# Moble home manufacturers good and bad



## manfred (Dec 21, 2005)

Who make good Mobile homes nowdays? And who makes poor ones? Im looking for one for my daughter .


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## Country Lady (Oct 2, 2003)

Our daughter has a Sunshine that she's been living in for 10 years now. It's a well built mobile home and has held up well. She's had the roof cool sealed twice. We owned a mobile home back in the 60's there's no comparison between the one we had and our daughter's. Mobile homes have a bad reputation sometimes, but if you choose one well built and take good care of it, just as we should any type home, it'll serve you well.


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## happycat (Dec 22, 2003)

Where does or will your daughter live? That may make a difference in who builds/sells in your area. It's not a mobile, but Valley Quality Homes in Washington has a good reputation as a manufactured home company; that's who we're going to use if and when we ever make it out to our property.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

The HUD standards pretty much insure the basic box will be OK. Some tips:

If buying new-
Try not to buy more than 100 miles from the manufacturing plant. Yes, they travel, but long trips might loosen things up.
Don't even think about one with 4" walls. The 6" walls and better insulation make a HUGE difference in heating and cooling costs and comfort.
Recognize that the kitchen cabinets, plumbing, and electrical will not be the same as a stick built, and the brands will be off-brand or construction grade. Plan for repairs and upgrades.
You CAN make some modifications and have a unit built to spec.
If hardyboard exterior is offered, consider it in preference to vinyl.

If buying used:
Caveat Emptor, but you can save a TON of money by buying a repo.

In both cases:
Solid footings make a huge difference. Without them, doors go out of plumb, cracks develop, and the feel will be cheap.
Skirting that is fireproof and rodent proof is a big plus.

We bought Deer Valley. Overall, we have been very satisfied. Go to a few lots, talk with people. Palm Harbors are nice but overpriced. Clayton has an iffy reputation around here. Seriously though, if you can find a recent vintage repo in good condition you might get a lot more for your money.


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## Wolf mom (Mar 8, 2005)

I agree with Harry - I bought a repo with 6" walls - tape & texture - dual pane windows, etc. Much cheaper than new. I set it on a block stem wall. I'm pretty happy with it but do want to put in new cabinets and it'll need a new roof in a few years. Definitely not a stick built house, but for the price & square footage one can't be beat. 

Best site I've found for mobile/manufactured home repair. Has a good forum also: 

http://mobilehomerepair.com

Oh, I've got a Cavco - not one of the best, but they do have a division here in Phoenix where the mobiles are more upgraded & custom.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Top of the line: Solitaire, Oak Creek But just about as expensive as a stick built

Medium, but still very good: Palm Harbor, Clayton, Patriot, Fleetwood

All will meet HUD standards, so most of the difference in quality goes into things like outer skin, trim, inside trim, cabinets, etc.

I have a repo Palm Harbor doublewide that I am very happy with structurally, but it's their lower end model and the inside trim/ cabinets are cheap looking. But I didn't pay for top of the line.


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## Beeman (Dec 29, 2002)

MH's are regional, where are you?


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## Topaz Farm (Jan 27, 2005)

We have an Oak Creek 4 br DW. We went to Fort Worth to the plant to see how they were built. We came across a repo with the exact floor plan as a brand new one. If we bought a new one there would have been upgrades in the window and a few other little things. We saved too much money to not go for the repo.

We have been in it for 12 years and haven't had problems at all.


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## the mama (Mar 1, 2006)

I have a 1988 Palm Harbor , bought new. I researched for 2 years before buying. If I ever buy another, it will be a Palm Harbor. This said, I would never buy another. Build a Katina house or something like Jim Walters. Lots more option and you have a HOUSE not a 'trailer'. I'm trying to refinance and being a "mobile home/manufactured home" is severely limiting my options.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

We had a Clayton Homes one for a while when we were first married that was nice - can't say much for the park it was in though (also owned by Clayton).


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

Price of the mobile home does not include foundations, utility hook-up, site prep, or even steps. That's a big chunk to add onto the price.

I can get a frame built house built for the same money as a mid quality manufactured home and it will hold its value better, be easier to finance, and be a heck of a lot easier to insure.


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## plowjockey (Aug 18, 2008)

It can also depend on how much you want to spend, on any particular model.

The same manufacturer may make a model, with brass doorknobs and the same model, with plastic doorknobs., etc. 

It may be an all-right home, but if it's purchased with chintzy cabinets and fixtures, it is considered not a "well built home", because the cheap stuff falls apart.


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## FL.Boy (Dec 17, 2007)

oregon woodsmok said:


> Price of the mobile home does not include foundations, utility hook-up, site prep, or even steps. That's a big chunk to add onto the price.
> 
> I can get a frame built house built for the same money as a mid quality manufactured home and it will hold its value better, be easier to finance, and be a heck of a lot easier to insure.


When i bought mine 4 years ago everything was included in the price and a stick built would have cost me 50 % more. Do get the 6 inch walls and good windows.


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## FarmerRob (May 25, 2009)

the mama said:


> I have a 1988 Palm Harbor , bought new. I researched for 2 years before buying. If I ever buy another, it will be a Palm Harbor. This said, I would never buy another. Build a Katina house or something like Jim Walters. Lots more option and you have a HOUSE not a 'trailer'. I'm trying to refinance and being a "mobile home/manufactured home" is severely limiting my options.


Something you might want to consider, with an eye to value and the future--like mentioned above, is a SIP house. That stands for Structural Integrated Panel. They manufacture it in sections that one or two people can handle and assemble. Costs and savings will vary by area, how much help you have and how handy you are. 

This site will give you a good look at what this type of home offers:
http://valubuild.net

This is to an association website -- you can find manufacturers around the country here:
http://www.sips.org


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## Hoop (Jan 1, 2003)

Avoid a mobile home. You'll be upside down immediately after purchase. And they will depreciate like a falling rock. Mobile homes do have a bad reputation. Deservedly so. They simply don't hold up very well.

If you have your own property to install the mobile, it won't be as horrible. At least the land will increase in value as the trailer depreciates.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

Hoop said:


> Avoid a mobile home. You'll be upside down immediately after purchase. And they will depreciate like a falling rock.


I agree. 
Unless you go with a used one that you can buy with cash, that is.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Hoop said:


> Avoid a mobile home. You'll be upside down immediately after purchase. And they will depreciate like a falling rock. Mobile homes do have a bad reputation. Deservedly so. They simply don't hold up very well.
> 
> If you have your own property to install the mobile, it won't be as horrible. At least the land will increase in value as the trailer depreciates.


That argument made a lot more sense before there was something called the housing crash, coupled with staggering unemployment. A lot of people are still sitting in upside-down stick-builts, paying interest on their mortgages that equals the money they are paying towards paying down the loan. If their job is lost, they can't sell because of the market, can't afford the payments, can't afford to move, and are out of a home. In this economy, manufactured or mobile makes a lot of sense for those willing to actually go out and look. They get more house for less money and have shorter payoff times.

As for the basic box not holding up well, Please tell me the difference between 2 x 6 studs 16" o.c. in a manufactured home, and 2 x 6 studs 16" o.c. in a stick-built. Before HUD specifications, and before the change from paneling to sheet rock, there were serious problems. I know firsthand, having had to rent and live in one back in the 1980s. That was then, this is now. I watched our manufactured home being built. I've watched stick-builts go up. Our manufactured home is fully as strong, and sits on a steel frame to boot. Any new housing is going to be pex plumbing now, and copper is just an invitation for thieves, so that is the same. Wiring is the same as any new tract home.

A significant portion of the complaints about manufactured homes not standing up are because not enough money was invested in foundation and footing and skirting. Take any house, stick it on concrete block pillars stacked on soil, and as the soil settles the house will crack and doors no longer fit.

I agree about the land. That is almost always where the real value lies. McMansions get razed. Manufactured housing can be moved.

We sold a CBS house in Florida at the end of the peak market. With the proceeds, we bought land, manufactured home, and the required prep work. We have no mortgage. The folks who bought our house in Florida are struggling to keep up payments, on less land, in a smaller home, with more taxes, and higher insurance costs. You tell me who is sitting in a better position.

The one downside I see with manufactured homes is the higher insurance cost compared to stick-built. Depreciation works FOR the person who plans to live in a home their entire life. It means lower taxes. Depreciation kills the home flippers who are buying houses not for living, but for turning a profit.

There is really a core issue in housing that is rarely mentioned. Until 2007, due to tax laws, increasing demand fueled by increasingly unsuited buyers, and increasingly loose loan requirements, house prices kept going up. Real estate agents pushed people into buying as much as they could afford, with the sure and certain knowledge that the value would go up over time. Buying a house seemed to make sense.

That market tanked, and will continue to tank in many areas for as long as a decade. That doesn't even take into account the cities where entire abandoned neighborhoods are being bulldozed.

In today's market, there are a few locations where bargains in housing can be had IF you are willing to take the risk that the title to the property hasn't been tainted. We could see a string of lawsuits in the future from people who were kicked out of their home by banks who didn't even have clear title.

I would be extremely careful purchasing a home these days. I would expect it to only maintain value for five or more years, and I wouldn't be concerned about the piddling income tax ramifications. In short, once ALL the factors are put in place, buying a manufactured home may be a better deal for many people.

Oh yeah, one other thing - if the taxes here were to suddenly begin skyrocketing, hasta la vista baby. Wheels get me outta here, horse make tracks.


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## salmonslayer (Jan 4, 2009)

We have a used 14x76 Champion for the MIL that came with our farm and it has its own electric and septic and steel skirting. So far I have replaced most of the windows, plumbing and built a covered front porch and a concrete back deck and installed a sidewalk for her. It is cheaply built but we didnt pay much for it and with some effort it is turning out to be a great place for her and she is very happy with it. The worst part of it though is the electric..its terrible with cheap press on fittings and its taking me a lot of time replacing it all. This spring we are putting on a metal roof, finishing replacing the windows, adding shutters and painting it and even with that expense there is no way we could afford to put her into such a nice place other than with a mobile home.

They are what they are but I dont think I would ever buy a new one or have a mortgage on one. As has been said, they are like a car in that they depreciate so let someone else take the depreciation hit and buy a nice used one...for cash if you can.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

salmonslayer said:


> They are what they are but I dont think I would ever buy a new one or have a mortgage on one. As has been said, they are like a car in that they depreciate so let someone else take the depreciation hit and buy a nice used one...for cash if you can.


I agree. Truly, there's nothing _inherently_ wrong with a trailer (well, other than the obvious things like severe-weather safety, etc. lol) We're living in one right now while we build a "real" house. (BTW I am _super_-proud of my $500 trailer house.  I mean, really, how else can you have decent housing for what amounts to _one_ month's rent??)

Just don't go into serious debt for one. That's just a really bad investment, no matter how you slice it. 



Harry Chickpea said:


> That argument made a lot more sense before there was something called the housing crash, coupled with staggering unemployment. A lot of people are still sitting in upside-down stick-builts, paying interest on their mortgages that equals the money they are paying towards paying down the loan.


True enough. But a house stands a good chance of coming back UP in value. A trailer house won't. It's a guarantee. :shrug:


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

I've lived in 5 mobile/ manufactured homes over the past 50 years. The first was a 1956 10x50 that was built like a fortress. Except for the size, it was a wonderful house. Then a '66 12x60 that was a piece of trash -- it started falling apart the second year. then a '73 (I think) 14x64 that was a great house in that it was sturdy except it had aluminum wiring. I never had a problem, but know that it was a potential fire hazard. My next one was a '89 14x70 Redman with 6" outer walls. It was a fantastic house and I hated to leave it. I am currently in a 1999 28 x 60' Palm Harbor doublewide. This equals the Redman in construction even though it is a lower end of Palm Harbor's line. The reason I've chosen manufactured homes over most stick built was I could buy them with no mortgage payments. Except for the first two, I've always owned my own land.

I would advise anyone who wants an economical sturdily built house on a budget to find a repo. All but one of mine were 10 years or so old when I purchased then and owned by one owner. That makes a difference as well. At 10 years, most of the depreciation is used up. Actually I sold the Redman for more than I paid for it.


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## GingerN (Apr 24, 2007)

ErinP said:


> I agree. Truly, there's nothing _inherently_ wrong with a trailer (well, other than the obvious things like severe-weather safety, etc. lol) We're living in one right now while we build a "real" house. (BTW I am _super_-proud of my $500 trailer house.  I mean, really, how else can you have decent housing for what amounts to _one_ month's rent??)
> 
> Just don't go into serious debt for one. That's just a really bad investment, no matter how you slice it.
> 
> ...


Maybe I don't understand. I bought a 28x70 in 98, paid 49995 for the house, had a 20000 lot/inc inmprovements like power, water, septic and it appraised for 81k. BTW, when it appraised for that, I desperatly needed new carpets.


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## willow_girl (Dec 7, 2002)

My husband's is a Marlette and it is very nice, just like a regular house! He custom-ordered or upgraded almost everything in it, though, right down to the drawer pulls and doorknobs. And the pre-wallpapered drywall had strips at all the seams, which he didn't like, so he removed those, stripped the walls, had the seams taped and repainted all but 2 rooms (the spare bathroom and laundry room, which still have the original wallpaper). All the windows were replaced when the house was about 5 years old. 

I'm not sure if it would have been cheaper to build from scratch (I suspect it would!) and he admits he could never sell this place for what he's got into it, but since we're not planning to move, it doesn't matter. It's a comfortable house, easy to maintain, and affordable to heat in the winter. 

OTOH, there is a Rebel singlewide out on my property. It's about 20 years old, and already was trashed when I bought it, but the shoddiness of the construction is startling nonetheless ... PLASTIC bathroom sinks, and a kitchen countertop that isn't even Formica, but some kind of fiberboard? Eeek! I'm sure it was a low-end model from the outset, and boy does it show.


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## farmgal (Nov 12, 2005)

You can find some nice ones cheap at trailer parks the person doesnt want to pay park rent. I wouldnt buy a new one. I have seen like brand new ones for 7000$. I personally dont care for them for this location, we get 5+ feet of snow in a few days. 

My friends is a double wide with 6 inch walls. His roof leaked since day one, when he finally ripped out the bedroom ceiling, it revealed a 1 x 1 inch board framework holding the roof up, unbelieveable! There was a thin sheet of insulation. You would think 6 inch walls, 6 inch ceiling or at least 2 x 4 's, but that isnt so.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

GingerN said:


> Maybe I don't understand. I bought a 28x70 in 98, paid 49995 for the house, had a 20000 lot/inc inmprovements like power, water, septic and it appraised for 81k. BTW, when it appraised for that, I desperatly needed new carpets.


This was a _mobile home_? Not a pre-fab or a modular? 
Because if so, it must be that your LOT improved in value, not the trailer...



willow_girl said:


> He custom-ordered or upgraded almost everything in it, though, right down to the drawer pulls and doorknobs.


I think this might be a key, personally. 
Our 30 year old trailer has thin walls (probably because 2x6 wasn't even an option yet), but the cabinets are real wood, the porcelain is all real, not plastic, the roof was pitched with high end shingles, etc (though of course those have been replaced, as has the siding). 
You can tell it was the top end of their models. 

But personally, I'd track down a used one that was an upgrade when it was new.


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