Mobile home myths, misinformation, and stereotypes have robbed many people of the opportunity to live in more affordable housing.
People don’t know what they don’t know about manufactured homes. Last they probably heard were these homes are dangerous death traps and only poor people and dirty transients live in them.
They don’t know that federal regulation enacted in 1976 made the homes much safer and more equal to site-built home construction.
They don’t know that the homes can withstand winds over 110mph or that each home is built specifically for the region of the country it will be installed. Homes in the north can withstand greater snow loads and homes built for the southern US can withstand greater winds.
They don’t know that manufactured homes are less prone to fires or that fire destroys far less manufactured homes than site-built homes (source).
Those of us with a platform need to speak out against mobile home myths and misinformation because every family deserves to know the truth.
They all deserve to know that they can live stylishly and comfortably with less financial stress. They deserve to know that they can live debt free and be happy in a smaller or more reasonably priced home.
It’s important to me to set the record the straight about our homes. Not only for all of us that already own manufactured homes but for those that could really benefit if they gave factory-built housing another look without the burden of misinformation.
The following mobile home myths are the most common. Luckily, it doesn’t take much to prove that each and every one of them is just plain wrong.
The most common mobile home myth is that only poor people live in them.
If living in a home like the one below is considered being poor then I don’t ever need to be rich! Or even middle class.
I’ll be happily poor for the rest of my life!
Truth be known about it, there are poor people living in McMansions and oceanfront condos.
Read our top 30 tips for buying a manufactured home here.
This popular myth is purely based on a misunderstanding about home construction and the manufactured home industry, in general. People believe that all materials used to construct a manufactured home are substandard and that simply isn’t true.
The truth is that you get what you pay for in manufactured housing and that is the beauty of it!
Some manufactured home models are extremely affordable. You can buy a standard model double wide for less than $50,000! Those homes will have cheaper materials and there will be staples instead of screws, but, again, that is the beauty of manufactured homes.
Most families don’t need 2″ x 8″ framing and steep roof pitches. They don’t need the stainless steel appliances or farm sinks or jacuzzi tubs. They just need a home that keeps their family safe and warm at a price that won’t have them working 3 jobs until their 80.
Some families opt to go with the higher end models and that’s awesome, too. If you pay $110,000 for a manufactured home I can assure you that the construction methods and materials used will be equal to or better than any site-built home of comparable size and cost. The studs will be larger, the roof pitches higher, the carpet plusher, and the countertops shinier.
Learn what you need to know before you buy a mobile home here.
One of the greatest things about owning your own home is the equity that you build as time goes on. Thankfully, the myth you can’t build that long term equity in a manufactured home isn’t true.
The trick to earning equity in these types of homes is to make sure that it is placed on a permanent foundation and is set up on land that you own. If it is, then the original structure and the land it sits on can build equity just like a stick built home. Of course, location, demand, condition, and other relevant factors will dictate the value gained on the property.
I wrote a whole article called Buying a Mobile Home: They CAN and Do Appreciate a few years ago. Click here to read it.
Admittedly, there are some issues when it comes to financing and insuring older mobile homes. New manufactured homes aren’t nearly as difficult to finance and insure, though. Learn all about insuring a mobile home here.
If you walk into a dealership tomorrow with a decent credit score, good job history, and own the land you’ll be placing the home on, you can get a fair loan offer on a brand new manufactured home. There are land and home package deals that have decent rates. Naturally, like any product financing or credit lending situation, there are companies that will take advantage and salespeople that will push for a sale. Research and education are the keys to finding the best financing offers and ensuring you don’t fall prey to unfair practices.
Learn the 9 easy steps to buying a new manufactured home here.
Naturally, like any product financing or credit lending situation, there are companies that will take advantage and salespeople that will push for a sale. Research and education are the keys to finding the best financing offers and ensuring you don’t fall prey to unfair practices.
Some home dealers have special lenders to help people with less-than-perfect credit histories find the funding to buy the home of their dreams. If a mortgage isn’t possible, personal property loans can help. Here are 3 financing options for manufactured homes.
I hope this has helped to shed some light on the most common mobile home myths.
Thanks for reading Mobile Home Living!
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