The popularity of living in a mobile home is rising. The reasons are because they are low-cost housing options. The average cost of buying a mobile home is about a quarter of buying a regular family home. Mobile homes are made in factories, transported to the lot and placed and the manufacturing process is quicker than building a conventional home.
Affordability
If you are planning on investing in a mobile home, you must first check your finances and decide whether you can afford a mobile home. Loans are expensive and few financial institutions offer loans for the purchase of mobile homes. Besides buying a home, you will have to consider the cost of the land where the mobile home is to be placed and the fees to set up the home.
Loans
The Federal Housing Administration insures loans given for mobile homes. Financial institutions are willing to give loans when they are insured by the FHA. You need to get clearance from the Housing and Urban Development department HUD and a letter from the Institute for Building Technology and Safety to get a loan if you plan to invest in a mobile home.
Types
There are three types of mobile homes. Factories manufacture single-wide mobile homes, double-wide mobile homes and, triple-wide mobile homes. Single-wide is suitable if you live alone or along with your spouse. Double-wides are larger especially for those who are hospitable and often have guests visiting. Triple-wides look and function exactly like regular family homes and are ideal for families with children. All parts of the home are brought to the site by mobile home services and assembled.
Considerations
Before choosing a mobile home, you should keep certain considerations in mind. The retailer of the mobile home should have a good reputation. You should research the reputation of the retailer of mobile home services on internet review sites and the website of the Better Business Bureau. You could also ask friends and relatives about the reputation of the retailer. The retailer should be local. This will avoid high shipping costs. You will also be in a position to ask the retailer for help if there are problems with the mobile home.
Look at the features of the mobile home carefully including the roofing style, the flooring, and insulation. You should also get a quote from transporters other than the transporter used by the dealer and choose the most affordable option to bring the mobile home to the site.
Inspection
You must get a mobile home inspection performed by a certified and licensed inspector. These inspectors have tools like moisture readers that can detect inherent defects in the structure of the home. They will detect accurately squeaking floors, damage around furnaces and water heaters, damaged rafters causing ceiling panels to sag, defects in toilet fittings and, cracks in the structure. The inspector will give you a detailed report about the structure of the mobile home. Before choosing a home inspector check the license requirements in your state. You can also check if they are members of ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors).
Other Options
To make buying a mobile home cost-effective, you could opt to buy a used mobile home. A used mobile home in good condition is cheaper than buying a new mobile home. You could also get a rent to own loan. You could rent the mobile home and purchase the home once the lease term is over.
Investing in a mobile home is a cheaper option as compared to buying a conventional house. These homes are quickly assembled at the site and can be maintained easily. They are the best options for those who are looking to buy their first home.
