Whereneverever Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 On a basement foundation? Not a manufactured or mobile home, I mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 if it were well insulated, yes. in wyoming, if it weren't, no. not sure that helps.... ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted June 1, 2013 Author Share Posted June 1, 2013 That does help. It wouldn't prejudice you against the home? I'm seeing online that it doesn't technically even have to be disclosed. The more I read the more confused I feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xixstar Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 What would the concern be? I'm not up on modern house lingo but I have several friends that have gone with 'custom' houses but it may be the same thing were it is mostly constructed before it arrives - so strange. But they've been very happy with their houses. I am just curious what the negatives would be for a home like that since, again, I know nothing about modern house options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berta Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 I wouldn't hesitate to buy one. I did a lot of research on modular homes when we bought our place. We have a few acres and a double wide manufactured home. The plan was to live in the DW while putting a modular home on the back of the property. It's been 3 years and we have yet to even start the modular because I'm pretty happy with my DW. You couldn't have told me that 3 yrs ago though lol... I was going to stay in a hotel while a modular was being put up. They are structurally sound and no different from a stick built home once it's on your foundation. Manufactured and mobile homes are NOT modular homes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 No, I would not. The resale value, at least in our area, is not great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celticmom Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 I would make sure that it can be insured like a normal house rather than having to be insured as a mobile home. If it can be insured as a normal house I would definitely consider it. I might have someone knowledgeable check how the foundation and the house are attached to each other and the subfloor/upper foundation on the house as well. I would also research the company the house came from thoroughly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 What would the concern be? I'm not up on modern house lingo but I have several friends that have gone with 'custom' houses but it may be the same thing were it is mostly I am just curious what the negatives would be for a home like that since, again, I know nothing about modern house options. I have no first hand experience with them, but I remember another thread about modular homes and someone was saying that several things in their house (like the doors) were a non-standard size and difficult to replace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berta Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 You are confusing a modular home with manufactured and mobile homes. Modular homes are stick built in a factory and brought to the sight in several large pieces and put together on the lot. Manufactured homes are mass manufactured (not stick built) and quality can vary, but must meet HUD standards. They can be insured with homeowners insurance if they were manufactured after a certain date, which means they are up to code. Mobile homes are also mass manufactured but do NOT meet the HUD standards and cannot be insured with homeowners insurance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 You are confusing a modular home with manufactured and mobile homes. Modular homes are stick built in a factory and brought to the sight in several large pieces and put together on the lot. Manufactured homes are mass manufactured (not stick built) and quality can vary, but must meet HUD standards. They can be insured with homeowners insurance if they were manufactured after a certain date, which means they are up to code. Mobile homes are also mass manufactured but do NOT meet the HUD standards and cannot be insured with homeowners insurance. This is exactly the reason the resale value is poor in our area. Modulars will sit on the market far longer than traditionally built homes because there is a perception that it's a manufactured home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted June 1, 2013 Author Share Posted June 1, 2013 This is exactly the reason the resale value is poor in our area. Modulars will sit on the market far longer than traditionally built homes because there is a perception that it's a manufactured home. That's my concern... Not that they are equal, but that people, including a lot of realtors, perceive that they are. Hmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berta Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 Sounds like you can get a good deal on a great modular house! You do not have to disclose a modular home to a potential buyer. When you walk into a modular there is no way you can tell the difference between a modular and a stick built home. There is no way to pass off a manufactured or mobile home as a regular modular or stick built home. There is no comparison. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 I would do it. Some friends of ours had one built several years ago. It is a very nice house and if they hadn't told me, I would not have known it was modular. They took lots of pics and made a book showing how it came together. Once the basement/foundation was made, the whole house was brought in and put together in one day. They had lots of neighbors stop by that day because there was nothing there when they left for work and a whole house when they came home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMamaBird Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 No I would not. We spent 9 years in a double wide trailer, and when it was time for us to go house hunting, one of our requirements was "No Modular Built Homes." We wanted a stick built. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 I wouldn't hesitate to buy one. I did a lot of research on modular homes when we bought our place. We have a few acres and a double wide manufactured home. The plan was to live in the DW while putting a modular home on the back of the property. It's been 3 years and we have yet to even start the modular because I'm pretty happy with my DW. You couldn't have told me that 3 yrs ago though lol... I was going to stay in a hotel while a modular was being put up. They are structurally sound and no different from a stick built home once it's on your foundation. Manufactured and mobile homes are NOT modular homes. There is a real estate learning curve here - the distinction between mobile home and manufactured home. All too often they are considered the same and they are not. We lived once in a mobile home and it is like living in a car - even though it is not necessarily mobile. They don't appreciate in value either but rather depreciate like a vehicle. Manufactured home can mean a lot of things so you may need to be specific as a buyer or seller. On a firm foundation? Assembled in a traditional fashion and then erected at the building site? Came in modular panels but is now built as strong as a stick-built home? Insulation R-value? Ask for a description of construction material or provide it if you are trying to sell. Once we have learned the differences, real estate values may adjust and be similar for stick-built on site homes and assembled, modular or panel homes. Mobile Homes will likely never compare to them, nor should they IMHO. Check your library for Sarah Susanka's books. The best known is probably "The not so big house". In the back of one these books, you can see the steps taken to assemble a modular home (hers). She is an architect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berta Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 No I would not. We spent 9 years in a double wide trailer, and when it was time for us to go house hunting, one of our requirements was "No Modular Built Homes." We wanted a stick built. Again, a double wide is NOT a modular home. Modular homes ARE stick built homes. They are stick built in pieces and put together on site. Double wides are not stick built. I don't think there is a real piece of wood IN my house.We had planned on putting a new modular on our property but have yet to do so because I honestly like my double wide. I have tons of space, it costs me very little to own and that allows me to be home with my kids. If a tornado or hurricane blows it down, the cost of new double wide is not much. My husband can level it with the tractor, haul it off and in a week we will have a new one in place. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMamaBird Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 Again, a double wide is NOT a modular home. Modular homes ARE stick built homes. They are built in pieces and put together on site. Yeah, I know that, we have the internet. Regardless, it was still something we didn't want to buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNW Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 I can only comment on my experience of renting . We are renting a modular home temporarily and it is very spacious and comfortable. My family was visiting last weekend and they kept commenting on how they loved the "flow" and spaciousness. We have a full basement/garage and it is humongous. I am really surprised at how much we are enjoying it. That said, I have heard that they don't hold their value as others have mentioned. But I'm just repeating what I have heard for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Again, a double wide is NOT a modular home. Modular homes ARE stick built homes. They are stick built in pieces and put together on site. Double wides are not stick built. I don't think there is a real piece of wood IN my house.We had planned on putting a new modular on our property but have yet to do so because I honestly like my double wide. I have tons of space, it costs me very little to own and that allows me to be home with my kids. If a tornado or hurricane blows it down, the cost of new double wide is not much. My husband can level it with the tractor, haul it off and in a week we will have a new one in place. lol We almost bought a mobile (though not a double wide) when we were property virgins. We toured some beatiful ones and currently our neighbour is living in an older one that he has completely redone and looks fantastic. I think they're a great option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted June 2, 2013 Author Share Posted June 2, 2013 Thank, everyone. More to muse on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 I think what you end up with depends a lot on how it's done. A modular home put in one of our previous neighborhoods sat out on the lot for months before being assembled. I wouldn't trust the integrity of that house. Our current home is a doublewide (I know, not the same thing. It was for just until we built a house, which hasn't happened yet.) and I trust that more than a house that sat for a season before being assembled, stick-built or modular. I've also seen friends put together a stick-built house as finances allowed and the foundation was half-rotted before the roof was put on. After buying a couple places in a couple years in our price range, I assume anything will be a piece of crap and temporary. It sounds awful, but I've found other people in the same price range who assume the same thing. They figure it's cheaper than rent even if you pay to sell it. We bought this place for the land and considered the house a better option than a camper until we built something - which still hasn't happened. A basement makes a difference. Not looking modular helps too. Are you the ones buying or building? That would also change my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted June 2, 2013 Author Share Posted June 2, 2013 We're looking at buying. We can get about seven times as many acres if we put a new modular home on a lot vs buying an existing home here. I'm trying to process if that's a huge mistake or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie in VA Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 I've lived in a modular home for 11 years now, and we've been happy with it. We don't have a basement, but there is a taller than usual crawl space under the house. It was amazing to go in one morning from having a foundation to having a house in place! Our house is three stories, and consisted of four modules. I don't think anyone would know from looking that it was modular. It definitely saved us a lot of money and time -- I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted June 2, 2013 Author Share Posted June 2, 2013 Thanks! What company did you use, if I can ask? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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