Buying a mobile home seems like a good idea. As it is affordable, flexible and gives us the independence to live wherever we like. But buying a mobile house takes a lot of consideration and time. Even after purchasing it you still feel regret. Let me share with you the key issues you should consider before buying a mobile house.
What is a mobile house ?
A mobile house also called a manufacturing house is a pre-built house. It’s typically built on a steel chassis with wheels for traveling. It comes in different sizes with bed rooms, bathroom and kitchen. The standard width of mobile home is 14, 16 and 18 and standard length is 60 to 80 feet.
Types of Mobile house
Mobile homes come in different types, each have different sizes, layouts, and features for different needs. Here are some common types of mobile homes:
Single – Wide: Single-wide mobile homes are narrow and have single sections. They are often more affordable for an individual or for a small family. It has two rooms one kitchen one living room and one or two bathroom. The size of single-wide mobile home is approximately 600 to 1300 square feet. A new single-wide home can cost you from $30,000 to $100,000 according to quality and size.
Double – Wide: These mobile houses have double sections that are transported separately but joined together on site. It has four rooms one kitchen one large living room and two or three bathroom. The size of double-wide mobile home is approximately 1000 to 2000 square feet. A new single-wide home can cost you from $60,000 to $150,000 according to quality and size.
Triple-Wide: These houses are double-wide but have triple sections. They are much larger than double-wide mobile houses. It has five rooms one large kitchen, one dinner area, one huge living room and three or four bathroom. The size of triple-wide mobile home is approximately 2000 to 3000 square feet. A new single-wide home can cost you from $100,000 to $250,000 according to quality and size.
Park Model: These mobile homes are seasonal and have smaller size than normal mobile homes. It’s size is approximately 300 to 500 square feet which is equal to the size of cabin. It has one room, a small kitchen and a bathroom. The cost of park model can be from $20,000 to $80,000 according to the size and quality.
Modular Home: These homes are constructed in a factory and then transported to the site of installation. Unlike other homes these are installed in a permanent foundation. It’s size is approximately 500 to 3000 square feet according to the number of modules you use. It can cost you $80,000 to $250,000 according to your need of modules.
Common Issues of buying Mobile Houses
Limited Financial Option
Mobile homes often come with limited financial options because banks and other lenders often hesitate to provide financial assistance. As a result many homeowners find themselves stuck into saturation where they have to pay high interest rates. It’s important to carefully consider the financial implications of mobile home ownership and explore alternative financing options to ensure a sound investment.
Hidden Costs of buying a Mobile Home
If you think buying a used mobile house helps you save money in the longer run that you should think again. The truth is that it can quickly drain your finances without letting you know.
Following are the expenses that you can expect from mobile houses
Maintenance and Repair
Mobile houses are not maintenance free. Unlike other houses they also need regular repairs from roof leaks to plumbing issues. Since mobile houses are made from lighter material than normal houses they can be damaged very easily.
Moreover they are made from unique material so it is difficult to find qualified professionals who can fix these issues. And even if you find a professional he will charge you too much for his services.
How Much Does it Cost to Maintain the Mobile Home?
| Category | Description | Frequency | Estimated Cost | Notes |
| Roof & Siding | Leak inspection, roof cleaning, minor repairs | Annual | $50 – $200 | Cost depends on size and complexity of repairs |
| Skirting | Inspection for tears or damage, cleaning | Bi-annual | $20 – $50 | May need replacement every 10-15 years (higher cost) |
| Gutters & Downspouts | Cleaning, repairs | Annual | $20 – $50 | Major repairs can be significantly more expensive |
| Plumbing | Leak inspection, drain cleaning | Every 2-3 years | $100 – $300 | Major repairs can be significantly more expensive |
| Electrical | System inspection, testing smoke detectors and GFCI outlets | Annual | $50 – $100 | Major repairs can be significantly more expensive |
| HVAC System | Air filter changes, professional cleaning and inspection | Annual (heating) & Bi-annual (cooling) | $50 – $200 | May need repairs or replacements over time (higher cost) |
| Appliance Maintenance | Cleaning refrigerator coils, range hood filters | Quarterly | DIY (low cost) | Professional cleaning may incur additional cost |
| Interior Maintenance | Deep cleaning, painting touch-ups | Biannual | DIY (low cost) | Painting supplies may add cost |
| Pest Control | Preventative treatment | Annual | $100 – $200 | Cost depends on size and service provider |
Low Resale Value
If you are thinking of selling your mobile house you will be disappointed to know it doesn’t have many potential buyers. The buyers are willing to pay you less than the actual price of the house because of the condition of your mobile house.
Other factors like life of the house and its location also affect its price. Furthermore, the limited financing options available for mobile homes also affect its resale value.
High Insurance Cost
Mobile home insurance is more expensive than traditional home insurance. This is because it gets relatively more damaged than traditional houses from weather events like rain, tornadoes and hurricanes.
Challenges of Mobile Home Living
Living in a mobile home comes with many different challenges that you haven’t predicted. We will discuss those challenges in detail.
Space and Storage: One of the most common challenges that you face living in a mobile house is space and storage issues. Mobile homes don’t have much space because they are designed to move across so that’s why they don’t have much space and storage.
Weather Vulnerability and Insulation Issues: The material used in home mobile is not as good as material used in traditional houses that’s why they have low resistance to weather. Furthermore mobile homes have insulation issues. That results in more energy consumption which increases your utility bills.
Limited Financing Option: Financing for mobile home is more difficult as compare normal traditional homes. Some lender may have strict requirement for loans which give less favorable condition to mobile home buyers.
Zoning Restrictions: Mobile homes may restrictions in certain areas. Homeowners may encounter challenges when trying to move or relocate their mobile homes due to zoning limitations.
Depreciation: Unlike traditional houses, mobile homes may depreciate in value, especially as they age. This make it more difficult for homeowners to sell their mobile homes for a profit in the future.
Understanding Mobile Home Park a Good Investment or Not
What is a mobile home park ?
A mobile home park, also known as a manufactured housing society or trailer park is an area where many mobile homes are located. These parks typically provide infrastructure like roads, utilities, and common areas for the residents’ use. Mobile home parks come in different sizes and offer different levels of facilities and services.
Types of Mobile Home Park
There are different types of mobile homes park.
Family-Owned Park: These types of park are owned by families or a group of people also called small scale investors. These parks provide amenities and services such as a playground for kids, community events, etc.
Senior-Only Parks: These parks are specially designed for people who are 55 years of age or more. They provide services such as social activities, and convenient access to healthcare services.
All-Age Parks: All-age mobile home parks are for people of all ages from children to adults. These park provide all the services convenient for the people of all ages like playgrounds for children and health services for old people.
Waterfront Parks: These parks are located near water bodies like lakes and rivers. Waterfront park provides a scenic view of nature. These types of parks are more common for the tourist.
Lease System in Mobile Home Park
In mobile home park lease is a legal agreement between park owner and resident in which they outline the terms and conditions for occupying a lot within the park.
What does the lease cover?
Lot Occupation: It is the contract between the park owner and the resident for occupying the available slot for the specific period of time. The time period can be fixed like (e.g. one year or from month to month).
Lot Rent: The lease specifies the monthly rent that residents have to pay for leasing the lot. This rent covers the ground fee and the maintenance of the park.
Termination Clauses: The lease outlines the condition that specifies that the lease agreement can be broken by the park owner or by the resident himself.
Important Points to Consider During lease agreement
Read the Contract Carefully: It is important to read the term and conditions of the lease agreement carefully before signing the contract. Don’t feel shame to ask the owner for clarification of any point you feel unclear.
Key points: Pay close attention to the points like the parking position, lease monthly rent, lease duration and how the maintenance works.
Negotiation: While lease agreements are standardized some of the aspects might be negotiable like duration of the lease or minor maintenance of the mobile.
What to consider when buying a used mobile home in the park?
Making a thoughtful land decision may be prudent when purchasing a mobile home. Leasing land in a mobile home park or manufactured home park offers benefits in addition to the initial attraction of a privately owned parcel. When thinking about purchasing a mobile home in a park, these are important things to make sure you have.
The value of having a mobile home in a park typically drops with time. For this reason, before making a purchase, make sure you have the information pack with you. Examine these inquiries to gain insight into the process of purchasing a mobile home in a park.
- How much is the homeowner’s association fee (HOA)?
- Does the park have common areas you can utilize?
- Does the mobile home park have gated security?
- Do you receive adequate land and privacy to meet your needs?
- Can leased land be owned over time?
Advantages and Disadvantages of Mobile Home Parks
| Feature | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| 1 | Affordability (lower purchase price and property taxes) | No land ownership (leasing the lot) |
| 2 | Sense of community | Financing challenges (higher interest rates and shorter terms) |
| 3 | Amenities (depending on the park) | Depreciation on a mobile home (means it lose its value over time) |
| 4 | Mobility (in theory) | Resale challenges (smaller market and lower resale value) |
Manufactured models are federally-recognized homes and are overwhelmingly accepted living spaces. But it’s important to conduct due diligence by getting detailed documentation about local regulations before purchasing a lot.
Financing and Insurance Difficulties of Mobile Homes
Financing and insurance of mobile homes are much more difficult as compared to the traditional homes. Here are some of some of the difficulties regarding financing and insurance that you can encounter.
Loans
Mobile homes are considered personal property, so traditional mortgages aren’t typically available. Instead, financing relies on different types of loans.
- Chattel Loans: These are secure loans in which your house serves as collateral. These loans have high interest rates as compared to traditional houses.
- FHA Title I Property Improvement Loans: These are loans given by the government which can be used to buy mobile homes and on which the house is saturated. But it has strict eligibility.
Down Payment
The required down payment of home is high typically starting from 10% to 20%. Which is much higher as compared to the traditional homes.
Credit Score
It is important for mobile home loans. It is difficult for people with low credit scores to get a loan for a mobile home.
Insurance
For mobile homes there is a special type of insurance called (HO-7). Which is different from normal home insurance.
High Premiums
- Perceived Higher Risk: Mobile homes can get damaged easily with weather events like hurricanes and tornadoes.
- Age of Mobile Homes: It is difficult to get insurance for old mobile houses.
- Location: The location of mobile home parks can affect the insurance price. Like parks which are at the place where weather disasters are more often have high insurance rates.
Why Mobile Homes have low resale value
Put your mobile home for sale and don’t get any calls. Well, there are several reasons why the value of your mobile home has low resale price some of the reason are follow
Construction Material
Mobile homes are typically made from low material like plywood and vinyl siding where as normal houses are made from bricks, stone and high quality wood which is much stronger. Due to low quality material it deteriorates faster reducing the resale value.
Limited Land Ownership
You typically lease the land where your mobile home is located. You don’t own the land which decreases its value.
Smaller Market
The market of mobile homes is not as vast as the market of traditional houses so that’s why it is difficult to spot potential buyers.
Moving Cost
Since the mobile home is typically mobile, moving them is expensive. The cost of transporting and setting up the home at a new location is costly. Because of it the buyer cut the moving cost from the actual cost of the house.
Tips to Improve Your Mobile House
Maximize Space
Mobile homes sometimes feel cramped. You can overcome this by using space friendly furniture. Like folding tables and cabinets. Which makes it look bigger.
Flooring Refresh
New flooring can change your mobile home’s interior dramatically. It feels like you are living in a new house and mobile home flooring is easy to maintain.
Skirting Update
It gives your mobile home a finishing look considering replacing old and damaged skirting with a more attractive and durable material like vinyl or aluminum.
Roof Maintenance
Roof maintenance is crucial for protecting your home from different elements. It is important to inspect your roof thoroughly so that you don’t have to face difficulties like leaking and other roof problems.
Other Important factors
You can consider other factors like paint , curb Appeal , energy saving and porch perfection etc.
Things to Know Before Buying a Mobile Homes
The average cost of a new single-wide manufactured home is approximately $81,400 to $90,000 in 2024 and the median price of a double-wide is $120,000 to $160,000. Single-family home construction can cost you about $150 per square foot and new homes of 2,000 square feet can cost you about $307,000.It makes little financial sense to buy a secondhand mobile home given the big differences in costs.
Additionally, you may be able to modify a newly purchased manufactured home to suit your needs. Even though purchasing a secondhand mobile home is more affordable Working directly with a manufacturer allows you to choose the exact features, layout, and design of your dream mobile home at a fraction of the price of a site-built building.
Purchasing new enables regular folks to have their ideal, reasonably priced dream home. To ensure you know what to look for when purchasing a manufactured house, these are things you should carefully consider adding to your checklist.
Know When to Buy: The cost of manufactured homes can change throughout time. Prices for mobile homes might be less expensive on average, and deals might be offered from January to March. Saving money by holding off on purchasing a mobile home until a suitable moment will come along. Understand where and when to purchase a mobile home.
Mobile Home Size: There are three types of manufactured homes
- Single wide
- Double wide
- Triple wide
Generally speaking, single-wide mobile homes or manufacture homes are 15 feet wide. Triple-wide mobile homes or manufacture homes can stretch up to 45 feet wide, while double-wide mobile homes or manufacture homes are 26 feet wide. The width of these mobile home kinds is all that is mentioned, not always the floor plan.
Purchasing a larger mobile home is always preferable, especially because the cost is justified and most individuals end up regretting their small-sized purchase.
Know What Floor Plans Are Available: Manufactured houses come with a variety of floor plans to suit different family sizes. It’s critical to take into account elements like gathering areas, the necessity of a home office, the size and features of the kitchen, and master bedrooms or suites. Before meeting with a mobile home representative, compile a list of the requirements for your family and recommended practices.
Know Your Financing Options: It’s not always necessary for prospective purchasers to rely on specialty lenders. Buyers who are approved can obtain a mortgage through conventional choices or lending programmed like FHA, VA, USDA Rural, Chattel, HUD, or others. When purchasing a new manufactured house, there can also be specialty loans available for those with low incomes and credit ratings.
Know Potential Additional Costs 2024: Make sure you research ancillary charges like insurance, sewage, water, and electricity while obtaining finance for your new mobile home. Purchasing a newly manufactured home appears simple—that is, until you view the finished product.
Know Your Customization Options: Your new manufactured home’s price will depend on its size, style, and level of customization. Modern mobile homes come equipped with opulent facilities and are built from premium materials.
Customers frequently regret not buying the options they wanted when placing an order for a new manufactured home. Considering how affordable these living areas are, purchasers are frequently more satisfied when all of their ideal housing requirements are satisfied.
Cost of New Mobile Homes According to 2024
| Type of Mobile Home | Average Cost Range (Home Only) |
| Single-Wide | $81,400 – $90,000 |
| Double-Wide | $120,000 – $160,000 |
| Triple-Wide | $200,000 – $250,000+ |
Cost of Used Mobile Homes According to 2024
| Mobile Home Size | Description | Estimated Price Range |
| Single-Wide | Typically 1 or 2 bedrooms, smaller size | $10,000 – $25,000 |
| Double-Wide | Typically 2 or 3 bedrooms, larger size | $60,000 – $90,000 |
| Triple-Wide | 3 or more bedrooms, largest size | (Price likely starts above $90,000) |
Pros and Cons of Living in Mobile Home
| Feature | Pros | Cons |
| Affordability | – Lower purchase price compared to traditional houses – Potentially lower property taxes | – Financing challenges (higher interest rates, shorter terms) |
| Sense of Community | – Can foster a close-knit community feel, especially in well-managed parks | – Limited privacy compared to detached houses |
| Amenities (Depending on Park) | – Access to amenities like laundry facilities, playgrounds, or even swimming pools (varies by park) | – Park rules may restrict certain activities or modifications |
| Mobility (Potentially) | – Technically mobile homes can be relocated, although the process can be expensive and challenging | – You typically lease the land, not owning it |
Lower Maintenance Needs (Compared to Houses) | – May require less exterior maintenance than a traditional house | – May still require regular maintenance for plumbing, electrical systems, and appliances |
Weather a mobile home is a good investment ?
Well according to the given information above I think mobile home is good investment for short term because it is cheaper than traditional house but unlike traditional house it’s value decreases by every passing year. So you can’t expect profit from it. It has several advantages over traditional house like you can move it any where you want, it is easy to fix.
Conclusion
If you are thinking of buying a new mobile home or upgrading your current one, this guide is designed to assist you at every step. From choosing the right model to understanding financing options and navigating the complexities of installation, we’ve covered everything to make your decision easier. For those who seek more personalized assistance or expert advice tailored to your specific needs, consider reaching out to HR Property Doctor. As specialists in mobile homes, they can provide professional guidance to ensure that you make the best choice for your lifestyle and budget. Don’t hesitate to contact them for a consultation that could enhance your home-buying journey.