy bill.

Conclusion

New homebuyers will appreciate the benefits of double-wide mobile home living. It’s truly impressive, from the price to the larger living spaces, which are equivalent to those found in a traditional home.

Whether you consider mobile home parks or not, you’ll get the benefits that come with owning a double-wide mobile home.

Since information is essential when making purchasing decisions, the information provided in the preceding recommendations should be sufficient to help you make the best selection for you and your family.

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3 years ago · Justin Becker · Comments Off on Is it Cheaper to Rent or Buy a Mobile Home?

Is it Cheaper to Rent or Buy a Mobile Home?

For many apartment dwellers, the housing costs and monthly expenses increase much faster than the income. As a result, they face financial challenges while juggling job opportunities, childcare costs, and concerns about safety and schools.

The increasing housing costs also force people to miss important manufactured home considerations. For instance, it becomes hard to decide on the more affordable option between renting an apartment and buying a mobile home.

Before you decide on renting an apartment or house, learn how buying a mobile home can present a cheaper long-term option and enable you to own a manufactured home.

Is it Cheaper to Rent or Buy a Mobile Home?

Buying a manufactured home is usually cheaper than renting an apartment or home, especially in the long term. If you end up buying a mobile home, the average monthly mortgage payment can be about $257. This is less compared to renting an apartment, which can go for over $1,000 for a one bedroom apartment in some areas.

Apartment rent also includes an equal amount of money in the security deposit. The rent typically increases with an increase in amenities and the number of bedrooms.

Even if you were to include insurance, maintenance, and property taxes, you’d still spend less than renting an apartment. To help paint this picture better, let’s consider a simple example.

Suppose your average monthly rent is $900 for the apartment you live in, but you can make a mobile home purchase for about $450 per month, and a land rent of about $350. Include about $100 in maintenance fees, and you’ll have almost the same amount of money you send out on rent each month.

We can also assume that your manufactured home value is depreciating, and you purchased it for $30,000 and then sold it for about $20,000 after clearing the loan.

This means you can have saved $20,000 compared to if you had rented the apartment for that period. This of course is just one example. The trick is to purchase an inexpensive used mobile home.

Below are reasons why you should buy a manufactured home and why it’s cheaper than renting an apartment or home.

Mobile Homes Appreciate like Other Homes when Fixed on Land

Real estate property isn’t always appreciating in value, as people discovered about ten years ago. However, when homes appreciate, their lots also go up with them. There is evidence to show that manufactured housing options do in fact appreciate.

Therefore, you should consider investing in an older manufactured home since depreciation on the structure will have passed. Even if the manufactured home depreciates further, you can still sell it at almost the same price you bought it.

With that said, the land will always appreciate, and if you bought a mobile home together with land, expect to sell it at a high price.

Appreciation isn’t the End

Another wrong belief is that you’ll gain more equity when investing in a big expensive mobile home. The reasoning behind this is that: A 20% appreciation on a $300,000 home is $60,000, while a 20% gain on a $60,000 home is just $18,000.

Even though this sounds reasonable, it ignores the fact that the ongoing costs become higher when the home is more expensive. It can, therefore, offset equity gains from appreciation.

In most cases, a larger home costs more to maintain, cool, and heat. A larger mortgage also translates into higher interest rates. You’ll also pay higher property taxes, along with the higher interest rates.

You might be thinking that the mobile home upfront buying costs, such as mortgage fees and down payment, are out of reach. However, these homes are available at a lower building cost than site-built homes.

A lower-priced home translates into fewer fees and a lower down payment.

Mobile Homes Offer “Housing Crash” Insurance

The proportionality of gains applies to losses as well. For instance, a 20% drop in value is $60,000 on a $300,000 home, but only $18,000 on a $60,000 mobile home. Cheaper manufactured homes always fall less in value.

If you expect a topping out in mobile home prices, by any chance, it will help to buy a mobile home rather than renting, particularly to keep your real estate investments at a minimum.

Mobile Homes are Financed

There is a common misconception that you can’t access financing to buy a mobile home from any property owner. However, this is not true.

The HUD programs allow banks to loan up to $92,904 on mobile homes attached to the land, and up to $69,678 for homes on a rented lot, where you pay lot rent.

There are also other avenues to borrow money for buying a manufactured home, including borrowing from a local bank or using your own money. There is also an option for mobile home seller financing.

Borrowing from a family member is even another option, however ensure that you put everything in writing.

Below are some of the common mobile home financing options to consider:

FHA Loans

HUD offers these loans via the Federal Housing Administration loan program. The loan includes Title II and Title I loans.

You can take a Title I home loan to finance the purchase of a used or new mobile home, or to repair, alter, and improve your home. The loans are available even if you don’t own or aren’t planning to purchase the land that the home is set on.

Homes using these types of loans are typically located in a manufactured home community or mobile home park. Please note to always consider safe mobile home parks with exciting amenities.

The maximum loan amount in a Title I loan for a home plus land is $92,904. Then there is a Title II loan, which you can use to finance a manufactured home plus the land it sits on, as long as it meets requirements. This way, your lot rent will be sorted.

Fannie Mae

The Fannie Mae mortgage is available to borrowers who want to finance a manufactured home via the MH Advantage Program.

Your manufactured home must meet certain energy-efficient and architectural designs, similar to site-built homes, to be eligible for this loan.

Freddie Mac

The Freddie Mac Home Mortgage Program offers conventional financing options. You can select between a fixed-rate mortgage or an adjustable-rate mortgage as a borrower.

VA Loans

This is a loan insured by the Department of Veterans Affairs and is available to those in the military community. You can use this loan to purchase a manufactured or modular home and have it on the land you already own.

For these loans, lenders can offer up to 100% financing.

Chattel Loans

A chattel loan is a special personal property loan that you can employ to buy any manufactured home. The loan is also for financing expensive vehicles, including boats, planes, farm equipment, and mobile homes.

Personal Loans

Since mobile homes are very cheap, it’s possible to finance them using a personal loan. With that said, the interest rate for these homes happens to be higher.

Mobile Homes are Set in Good Neighborhoods

Even though you might come across some rough and ugly manufactured home neighborhoods, the same happens with regular homes. You must check your neighborhood before purchasing a manufactured home.

We recommend that you go to a quiet neighborhood. It helps to research the security status of the area.

Manufactured Homes can be Safe

If you live in a location that experiences tornados, a manufactured home won’t be safe compared to a site-built unit. You’ll therefore have to plan accordingly and select the best unit.

However, today’s manufactured homes are made with new HUD standards in mind. They, therefore, have safety features meaning that they experience low rates of disasters such as fire and destruction by wind.

Mobile Units are Great First Homes

If you’re looking forward to home ownership in the future, a manufactured home can be a great starting point.

Manufactured homes are great first homes for the following reasons:

• Smaller mortgage loan
• Lower price
• Less maintenance
• Lower average monthly cost
• Better than renting units in apartment complexes
• Less financial risk

When you finally buy a site-built home, you can rent out your manufactured home and have additional income.

Conclusion

As we have seen above, buying a manufactured home is cheaper than renting apartments, especially long-term.

First, manufactured homes appreciate when fixed on land. They also provide “housing crash” insurance.

Even if you can’t finance your mobile home, you can select any of the financing options mentioned above.

Ensure that you buy a mobile home from a quiet and secure manufactured home community with affordable housing. Keep in mind that some mobile home communities have better facilities and amenities than others.

We hope that you get a spacious living space that will save money.

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3 years ago · Justin Becker · Comments Off on Manufactured Home Maintenance Tips All Owners Must Know

Manufactured Home Maintenance Tips All Owners Must Know

Mobile and manufactured homes present several benefits over traditionally built homes, such as mobility and affordability. With that said, you might not know that these mobile homes require routine maintenance, just like site-built homes.

Since manufactured homes are designed and developed in factories, they aren’t made the same way as site-built homes. They, therefore, require completely different and unique maintenance concerns.

Here, we’ll consider mobile home maintenance tips that homeowners should understand.

Manufactured Home Maintenance Tips

Let’s consider the major items you should always maintain and check yearly, along with the tips you must have in mind relating to mobile homes:

Foundation

Always ensure the home structure is level and solid.

Here, you need to check your support structure or foundation for any imbalances or cracks caused by potential settling. It’s among the critical things to check yearly, especially during the first few years of a mobile home in a new area.

Manufactured homes are known to settle and sink with time, similar to site-built homes. Therefore, it would help to re-level your manufactured home on a semi-regular basis to correct the shift. Mobile homes with permanent or complicated foundations must be professionally checked yearly for the first few years to guarantee that no shifting or settling occurs.

If you fail to care for an unlevel manufactured home or cracked foundation, you should expect different problems. Such problems include cracks or leaks in the walls and doors, windows not sealing or shutting properly, and drafts of humidity and air getting into the home.

Any shifting or settling on a small part of a mobile home can affect the whole home, causing it to age faster and potentially translating to bowing or warping. You can check if your mobile home is level using a water level or standard carpenter level.

In permanent foundations, such as slab foundations, basement foundations, or crawl spaces, sagging, shifting, or visible cracking is normally the biggest damage indicator.

Skirting

Always focus on repairing holes to prevent excess moisture.

The perimeter enclosure or skirting around the bottom of your home is meant to keep unwanted moisture from entering the underbelly of your manufactured home. Inspect this regularly to ensure there are no cracks or holes in the mobile home’s skirting that would allow moisture into or under the home.

Since you don’t want damages or holes to your solid skirting portion, you need to ensure the skirting is ventilated well. Proper skirting ventilation requires that you have one square foot for at least every 150 square foot of space below your home. The key is to focus on the square footage of mobile homes.

With adequate venting, there will be no excessive moisture accumulation under your manufactured home, which could translate into proper temperature regulation and comfortable humidity.

Too much moisture let in through the skirting can translate into problems with the flooring and foundation.

Roof

Check for a recoat, reseal, or damage.

Check your roof regularly to ensure no broken or missing shingles, and no debris. It’s also important that you check the flashing to ensure it’s in good condition.

The roof caulking shouldn’t have any soft spots or cracks. Remember that any weaknesses or imperfections on your roof could translate to air, moisture, or other problematic elements.

Recoating or resealing your mobile home roof each year can help protect it. This should be emphasized, especially on flat metal roofs. Roof coating helps to keep your manufactured home dry and the indoor temperature regulated.

The coating you implement on your home depends on the roof type installed. Ensure you apply the right coating on your roof. For instance, you can use asphalt and aluminum coatings on rubber or PVC roofs.

It would also help to regularly check for broken or missing shingles and debris. Always ensure proper roof maintenance.

Gutters

Cleaning and inspecting the rain gutters regularly is among the best ways to prevent damages to your manufactured home’s exterior and roof. If you allow for clogged gutters, your home might experience water damage and leaks.

If you ignore clogged gutters for long, they can become heavy with debris and, as a result, fall or break off the house. This could present significant external damage to your property and home.

Even if you stay away from large trees, debris such as leaves, rocks, and dirt can be carried through the air and left on the gutters. We, therefore, recommend that you clean the gutters at least once per year.

If you stay in a location that experiences snowfall or rain, you should check the gutters at least twice per year. This includes once before winter and once in spring.

Siding

Cleaning the siding regularly can help you prevent mildew and mold growth on the exterior paneling.

Siding is among the most ignored parts when it comes to manufactured housing maintenance. You should, therefore, have it on your list of things to address yearly.

If your home has vinyl siding, the most effective cleaning solution you can employ is water with detergent. Mix chlorine bleach and water in the ratio of 1:3 to remove mildew. However, you need to be cautious since mixing bleach with some substances is dangerous.

There are also several special cleaning products that you can employ to cut through rust and mold on your home’s exterior. Just ensure that the vinyl siding is clean all the time.

Window and Vent Caulking

You must check the caulking around your vents and windows. We recommend that you do so, especially before winter.

Extreme temperature changes are known for causing splits, break downs, or shrinkage, which can translate into warping, gaps, or cracks in seals that protect your manufactured home’s climate.

When there is airflow through damaged seals around vents or windows, your home becomes less comfortable, and the cooling or heating costs increase.

Many people check their window seals before winter, but forget other seals around ducts, vents, and other fixtures or systems.

You should purposely reseal at least once per year. This will make your home comfortable and keep utility bills low.

Heating and HVAC systems

You should clean the heating and cooling system, for proper ventilation in your mobile home, at least a few times per year to improve the air quality.

Apart from filter change helping to keep your home comfortable, it also assists in decreasing the effects of asthma, allergies, and any other skin or breathing problems.

Even though cleaning and changing air filters is a great step towards system maintenance and air cleanliness, it’s also good to vacuum the air systems at least once per year.

You can acquire a heavy-duty vacuum to do the cleaning yourself or contact a professional to help you clean the system and check the vents and ducts. This maintenance type makes cooling, heating, and HVAC systems durable, thus saving you money in the long run.

Since replacing the whole air system is very expensive, preventive maintenance and cleaning is the best alternative.

Smart Cleaning Indoors

Wipe fixtures, surfaces, and walls using a gentle detergent yearly to prevent discoloration.

We understand that you clean your mobile home more than once per year. However, you need to consider the disadvantages of employing abrasive cleaning products regularly.

Abrasive cleaning products have harsh chemicals that might cause certain items in your mobile home to appear faded, discolored, or yellowed.

Avoid employing abrasive solutions, such as pure bleach, in your manufactured home where possible, especially on fiberglass fixtures, such as tubs, showers, and sinks.

Corrosive chemicals for indoor cleaning cause such features to appear older and become tarnished. Proper maintenance adds curb appeal to mobile homes.

Watch Out for Maintenance Requirement Warranties

Some warranties list specific cleaning and maintenance requirements that every homeowner should comply with for the warranty to remain valid. For instance, some carpet manufacturers require that you clean your carpet at least once per year for its warranty to remain effective.

Therefore, you must review warranties on your appliances, home, cooling/heating systems, furniture, and carpet to take note of warranties that rely on regular home cleaning and maintenance. This will help you to uphold the coverage.

Select a Manufactured Home Community that Provides Maintenance

One of the advantages of living in a manufactured home community is that it often offers certain aspects of cleaning and maintenance included in their home unit or lot rental price.

These offerings range from gutter cleaning and annual winterization to full heating and plumbing maintenance, based on the community you select.

You should research the communities in your locality to see the type of maintenance services they offer. This will help save money, time, and headaches while going through the yearly regular maintenance checklist.

Importance of Mobile Home Maintenance

The benefits of mobile home maintenance are often underestimated. Below are some that you should be aware of:

It Saves Money for the Long Term

Inefficient and aging equipment consumes many resources and money compared to new ones. For instance, an air filter that hasn’t undergone proper routine maintenance for a while will use more energy than one that has been cleaned recently.

Likewise, you’re better off replacing old pipes before they burst and leak water, which translates into higher replacement costs.

For every dollar spent on your home’s preventive maintenance, you’ll save a lot more worth of repair and damages. You’re better off dealing with simple problems at the time of their emergency.

Increase Your Manufactured Home Value

Apart from renovations and upgrades, another proven approach to increasing the value of your manufactured home is maintaining it properly. An easy approach to considering this is to think as if you were putting your home on sale tomorrow.

If your home hasn’t been maintained in a while, you’re going to have many negatives in your mobile home inspection report. The cost of repairing these issues might be bundled on the buyer, thus forcing them to ask for a discount.

Proper mobile home maintenance will, therefore, help you increase the value of your home.

It Protects the Home from Secondary Damage

You’re likely to experience secondary damage to your home due to previous damages. A good example of this is when flowing water bursts your pipes and damages hardwood floors. It could also be the roof collapsing due to weakened trusses or electrical outlets messing up the wiring throughout the home.

Such damages are going to cost much more to fix. Therefore, you should contact professionals to detect and fix any leaks and other plumbing challenges.

Improved Living Experience

Staying in a manufactured home with a quiet furnace or a filter that doesn’t spew dust all the time is a better experience compared to the other side of the coin.

Maintaining your home regularly makes your life easier since there is no need to deal with unlubricated machine parts, cleaning up a leaky roof, or experiencing the noise of a creaky door.

It also helps in improving the confidence you have in your home’s integrity. You’ll naturally feel secure living in your manufactured home.

Maintenance Keeps Pests Away

The number of bugs in your manufactured home is directly proportional to how poorly maintained the unit is. This means that a poorly maintained home will attract more pests.

For instance, if a bug flies from your neighbors home and finds a crack in your home, it’s going to establish a new home there.

Expect wasps and ants in your attic if you fail to keep your home well maintained. Termites will also eat up your wooden trusses. In the end, this presents a higher long-term maintenance cost.

Neighborhood Standards

Depending on the location of your home, there could be a homeowners association or other mechanisms imposing certain requirements on homeowners within the neighborhood. Not maintaining such requirements may put you into trouble.

Some requirements may include the appearance of your home. For example, if you avoid fixing worn or chipped paint, you might find yourself at odds with your neighbors.

Conclusion

Proper mobile home maintenance presents several benefits, as we have highlighted above. Critical areas, such as gutters, siding, indoor areas, the roof, and the foundation, need keen cleaning and maintenance.

It will help if you select a manufactured home community that offers proper maintenance. If you don’t know how to do proper repairs and regular maintenance, we recommend involving a professional.

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3 years ago · Justin Becker · Comments Off on Chattel Loans for Manufactured Homes: What are they?

Chattel Loans for Manufactured Homes: What are they?

For many aspiring homeowners, buying a manufactured home, or any other type of housing, is a dream come true. When it comes to financing, however, the rules of the game differ.

It’s easy to become perplexed about the entire process and how to finance a mobile home when you first start your journey. When it comes to real estate, conventional mortgages are frequently the best option for financing the home or property.

Is this the case with mobile homes, however? Definitely not! This is because mobile homes are not considered real estate assets, so they are not eligible for traditional mortgage options.

So, do mobile homes have any financing choices? In a nutshell, yes, there are numerous mobile home loans available.

Chattel Loans for Manufactured Homes

Mobile home financing options include chattel mortgages, FHA loans, and VA loans, to name a few. With that said, the requirements differ from one lender to the next.

Before your application is approved, you must meet the requirements set forth, depending on which option you move forward with. For example, the amount and repayment period may vary.

The best thing about manufactured home financing options is that the process is not as difficult as many people believe. As long as a person meets the minimum requirements, their request will be granted.

As a result, we’ll look at chattel mortgages as a manufactured home financing option today. You know you need money, but what exactly is a chattel mortgage?

Chattel Mortgage Definition

A chattel mortgage is a type of loan that can be used to buy or refinance a mobile home that isn‘t permanently attached to the ground – often known as a personal property loan.

A chattel mortgage, for example, can be used to finance the purchase of a mobile home in a land-lease community/mobile home parks/manufactured home community, or on private property.

What you need to know is that the property also serves as the mortgage’s collateral. Other assets that can be used as collateral include cars or even equipment.

This means that if you default on the loan, the chattel mortgage lenders will seize the financed property and sell it to recoup the funds.

With that said, before borrowing, it’s important to understand your finances, and if you do borrow, paying it back on time will help you avoid having your property seized.

What Chattel Loans are Used for

Generally, chattel loans are personal property loans used to purchase movable assets, such as cars, planes, and boats, to name a few.

The following is a rundown of how a chattel mortgage can be used:

Manufactured Home

Unlike a conventional mortgage, the chattel loan can be used to finance these types of properties, no matter if it’s a manufactured or modular home.

Manufactured homes are those constructed after 1976. Around this time, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) made a significant change in manufactured home standards.

Modular Homes

Chattel loans can also be used to finance modular homes, just as they can manufactured homes. Modular homes differ from manufactured homes in that they are constructed on a more permanent foundation.

A modular home can qualify for a conventional mortgage since they are built permanently on the land. Often, modular homes adhere to the same local building codes as site-built homes.

Vehicles

Individuals can also use a chattel loan to finance personal property, like automobiles.

How a Chattel Mortgage Works in Practice

The concept of a chattel loan is simple to comprehend. The mobile home used as collateral for the loan frequently has a lien placed on it by the lender.

The lien serves as a guarantee for the loan, and if the borrower defaults, the lender retains the right to seize and resell the property to recoup the loan amount.

When the outstanding loan is paid in full, the lender will begin removing the lien and transferring full ownership of the property to the borrower.

Benefits of Chattel Mortgages

A chattel mortgage can deliver a series of benefits. Let’s check out some of the perks you’ll enjoy.

Chattel Mortgage Timeline

If you’re looking for a place to live by the end of the month, you’re in luck! Chattel mortgages are processed much more quickly than other types of manufactured home financing.

It’s simple to complete because the loan is used to finance the home rather than the land.

The land and home package loan process can take up to three months, but because a chattel mortgage finances the home alone, the process can take up to 30 days before an individual receives their money.

Another advantage is that you are in charge of processing the documents with a chattel mortgage, whereas with traditional mortgages, the bank is in charge of scheduling the loan’s completion.

In the Event of Foreclosure

You’re probably wondering what could be a benefit here during a foreclosure. Well, it’s simple. A chattel loan only covers the mobile home and not the land it sits on. As a result, you will not lose both assets in the event of a foreclosure.

With that said, you can use the land as a resource to help you get your house back on track.

Lower Processing Fees

Chattel mortgages are advantageous because they have lower processing fees when compared to other types of financing for a mobile home.

Downsides of Chattel Mortgages

Here are some of the drawbacks of chattel mortgages.

Charges Higher Interest Rates

The disadvantage of this type of mortgage is that it has higher interest rates than traditional mortgage rates or conventional loans.

It’s critical to compare rates with other financing choices and choose the one that best fits your budget.

Collateral

The home is always the collateral, and if you don’t pay the outstanding loan amount, you could lose it.

Can You Pay Off a Chattel Mortgage Early?

You can pay off your chattel mortgage early in theory, but there’s a catch! Extra costs will be incurred, which could be substantial.

Always read the eligibility requirements of the available options thoroughly before taking out any type of loan. Then, for each situation, choose the best option. You’ll be less likely to incur additional and unnecessary expenses this way.

Thing You Should Know Before Taking a Mortgage

Although a mortgage may be the best option for financing a home, it’s essential to understand the loan’s terms and other important aspects before accepting it.

A lousy loan can cause financial hardship, and you may lose your home. With that in mind, there are a few things you should be aware of before accepting any financing choice for your home.

Check Your Credit Score

Before considering a mortgage, first and foremost, check your credit score. Almost every lender runs a credit check on the borrower to see if they can repay the loan.

As a result, if your credit score is low, you may be unable to obtain financing for your manufactured home.

Ideally, many lenders will require a minimum credit score of 580 to 620 to buy a manufactured home. With that said, fortunately you can still get financing even with a lower credit score.

The disadvantage is that you may be required to make a substantial down payment as a sign of trust to the borrower and reduce the foreclosure risk.

When you’re on a tight budget, a large down payment can be difficult to come by; therefore, it’s better to pay attention to your bills rather than pay a large down payment.

Review Your Credit Report

When it comes to obtaining financing from lenders, your credit report is also crucial. You will have an easier time navigating and getting approved if you have a good credit history, because lenders are likely to believe you are a capable financial manager.

If you request it, credit reporting agencies are required to provide you with a copy of your credit history at least once every 12 months.

Check for errors when you receive the report, and if you find any, make sure to follow up to have it corrected before your chances of getting a mortgage are jeopardized.

Generally, your credit history accounts for your credit score, and any error can hurt your score. For example, a bad bill can hurt your score, and building it can take time, if not money.

Learn Different Types of Mortgages

Before settling on a particular option, a good borrower should be aware of all other financing choices available in the market. When comparing market rates, a borrower will almost certainly get a good deal.

Other personal loan financing choices, such as a FHA (Federal Housing Administration) and a VA loan, can be beneficial in some cases. An FHA loan is often a government backed loan program for individuals seeking a mobile home loan.

On the other hand, the government does not provide mobile home loans directly, but rather guarantees them through banks.

Fixed Rate or an Adjustable Rate Loan

Figure out whether you want a fixed rate or an adjustable-rate mortgage.

If you choose a fixed rate for a mobile home loan, the total amount you pay for principal and interest rate will remain the same for the entire loan term.

If you choose an adjustable rate mortgage (for a mobile home loan), on the other hand, the rate will fluctuate over time, and the amount you’ll pay monthly will vary. For example, your monthly payment will be higher if interest rates are higher, and if interest rates are lower, your monthly payment will be lower.

Choose the Mortgage Term You Want

As previously stated, mortgage terms vary, so you must decide which mortgage term you prefer.

Often, a mortgage term is 15 to 30 years. You’ll pay off your loan faster if you take a 15-year mortgage than if you take a 30-year loan, but, ofcourse, your payments will be higher.

With that said, the benefit of a shorter period is that you avoid paying the additional years of interest rates.

Final Thought

A chattel mortgage is a type of personal property loan. However, the collateral is always the property, and in the event of a foreclosure, you may lose it.

As a result, you should always read the terms of manufactured home loans before accepting them to avoid making mistakes that could cost you money.

It’s also crucial to comprehend the upfront costs of purchasing a home. Typically, you’ll make a large down payment before moving on to monthly payments. Often, individuals with lower credit scores will be subject to higher down payments.

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3 years ago · Justin Becker · Comments Off on Are Manufactured Homes Becoming More Popular?

Are Manufactured Homes Becoming More Popular?

Manufactured homes have been on the rise not only in the United States, but also globally.

This can be attributed to an improvement of features in mobile homes. For instance, manufactured homes are now designed with energy-efficient and security features.

Manufactured homes have also become a perfect alternative for people who want a cheaper and affordable living space. The main focus here being that the homes are affordable, unlike site-built homes.

Here, we focus on some of the reasons why manufactured homes are becoming popular.

Are Manufactured Homes Becoming More Popular?

There is no argument that manufactured homes have become more popular within the last ten years. Before we look at why they have grown in popularity, let’s see what the homes are.

What are Manufactured Homes?

Manufactured homes involve factory–built homes under the federal building code administered by HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development).

The HUD codes came into effect on July 15, 1976. Before this time, they were referred to as mobile homes.

Manufactured homes are multi-section or single-section and are moved from the factory to the site for installation.

You should understand that manufactured homes are totally different, but somehow related to panelized homes, modular homes, pre-cut homes, and mobile homes.

Many people love manufactured homes mainly because of their affordability. The homes are also as energy-efficient as traditional homes.

Reasons Why Mobile Homes are Becoming Popular in the United States

As we have highlighted above, manufactured homes have grown in popularity over the past ten years. Below are reasons why this has been possible:

Affordability

Manufactured home communities have grown in popularity not only for the close community bonds they foster, but also for their pricing.

For instance, while the average sales price of site-built homes is about $200,000, a manufactured home could cost just a fraction of that. In fact, site-built homes are up to three times more expensive than double manufactured homes.

In some parts of Michigan, you can even get a manufactured home going for as low as $10,000, and a newly manufactured unit can be available for $90,000. This is a friendly offer that most retiring seniors find to be attractive.

In most cases, site-built homes are too large and expensive to maintain for senior retirees. Some retirees even prefer to sell their site-built homes to buy and downsize to a manufactured home to save some money in the bank.

If you own the lot on which the home is placed, the value of your mobile home will increase. You can even take a traditional loan on the home if this is the case.

Even though an average site-built home is larger, compared to the average manufactured home, the latter is more cost-effective on a per square foot basis.

Complete Control Over the Design and Building Process

If you have ever developed a home, you understand the challenges associated with snarly contractors, cost overruns, and delayed construction.

Such challenges can’t be experienced in manufactured homes since mobile homes are designed and developed in factories under tight federal regulations and strict rules.

Factories build manufactured housing units using assembly line technology, thus reducing any room for error. The manufacturing process is also designed to maximize the worker’s efficiency.

The mobile homes are also developed in a controlled environment that isn’t affected by vandalism, weather, and unreliability from contractors.

The control over the manufacturing process enables home buyers to benefit from the money saved from construction. Factories also pass the cost saved from purchasing massive amounts of products, appliances, and materials to the homeowners.

Speed of Construction

Factories take about one-third of the time taken to develop site-built homes to complete developing a manufactured home. A manufactured home can be designed and developed within days.

With that said, the homeowner is responsible for developing the permanent foundation and utilities, such as sewage and electricity, before the home arrives on the site for final construction.

In most cases, the home will get to your property when it‘s about 90% complete, allowing you to move into the unit faster. Even though the setup and construction of the homes happen faster, the builders have all the safety features and building codes in mind.

Third-party and in-house inspectors examine each home before and after they are brought to the site.

Design Flexibility

If you haven’t figured out what you want, let us reassure you that manufactured housing units are the best option for you. Some designs for these homes are very elaborate.

You can even come across homes with more than one story, and they are also designed with garages, porches, vaulted ceilings, and decks.

Depending on the lot you have, you can incorporate beautiful landscaping and lawns. You can also customize your home to meet specific needs.

For instance, if you want granite countertops, hardwood floors, or stainless steel appliances, you can incorporate them into your design.

Energy-Efficiency

Energy-efficiency is among the most important reasons why mobile homes have become very popular. Most factories design these homes using Energy STAR appliances.

Most of the manufactured housing units that are built nowadays are energy-efficient. Builders take time to ensure that the mobile homes are tightly fitted with efficient heating & cooling systems, high-performance windows, and water heaters.

In some cases, you‘ll even get your home saving up to 50% of energy.

Better Amenities

Unlike mobile homes that came before them, manufactured homes are now designed with some of the best amenities you’ll ever want. These features include hardwood floors, ENERGY STAR appliances, ceramic tiles, wall-to-wall carpet, and top-of-the-line fixtures.

Nowadays, all of the amenities you get in a site-built home can be incorporated into a manufactured home. The only difference here is that everything is installed in the factory before the home gets on your property, for the case of a manufactured home.

Some homes are equipped with jetted tubs & soaker bathtubs, walk-in closets, fireplaces, gabled roofs, and bay windows. It’s also common to find homes that have double sinks, sunken tubs, and multiple bathrooms.

Supremely Green

Manufactured housing units are available in a variety of colors. However, the most important color is “green,” since it’s environmentally friendly.

Developers of these homes don’t waste much when it comes to building materials, and any scraps here are recycled.

In the end, less material is used to develop a complete unit without compromising the home quality.

Nice Communities

Despite the trailer park and mobile home park stereotype, most mobile home parks have proven to be wonderful places to stay. Also, homeowners can choose to either own or rent the land on which their homes sit.

In fact, about 75% of these homes are placed on private property, while 25% are in mobile home communities where owners lease the space.

If you choose to live in a mobile home community, you won’t have to worry about trash removal, snow plowing, lawn maintenance, and other on-site repair works.

Most of the mobile home communities are secure and well guarded. In some areas, park owners have even installed security features, like cameras. You’ll also get a chance to enjoy organized social activities, such as fitness centers, walking trails, tennis courts, pools, and golf courses.

Many mobile home parks are beautifully landscaped and designed with many common areas.

Appreciation in Value

Many people have always thought that manufactured homes can never increase in value. They think that these homes depreciate over time.

What they don’t know is that a manufactured home can be just like any other home.

When the home is well built and maintained, it’ll appreciate just like a site-built home.

With that said, the value of a manufactured housing unit depends on various factors, including:

●       Inflation

●       Local housing market

●       Home’s initial price

●       Local community

●       Age of the mobile home

●       Location of the mobile home

●       Home’s overall condition

Studies and research have also shown that manufactured homes have a limited impact on the property’s value.

They Come with a Warranty

When you buy a home, you want to invest in a unit that is easy to fix if something goes wrong.

The good news is that most manufactured homes are designed for durability. Even if something goes wrong in such a home, you’re likely to get a one-year warranty for them from the manufacturer.

There is even a separate warranty for siding, faucets, doors, windows, and other appliances.

With that said, remember that while new homes come with a warranty, don’t expect the same for old ones.

Before signing off on a home, ensure you can answer the questions below:

• What will the warranty cover?
• How long will the warranty last?
• What will void the warranty?
• Does the builder, installer, or retailer perform warranty work, or is it shared between the parties involved?
• Will the warranty become null and void if the installation site isn’t well prepared?

You need to ensure that you get a copy of the full warranty and not a summary document. If the warranty requires a renewal, ensure you keep it up to date.

States Where Manufactured Homes are on the Rise

There are states within the USA that have seen a rise in mobile homes. Let’s go through some of them below:

Michigan

The state of Michigan has seen an increase within the last ten years. You’ll never miss a manufactured home in any of the top cities or towns in Michigan.

Construction Coverage calculated the change in annual manufactured housing shipments between 2014 and 2019 and the 5–year change in new manufactured housing units in the state stood at 88.5%. The rate is higher than the change in new single family site–built units, which stood at 18.1%.

In Michigan, mobile homes are developed closer to social amenities. They also comply with safety requirements.

Like in most places, the price is more affordable for a mobile home compared to traditional house options in Michigan.

Nevada

Nevada is another state where you can rent or buy quality mobile homes at an affordable rate. Manufactured homes in this state have been on the upward trend for years now.

For instance, the state experienced a 5–year change in new manufactured homes of 301%! This is higher compared to a 47.3% 5–year change in single family stick–built homes.

Nevada also has about 6.9% of the share of existing single family homes that are manufactured.

Wisconsin

If you’re looking for a state with the best mobile homes, Wisconsin is the place to be. This state has seen a rise in manufactured housing units over the past ten years.

For instance, there has been a 5–year change of about 152.7% in manufactured home units. The change is greater than that for single family stick–built homes, which stands at 31.6%.

The share of existing single family homes in Wisconsin stands at 3.8%.

There are still other notable states where you can consider having a mobile home, including:

• Indiana: The share of existing single family homes here is 5.5%
• Kansas: The share of existing single family homes here is 4.7%
• Georgia: The share of existing single family homes here is 9.9%
• New Jersey: The share of existing single family homes here is 1.3%
• North Carolina: The share of existing single family homes here is 14.5%
• South Carolina: The share of existing single family homes here is 18.3%

Conclusion

Manufactured homes are slowly becoming the next big thing in the real estate industry for many Americans.

Such homes offer flexibility in design and features, are compact, and are developed around safety codes. All these are available without eating into your lifestyle choices or burdening you with loans.

Manufactured homes also offer millennials an opportunity to avoid the resource and time-consuming associated with home building and provide them with something that follows the modern trends. Renting or buying a mobile home is now a respectable and practical financial choice.

With big investors getting into the segment and communities increasing their security features, manufactured housing units are expected to push past traditional home options sooner rather than later.

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3 years ago · Justin Becker · Comments Off on Manufactured Home Living: Pros and Cons

Manufactured Home Living: Pros and Cons

Most aspiring homeowners will tell you how hard it can be to buy a home in the current housing market.

Homeownership is always considered a significant milestone for any American. As such, it’s no surprise why many people are seeking more affordable housing options.

In fact, people go as far as buying tiny homes, RVs, and mobile homes, or what is now referred to as manufactured homes.

To bring this into perspective, nearly 20 million Americans live in mobile homes, according to the Manufactured Housing Industry statistics.

Interestingly, homeowner stats indicate 56.4% of mobile homeowners have lived in their current home for more than 10 years.

Manufactured Home Living

According to CityLab, mobile homes save over 40% on housing costs.

For example, let’s take a look at the housing comparison, on average. The cost for a manufactured home is about $564 a month, instead of the average $1,057 per month for a traditional home or an apartment for rent in America.

Primarily, mobile homes are typically inexpensive compared to traditional homes. For this reason, manufactured homes are particularly becoming more and more popular to young families just starting out or retirees looking to downsize.

If buying a traditional home is overwhelming, consider manufactured housing as an alternative to avoid the financial burden. Often a manufactured home is more than 30 percent more affordable than a traditional home.

Since manufactured homes are customizable, they are a good fit for individuals and families from all walks of life.

If you’re still weighing your options between a manufactured home and a site-built home, keep reading to find out if manufactured housing is your best option.

What is a Mobile Home?

A mobile home, also known as a manufactured home, is constructed by trained building professionals in a controlled environment.

In other words, these are homes manufactured in factories. The average cost of a mobile home is around $49 per square foot.

How Long Does it Take to Build?

Typically, it takes 2-3 months for a mobile home to be built. Since it has a streamlined process, and is built by professionals, the process is efficient and inexpensive.

Often, quality assurance is conducted by relevant authorities throughout the building process for safety purposes. Today’s mobile homes are built to the code, administered by the U.S. Department for Housing and Urban Development, commonly known as the HUD Code.

After construction in the factory, they are transported to the site where they are connected to local power, water, and sanitary systems. A trailer home can either be placed in a manufactured home community or on private land.

If you plan to place it in a manufactured home park, consider doing your due diligence to establish the park is a friendly environment for your family, or rather it fits your taste. Often, you should begin by establishing the park first before buying a mobile home.

With that said, if you’re buying a used mobile home, there’s a set of rules you need to tag along with. For example, always go for homes built after 1976. It was during this time that mobile homes were subject to the new building codes (the HUD Code).

Generally, you’ll identify a home built to HUD Code by the red label attached to it, meaning it adheres to new building standards, and, therefore, is safe.

Pros of Living in Manufactured Homes

Mobile homes are attractive to everyone looking to buy their first house. However, before making a final decision, it is essential to understand the pros and cons of manufactured homes.

First, let’s dive into the pros of living in manufactured homes:

Homeownership Without the Traditional Maintenance

Choosing manufactured housing provides you with the opportunity of homeownership, without the responsibility of maintenance and property taxes.

It’s costly to maintain a site-built home. Usually, the bigger the home, the higher the budget for maintenance.

On the contrary, living in a manufactured home community gives you an edge over such responsibility, since the park manager often takes care of the maintenance.

Besides, most rental fees to park your mobile home include water, sewer, garbage, and recycling pickup.

Unlike site-built homes, buying a mobile home will spare you the burden of property taxes. Mobile homes are considered personal property and not real estate assets. As such, you may pay little to no tax if you choose manufactured housing.

So long as it is not tied to the land, property taxes should be the least of your concerns.

For example, the state of Michigan requires no annual tax for factory-built homes. Often, in lieu of annual taxes, the state will levy a tax at the time of the manufactured or mobile home purchase.

Inexpensive Compared to Site-Built Homes

The good news about manufactured homes is their lower pricing, compared to traditional homes. Manufactured homes are estimated to be 30 percent more affordable than traditional homes.

Even though pricing varies, depending on location, purchasing a trailer home will cost you an average of $88,200 for a new home, while the median sales price for a traditional home is around $335,000.

When it comes to lot rent, this varies based on location as well. Typically, it is about $200–$300 a month, on average, in the U.S., with the possibility of a higher rate in upscale manufactured home communities.

Community Perks

Living in manufactured home communities has many benefits. Often the community managers host fun curated events for residents, in an effort to increase social interaction.

Unlike apartments, where you hardly meet your neighbor, even though you may share a wall, community parks often have events to keep the residents together.

More of these communities are found in convenient locations, and you can access social amenities within a short time. Whether it’s recreational parks, top-rated schools, or shopping centers, you’re guaranteed easy access.

There’s also ample spacing between neighbors. Plus, if you’re a pet lover, most of the communities offer pet-friendly environments.

In most parks, you will hardly complain of loud music, since there’s ample spacing between homes tagging along with strict community rules.

Cons of Living in Manufactured Homes

Even though trailer homes are known for their affordability, among other perks, like any other form of housing, they have some drawbacks.

Here are the cons of mobile home living:

Age-Restricted Communities

It’s no secret that senior citizens make up the vast majority of manufactured home communities. As such, many communities have age restrictions for individuals under the age of 55.

For this reason, you may have to find another park, even when the one at hand fits your taste and is pet-friendly.

If you are looking to rent or buy a mobile home in a park, age restrictions may need to be considered.

There’s also a mobile home age restriction. Most parks only require that your home be HUD-approved. However, sometimes the city will have restrictions in place that affect mobile home parks within city limits.

For this reason, if you’re informed that your home is too old, you might want to ask for documentation to verify the claim.

As such, you may be able to identify a loophole that allows you to upgrade your home and still meet the requirements.

Can Be Hard to Resell or Relocate

A trailer home, unlike a traditional stick-built home, can be harder to resell. As said earlier, trailer homes are classified as personal properties and not real estate assets. As such, it’s not tied to the land, and, therefore, it’s unlikely to recoup the original investment.

If your home is placed on private land, you stand a better chance to recoup the better part of your initial investment since the land value is typically on an upward trajectory.

Another downside of the mobile home is that transportation can also be tricky, depending on the home’s age and condition. Sometimes the park owners can sell the park with little notice, which can also be stressful.

Mortgages Can Be Tricky

Since trailer homes are not considered tangible assets, financing can be a challenging venture. Most of the time, you will have no access to traditional financial institutions, and typically the only way to convince them to give you a mortgage is to tie your home on private land.

Even though manufactured housing is inexpensive compared to traditional homes, still their price can be out of reach for many people with a tight budget.

Please check the pricing of new manufactured housing below.

Average New Mobile Home Cost (Nationwide)

●      Single-Wide: $51,371

●      Double-Wide: $96,529

●      Triple-Wide/Multi-Wide: ~$100,000-$250,000

The “Mobile Home” Stigma

Whenever the term “mobile home” is mentioned, people associate it with a low-quality form of housing. However, invite them into a modern manufactured home, and they will earn a new appreciation for innovative and affordable housing alternatives.

Some communities are supportive of manufactured housing. As such, they encourage the development of neighborhoods consisting of manufactured homes, due to their affordability.

Achieving this means revising the zoning requirements to allow the installation of trailer homes. The good news is that manufactured housing is proving to be a trend with growing interest and support, so this stigma is already diminishing.

Small Yards

Even though many homeowners appreciate that they don’t have to maintain their home’s outdoor property, the trade-off is giving up the chance of having a big yard.

If you’re the type of person that needs ample space for your pets and so on, please keep this in mind before joining a manufactured housing community.

Temporary Foundation

Unlike traditional homes, which are built on permanent foundations, manufactured homes are placed on temporary foundations.

For this reason, during a natural disaster, like an earthquake or severe storm, mobile homes can be more prone to damage.

Final Thought

Today’s mobile home can provide a great alternative to a traditional stick-built home.

Mobile housing has some advantages over traditional homes. For example, it is cost-effective, easy to maintain, and various amenities come with living within a manufactured home community.

However, there are downsides to consider, such as limitations on getting a mortgage, small yards, and fast depreciation.

After carefully analyzing the pros and cons of mobile housing, we believe you can now make an informed decision on your living arrangement.

Lastly, as you weigh your options about the manufactured housing industry, always remember to research and read more about your local market to understand pricing, among other attributes. Keep in mind that pricing varies based on location.

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3 years ago · Justin Becker · Comments Off on The Best Mobile Homes for Sale in Livingston County, MI

The Best Mobile Homes for Sale in Livingston County, MI

Are you looking to move to Livingston County, but don’t know where to get affordable mobile homes for sale? Or you want to move from your current mobile home park to another affordable mobile home community, with even better amenities?

Livingston County has some of the best mobile homes for sale and friendly mobile home communities. These communities have excellent amenities and facilities for everyone to enjoy.

Here, we look at some of the best mobile home communities in Livingston County, where you can get quality homes for sale.

Mobile Homes for Sale in Livingston County, MI

Below are the top mobile home communities that you should consider in Livingston County, MI:

Tyrone Woods Manufactured Home Community

Tyrone Woods is by far the best mobile home community in Livingston County. For instance, double-wide homes are more affordable here than most parts of Livingston County, MI, with the average sales price being around $30,000-$50,000.

Both old and new mobile homes for sale here offer amazing amenities, excellent floor plans, and many other benefits. While most communities in Livingston offer homes of 1,000 square feet, at Tyrone Woods, you’ll get a double–wide mobile home, with floor plans on offer up to 2,200 square feet. All Tyrone Woods homes have 3 to 4 bedrooms, and at least two bathrooms.

The floor plans for homes in this mobile home community are well renovated for a modern appearance, and they’re all vinyl-sided with a pitched roof. There are also spacious oak kitchens to meet your family’s needs.

All of the homes here were designed with air conditioning and central heating. You’ll also have a spacious parking pad, which will hold at least two cars.

Another benefit of settling in this mobile home community is that you’ll get the quality services of the management team. For instance, management ensures that the homes are well maintained and secured.

The community is vibrant, meaning that you’ll feel at home here, more than any other place. The mobile home community is located in Tyrone Township, meaning that you’ll be part of the beautiful natural scenery that Michigan has to offer.

There is no need to worry about your children’s education here either, since the community is within the highly touted Linden School District. The mobile home community is also strategically located and offers easy access to Lansing, Detroit, Flint, and Ann Arbor.

Moving to Tyrone Woods also means settling in a pet-friendly mobile home community.

Burkhart Ridge

This is among the most reputable communities that you can consider buying a manufactured home in, within Livingston County, MI. Burkhart Ridge is located at 1011 River Line Drive, Howell, MI 48843.

The community boasts spacious 60′ x 100′ lots that accommodate even the largest mobile homes built today. Burkhart Ridge is also affordable when compared to other places in the county.

Shopping around Howell, MI 48843 is very convenient thanks to the Tanger Outlet shops, which are available near the community. You’ll also interact with top amenities right on-site, including a library, fitness center, volleyball court, basketball court, and billiard room.

Parking is also spacious in this community, and pets are allowed, with their policy allowing you to keep up to two in the community. Burkhart Ridge, located at 1011 River Line Drive, Howell, MI 48843, is certainly the place to be if you enjoy the ultimate community living.

Sylvan Glen Estates

The Sylvan Glen Estates is among the top mobile home communities in Livingston County, and is located at 6600 Grand River Brighton, MI 48114. The community has over 480 homesites while offering affordable mobile homes for sale with the exciting features you desire.

This fantastic location will also give you easy access to great school districts, if you have school-going children. You’ll also have access to various mobile home models that offer 2-3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

There are also various community amenities to enjoy, which includes the clubhouse, the central hub of this community. This clubhouse serves as the venue for hosting different activities and events. There is also a playground where your kids can play with friends and neighbors.

Here, you can have quality time on Grand Beach Lake, which is found at the back of the property. The Grand Beach Lake offers the convenience of fishing, boating, and other watersports.

Apart from being a pet-friendly community, there are also enough grounds where you can take your pet for a walk.

The surrounding areas of Howell and Brighton have plenty of medical facilities, restaurants, entertainment, and shopping venues. Camping and hiking are also part of the activities you can engage in around Sylvan Glen Estates.

The 6600 Grand River Ave, Brighton, MI 48114 location is strategic, and you can easily access Lansing, Ann Arbor, and Metro-Detroit from here.

Brighton Village

Brighton Village is another fantastic mobile home community located in Livingston County. The community address is 7500 Grand River Rd, Brighton, MI 48114.

Here, there is a professional and experienced management staff that takes care of the community’s day-to-day responsibilities. The community is about three miles from Downtown Brighton, meaning your kids will access top-rated schools in the area.

You can engage in several activities around the mobile home community, including shopping at the Grand Crossing, The Artisan’s Bench, and Rosy’s Boutique. You can also dine at top local restaurants, including La Marsa Brighton and Ciao Amici’s.

There are also attractions such as Mt. Brighton Ski Resort, Genoa Township Park, and Island Lake State Recreation Area, all very nearby. If you want to travel within this location, there are buses for your convenience.

If you find yourself looking for a mobile home near 7500 Grand River Rd, Brighton, MI 48114, Brighton Village is the place to be.

Woodland Park & Sales

This top-level mobile home community is located at 8005 West Grand River Ave, Brighton, MI 48114. Just like other communities on our list, Woodland Park & Sales, in Brighton, MI 48114, also presents some of the best amenities, including sidewalks and off-street parking.

There is no age restriction for people living in this mobile home community. Even though the community was set up in 1951, renovations have been done, and most mobile homes for sale here look decent.

Pets are allowed here too, and there are parks nearby where you can walk them in your free time.

Howell Estates

This is a top mobile home park located at 515 Mason Rd, Howell, MI 48843. It’s a very attractive community with top-quality mobile homes for sale.

This Howell, MI 48843 community is ideal for families with children, singles, couples, and people of all ages. There is a dedicated management team to help you with everything, including security and maintenance.

Pets are also welcome in this community. If you find yourself looking for a home in Howell, MI 48843, Howell Estates is your best option.

Fairlawn Meadows

If you find yourself looking for a mobile home around 1701 Fairlawn Rd, Howell, MI 48843, Fairlawn Meadows community is the perfect place to be. Apart from the excellent amenities available, you can also bring along pets.

The surroundings around Howell, MI 48843 have several parks where you can spend some quality time.

There is no age restriction for the people living in this community, and even though the mobile home park was developed in 1990, the homes have been renovated to meet modern standards.

If you find yourself around Howell, MI 48843, consider the Fairlawn Meadows mobile home community.

Red Oaks of Chemung

Red Oaks of Chemung is also a reputable community located at 102 East Grand River Ave, Howell, MI 48843. This community has all of the amenities you’ll ever find in a mobile home park, and it also offers spacious parking spaces.

There is no age restriction for the people living in this community, and it has wonderful recreation facilities that you can enjoy. Never hesitate to buy a mobile home at this Howell, MI 48843 community.

Honorable Mentions:

●      Grandshire Estates

●      Hartland Meadows

●      South Lyon Woods

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