Anyone Have Experience With Manufactured Homes?

[Arkridge]

Getting closer to that age where I'd like to buy a house at a certain point. In the Bay Area, much easier said than done, especially people of my generation. Prices are only going up. A wood shack out here will go for a million dollars in the coming years, sadly. Inflation is a bitch.

But, anyways. I was talking to some friends and we got on the topic of manufactured homes. I started looking some providers up online briefly and shit, a lot of these predone homes you can buy are really nice for the fraction of what a home in the Bay Area would typically cost.

Now, I know there are a lot of other costs associated with it like buying a plot to put it on, permits, necessary electrical work, etc. But I just wanted to see if anyone around here has any experience with manufactured houses and what their experience was like? Some cool websites like Blu-Homes has the really nice minimalistic-modern style that I like. And for a 2-3 bedroom, they're very inexpensive.

Any ideas guys?

 

[mushishi]

Tiny home nation, brah.

 

[Arkridge]

Tiny home nation, brah.

Yeah no fuck alla that

 

[VroomyJeeps]

Just go in the woods and start chopping down trees. Once you have 30-40 trees you start sawing. Make every piece the same size and build a square house. It should only take a few years.

Go buy a nice blue tarp for your roof and some straw for insulation

 

[mjmj]

There are different grades, but the ones I've seen are all decent. Some go further to lessen the price, like using some sort of white panel instead of drywall. They're cheaper than stick built, but the list price you see is a small fraction of what you'd have in one. In most areas, a smaller fixer-upper is usually the most economical way to go as long as you can fix things yourself.

 

[ToxicShocker]

No matter how nice the manufactured home, it will always be a dud on the market. While your land value will rise you will not get as much appreciation out of is as a stick built house.

 

[Renard]

Some acquaintances got one and they weren't happy with the execution. The workers were in a hurry and they botched everything, which had to be fixed later at cost. Also the base cost only included flimsy and ugly materials. You have to pay extra for nice wood floors, tiles, counters, fixtures, basically everything. Don't get fooled by the price tag, there's a lot of hidden costs.

 

[Hans Gercmiov]

I lived in a triple wide for 15 years. Idk what my parents paid for it but we're poor so not a lot. Not a lot of maintenance problems I remember. I really like the house.

 

[jefferz]

Are you talking a trailer house or house built on another location in sections and moved there?

 

[JudoThrowFiasco]

Kit homes and pre-fabs have to be built to safety code, so there is peace of mind with that -- the quality is usually what you pay for, though. I mean, think IKEA, it serves a purpose but over the long haul it wont hold up that well.

 

[Arkridge]

Are you talking a trailer house or house built on another location in sections and moved there?

Not a trailer house, but the kind they put up quickly from a pre selected model.

Kit homes and pre-fabs have to be built to safety code, so there is peace of mind with that -- the quality is usually what you pay for, though. I mean, think IKEA, it serves a purpose but over the long haul it wont hold up that well.

Fuck, "IKEA-home" sounds absolutely terrible. I hate IKEA.

 

[jefferz]

Not a trailer house, but the kind they put up quickly from a pre selected model.


Fuck, "IKEA-home" sounds absolutely terrible. I hate IKEA.

I worked at a place that built prefabs and they weren't bad if you spent the money to get a decent one. If you buy a cheap one be prepared to replace the siding, roof, carpet, windows, tile, etc in 10 years.
A lot left the yard like a double wide trailer house and they slid the 2 halves together on site, then installed the rafters and roof on site.
They had the interiors basically done already. The walls were painted and textured, sinks were installed, bulbs in the light fixtures, dishwashers installed, etc.

 

[Arkridge]

I worked at a place that built prefabs and they weren't bad if you spent the money to get a decent one. If you buy a cheap one be prepared to replace the siding, roof, carpet, windows, tile, etc in 10 years.
A lot left the yard like a double wide trailer house and they slid the 2 halves together on site, then installed the rafters and roof on site.
They had the interiors basically done already. The walls were painted and textured, sinks were installed, bulbs in the light fixtures, dishwashers installed, etc.

Yeah it seems the general idea is "You get what you pay for" with these. I'd definitely be willing to do the due diligence and pay the proper price for one that would last me awhile. I really like the ones shown on blu-homes website. The modern looking style is real nice looking.

 

[Kiddo716]

Gotta think about depreciation. Prefab and mobile homes depreciate at a quick rate, unlike a traditional built house, that if taken care of, rises in value.

You'll never get out of it what you put in it.

 

[ralphc1]

It depends on the builder. They can be built very much like a stick built home only done indoors, out of the weather, in large sections that are set in place by a crane. Many stick built homes are built very cheaply these days by unscrupulous builders. They might put nice materials where they can be seen while scrimping on others.

 

[urnotaslave23]

No matter how nice the manufactured home, it will always be a dud on the market. While your land value will rise you will not get as much appreciation out of is as a stick built house.

This. I'm no realtor, but I'm pretty sure there's very little to no return on investment. Like selling a used car. If you plan on living there for the rest of your life, or if you just don't care about making money off of it when you get sick of it, then by all means have at it.

Have you looked at houses outside of the city? Might be worth it even if you have to commute a ways. I just sold my house in Vegas that I've had for a little over 2 years and I'm gaining back half again what I paid for it.

 

[ToxicShocker]

You buy the land and I'll build it for you. I've done construction from LA to Seattle.

 

[ralphc1]

This is a manufactured home.

 

[Guestx]

Sounds like the usage of "manufactured home" in here may be one I'm not used to, but I remember there was this thing called the iHouse that briefly popped up a few years back and I thought it looked cool.

 

[My name is]

No matter how nice the manufactured home, it will always be a dud on the market. While your land value will rise you will not get as much appreciation out of is as a stick built house.

how would you know if it's a manufactured home ? Just curious