Mobile Home Living: Weighing the Pros and Cons
3 Best Places to Buy Mobile Home Parts Online
5 Best Mobile Home Builders in California
5 Best Mobile Home Builders in Florida
7 Places to Buy Used Mobile Homes for Sale Near You
For those purchasing a new mobile home – the process is does not need to be a long one. You need to do some basic research to determine which manufacturer makes the best mobile that you can afford. And that’s the idea behind this site! Mobile homes appeal to those wishing to own their own home, yet who have limited resources available. Others may simply not want to commit to a home costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. The cost of mobile homes can vary widely, from as low as $10,000 for a used model up to over $100,000 for a spacious triple wide. While there are dozens of mobile homes being produced every year, there are a few manufacturers who are known for allowing customization, durability, and outstanding customer service.
The Top Mobile Home Manufacturers
Cavalier Homes: Their website may be straight out of 1998, but Cavalier Homes produces high-quality mobile units in the Southeast. With three locations (two in Alabama, one in North Carolina), Cavalier will cater to your dream home fantasy, boasting great customer service and well-crafted homes whose kitchens look like they’re out of a Better Homes and Gardens magazine (take a look at the photos on their website, but ignore the quality of the website itself. The website may be awful, but the photos of the homes are excellent). They also offer financing assistance – be sure to inquire should you decide to give them a call. Read Cavalier mobile home reviews.
Rushmore Homes: Serving an area stretching far beyond the Black Hills in South Dakota, Rushmore Homes has been making quality mobile and manufactured homes for years. They offer two different floor plans for the ever-popular singlewide: the Stoneybrook Gold and the Classic Silver. Either can be tailored to fit your family’s specific needs, but these homes can come with as many as 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. More square footage can be added upon request. Read Rushmore mobile home reviews.
Clayton Homes: Based out of Knoxville, TN, Clayton Homes has several outlets all over the United States. With an easy-to-use website designed for those aren’t internet savvy, Clayton Homes gives potential mobile home buyers a myriad of possibilities to select from, with an outrageously affordable singlewide starting at $22,000. Potential customers are prompted to enter their zip code, and are then given a selection of homes to choose from based on their location. Clayton Homes manufactures singlewides, doublewides, and they also produce a large number of sectional, manufactured homes. Clayton mobile home reviews.
Palm Harbor Homes: Serving the westernmost states and all of the southern states (with the exception of Alabama), Palm Harbor produces both mobile homes and manufactured homes. Palm Harbor Homes has over 500 different floor plans available, and will even assist you in financing your home. Any home purchased from Palm Harbor can be placed on your land, or in one of their communities (not to be confused with a trailer park, these communities are actually quite nice). Potential homebuyers can also choose from a premade home, or they can begin the building process with one of Palm Harbor’s experienced developers. Palm Harbor mobile home reviews.
Fleetwood Homes: Fleetwood is one of the largest manufacturers of mobile homes in the United States. Because of their company size, they are able to negotiate lower prices on their materials. This typically means that they are able to stay competitive with pricing, and bring you a lower-priced, higher-quality home. Fleetwood mobile home reviews.
Champion Homes: Champion offers a plethora of models for you and your family to choose from – and, of course, models vary from region to region. They are designed to withstand the elements of the areas in which they are built. For example, a Champion home manufactured in Wisconsin will be designed to the state and city or town’s zoning requirements, and made to cope with the various seasonal changes and the harsh winters, whereas a Champion home manufactured in or for Georgia will be designed in the same manner, but with the hot and humid southern weather in mind. Champion mobile home reviews.
Apex Homes: Apex Homes offers a large series of modular homes that are built in the factory, and delivered in two sections, which are placed together seamlessly on a full foundation with either crawlspace or full basement. They manufacture modular homes only – no manufactured homes will be created for this company. Apex Homes reviews.
Mobile Home Buying Tip
Inquire about insurance, as that is a cost unanticipated by several mobile home buyers. Remember, the less mobile the unit, the more likely you will be able to receive a mortgage loan (rather than a personal loan, which has substantially higher interest rates). and be sure to read online reviews of mobile home manufacturers.
Choosing A Mobile Home
Mobile homes (also called “manufactured homes” or “trailers”) are an affordable alternative to standard homes, as they offer home ownership at a lower cost. Over the years, manufactured homes have grown in popularity, with an estimated 20 million people across the United States living in one today. With all of the options available, it’s hard to know where to start – but by considering a few factors, you can scale down your search.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Mobile Home
Cost
The first step in finding the right mobile home is calculating how much you can afford to spend. Prices of mobile homes range from $15,000 upwards of $100,000, with the average home going for around $30,000. Also consider cost variables:
the monthly cost of owning a mobile home can vary from state to state, as different states define home ownership differently. For example, some states consider mobile homes to be personal property. A personal loan is then required to purchase the mobile home, and personal loans typically have higher interest rates than mortgages.
State Building Code
Look online to check regulations for your state. Producers of mobile homes in Florida must follow building codes, consisting of windzones, and all homes must be windzone 2 (with the exception of Florida, which is windzone 3). This makes the homes more durable when faced with hurricane force winds, but it also increases the cost. Purchasing an old mobile home that does not follow these regulations could result in high insurance premiums, as they are more at risk.
Size and Model Type
Once you’ve determined how much you can afford, the next step is looking at different sizes and model options. The standard singlewide model averages 18 feet in width and 90 feet in length, with two bedrooms, a bathroom, a living room and a small kitchen.
Land
Another factor in choosing the right mobile home is whether or not you own property to park the home on. Mobile home parks are an option, where land is leased from month to month and include power, water, and sewage hookups.
Foundation
What type of foundation will your mobile home rest on? True, mobile homes can be “parked”, but the more permanent a foundation, the easier it is to attain a mortgage loan (as opposed to a personal loan). There are four different types of foundation to consider: footers (concrete pillars, fairly uncommon), runners (multiple concrete supports that run parallel with the home), concrete slab, or basement. A basement can cost almost as much as the home itself, since it must be built to support the weight of the mobile home, which is heavier than that of a typical house.
New or Used
A final consideration is whether or not you would like to purchase a new or used mobile home. Depending on the size, width, and state of the home, used mobile homes can be found for $10,000. Doublewides on a piece of land in a desirable area may cost as much as the original purchase price, providing the owners properly maintained the home.
Addressing these factors may not answer all of the questions you have, but it will help narrow down the prospects. Buying a mobile home can be overwhelming, but knowing what you can afford and what details you’re looking for can help identify the right mobile home for you.