9 Reasons Manufactured Homes Are a Great Housing Option

Although plenty of housing options are available to those on the property ladder, some options will be more affordable and efficient than others and buying a manufactured home might be the best next step. A site-built home may be a homeowner’s dream. However, modular home cost or the construction efficiency when buying a manufactured home could sway you in a different direction. 

Below, we discuss the top nine reasons manufactured homes make a great housing option for those looking to build their forever homes. 

#1 Affordability

With today’s rising home costs, it’s more important than ever that housing be affordable. As we come out of the 2020 recession from the Covid-19 pandemic, supply chains and labor issues have caused a significant increase in prices. The increase in materials and low housing inventory has created a new housing crisis. 

Housing has become too expensive for many Americans. Buying a manufactured home, provides the assembly and construction process. This creates an efficient system that keeps labor and material costs down, translating to a lower home price for the home buyer. There are no more affordable housing options than buying manufactured housing.

According to Zillow, the median home price in the United States is $320,662. This is way beyond the reach of many Americans. The median manufactured home price, however, is under $100,000. That is less than half of a site-built home, which opens up the door to homeownership for many families.

#2 Control

Just ask anyone who has built their own home, and you’ll hear stories of construction delays, cost overruns, missing materials, and difficult contractors. These are the pitfalls of any new home construction, and they can cause tremendous, unnecessary stress in any homeowner’s life. 

Fortunately for those who buy manufactured homes, these problems rarely occur during the home building process. These homes are constructed on an assembly line, and builders can control these variables more efficiently. There’s no weather to worry about. The builders buy materials in bulk, so they never run out, and there are plenty of workers to step in if one or two are out sick. 

Building homes in a factory makes a lot of sense. Think about it this way -would you want to buy a new car to have the manufacturer drop off all the parts at your home and assemble the car in your driveway? Of course not. The efficient building process is why manufactured housing makes so much sense.

#3 Construction Efficiency

An efficient product is an affordable, well-built one – manufactured housing is no different. Manufacturers build hundreds and hundreds of homes per year, meaning they can create efficient processes for constructing homes. These processes include assembly lines, purchasing materials in bulk to keep costs down, and hiring specialized laborers that are great at their job.

#4 Design Options

Today’s manufactured homes are not your ‘grandma’s single-wide trailer.’ These new homes are full style and modern design elements, and they look great to boot. 

Many of the designs have some features that you’ll only find in the most expensive site-built homes, such as Nest thermostats, energy star appliances, and built-in wireless connectivity. They also have more traditional design filters that make homes look great. These include vaulted ceilings, covered porches, kitchen islands, and five-piece on-suite bathrooms. 

In high-end factory-built homes, you’ll also find hardwood floors, glass and tile showers, and marble countertops! Today’s manufactured homes really do have a design option for every type of buyer.

#5 Energy Efficiency

It’s safe to say that every homeowner loves low energy bills. And the good news is manufactured homes can help! Factories are putting all sorts of energy-efficient features in today’s manufactured homes, including energy star appliances, high-efficiency bath features, foam insulation, and high-performance windows/doors.

Studies have found that manufactured homes built to be energy efficient can provide an overall savings of 55% compared to alternatives that stimulate regular energy use. These modern options are much less likely to cause fires as well, helping you save on manufactured home insurance.

#6 Amenities 

What would the features be in your dream home? 10-foot ceilings? Covered porches? HUGE master baths with glass and tile? Don’t worry – manufactured homes can have all the features you find in luxurious site-built homes. 

And the best part? The builders install and complete these luxurious features in the factory, not at your home site. This means that all those high-end features don’t sit outside in the weather and deteriorate. Some home manufacturers even have fireplaces, jetted tubs, bay windows, granite counters, and hardwood floors.

#7 Warranty 

If you want to sleep with peace of mind knowing your home is protected, a home warranty is a great place to start. Manufactured homes are built exceptionally well, but there can always be minor problems that creep up. 

That’s why most manufactured homes come with a home warranty. These will generally last for one year for the entire house. The various components (doors, windows, appliances, etc.) will have a separate warranty from the manufacturer. And suppose you want even more protection for your new home. In that case, retailers will often have extended warranties that you can purchase with your new home.

Here are some factors to find out about your warranty when you buy a manufactured home

• Warranty length
• Contents of the warranty (e.g., what does it cover?)
• Items that void the warranty (e.g., if the installation site is not prepared correctly)
• Party responsible for performing the warranty work (e.g., retailer, builder, installer, etc.)

#8 Home Placement

Do you have a piece of property that’s difficult to build on? Or maybe it’s in a flood-prone area on the coast, and you need to put the home up on stilts? Manufactured housing is the answer to your problems. 

Manufactured homes are assembled off-site and can be set ABOVE ground. They are great options for a property that’s not well suited for a site-built home. Got some rocky ground? No problem – the manufactured home will sit above it. Maybe it’s a smaller lot with no room for materials? Manufactured homes can be set in just a day or two, so you won’t have property covered in construction materials and equipment for the building. 

#9 Appreciation

Did you know that when buying a manufactured home, this type of residence can still appreciate in value just like a site-built home? There’s a common misconception that manufactured homes depreciate and are not a good investment. This is not true! 

The value will fluctuate based on the local real estate market, which means that often the value will go up. If the home is titled with the land, the home is treated as real property, just like a site-built home. Of course, you’ll also want to get manufactured home insurance to cover your purchase.

Some of the factors that determine a manufactured home’s value include:

• Local housing market
• Local community
• The initial price of the home
• Inflation
• Age of the home
• Overall condition of the home
• Location of the home 

CoverTree makes getting your manufactured home insured easy. Our team will offer you the best coverage at the best price. Simply answer a few questions, choose the quote that suits you best, and that’s it… you’re covered. Get a manufactured home insurance quote today!