The Ins and Outs of Buying Your First Manufactured Home

What is a Manufactured Home?

According to the HUD Code (The Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards), a manufactured home is any house that is made in a factory rather than being constructed on-site and if you’re looking at buying a manufactured home for the first time read on. The HUD-Code sets the specs for how these homes need to be conducted and is regularly updated to ensure that manufactured homes are always of the highest quality.

Before the HUD-Code was introduced in 1976, manufactured homes were known as mobile homes. These mobile homes had much less stringent rules and regulations regarding their construction. 

There’s no single model or style to manufactured homes, and they vary wildly in size and shape. The size of manufactured homes is often described in the terms “single-wide,” “double-wide,” or “triple-wide.” A single wide manufactured home is about the size of the older mobile homes or trailers. A double-wide would meanwhile be twice the size. 

Modern manufactured homes feature plenty of amenities that couldn’t be found in older mobile homes. These include things like granite countertops, hardwood floors, and even smart home appliances. It’s not uncommon to see new manufactured homes sporting the best in new home comfort technology. 

Why Should You Buy a Manufactured Home?

The number one reason to purchase a manufactured home has to be the value. When it comes to value, manufactured homes can’t. That’s not to say manufactured homes are cheap. Instead, they give you the most wiggle room when it comes to your budget. You can get manufactured homes from $50,000 all the way to over $300,000. 

However, you really start to notice the value when you make a square foot comparison. The median price per squad foot for a site-built home was $150 in 2021. For a high-quality manufactured home, it was only $80. 

The secret to these savings, without a drop in quality, is how the homes are made. Since they are manufactured in a factory, manufactured homes can buy materials in bulk and don’t need to worry about things like weather delays. All those savings are then passed right on to you. 

Where Can I Buy a Manufactured Home?

Manufactured home dealers can be found across the country, from California to New York and everywhere in between. If you want to buy a manufactured home, you simply need to find a licensed dealer in your area. Many dealers will also be able to help you with financing, insurance, and installation of your house. You can also look for pre-owned manufactured homes on any real-estate website serving your area. 

How Do You Buy a Manufactured Home?

Buying a manufactured home doesn’t have to be any more complicated than buying any other kind of home. Once you’ve found a dealer, see if they have a lot or some other way to browse their products. Manufactured homes can vary wildly in size, shape, and furnishing. Make sure to pick the house that is the best for your needs. 

After you know the kind of home you want, you’ll need to make sure you have property or land purchased. Using a realtor is your best bet to get the best deal on the land. Remember to do your research – not all areas allow the zoning for manufactured homes.

When you know the cost of your home and the land, you can start figuring out the financing for buying a manufactured home. Most people can’t buy a whole house in one go, so you’ll want to look for options for lenders. There are plenty of these options out there, so you’ll want to do your research. 

You’ll also want to get your new investment insured. You want to protect your new property, after all! 

If you’ve decided that manufactured housing is the best option for you, we’d love to help you in that process by providing you with an affordable, service-oriented insurance option. Click here to head over to our application and start the process of getting manufactured home insurance today.