topic Any live in a modular home? in Community Chat

Any live in a modular home?

hannah64 — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 21:50:59 GMT

We are thinking of buying a new modular home so we can have a floor plan we love. Does anyone live in one and has anyone had any issues with them? Thanks.

Re: Any live in a modular home?

withaK — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 22:09:48 GMT

My late inlaws lived in one for maybe 15 years. It was very spacious and cozy.

I would do alot of research on the builder and speak with anyone in the community if that is where you would be living. Check out the buidling products the builder will use etc. I remember going thru all their estate paperwork finding the plans etc for their home. There was some paper work with regard to the flooring and varnish and potential health risks.

Re: Any live in a modular home?

blueroses47 — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 22:17:14 GMT

About 6 years ago, my husband wanted to build a modular house on a vacant lot we had owned for many years.

At first, I didn't even know what this was, and I was leery, about how sturdy these things were. I think I had them confused with othern types of homes. I had to go look at examples, and talk to people who had had them built, etc.

I did talk to others and took a few tours, and my fears were put aside.

Fast forward 6 years, and I've been in this house, and absolutely no problems. It's worked out fine for our needs, anyway.

Is this kind of a house not as good as a conventional stick built home?. Well, I can see here there might be this argument, but it wasn't an issue fo rme, and so, I don't really know. It was actually a reitement home, and a money-making issue, not a life and death issue.

Years after we built ours, there was a lot on TV with Bob Villa at the shore, where Hurricane Sandy destroyed many homes and there was a lot of rebuilding. My impression was, that modular building may well be a really popular method of building.

Bottomline though, is I love this house, now that I'm in it. I cetainly can't tell it's been built in this fashion., and no problems whatsoever that I can tell you about.

Re: Any live in a modular home?

Gram W — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 22:50:39 GMT

Before my husband became sick we looked at modular homes to put on our property. We also talked to our bank. At that time the gentleman said that they would rather give a mortgage on a modular than a stick house. Contractors can hide a lot behind the walls and cut corners in their favor. Modulars were regulated and each piece had to be built strong enough to be transported on rough highways to your building site. The bank could be on the property to exam each piece before and after the pieces were put together to approve before each payment.

Down the road a neighbor put up a 2 story modular home several years ago. It arrived in 4 pieces. A crane put it together in no time. A stranger would never guess it was a modular.

Re: Any live in a modular home?

SilleeMee — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 22:58:25 GMT

Insurance will cost more for modular homes. They have a higher risk for damage and because it is limited on where you can place them, they have been known to have more theft claims.

Re: Any live in a modular home?

sandraskates — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 00:50:20 GMT

I also suggest checking with the city or area you're planning on building / placing this modular home. We wanted to buy a lot near a beach and put one there.

Their zoning demanded an architechural drawing and normally built dwelling.

We bailed on purchasing that lot.

Re: Any live in a modular home?

RedTop — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 02:29:11 GMT

My husbands sister lives in a beautiful 2 story modular home, with a full stand up finished attic for storage. The downstairs rooms are large, and have high ceilings. The only issue they've had with the house was replacing 3 sets of French doors that weathered badly and started leaking. They placed, received, and returned 3 orders for replacement doors trying to get the correct size---which is an off size, and harder to find.

My SIL had stone applied to the front of the house which is a super accent to the sage colored siding. The house is really nice, and they love it, but now realize the inconvenience of a 2 story house with their new health issues.

Re: Any live in a modular home?

Georgiagrama — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 03:08:50 GMT

@hannah64

I have several friends who live in a modular home and they have beautiful homes. Over the years they have added such things as a glass sun porch, one added a wrap around porch, and one added a beautiful covered deck. They have had no problems and with improvements, the resale value has increased. They are all in good areas with beautiful landscaping and anyone would be hard pressed to know that it's not stick built.

You may remember the Jim Walter Homes that were popular for many years. They had the best floor plans with the most efficient use of space I've ever seen.

Do your homework, and you'll be fine.

Re: Any live in a modular home?

Lapdog — Thu, 17 Aug 2017 01:31:37 GMT

My family has lived in a "manufactured" home for 20+years. They are unable to get a bank to refinance to lower the interest rate.

Re: Any live in a modular home?

sheilababe — Thu, 17 Aug 2017 03:57:22 GMT

We had one for almost 10 years with no problems. My husband did a lot of research and he said that the way they are built is better then a standard home because they are usually moved in pieces.

You should do your research for loans, insurance and property taxes. In our area, the assessors couldn't decide if our house was a mobile home and our tax bills were delayed. We also found out that if we ever wanted to move the house, our city would Not issue us a permit to do so. We heard that some lenders are not crazy about loaning money for these types of homes but we obtained a loan without any problems.

In the end, everything worked out fine and we did enjoy designing and living in our home and didn't have a problem selling it.

Re: Any live in a modular home?

Zhills — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 00:54:45 GMT

Does it really matter where a home is built? If it is built to the same standards (and they are) it can be built anywhere and set up just like a regular 'site built' home. If you look on the net, the number of modular or mobile homes in the USA is very high. They cost less, can be put in less restricted areas and are very comfortable living. The only difference in a mobile and modular is they leave the axles on a mobile so the wheels can be put on it to move it. They are both usually set up permanently. The mobile/modular communities today are nothing like the trailer parks of old. They are no different than a site built community.

In Florida, if you put a home on your own land and set it up permanently, it is just like any home. You can get homeowner's ins and homestead exemption on it.

If you own the unit but someone else owns the land, the unit is treated just like a vehicle. You buy a decal and "tag" every year just like your car. You can insure them like a home. Many states have over 200,000 home that are modular/mobile.

Re: Any live in a modular home?

mousiegirl — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 01:18:53 GMT

@Zhills wrote:
Does it really matter where a home is built? If it is built to the same standards (and they are) it can be built anywhere and set up just like a regular 'site built' home. If you look on the net, the number of modular or mobile homes in the USA is very high. They cost less, can be put in less restricted areas and are very comfortable living. The only difference in a mobile and modular is they leave the axles on a mobile so the wheels can be put on it to move it. They are both usually set up permanently. The mobile/modular communities today are nothing like the trailer parks of old. They are no different than a site built community.

In Florida, if you put a home on your own land and set it up permanently, it is just like any home. You can get homeowner's ins and homestead exemption on it.

If you own the unit but someone else owns the land, the unit is treated just like a vehicle. You buy a decal and "tag" every year just like your car. You can insure them like a home. Many states have over 200,000 home that are modular/mobile.

@Zhills As far as i can see, there is no in ground foundation, that is a big difference.

Re: Any live in a modular home?

DiAnne — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 01:27:05 GMT

I have a friend in Southern California who bought one in a popular beach town. She has been trying to sell it for three years without success. She said people equate it with a trailer. There may be different attitudes about this in different parts of the country.

Re: Any live in a modular home?

Georgiagrama — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 17:20:42 GMT

@Zhills

I believe you are correct. In our area, at least, our friend kept the wheels under his modular (which is beautiful) so that he would be taxed on a mobile home and his taxes are much less than if he had placed his unit on a foundation and removed the wheels.

Re: Any live in a modular home?

Zhills — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 17:30:05 GMT

If they are set up properly, they are on, usually concrete blocks, as a foundation and tied down with a steel band every so many feet to make them secure. The electric and sewer must be to county code just like a site built house.

Yea, you can pull one with your truck and just park it. But is you do, you should know the risks!

Re: Any live in a modular home?

Zhills — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 17:34:01 GMT

If you look at the number of people living in modular/mobile housing across the US, it should not be any less attractive as a home.

Many site built homes are shoddy construction. They put a house up as quickly as possible. Time is money.

Re: Any live in a modular home?

kitty60 — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 18:00:19 GMT

Many people have different interpretations of modular homes. Many years ago my father and his wife did a modular home. They went to the factory where it was to be built and picked everything out just as you would with a builder. They have to conform to the codes where you live. He had a footing and basement and placed the home on top of that. Later he added on both a garage and an in-law suite. You would never know that this house was anything other than stick built. It is stick built, just not on the lot.

Re: Any live in a modular home?

Financialgrl — Fri, 25 Aug 2017 11:45:17 GMT

@Lapdog wrote:
My family has lived in a "manufactured" home for 20+years. They are unable to get a bank to refinance to lower the interest rate.

I was just going to mention this. My niece and her fiance found a home they loved and had been planning to buy. They were in the process of buying it and the mortgage company they were working with held things up for a LONG time. At issue was the county website said this was a manufactured home but the home inspector said it was a trailer. It was on 6 acres in the country so it wasn't one of those deals where you own the trailer and not the land and pay lot rent. In any case, they lost the place bc when it was reclassified as a trailer, mortgage companies wouldn't lend money on that - it has to be financed by a different type company. When they changed into how they would need to finance this they lost the house bc someone came in with a full cash offer .