# Manufactured homes



## holliehmstd (Apr 26, 2012)

So after some intense deliberation hubs and I (and the 4 kids) moved in with the in-laws temporarily until we could locate land in our price range and build. Moving sooner rather than extending the stay is the best. It is not bad here, we all get along, it is just cramped. So...we are going to look at 5 acres next Saturday and a long as everything checks out, we will most likely buy it.

I know a great GC but we have been considering Clayton Homes. I am not quite convinced but when you balance cost with time it seems that it may be the best option. 

Anyone have any experience with manufactured/modular homes?

PS - just as an FYI, we can not build it ourselves and hubby already vetoed - with extreme prejudice!  - living in a trailer as we build with the GC.

PPS! - forgot to mention that the land has covenants one of which is that no home less than 19' in width can go on the property...otherwise we would probably consider a lower cost single-wide until the kids got older/we saved up to add-on or re-model.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

There's a difference between a double wide (trailer) and a modular. In WV you get two titles with a double wide and they're taxed as personal property. Modulars are taxed as real estate. The set up crew pours footings, drags the trailers onto the site, places blocks between the footers and frame, and straps the frame to embeds in the footing. The dealer is responsible for most of the rest.

A modular goes on a block foundation and is set by a crane.

An acquaintance recently bought what they thought was a modular from a Clayton dealer. I looked at it. It's a double wide. They have an aversion to living in a trailer. Why I don't know. It's still a trailer.

Look at the electrical panel and check for a note referencing another information sticker in the master bedroom.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

We have a manufactured home. We weren't concerned about resale value. The cost was less than 1/2 what we would have paid for the same square footage stick built AND we got 6" walls instead of the 4", plus larger floor joists, etc. However, we also chose a better maker than Clayton (the maker we used doesn't have a plant as far north as you need). A lot of manufactured housing up there is built in PA and shipped in. Don't get stuck on a single manufacturer until you have checked things out.

***KNOW THIS GOING IN*** A manufactured home will depreciate in value the moment it leaves the lot. If in five years time it is worth 1/2 what you paid for it, you are doing well. That means that if you don't plan on staying there, a new one might not be your best deal. (You WILL pay less taxes though.)

What IS a great deal for a younger couple is a USED recent model that has been repossessed or has to be moved. Moving is not terribly expensive and the home will already have had the major depreciation hit. Spend a couple thousand as you go along doing refurbishing and you have a bargain that can be paid off in no time.

Look on Craigslist and ask at dealers. You may have to figure a way to pay cash or get a personal loan instead of a standard mortgage if you buy from an individual at a deep discount.

Modulars can be built to the same basic plans as many of the manufactured homes, they just slip the trailer completely out rather than just removing the wheels. There are code differences in how they are built. Because it is modular instead of manufactured, the value will stay higher and can even increase in a good market.

Also... be aware that Clayton uses an allied mortgage company (Vanderbilt) that does not have good ratings.

Oh, and spend the money to do the footings right and make allowances for water runoff, mice, and so on. Many of the "problems" of manufactured housing are directly related to not placing it on a solid foundation and allowing rodents and insects to overrun the underpinnings.

Both manufactured and modular designs are getting better by the year. I'm blown away by some of the newer high-end floor plans and designs. Check this newer model out and compare it to a single wide.

[Youtube]PVM6k22i6L0[/Youtube]


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

I live in a 2001 doublewide manufactured home (low end Palm Harbor). I love it. It was a repo that had been completely refurbished inside and out and cost me $25,000.00 for a 1600 sf house. No way I could have afforded a stick built house. even if smaller. It is all electric, which means my winter utility bills are higher than summer (even in 100+F weather), but still lower than my neighbours on either side who live in stick built with both gas and electricity. 

It is well insulated, and sturdy feeling. BUT the sheetrock is thinner -- I stumbled a few months ago and put a dent in the sheetrock, which wouldn't have happened in a stick built house. The doors are kind of flimsy and I hate the fact the interior doors are only 28" wide -- so that is something you might want to check in the one you are considering. It limits what furniture I can fit in the bedrooms. 

I have lived in 4 singlewide manufactured houses between 1960 and 1990, and have seen a big difference in the way they are made and how they hold up. IMO, they are build as well as stick built these days, and in some ways better. 

In Texas, as long as a doublewide is tied to the land, there is no difference in a manufactured home vs. modular for taxing purposes. I realize this is not true in all states.


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## paradox (Nov 19, 2012)

We have a Clayton. We looked at lots of brands and did some serious digging before buying. Palm Harbors are beautiful but as expensive as building your own. Solitaires are built strong but very plain and they only do one model at a time so you could wait forever if you wanted to choose your own colors. 

Clayton was the best option because of those issues. Very pretty and some cool floor plans but not the best built (but also not the worst). If you are handy and can fix minor stuff yourself then go for it. We had a really bad experiences with the finish crew that never got resolved but that is going to vary according to location and could happen with any brand.

As with any mobile home you will need to be vigilant to catch and fix problems before they drag the rest of the house down.

I will say do the top of the line insulation on roof, walls and floor. We did and ours holds temps very well. We did the vents in the ceiling but still got vaulted ceilings which I like, but probably wasn't the most efficient choice. 

One big mistake we made was the giant skylights in the kitchen. They are gorgeous and everyone compliments our kitchen, but the sun shines right on the thermostat on the opposite wall and causes it to think its much hotter inside than it really is and runs the AC too much. We have to be mindful of that so we don't waste energy.

Another thing to watch for is the big glass block windows they do. Also very pretty but make sure they won't be facing west or east. Ours face west and in the evening when the sun is right on them it amplifies the light so much you need sunglasses to be in the bathroom. You have to buy curtains or a shade for it which ruins the beauty of it.


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## holliehmstd (Apr 26, 2012)

Darren said:


> There's a difference between a double wide (trailer) and a modular. In WV you get two titles with a double wide and they're taxed as personal property. Modulars are taxed as real estate. The set up crew pours footings, drags the trailers onto the site, places blocks between the footers and frame, and straps the frame to embeds in the footing. The dealer is responsible for most of the rest.
> 
> A modular goes on a block foundation and is set by a crane.
> 
> ...


We most likely would go with a double wide for cost considerations. Yes, I am aware that there are some differences. Still, I appreciate your reply because reminders are always helpful. 

I am much more relaxed about the housing situation than hubs. He had some experiences as a child that were not so good so it is really important to him to have a "real" house. So that is fine with me. Otherwise, I would get a used camper and live in it until we could build exactly what we wanted! lol


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## holliehmstd (Apr 26, 2012)

Harry Chickpea said:


> We have a manufactured home. We weren't concerned about resale value. The cost was less than 1/2 what we would have paid for the same square footage stick built AND we got 6" walls instead of the 4", plus larger floor joists, etc. However, we also chose a better maker than Clayton (the maker we used doesn't have a plant as far north as you need). A lot of manufactured housing up there is built in PA and shipped in. Don't get stuck on a single manufacturer until you have checked things out.
> 
> ***KNOW THIS GOING IN*** A manufactured home will depreciate in value the moment it leaves the lot. If in five years time it is worth 1/2 what you paid for it, you are doing well. That means that if you don't plan on staying there, a new one might not be your best deal. (You WILL pay less taxes though.)
> 
> ...


Thanks for all of the good information. It is a big decision to make - even though some people think we are nuts - so we still are taking everything we can into consideration. There don't seem to be a whole lot of builders servicing our area and that may just be because Clayton is so prolific. Even though they do seem to use other builders for different models. 

My ideal would be to have an unfinished basement so that we could convert one area into cool storage with shelving and a chest freezer and secondary fridge. But that will definately depend upon cost. 

The lot is wooded with hardwoods and pine so if we get it, we would have it logged and use that for some seed money for the house. Not the whole lot though, we have to maintain a 15' easement so we would leave that wooded and then add an additional 15' for privacy at the least.


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## holliehmstd (Apr 26, 2012)

Belfrybat said:


> I live in a 2001 doublewide manufactured home (low end Palm Harbor). I love it. It was a repo that had been completely refurbished inside and out and cost me $25,000.00 for a 1600 sf house. No way I could have afforded a stick built house. even if smaller. It is all electric, which means my winter utility bills are higher than summer (even in 100+F weather), but still lower than my neighbours on either side who live in stick built with both gas and electricity.
> 
> It is well insulated, and sturdy feeling. BUT the sheetrock is thinner -- I stumbled a few months ago and put a dent in the sheetrock, which wouldn't have happened in a stick built house. The doors are kind of flimsy and I hate the fact the interior doors are only 28" wide -- so that is something you might want to check in the one you are considering. It limits what furniture I can fit in the bedrooms.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your experience. I think manufactured homes are so much better now. Not the ones I remember from my childhood. Even those weren't horrible though. Still, it is nice to get greater square footage and still have lower costs. Nicer finishes too. And since we currently have no appliances, the fact that they can come loaded up is really helpful...although we will have to check to bottom line to make sure they are not overcharging for them.


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## holliehmstd (Apr 26, 2012)

paradox said:


> We have a Clayton. We looked at lots of brands and did some serious digging before buying. Palm Harbors are beautiful but as expensive as building your own. Solitaires are built strong but very plain and they only do one model at a time so you could wait forever if you wanted to choose your own colors.
> 
> Clayton was the best option because of those issues. Very pretty and some cool floor plans but not the best built (but also not the worst). If you are handy and can fix minor stuff yourself then go for it. We had a really bad experiences with the finish crew that never got resolved but that is going to vary according to location and could happen with any brand.
> 
> ...


 Thanks for the note about the insulation. I will definately talk to hubby about that and remember for when we are buying.


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## mugmarine (Jan 8, 2014)

I also have been looking at possibly buying a doublewide and just cant decide. I have looked at Claytons and was not impressed at all. I have looked at the solitaire home and they are built well. Im interested in what has been said on this thread. I just cant see myself in big debt of what builders want to charge. I want a home to enjoy but being frugal is also very important. I may look at some modular homes as well to see what is out there.


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## Celtichorse (Jun 26, 2012)

We live in a 2006 Clayton. It was a foreclosure and we got a really good deal on this place - full perimeter foundation, so it's considered a "modular". 6" walls and extra insulation. Our heating and cooling costs are very low. However, there are some things I don't like: the skylight - don't get one, they usually leak. Make sure you have lights in appropriate places - like above the kitchen sink and in closets and plenty of outlets - maybe request an upgraded power panel that allows for expansion. Plan for outdoor faucets and lighting. Pay close attention to doors and windows - Clayton uses some pretty lousy stuff. Their choices for carpet and vinyl aren't the greatest and neither is the quality of the cabinets. Upgrade to the best you can afford. 
One other thing to consider and worth checking into - in many states it is not possible to get any kind of financing for a manufactured home that has been moved from its original location , so getting a "used" one may not be such a great deal - something to keep in mind if you want to sell someday. 
Oh - and avoid getting a direct vent gas furnace - they are very pricey and difficult to replace!!!


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## holliehmstd (Apr 26, 2012)

Well, update...I talked to our family friend who can GC for us and he was ready to do it and work with us on getting things done as we can and letting us do small project that we do have the skills for on our own. So we are going that route. We toyed around with the idea of living on the land again but I think that we are going to stay at the in-laws a while longer. I am ready to move, but I am more ready not to have a mortgage.


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## utilitytk (Feb 21, 2014)

Here in North Carolina, manufactured homes have 4 basic classification. Single-wide mobile home, double-wide mobile home, on-frame modular, and off-frame modular. Being a real estate agent, I have had to learn QUICKLY how to explain the difference between a double-wide and modular. I look for the manufacturer's decal either in a closet or a cabinet. If that decal has a map of the US with wind zone lines and states the home conforms to wind zone 2, for instance, it's a double-wide mobile home. If that decal states the home conforms to NC building codes and doesn't have the map, it's either an on-frame modular or an off-frame modular. Look in the crawlspace. If you can still see steel beams running the length, it would be on-frame. As far as financing, most double-wide homes in our area conform to FHA/VA standards. It can be a simple thing to get a mobile home to conform or, depending on how the home was placed on the site, it can run into thousands of dollars. Most double-wide and up grades are considered "Real Property" here and have a deed not a title(no DMV involved). Single-wides are another story. I could write a book here but, I hope this little bit helps folks.


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## PasturedPork (Jan 22, 2014)

Sorry to dig up an older thread.

We investigated the manufactured home option. I grew up in one and think they are fine. We ended up building a 1200 sq ft house with everything for a little over $100,000. The cheapest we could get a manufactured doublewide was $80,000. We figure the extra investment was worth it in the long run from a resale perspective. Granted we don't ever want to sell but it is a good feeling to leave our kids the extra equity. 

Something to consider


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## Lupine (Oct 2, 2013)

I've seen some nice manufactured homes, but honestly it's a negative for me in my land search. I do believe one can build a more customized, efficient and economic home. It depends upon builders in your area, as well as the market, but to me, the idea of equity--even if we don't ever plan to sell, one never knows what's ahead--makes it worthwhile. 

Lenders also look down on manufactured homes, and if you ever need an equity line of credit, this will make a difference.


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