Whats the difference between a mobile/modular/manufactured home?

Answer 1

You have alot of terrible info here. Manufactured home is the current name for a mobile home or trailer and have a vin # just like a car, they are hud approved and have come along way. They are built on a metal trailer and can be mounted on a regular foundation or a stack of bricks. They can depreciate and are harder to insure and get financing for. The new one are as nice as a many regular home but the banks, appraisers and insurance companies disagree so that is bottom line.

Manufactued aka. trailer, mobile homes are rolled onto a foundation or jacked up and have a "foundation" built uner them. A modular home will be lifted buy a crane onto an existing foundation either a crawl space or basement.

Modular homes are stick built homes built in a factory, they have to placed on a foundation just like a reg home. They are usually better built than most track homes. The pieces on a modular home need to be able to be lifted buy a crane, they require more bracing and support than a site built home does. I have both site built homes and a Modular home, which I live in. Both are stick built but the difference is a site built home is built on site and the modular home is stick built in a factory.

Modular homes in my area insure, finance and appraise the same as site built. Other areas may be different, this is something you need to check into before you make your decsions on what type of home you build.

I choose modular because of the quality and quicker construction time. Prices have gone up. I bought mine for about $60 a square foot a year and a hlf ago. I just priced some modulars for some porberty I am developing and they have gone up to over $110-$130 a square foot. In my area I can have site built home built for less.

Answer 2

Terminology is one thing that makes them different. Mobile can have a permanent foundation or not. Manufactured homes are assemble at the factory and transported to your location. They can be set into the ground or set above the ground with steps going into the house. Modular are basically the square shape with standard rooms.

Manufactured homes look like a stick built home and once they add on all of the extras it can cost you almost the same as an stick built home. They sound cheap but you have to add on all of the extras; foundation, transporation to your site, permits, land, extras that you want--fixtures, flooring, deck, windows, tubs, kitchen cabinets, etc.

A relative ordered a house from another state and the problems that he had to go through to get the home on his property. They cracked a wall, and then they set it down on the main street because they did not have the right type of jack to lower it into the ground. It set on the main street for two weeks and the Highway Patrol put a ticket on it, and he had a hard time getting the company to come back and move it to his place.

This company had taken many people money and then they filed bankruptcy. It became an legal issue, and the head guy is setting in prison. The company is still in business because they are using a different name. DO YOUR HOME WORK BEFORE YOU GIVE ANYBODY MONEY.

Answer 3

No,they don't suck,but they are a less expensive alternative than a manufactured or a modular.Mobiles need much greater care than other types. Look in a mobile home park and look at the condition of one that is 40 years(if it lasts that long)old. Then look at a higher quality modular or stick built that is that old. It is apparent which one holds their value longer.
You really do get what you pay for.

Answer 4

The other respondents are quite correct in the terms defining the differences. The term which has the greatest variance, however, is 'manufactured'. That term seems to extend to houses which are built exactly as are conventional structures and are transported to the site in various segments or pieces. Some 'manufactured' homes look exactly like those built on site and have the same high quality level.

"Modular" seems to be used much more for homes which are delivered in two separate pieces and resemble a 'pair' of mobile homes fastened together at site.

Answer 5

Manufactured homes are homes that are built in a factory and transported to the site. Both mobile homes and modular homes are manufactured homes.

Modular homes can be put on a basement, and are usually transported in pieces. A mobile home (single wide), is on wheels and set on concrete slabs. Modular homes have different ratings, and the re sell values are higher. The looks of modular homes vary greatly.

If you put either on land that you own, both would be considered real estate. I don't know if these rules vary from state to state.

Answer 6

You already have 2 great answers, but to add to the two, understand that the financing for mobile/modular/manufactured homes is harder than for conventional homes. Lenders require full document loans with a larger down payments on homes which are mobile/modular/manufactured than on conventional homes, which hold their value better than the above.

Answer 7

Mobile continues to go down in value.
modular on a foundation goes up in value.
manufactured on foundation goes up in value.
Mobile has higher loans costs.
Modular Manufactured can have same loans costs as 'stick' built when u deal with educate mortgage writers.

Answer 8

so mobile homes suck?