manufactured home question

[razorbackmama]

We are pondering how we might be able to move to some land and have a place to live until we can build our "dream house" on that land.

 

If we were to get a manufactured home that would work for our family for now...is it crazy to think that we would be able to sell it later and have someone come move it off of our land? Yes, I know it will cost money to do that. I'm just wondering if people actually DO that?

[ErinE]

Manufactured homes decline in value quickly. I've never known anyone to have them moved. Most people I know with manufactured homes on the property leave them there or tear them down later.

 

Have you considered building a garage with an apartment or barn with attached living space? It might be slightly more expensive, but the building would be useful once you've built the home. 

[UncleEJ]

Yep! I just did that very thing. In the area I live, (NE Texas) that is very common. One thing to keep in mind is that manufactured homes don't hold their value very well. We were okay with that, to us it was better than renting.

[Mom23Boys]

Doing that is fairly common where I live. It will lose value, but it would cost money to rent a place while waiting to build. 

 

ETA: I'm in South Louisiana

Edited April 25, 2016 by Mom23Boys

[razorbackmama]

We aren't super concerned with depreciation - we need a place that can hold 10 people for a couple of years while we figure out what we want/need. Renting MIGHT be a possibility, but since it's a longer amount of time we'd rather not. Our family size is also an issue. We would be building on a plot of land that is the size of a small farm.

[razorbackmama]

Doing that is fairly common where I live. It will lose value, but it would cost money to rent a place while waiting to build. 

 

Where do you live? We are thinking about doing this in NW Arkansas.

[razorbackmama]

Have you considered building a garage with an apartment or barn with attached living space? It might be slightly more expensive, but the building would be useful once you've built the home. 

 

Our family has 10 people in it, but perhaps we could come up with something to make it work. We'd definitely use a barn later since a farm is in the future.

 

[Mom23Boys]

Where do you live? We are thinking about doing this in NW Arkansas.

 I'm sorry, I should have said where I live. I'm in South Louisiana.

[ErinE]

You can find barn blueprints with dedicated living spaces, but I've seen where a portion of a metal barn is walled off and converted into living space. If the barn is tall enough you could create space above the main living quarters for sleeping lofts, boys and girls, that could become a climate controlled attic once the final home is complete.

 

This link has something similar to what I've seen personally (third photo down):

http://whipplewanch.blogspot.com/2012/06/fun-work.html

[razorbackmama]

You can find barn blueprints with dedicated living spaces, but I've seen where a portion of a metal barn is walled off and converted into living space. If the barn is tall enough you could create space above the main living quarters for sleeping lofts, boys and girls, that could become a climate controlled attic once the final home is complete.

 

This link has something similar to what I've seen personally (third photo down):

http://whipplewanch.blogspot.com/2012/06/fun-work.html

 

Of course then the issue is where to live while the barn is being built? LOL we're right back to the beginning. Though if it weren't for that I'd love the idea! We would be moving there from out of state, so we'd need something pretty much ready to move into as soon as possible.

[umsami]

For a similar price, you can often find a log cabin that is prebuilt and they truck to your site.  They look much nicer than manufactured homes.  They can hook up 2-3 together to offer more space.    Here's one site but there are a gazillion of them. http://www.amishcabincompany.com/

 

 

Another option is a kit home that you put together.  They can often go up quite quickly.  Once again, many options out there.

 

http://www.shelter-kit.com/index.php

 

http://www.kodiaksteelhomes.com/about/inthenews

 

 

 

 

[razorbackmama]

For a similar price, you can often find a log cabin that is prebuilt and they truck to your site.  They look much nicer than manufactured homes.  They can hook up 2-3 together to offer more space.    Here's one site but there are a gazillion of them. http://www.amishcabincompany.com/

 

 

Another option is a kit home that you put together.  They can often go up quite quickly.  Once again, many options out there.

 

http://www.shelter-kit.com/index.php

 

http://www.kodiaksteelhomes.com/about/inthenews

 

Interesting, thanks!

 

Are they able to be sold and moved off later like a mobile home would be? I guess I was under the impression that modular homes were permanent.

 

[foxbridgeacademy]

Same as PP's very common where I'm from and while they don't retain value if you purchase used and get a good deal you should be okay on resale.  A couple years won't lower the value very much.  Purchasing new then trying to sell later will cost you.

[razorbackmama]

I'm not sure we'd be able to find the type of house we'd need used, but you never know!

[Katy]

If you want to sell & move them later, I'd go with some campers and move your building schedule up.

[LMD]

You can look up shipping container homes too!

[BigMamaBird]

One thing to consider, set the manufactured home in a far corner of your land and when your home is done, sell it with a quarter or half acre plot.  No moving expenses to deter any one, you can get a bit more because of the land and then you can have a sizable chunk of money to pay off some of your building costs.  The downside is you'd have neighbors close by. 

[Carrie12345]

I get the impression that it's very dependent on region.

 

It's something I've considered when pondering my dream homestead, but I would go as small as feasible for my family and then keep it as a guest house.

[razorbackmama]

We've considered campers or a super small home, but we don't want to feel rushed to build and end up with not what we want, if that makes sense. We also want to do as much of the work ourselves as possible (if that's even possible...it may not be with my husband's schedule, but my daughter is REALLY interested in construction as a career so maybe....), so that will take longer. But maybe we could find a floor plan that might work for a guest house later and COMBINE it with a camper or two....hmmmm!!!!! My in-laws have a camper we could probably borrow, and honestly we've been wanting one of our own too. Between the 3, maybe we can get it to work???

 

Selling off a 1/2 acre or so is a really good idea I had not thought of at all! We are hoping for at least 10 acres (preferably way more but I'm not sure what all is available), so 1/2 acre shouldn't affect that too much.

[razorbackmama]

We're also considering getting my oldest daughter a tiny home on wheels as her "bedroom." Perhaps we can do that sooner rather than later.

[barnwife]

A single wide can be had for cheap or free, and moved and set up RELATIVELY easily.  I'm not real familiar with doublewides on frames and axles, you'd have to look into that much more.  If you're talking about a doublewide with no steel frame, or a 4 boxer etc, then the price is equivalent to stick built and there is no sense in doing it temporarily, unless you're willing to pay the premium and they can get you in their schedule quicker than a stick built home.  

 

If you KNOW what you want, can find a good builder who is READY, and don't change anything, then a stick built home can go up nearly as fast as a modular (quality wood construction, not pull it in put it on blocks and get the stairs in front of the door). 

 

If you build it yourself, assume your grandkids will help you finish it.  

 

2 or 3 trailer homes sounds like it would work for you.  People do that throughout the midwest as far as I've seen, that is buy, move and resell trailer homes and doublewides on frames and axles.  A heated insulated pole shed is another excellent option if you want to try to build the house yourself.  A pole shed goes up very fast, and BASIC finishing inside doesn't take that long.  If you want it finished like a house, then skip the poles and build a house, pole sheds are optimized for large, cheap, high cielinged, clear span spaces, not houses.  

[MotherGoose]

You might consider purchasing a used Mobile home for that purpose. Also in south Louisiana find out about hurricane concerns.

[razorbackmama]

You might consider purchasing a used Mobile home for that purpose. Also in south Louisiana find out about hurricane concerns.

 

Used for what we need may be tough to find. We won't be in south LA - we'll be in NW Arkansas.

[razorbackmama]

A single wide can be had for cheap or free, and moved and set up RELATIVELY easily.  I'm not real familiar with doublewides on frames and axles, you'd have to look into that much more.  If you're talking about a doublewide with no steel frame, or a 4 boxer etc, then the price is equivalent to stick built and there is no sense in doing it temporarily, unless you're willing to pay the premium and they can get you in their schedule quicker than a stick built home.  

 

If you KNOW what you want, can find a good builder who is READY, and don't change anything, then a stick built home can go up nearly as fast as a modular (quality wood construction, not pull it in put it on blocks and get the stairs in front of the door). 

 

If you build it yourself, assume your grandkids will help you finish it.  

 

2 or 3 trailer homes sounds like it would work for you.  People do that throughout the midwest as far as I've seen, that is buy, move and resell trailer homes and doublewides on frames and axles.  A heated insulated pole shed is another excellent option if you want to try to build the house yourself.  A pole shed goes up very fast, and BASIC finishing inside doesn't take that long.  If you want it finished like a house, then skip the poles and build a house, pole sheds are optimized for large, cheap, high cielinged, clear span spaces, not houses.  

 

I'm not sure my husband would be willing to do some of these things. A free single-wide sounds a bit disconcerting, considering the space we'd need and the conditions. We're already coming from what is essentially a "crap house," and we're tired of that LOL!!!

 

If we got a double-wide it would definitely not be on a permanent foundation since that would defeat the purpose entirely.

 

Knowing what we want is the issue. We don't know yet and may not have the time to get all that together. But it's a possibility, I suppose, if we were to start talking about it (which honestly is hard since my husband will be gone most of the rest of the next month).

 

My husband has built homes with his family before. His brother built his home from cutting down the trees himself to living in it full-time, no help from anyone except himself, in 4 years. So I know our house can be done, especially if my brother-in-law comes up to help now and then haha!

[Catalytic]

If you want to sell & move them later, I'd go with some campers and move your building schedule up.

 

Yep, was just about to suggest this.  Pick up a couple used campers and go to town.  There's a family that RVs full time with 8 kids in one toy hauler that makes it work, I can't see why you couldn't go with a nice toy hauler, or go with one big and one small RV for the interim.  

Edited April 26, 2016 by Catalytic

[vonfirmath]

We are pondering how we might be able to move to some land and have a place to live until we can build our "dream house" on that land.

 

If we were to get a manufactured home that would work for our family for now...is it crazy to think that we would be able to sell it later and have someone come move it off of our land? Yes, I know it will cost money to do that. I'm just wondering if people actually DO that?

 

My Dad moved our manufactured home twice.  The first one they owned he could move with his own truck. The second one was big enough you had to hire someone to move.  They ended up financing the loan to sell the second manufactured home (They traded the first in to get the second).  They people were late a lot and it was a lot of stress, but was finally paid off.

 

 

Edited April 26, 2016 by vonfirmath

[razorbackmama]

Yep, was just about to suggest this.  Pick up a couple used campers and go to town.  There's a family that RVs full time with 8 kids in one toy hauler that makes it work, I can't see why you couldn't go with a nice toy hauler, or go with one big and one small RV for the interim.  

 

I'm right there with ya. My husband on the other hand...LOL!

[Catalytic]

I'm right there with ya. My husband on the other hand...LOL!

 

  I hear you!  That's why I suggested two lol.  We lived in our travel trailer from late June until the middle of November last year.  Hubby was the only one who was losing his mind.  I wanted to stay in it full time (I LOVED the campground we were at) and offered to buy him his own, but he wasn't having it, sigh.

[razorbackmama]

I'm really liking the idea of having a future guest house. We do want entire families to come visit us, and honestly it may end up being a house for one of our parents someday. We want to offer for them to live near us, if they will. So maybe something like that plus my in-laws' camper would be enough to get us through the building process.

[barnwife]

A 14' x 60' single wide from the 70's to 80's is pretty cheap around here, the bedrooms are liveable, the kitchen and baths don't hold up at all. Maybe find one with a nice enough kitchen and bathroom, and another for the bunkhouse. That would have more room than a camper, but the camper is easier to move, and FAR easier to sell/recoup your costs if bought used to start with.  

 

On the other hand, if you can stand a tiny space for a short time, then a finished corner of a pole shed makes a lot of sense.  A basic kitchen and bathroom in a shed is handy to have at any point.  

[Liz CA]

We did exactly what you described, except the mobile was on the land before we bought it so we were not able to select one. Ours was very old (70's) and in a decrepit state when we bought the land. We lived in it for another five years.

They do not appreciate in value. You could view it as a vehicle or RV in those terms.

Repairs and leaks were frequent but if you have a knack for doing it yourself and you know you are not going to be living in it long-term, you can patch things up. We ended up selling ours (very cheaply) just to get rid of it BUT as I said, ours was so old, we felt lucky someone would haul it off.

 

My short answer is: Yes, it can be done but it's not necessarily fun. A single-wide is cramped space and we were only 3 people but had dogs. :) Practice stepping high and make sure your knee joints are in good shape. :lol:

[razorbackmama]

We did exactly what you described, except the mobile was on the land before we bought it so we were not able to select one. Ours was very old (70's) and in a decrepit state when we bought the land. We lived in it for another five years.

They do not appreciate in value. You could view it as a vehicle or RV in those terms.

Repairs and leaks were frequent but if you have a knack for doing it yourself and you know you are not going to be living in it long-term, you can patch things up. We ended up selling ours (very cheaply) just to get rid of it BUT as I said, ours was so old, we felt lucky someone would haul it off.

 

My short answer is: Yes, it can be done but it's not necessarily fun. A single-wide is cramped space and we were only 3 people but had dogs. :) Practice stepping high and make sure your knee joints are in good shape. :lol:

 

My husband is VERY handy, but he's getting very tired of fixing things. So I don't know that we'd want a used one that was in bad shape.

 

We would not get a single-wide.

 

If we did this, we would know full well that they depreciate a LOT.

[Ottakee]

My one warning would be to check, double check, and then triple check the zoning for the exact property you are looking to buy before planning on multiple trailers or other options. Some.zoning is very loose, other areas very strict and it can vary from parcel go parcel and across the street might be very different than your side of the street.

[razorbackmama]

My one warning would be to check, double check, and then triple check the zoning for the exact property you are looking to buy before planning on multiple trailers or other options. Some.zoning is very loose, other areas very strict and it can vary from parcel go parcel and across the street might be very different than your side of the street.

 

Yep, that is definitely part of the plan.

[Catalytic]

I'm really liking the idea of having a future guest house. We do want entire families to come visit us, and honestly it may end up being a house for one of our parents someday. We want to offer for them to live near us, if they will. So maybe something like that plus my in-laws' camper would be enough to get us through the building process.

 

We bought a house with land (only 6 acres, sadly) out in the country.  It came with a singlewide that is actually in pretty good shape (it's a wide singlewide, maybe 2 feet or so wider than the usual singlewide).  The owners before us had put it in for when their children visited.  Just a guest house thought that might be cheaper if you're on a tight budget.  My trailer could use some paint and new carpet, but what's in it isn't gross or anything, it's just dated.  The roof needed to be resealed soon (we've owned it for 5 years) and since we had to have the metal roof on the house replaced, I had my roofer use the old metal from the house to reroof the trailer.  The trailer is in the back of the property (probably 200 feet away from the house, if not 250'), has it's own septic tank, and can't be seen from the highway.