Mobile Home Living

Tag: Homeowner Stories

1974 Double Wide Remodel is Dreamy
Just a few short months after starting Mobile Home Living in 2011, I received a Facebook message from Heidi and Tara asking if I’d be interested in sharing their complete 1974 double wide remodel. Naturally, I wanted to share it – this is a gorgeous mobile home!

Unfortunately, in 2012 my writing abilities were even more atrocious than they are now and Mobile Home Living was just finding its voice so I wasn’t able to give the remodel, or the talented owners, the article they deserved. I’m fixing that today because this is not only one of the most beautiful mobile homes I’ve had the honor of sharing, but the owners are pretty awesome too!

Tara and Heidi are a beautiful couple that operates a popular photography studio, In Her Image Photography located in Northern California. Tara loves to garden and bake yummy vegan treats and Heidi is an avid member of the rabbit rescue community. She can be found snuggling bunnies in her spare time (how cool is that?).

Finding Home

Heidi and Tara had spent months looking at homes before they stumbled onto this 1974 double wide sitting on a great piece of property.

Tara said they had initially started looking at properties on the low end for Wine Country and saw plenty of rundown messes. They thought they would never find a suitable place. They got discouraged and gave up.

And then they found this place.
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
They fell in love with the location and surroundings and didn’t really care what the house looked like. They knew they could always make cosmetic changes.

It simply needed to have “potential”. Now we know that most mobile homes have exactly that.”

You Know It’s a Mobile Home, Right?

Heidi is from Australia and mobile homes are not common so she wasn’t sure what to expect when she had first learned of the property. She didn’t even want to see it at first. By chance, they happened to be in the neighborhood and Tara urged her to stop by. They called a Realtor the next day.

Tara shares a story that happens entirely too often when it comes to mobile home properties. She recalls, “I remember calling a fancy-schmancy Realtor and asking to see the inside after falling in love with the property. He said, “You know it’s a mobile home, right?” (Way to say no to a commission, buddy.)

He said, “You know it’s a mobile home, right?”

Many Realtors won’t work with mobile homes at all. Realtors that will work with mobile homes often have outdated information about them.
- The Property Was Perfect For Their Gardening And Homesteading Interests.
Fortunately, Heidi and Tara found a Realtor who was a mobile home specialist. When they met her at the property she kept shaking her head in disbelief. She knew the property was amazing!

Realtors must understand the complexities of mobile homes in the real estate market. Many real estate agents will tell potential buyers that mobile homes will always lose value but that is not the case. Factory-built homes that are sited on their private property can and do appreciate.

Tara and Heidi immediately fell in love with the property because it sits at the end of a private lane, on a hill, on half an acre. They love looking out at the gorgeous green surroundings.

The 1974 double wide was a well-maintained home with unlimited potential.

A Complete 1974 Double Wide Mobile Home Remodel in 9 Months!

The creative couple wanted the interior of their home to reflect where they were: Petaluma, CA, a smaller town in Northern California with a rich agricultural history. The town is steeped in rich agricultural, gardening, and homesteading history as well as being a part of the infamous wine country.

During the complete 1974 double wide mobile home remodel:
Tara and Heidi completed this 1974 double wide mobile home remodel in less than 9 months. They closed on their home in October 2011 and spent 9 months on the renovation before moving into their new home in May.

Being Bold, Not Careful

Although they had never remodeled a home before they quickly caught on and the end result is truly amazing.

The color combinations along with a cool vintage eclectic style make for an inviting and relaxing home. It also makes for a home that could be on the cover of any magazine. Heidi has a thing for the 20s and 30s, and Tara loves mid-century modern.

We wanted to be bold, not careful…

DIY Dining Room Decor in Complete 1974 Double Wide Mobile Home Remodel

Our creative couple used smart interior design tricks to create a stunning dining room. Most obvious is the feature wall. Painting one wall differently pulls the eye into a space and makes the room feel larger.

The white ceiling with dark flooring, paired with the bright white light fixture, and the high curtain rods all help make a ceiling feel taller.

Read about all the best tricks to make a mobile home ceiling appear taller here.

The mantle is another great piece of eye candy. It is ornate but by painting it the same color as the wall creates depth and warmth to the room.

Last but not least, is the dining room table. Naturally, it was handmade by Tara!

Live edge tabletops are a great way to bring a little nature into your home and it’s been a huge decorating trend for the last couple of years. Remember, this 1974 double wide mobile home remodel was first featured on Mobile Home Living 7 years ago. Tara and Heidi certainly have a designer’s eye for future trends.

Tara and Heidi’s Interview

Heidi and Tara were kind enough to answer several questions for us.

What’s Your Favorite Style?

Oh, dear. SO many! We are photographers by trade, and architecture and design nerds for fun. Both of us love kitschy farmhouse, organic, industrial, Asian, whimsical, I guess “eclectic” really sums us up. Ha!

We rarely buy anything new and often fill our home with free finds, our absolute fave! We love garage sales, estate sales, auctions, and opp shops.

We are photographers by trade, and architecture and design nerds for fun.
Heidi

Where Did You Get Inspiration for Your 1974 Double Wide Remodel?

Nature! Our living room is painted grass green, our bedroom a sky blue, our guestroom earthy brown .

If I could fill the place with beach stones, driftwood, branches, shells, moss and lichen, I would!

Tara LOVES Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Organic Architecture” and the idea of bringing the outdoors in. We wanted to live here because it sits at the end of a private lane, on a hill, on half an acre.

We love looking out at our surroundings.

The View From The Kitchen.

What’s Your Favorite Room?

We spend the most amount of time in the office area, as we work from home, but our favorite room has to be the bedroom. It’s the exact color we wanted, white curtains & linens for a crisp, spa feel.

We didn’t overcrowd the bedroom with furniture or “stuff.” It’s as relaxing as we need it to be and it houses our most prized heirlooms – quilts Heidi’s Mum made for us!

What was Your Biggest Challenge?

Umm, not having ever done any home renovation before, ALL of it was challenging!

We were doing everything for the first time and winging it! We are HGTV addicts, and they deceptively fit SO much into that 30 minutes, making it all look so easy. Everyone said we could do it ourselves, so we believed them.

Once we started ripping up the carpets, there was no going back. We uncovered all sorts of issues with the subfloor. There were decades of layers of linoleum and lots of gaps and holes to patch.

We have this wall of built-ins that seem typical of older mobile homes. We’ve painted it, removed the awful glass shelves and mirrors, and took off some of the cabinet doors but it’s still a strange little area that in hindsight, I kind of wish we had drywalled.

What Friends Say About the 1974 Double Wide Remodel

No one can believe it’s a mobile home!

The outside could pass as a ranch style home, I think. And apart from the beaded curtains we left in the guest bathroom, it doesn’t look like a mobile on the inside anymore.

Any Mistakes or Issues During the Remodel?

Oh, the baseboards. We were always quite bad at math so we had some patching to do after a few bad cuts, but again, not something we ever thought we’d be doing.

There’s also a dimple in our vinyl floor that we somehow missed while we were laying it down. It’s all flat and perfect apart from this tiny mound right near our café table. We’re looking for the perfect rug to cover it up!

We also had to paint our living and dining room twice. We picked a very safe, somewhat bland green color at first but we never really loved it. Then we decided that if we could paint any color we wanted, we wanted to be bold, not careful so we went with a grass green.

It’s bright, but we decided it was a happy color and there was no way we could ever be grumpy in those rooms.

What’s Your Proudest DIY Moment During the Double Wide Mobile Home Remodel?

The floors we laid! We used laminate in three rooms and the Home Depot vinyl planks in the others.

After we discovered how easy it was to use the vinyl planks, we certainly would have skipped the laminate and utilized vinyl throughout! We divided up the work. I did all the tricky cuts while Heidi used the rubber mallet to set the planks. Apart from a few cracks and short planks, it looks pretty great. We still can’t believe that we just ripped up the carpet and replaced it with all new flooring!

Source of Material and Supplies

It seemed like we were at Orchard Supply Hardware every single day. We went to Lumber Liquidators and Home Depot for flooring.

Most of our furnishings came from IKEA, World Market, or several different used sources, like auctions, Craigslist, estate sales, etc. In fact, I obsessively refresh the Free Stuff section on Craigslist daily. You’d be amazed at what you can find for little to no cost! And also check the Materials section for lumber, flooring, tile, etc.

Read how to use Craigslist search function here.

Best Advice for Anyone About to Do Their Own Mobile Home Remodel?

See beyond what’s in front of you regarding possibilities. There’s little need for anything new these days, so re-use and salvage whenever you can. Allow for more time than you think it might take you for renovations. And seriously consider a mobile home as a base for your homestead – they are economical, impermanent, and relatively simple to make over. Recycling is always a plus!

Mobile Homeowners are Special

Over the last 7 years, I’ve watched Heidi and Tara grow their photography business, In Her Image, into a world-renowned photography studio. They have traveled the world empowering women through their camera lens and have been featured in Forbes and The New York Times. WOW!

This couple, like most of the mobile homeowners we’ve featured over the years, saw beauty where no one else could and had the determination to transform a 1974 double wide into a gorgeous home.

I loved this mobile home remodel so much that I used a lot of ideas and paint colors in my own mobile home remodel.

I’m still not sure how they ended up finding the Mobile Home Living Facebook Page but I’m forever grateful they did. It is kind homeowners like Tara and Heidi that have helped make Mobile Home Living the resource it is today. I hope they know how thankful I am for them and all the other homeowners that have allowed me the honor to share their beautiful homes.

Thank you so much for reading Mobile Home Living!

This post was originally published Jun 15, 2012 . It was updated on April 17, 2019.
April 17, 2019
Gorgeous 1997 Clayton Double Wide is Farmhouse Fabulous
Ashley James lives in a small town called Maryville, TN with her husband Austin, and their 8-month-old baby girl, Lainey Drew. The James family owns a 1997 Clayton double wide and Ashley has been busy giving the home a gorgeous farmhouse makeover.

You are going to love this home!

Ashley’s favorite decorating style is a combination of farmhouse and cottage styles.

How to Create Your Own Gorgeous Farmhouse Makeover

As you can see, Ashley knows how to create a gorgeous farmhouse style home. One could even call her an expert. Fortunately for us, she’s shared a few of her best tips to help create your own farmhouse style mobile home.

“I love old junk. I am obsessed with thrifting and getting great deals. Almost everything in our home was found at a yard sale, a thrift store, or on Craigslist.”
Ashley’s Best Tips for a Farmhouse Makeover

Paint will always be the quickest and most affordable method to give your home a new look. That’s why Ashley says it’s one of her favorite farmhouse makeover projects.

“In my opinion, paint is the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to updating your home. It’s easy enough for anyone to do, affordable, and makes a huge change. We painted every room in White Dove by Benjamin Moore,
color matched by Home Depot in Behr Marqee. I also spray painted our doorknobs flat black and painted our kitchen cabinets”

Ashley says the secret to a great painting project is to use high-quality paint along with brushes and rollers.

“After years of painting, I finally learned you need quality paint supplies! It’s worth the investment. Once I tried a higher end paint, I will never go back.”

Contact Paper Countertops

We’ve seen a few homeowners mention using contact paper on their countertops but weren’t so sure it would work, or at least hold-up. Ashley says the newer peel and stick concrete contact paper is stronger and more durable than the older contact paper.

“Why did it take me so long to do this?? …only took a couple of hours to do the entire space and there was no dry time, sanding, construction zone or dust. Also they were only $60 total! I also painted the cabinets white. We don’t get a lot of natural light in here and the white has helped. So how did I do the counters? It’s peel & stick faux concrete contact paper!”

Light Fixtures

Ashley loves fun light fixtures so that’s her second tip to a great farmhouse makeover. You can find good deals on light fixtures at Amazon. Walmart and Lowe’s have also started carrying affordable and trendy lighting.
Replacing Doors and Trim Makes for a Great Farmhouse Makeover

Ashley told us that replacing the interior doors with white hollow doors from Home Depot along with the trim made a huge transformation in their home. The doors were about $25 each at the time (they ’ve gone up a little since then).

“Every couple of weeks we purchased a couple of doors until they were all replaced.”
Faux Wood Beam in 1997 Clayton Double Wide Manufactured Home

The marriage line is one of Ashley’s favorite projects. Like most 1997 Clayton double wides, the marriage line was covered with the POG wallboard covered in fake wood paper. To give it a more legitimate look they covered it with real stained wood. You can see it in the photo below.

Farmhouse Style Bathrooms

Another favorite project of Ashleys is the faux shiplap and beadboard in the dining room and bathroom.

Bathtub Replacement

“We were very nervous taking on the replacement of the bathtub. We went with a mobile home tub which turned out to
be quite easy to replace. I know if you opted for a standard tub from the home improvement store you would run into challenges but luckily the mobile home tub went very smoothly.”

“We watched YouTube videos and read tutorials online to build our confidence before going at it ourselves. If I had to pick a favorite room in our house it would either be this simple tiny bathroom or the nursery.”

See another great farmhouse style mobile home here.

Standing Up Against the Stigma

There is a lot of negativity from people on the outside about buying mobile homes. Ashley says we shouldn’t let that influence us.

“Others may say things like “there’s no equity to be gained” or “you’re throwing money away.” While I hear and respect their opinions, buying a stick-built home isn’t for everyone.”

Ashley says that if you truly value homeownership as a status symbol, by all means, a stick-built may be the best home choice for you.

“For us, we don’t see our home as a business investment. We aren’t investors, just a normal family who sees a home as a place to raise our family and enjoy life. We don’t go into it looking at how much money we can make in 10 years. If we want to invest, we will put that money into actual investments with a higher risk that also turns into a higher return. Real estate doesn’t always appreciate. And if it does, it usually coincides with cost of living increases (but that’s just my personal opinion for another day).”

Why they Chose a Manufactured Home

Ashley and her husband values having more money for experiences. Buying a cheap mobile home and renovating meant they could live debt-free in only a few short years.

Ashley says “All that money we would be throwing into a mortgage every month could be spent on taking our family to Disney World. Multiple times. Or saving for college, or simply peace of mind knowing we have financial breathing room. I could go on forever about the benefits of living in a mobile home. The bottom line is, it comes down to your priorities as a family. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to have a home you love.”
You may enjoy seeing Melodie’s marvelous manufactured home makeover.

Would She Buy Another Manufactured Home?

Would I do it again? Absolutely! In fact, the James’ are actually looking at buying another double wide (that’s even older!) to purchase and renovate, “With everything we’ve learned during this first remodel, I feel confident we can handle it.”

Last fall Ashley created a blog that focuses on mobile home DIYs and decorating named after her daughter, Lainey Drew Blog. You can follow Ashley on her Instagram here.

And, we’re very happy to announce that Ashley will be our newest decorating and design contributor here at Mobile Home Living. We’re so excited to read more great tips and ideas from Ashley!

As always, thank you for reading Mobile Home Living!
March 17, 2019
1985 Skyline Double Wide Gets Fresh Coastal Farmhouse Remodel
Sally Roberts and her husband Glenn have a rather odd definition of retirement. For most, retiring means golfing and relaxing by the pool but that’s not how this couple rolls.

Glenn is a retired superintendent for a commercial construction company and Sally owns her own home decor and painted furniture store in their hometown of Howell, Michigan. Together, they make a DIY and home renovation dream team with over 25 home renovation and remodeling projects under their belt. It’s something they love doing and retirement wasn’t going to slow them down one bit.

They found this 1985 Skyline double wide online in an upscale park in North Fort Myers, Florida. The Roberts bought the property sight unseen in August of 2018 and have been busy ever since.

The DIY dream team has updated the 1985 manufactured home with an upscale coastal farmhouse remodel worthy of the cover of any home decor magazine.

About the Home

The 1985 Skyline double wide is permanently installed with an attached garage. It’s located in a 55 and better community call Del Tura Country Club in North Fort Myers.

The Lanai Above Is A Great Place To Spend The Warm Florida Afternoons.

1985 Skyline Double Wide Before the Coastal Farmhouse Remodel

Like many double wides built in the mid-1980s, the home has an open floor plan, or great room, with a cathedral ceiling spanning over the main living space.

The Dining Room And Living Room Are In One Open-Floor Area Off To The Kitchen.

The home was well-maintained over the years, it just needed to be welcomed into the 21st century.

The kitchen was smaller but had a ton of potential.

The DIY dream team have spent about 5 months renovating the home. This home had great bones but desperately needed an update to open it up.

1985 Skyline Doube Wide after the Remodel

This home has gone through a complete transformation!

Sally’s favorite room in the newly remodeled manufactured home is the open concept great room and kitchen. We agree, it turned out beautifully!

Gorgeous Open Living Space!

The Barley twist style, living room side tables are by Ashton and Lulu Vintage in Milford, Michigan.

The couple’s proudest DIY moment is the built-in bench seat Glenn made from the original built-in hutch that was originally in the dining room.

The farmhouse style dining table and entry table along with most of the wall and home decor were custom made and purchased from Walnut Street Marketplace in Howell, Michigan. The built in bench seat and cushion, as well as the dining chair cushions, were custom made by Material Green in North Fort Myers.

You can learn how to create your own farmhouse and primitive country decor crafts for your home here.

Interior updates include:
- new flooring
- new kitchen and breakfast bar with built-in bench seating
- white shaker cabinets and snack bar topped with granite
- new under mount stainless sink with new faucet
- shiplap accent walls
- updated lighting and ceiling fans throughout the home
- neutral paint with white trim
- new outlets, switches and covers
- new door knobs
- 4” cottage style trim package
- updated walls in the great room, master, and hall
- sliding barn door installed in the master bath along with a custom accent wall
The feature wall acting as a headboard for the bed in the master bedrooms is another favorite space in the home. The couple reused materials they had on hand so it really only cost their time.

See another double wide that’s been remodeled into a farmhouse stunner here.

Exterior Updates to the Home

Exterior updates include
- a new garage door
- exterior lighting
- updated tropical style landscaping
The couple also had a large lanai installed with a small BBQ patio. Fortunately, dimensional shingles had been installed shortly before the couple purchased the home.

The home is now tastefully updated and ready for entertaining!

Tips for Remodeling Your Own Manufactured Home

We asked Sally if she had any tips or tricks that she’d be willing to share with homeowners ready to tackle their own DIY mobile home remodel. She recommends doing what she calls ‘pre-shopping’ for both materials and furnishings. Researching before you buy materials and always getting a second estimate before you buy is smart.

It’s best to have a budget but always give yourself a little wiggle room. Most experts agree that 10-15% of your budget be set aside for those ‘need to have’ items you find or to repair issues that you weren’t expecting.

Here’s another beach themed mobile home transformation you may like.

Don’t Write off the Smaller Locally-Owned Stores

Home improvement items have a huge markup, to begin with, so that leaves a lot of wiggle room for price negotiations. Don’t write off locally owned home improvement stores. It’s easy to assume that Lowe’s or Home Depot will always have the lowest prices because of their large buying power but in a lot of cases, a locally owned source can offer you a better price, a longer warranty, or even free installation if you buy from them.

Sally also recommends that homeowners in the middle of their home renovation project be patient. Things can, and usually do, take longer than you expect.

Glenn and Sally’s biggest challenge during this remodel was understanding how the electric was run in the 1985 Skyline double wide. Unfortunately, schematics and blueprints aren’t common finds for manufactured homes so it’s always a bit of a mystery trying to figure out where the wiring is coming from or going. Sally admits they still have a switch to nothing.

The DIY dream team advises anyone thinking about buying and remodeling a mobile home to have a plan or a vision from the getgo but be open to change. Some things went the way they planned and others had to be modified, “If you don’t have a vision, find someone who does and get their opinion.”

The total cost of the coastal farmhouse remodel on this 1985 Skyline double wide was around $20,000 with Glenn and Sally doing all of the labor. Wow!

A big thank you to Glenn and Sally Roberts for letting us share this gorgeous home. The fact they transformed this home in just a few short months is amazing.

Their passion for home decor and renovations are evident in every image and it’s an honor to get to share such a gorgeous home.

As always, thank you for reading Mobile Home Living!
March 11, 2019
Debt-Free and Dreamy 1985 Liberty Single Wide Mobile Home Remodel
It’s rare to have so many before and after images to show the clear progression of this 1985 Liberty Single Wide Mobile Home Remodel so I’m especially excited. Justin and Sarah Wartick lives in Oklahoma and purchased a 1985 Liberty single wide that had seen better days. The Warticks saw the potential of the home and had the tenacity and know-how to make their debt-free dream home a reality.

This 1985 Liberty Single Wide Had Seen Better Days

Most people would write this mobile home off as junk but Sarah and Justin aren’t most people. They saw a ton of potential in the 1985 Liberty mobile home. Together, with their ambition, know-how, and tenacity they transformed the home bit-by-bit while living debt-free.

The Warticks purchased the mobile home as-is for $2,000 and had it moved onto a low-cost long term leased property. They spent six months remodeling the mobile home before the family moved into it.

The Exterior Before 1985 Liberty Single Wide Mobile Home Remodel

The home had a good frame and chassis which was all they really needed. Here’s what the exterior of the home looked like when Sarah and Justin purchased it:

Hardie Board siding had been improperly installed over the home’s original siding improperly.

First, they installed new siding and roofing.

The finished exterior:

We basically gutted the entire house.

Interior Before 1985 Liberty Single Wide Mobile Home Remodel

Here’s what the kitchen and living room looked like when they first bought the home.

Learn our best tips to remodel a mobile home on a budget here.

The cedar walls in the image below were reused to create post and beams that span the living area of the single wide.

New floors and walls were installed next. They sheetrocked the walls which Sarah admits was her least favorite part of the whole remodel.

Real wood flooring in the kitchen and dining room before and after staining.

The industrious couple gutted the kitchen next. They installed new cabinets and appliances. Sarah is a bargain shopper and bought appliances, light fixtures, and the sink at a Habitat for Humanity Restore.

The Wartick’s home after the interior remodel is gorgeous! The modern farmhouse decor fits the home so well.

The light mint green kitchen cabinets paired with the cedar beam and post along with the dark wood flooring are gorgeous. Not to mention, that stove is perfect a perfect fit for a farmhouse style home!

The dining room is amazing! Sarah and Justin used materials that were already in the mobile home in creative ways. They recycled the cedar-lined walls from the living room and kitchen and turned them into the beam and the handmade counter in the kitchen.

See 15 Great Mobile Home Remodels!

Building a New Living Room Addition

The handy couple knew they wanted a bigger home from the get-go but didn’t want to buy a double wide due to the high transportation costs.

They calculated that building a mobile home addition would ultimately be cheaper than buying a double wide so as soon as money was saved they built one.

They turned the living room of the single wide into the dining room and then built an addition onto the home to serve as their living room.

The new living room addition on the 1985 Liberty single wide mobile home remodel also carries the farmhouse style. They used paneling and trimmed out the seams with 4″ boards. Sarah stated that building the remodel was easier than remodeling the mobile home since they didn’t have to demo anything.

Bedrooms and Bathrooms

The children’s bedrooms look like they came straight out of a catalog. Love the colorful Western decor!

Amazing Before and After Mobile Home Remodel – Bathroom
The paper bag flooring is stunning in the master bathroom! The paper bag flooring before and after sealing. You can learn how to create your own paper bag flooring here.
Awesome Outdoor Living Space

We’re not finished yet! The Warwicks apparently never sleep! Justin and Sarah created a fun outdoor living space. Sarah says this is one of the families favorite parts of the home. They have a lot of cookouts and pool parties during the warm Oklahoma summers.

For our featured homeowners to see the potential in this mobile home and work so hard to create such a beautiful mobile home is inspirational, to say the least. Justin and Sarah did every bit of the work themselves to save money.

A breakdown of all the things that were changed for this amazing before and after mobile home remodel:
- New siding
- New sheetrock
- New insulation
- Updated electric
- Installed tongue & groove wood floors
- Added a large cedar beam in the living room, kitchen, and dining room (for support and looks)
- New light fixtures
- New windows
- New floorplan
- New roof
- Added an addition, patio area and porch
They plan to live in the home for a few years while saving up for their dream home. They eventually hope to give the mobile home to their daughter as a starter home – lucky girl!

You can learn more about buying a pre-owned mobile home here.

This is a great example of what mobile home living is all about! Thank you, Sarah and Justin, for letting us share your gorgeous home and your story. You are a true inspiration.

And, as always, thank you for reading Mobile Home Living!
February 28, 2019
Resident-Owned Manufactured Home Communities Could be the Answer

I’m thrilled to introduce Bill, our guest writer that is sharing his experience as a co-owner and manager of a resident-owned manufactured housing community. You can read much more about Bill and the community at his new blog, Living in a Resident-Owned Community.

I’ve lived in a sixty-unit mobile home community in Freeport, Maine for twenty years. For sixteen of those years, I thought, felt, saw, and did the same things most other mobile home park dwellers thought, felt, saw, and did. I knew exactly two of my neighbors and felt that this had to be temporary until I could find and afford a piece of land of my own. I looked out my window to see other homes that looked almost exactly like mine, each with their little driveways and endless, dark hallways.

In 2015 all of that changed when our park converted to resident ownership. Today, I know every person in that park by name and they know me. If I am out in my yard building or fixing a shed or a deck, before I know it, several of my neighbors show up uninvited with their tools in hand to help out, and I do the same for them. There are constant social activities – barbecues, campfires, cribbage tournaments. I love my park and the people that live here. We own it, so we take pride in our park and we care for one another. When I look out the window now I no longer see the ticky-tack houses. I see family.

This is my story. It is how I came to be where I am.

Neighbors Helping Neighbors.

In June of 1975, Carol, the love of my life, was graduating from high school. We were making plans for our wedding in August. Seems like a whirlwind and it was, but that’s the way things were done then. My brother, ten years my senior, had gone into the Navy when I was nine and had gotten married just as quickly. He was my hero, so because he bought a mobile home when he got married, I did the same. We started our lives in an old, blue, 12 x 60 home with two tiny bedrooms with crank-out, louvered windows. We sold that in a year or so and bought a ‘real’ house.

At a point a few years later with a new baby in tow, we sold that house and went to seek fame and fortune in Boston. That didn’t last long – maybe a year. When we returned to Maine, we purchased our second mobile home, a 14 x 70 3-bedroom unit in a typical ‘trailer park’ in Scarborough. That was 1979. We lived in that home for several years. What I learned from these two experiences was that mobile homes were easy to buy and cheap to heat and maintain. Today, they call that “affordable housing.”

Fast-forward to 1999. Both of our kids were flying the coop and both of my parents had recently passed leaving me a little bit of loot. It was time to downsize. Remembering only the good parts of mobile home living, we bought a home from a friend, found a lot in a park in Freeport, and set up housekeeping. For fifteen years we were happy tenants of the Freeport Housing Trust. Then, in August of 2014, we received a letter from the Trust which told of their intention to explore converting the park to resident ownership. A meeting was to be held at the town library and all the residents were encouraged to attend. Off we went to this meeting, not really knowing anybody and having very little knowledge of what this was all about.

ROC USA and CDI to the Rescue

The short story about that meeting is that two groups, ROC USA and the Cooperative Development Institute, gave an in-depth presentation about the fundamentals of resident ownership and explained what they would do to help us toward that goal. The residents at the meeting voted to move forward and to look at the possibilities. That night, I joined the committee to do that work and report back to the residents.

Friendly Neighbors.

That committee held a lot of meetings over the next nine months. While ROC USA negotiated a fair price with the seller and found lenders to work with us, the committee, with guidance from our Technical Assistance Provider from the Cooperative Development Institute (CDI), set up our not-for-profit corporation, established long- and short-term budgets, set up preliminary policies and procedures, and established basic rules and by-laws for the governance of the park.

Learn about the history of mobile home parks here.

We also decided to spend the money to have an infrastructure study done so we would know before the purchase what our needs would be for the future. In April of 2015, a vote was taken by the residents which passed by an acceptable majority.

Becoming an Official Resident-Owned Manufactured Home Community

On May 13th our president signed the papers that officially made us a resident-owned community. Immediately, a Board of Directors was formed and I was elected to sit on that board with eight of my neighbors. Ultimately, I became treasurer and chairman of the membership committee.

My beautiful bride – who has been by my side now for more than four decades – is our vice-president. The groups with which we work closely, ROC USA and the Cooperative Development Institute, continue to offer guidance and training which I take advantage of at every opportunity. It sounds like a lot of work, but it’s really not.

Besides, I love what I do here, and I am happier living here and serving this community than I have been anywhere in my life.

You’ve heard me ramble on about my friends at ROC USA and the Cooperative Development Institute. These guys were the major keys to our success in both buying our park and managing the community after the sale. There is nothing special about the residents of our park or the Board of Directors – we are all just blue-collar people.

Learn about the Advantages and Disadvantages of Mobile Home Parks here.

Many of us are retired and some are disabled. It was ROC USA and the Cooperative Development Institute who guided us through turning this run-of-the-mill mobile home park into a flagship resident-owned community. We could never have done it without them.

ROC USA is a non-profit social venture promoting and assisting in the resident ownership of manufactured home communities. Please take the time to watch this video and let Paul Bradley, President and Founder of ROC USA tell their story.

The ROC USA website can be found here.

The Cooperative Development Institute, or CDI, is an affiliate of ROC USA. They furnish Certified Technical Assistance Providers to resident-owned communities throughout much of New England. ROC USA has a number of these affiliates across the country. This Technical Assistance Provider, or TA, works with the Boards of Directors at the parks on a day-to-day basis. Ours is there for us constantly, attending two meetings a month and answering our calls and emails at some very odd hours. CDI’s website is here.

A few years ago, they produced a video about some of the parks in Maine. You can see that here. The nice guy who starts the video talking about his father is the president of my community.

There is the whole story. I hope you are here because you are either thinking of joining a resident-owned community or, even better, becoming one. If either is the case, I hope you will jump in with enthusiasm.

There are so many benefits and so few disadvantages.

Note from Mobile Home Living:

Resident-Owned Manufactured Home Communities Could be the Solution

Be sure to follow Bill on his blog here!

We are big supporters of resident-owned manufactured home communities here at Mobile Home Living.

If we had it our way, every park in the country would be resident-owned. It would help reduce the absentee investors that just want to collect checks and increase rent every year. It would also serve as protection against impromptu evictions due to park closures and help homeowners become landowners which would have a significant effect on their ability to gain equity on their homes. Resident-owned manufactured home communities could very well be the solution to whole lotta problems.

Have you been part of a resident-owned park? We’d love to hear about your experience.

Thank you, Billy, for sharing your story with us!Thank you for reading Mobile Home Living!

January 17, 2019
A Magnificent Mobile Home Makeover

This mobile home makeover will make your heart sing!

I love featuring great mobile home remodels. Especially the ones that should be on fancy home magazine covers. This one will definitely be on a cover when my dream of publishing the Mobile Home Living Magazine comes true (working on it)!

Geneva is the publisher of a very entertaining and lovely blog called “My Heart’s Song” and she has a wonderful story to tell about how she became a proud owner of a beautiful mobile home. Actually, she has several great stories to tell so be prepared to sit a spell! Long story short, they were retiring and living in a gorgeous but huge brick home. Eventually, she and her husband Buzz decided they needed to downsize, live more simply and debt-free.

They sold their brick mini-mansion and purchased a used 16×80′ 2001 single wide with 2 bedrooms and 2 baths they call “Whisper Cottage.” Once you read the whole story you will understand the name completely. I have so much respect for them, not a lot of people would be willing to make such a drastic change of lifestyle. They immediately commenced to remodeling it into a true dream (mobile) home. Allow me to tell the story with photos:

From this:

To this:

They had one month to remodel the mobile home enough to be liveable in before their lease went out on the transitional apartment they had gotten while looking for the perfect place. The post “Our First 30 Days“ has a complete photo timeline of the initial remodel.

Once they moved in the remarkable transformations only got better!

From this:

To this:

Here’s the rest of her home. I can only come up with so many adjectives, so I’ll keep to just showing the photos. You can thank me in the comments..

Yep, I’m jealous. I’m also thankful that there are such talented people out there that prove living in a mobile home can be just as fabulous as living in a stick built home.

Tomorrow we will feature an interview with Geneva. I think by asking a few well thought out questions (that I completely stole from a very popular site about apartment remodeling), we can learn the good, the bad and the ugly about decorating, remodeling, and updating mobile homes. Which, surprisingly enough, is exactly what this blog is about!

Thank you so much for reading Mobile Home Living. Make sure to come back tomorrow for the interview. Your not going to want to miss Geneva’s insight, tips and honest answers.

As always, please like us on Facebook here, follow us on Twitter here and do all the other things you do when you like a blog (tell your friends, sign up for the feed, SHARE it on every sight you go to, etc). Hope you have a great day!

January 9, 2019
This French Cottage Mobile Home Renovation is Fantastic!

Jeff and Felicia French are no strangers to remodeling. As owners of a construction company in Southeast Louisiana, they’ve done many home improvements for others but this was the first time they’d conquered their own mobile home renovation.

Their experience shows in this mobile home renovation. Every room in the French’s 1997 Buccaneer single wide is gorgeous!

The handy couple bought the single wide in July and quickly got to work. The first step in the French’s mobile home renovation was to paint the walls in Sea Salt from Sherwin Williams.

Felicia and Jeff created their gorgeous French cottage mobile home without spending a fortune.

It’s so cozy and so inviting!

Fabulous French Country Cottage Decor.

Secondhand finds and smart buys have helped the French’s create this fabulous French Cottage style home.

Felicia told us that one of her favorite rooms is the living room and it’s easy to see why.

The brand new slipcovered sofa was found on Facebook’s marketplace. Most of Felicia’s decor items come from places like Hobby Lobby, Target, and T.J. Maxx.

Cozy French Cottage Comfort!

Fabulous French Cottage: $1500 Mobile Home Kitchen Renovation

Felicia saved a ton of money by shopping for home improvement items on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. The kitchen backsplash was purchased from the Facebook marketplace. She found 300 pieces of subway tile for $50.

The before and after shows just how many changes the French’s made in the kitchen. Remarkably, this total mobile home kitchen remodel cost just $1500. To put that in perspective, the average kitchen remodel in the US is $22, 885 (per HomeAdvisor.com)! Mobile Home Improvement Projects You Can Do Yourself

The French’S $1500 Kitchen Remodel Is Remarkable!

This looks like a $15,000 remodel, not a $1,500 one.

Here’s the before and after images of the French’s $1500 kitchen remodel:

The Top Half Is The Mobile Home Kitchen Before French’S Remodel. The Bottom Is After.

They gutted the lower cabinetry in the kitchen and installed new pre-made cabinetry and hardware from Home Depot.

They also replaced the countertops with a solid surface prefabbed laminate. New appliances and a custom island complete the mobile home kitchen remodel.

The couple saved money during the mobile home renovation in a couple different ways. Buying home improvement products from big box stores is often cheaper than buying mobile home specific products. Buying bathtubs and faucets from Lowe’s or Home Depot often require retrofitting.

Read our mobile home bathroom guide here.

Another challenge during the couple’s remodel was with the plumbing under the kitchen sink and the two vanities in the bathroom. They were used to plumbing in site-built homes where pipes are tucked into the walls and not just up through the floors like a mobile home.

$550 Total Mobile Home Bathroom Remodel

The master bathroom got its own affordable transformation. They ripped out both vanities and replaced them with vanities from Home Depot.

It’s amazing what paint and new vanity can do for a bathroom.

The Left Side Is The Bathroom Before, The Right Side After The Remodel.

Paint, new cabinets, and the right decor freshened up the bathroom without costing too much.

Before And After Images Of The $500 Mobile Home Bathroom Remodel.

Learn how to plan a stress-free mobile home remodel here.

French Cottage Barn Door Project

They also installed barn doors to close off the master bathroom from the bedroom. When we asked Felicia what her proudest DIY moment was she had a hard time choosing but ultimately chose the barn door project in her master suite. It lends perfectly to the modern farmhouse style that she has mastered so well in this single wide.

Felicia’S Favorite Diy Project Is The Barn Doors In The Master Suite.

The barn doors separate the bathroom from this cozy bedroom.

Cozy French Cottage Bedroom In A Single Wide Mobile Home. I’D Never Want To Leave!

Stylish Second Bedroom

The second bedroom is just as cozy and stylish as the rest of the home.

Felicia’s Interview with Mobile Home Living

We like to ask all our featured homeowners a few questions about their experiences buying, living in, and remodeling a mobile home. Felicia kindly answered every question.

Her first tip is to ensure the mobile home is as level as possible before you begin your own mobile home remodel. Even with a water level, you’ll likely encounter issues where the home may not be completely square.

She stresses the importance of taking your time and being patient with the mobile home renovation process.

We asked the French’s if they had any advice for people considering buying a mobile home. She warns those that aren’t familiar with mobile homes to keep an open mind and not underestimate the possibilities, you can create a gorgeous home from any house.

Louisiana Heat

Living in a mobile home is different from living in a site-built home and it can take a little getting used too. Every issue has a fix though.

Of course, the couple has several more home improvement projects planned. It hasn’t been all fun and games for this creative couple. Living in a mobile home has proved particularly challenging in the Lousiana summer. It gets quite hot! To combat the heat they have several plans but for now, they’ve installed bamboo roll shades and light filtering drapes over the windows. A portable air unit runs for the hottest part of the house.

Of course, the home is as decorated on the outside as it is on the inside. Read our mobile home door guide here.

Welcome Home!

Home is What You Make It

Reflecting on her Instagram photo, Felicia writes, “I was on the phone with a friend and we started talking about homes and places that we have lived and I told her that we had moved out of our brick home and bought some land and a mobile home…We got to talking about how it doesn’t matter where you lay your head at night as long as you wake up in the morning feeling at peace. That was the jest of our conversation, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a brick home, apartment, or mobile home. It’s what you make of it. It’s the love that fills the four walls that matters.”

We couldn’t agree more!

Felicia shares her home on her gorgeous Instagram account which is how we found her. I’m sure she was a bit suspicious when I messaged her asking if I could feature her home on Mobile Home Living. I’m so glad she decided to reply! Thank you, Felicia! You have a gorgeous home that proves we can live stylishly in a more affordable home.

As always, thank you for reading for reading Mobile Home Living!

November 19, 2018
Clayton Manufactured Home Helps Couple Rebuild After Flood

Elizabeth and Dale are no strangers to manufactured home living or DIY projects. The Texas couple was in their fifth year of transforming their first manufactured home, a 1987 Bonnell single wide, into their dream home when a flood destroyed it in May of 2016. They didn’t let the flood wash away their dreams, though. They purchased a new Clayton manufactured home and have been busy transforming it into another gorgeous dream home.

Luckily for us, this creative couple is no stranger to sharing their manufactured home journey online. Elizabeth blogs about her projects at Phillips Place Renovation and was kind enough to share their first gorgeous mobile home with our readers.

Now, she’s sharing some new tips on how to update a brand new Clayton manufactured home to fit your lifestyle along with some beautiful manufactured home decorating projects.

The “Anniversary” Model

A recent article of ours, 10 Gorgeous Manufactured Home Models on the Market Today, takes a look at the new Clayton manufactured home model dubbed ‘the Anniversary’ and that’s exactly the model the Phillips’ decided to purchase after the flood destroyed their first single wide home.

Since Elizabeth and Dale got ahold of the new Clayton manufactured home it looks completely different than the home you see on the builder’s website. It’s truly amazing how different a new Clayton manufactured home can look after a talented and creative couple gets their hands on it!

Making a New Clayton Manufactured Home Work for Your Lifestyle

Elizabeth decided to use the home’s layout differently than what Clayton designed. The living room is the couple’s dining room and the dining area is an extension for the kitchen.

Why Update a New Clayton Manufactured Home?

Unfortunately, a lot of homeowners are reluctant to make changes to their brand new manufactured home but why wait to make a home meet you and your family’s needs? Of course, money is a huge obstacle for most of us but affordable projects like painting or replacing shelves can make everyday living easier and more enjoyable.

Building porches and decks are the most popular updates to new manufactured homes but there are other updates that can be done to make a home suit your needs and lifestyle better. For example, Elizabeth and Dale like movies so they built a complete media room in a spare bedroom. They also enjoy gardening and the outdoors so they added a front porch and created a beautiful garden area.

Related: See a New Manufactured Home Design With A Twist

Creating a Media Room

Elizabeth and Dale created a living room/media room out of the third bedroom. This was a project that took some time because they wanted to make sure they made the most of the space.

To read more about the details of turning a bedroom into a media room visit Elizabeth’s blog for tips and tricks for a successful project.

The Led String Lights Create An Awesome Vibe.

Gorgeous Master Bedroom

Elizabeth shares her nightstand update and master bedroom reveals here. She is such a talented designer!

Master Bathroom

The master bathroom is just as gorgeous as the rest of the home. You can see more of it here.

Transforming the Deck

A small deck was added to the single wide during the install but it was lacking a finished look. It wasn’t holding dirt back well, either, so Dale graded it better and installed 2×10’s around the bottom. He then filled it in with some gravel and added small square lattice to the bottom.

See 45 great mobile home porch and deck designs here. new Clayton manufactured home

The Porch Before The Update.

Finally, he added 2×8’s between the steps to add support and keep any unwanted animals from being able to get under the porch.

You can learn more about the couple’s front porch build here.

The new home sits 2.5 feet higher than the 1987 single wide that was originally there. After the flood, the couple took every precaution possible to make sure the river could never reach their home again.

Learn about mobile home skirting here.

Raised Garden

The raised garden beds are perfect for someone that loves flowers as much as Elizabeth. She tries to incorporated flowers into her home as much as possible.

Last summer, the couple created an adorable little patio beside their shed. You can see the details here.

Final Thoughts

These are just a few of the manufactured home decorating projects and updates that the couple has tackled since moving into their new Clayton manufactured home.

Big thanks to Elizabeth and Dale for sharing their home with us! Be sure to check out their blog to learn how they update a new manufactured home to better fit their needs, share gorgeous manufactured home decorating projects and see some of Elizabeth’s beautiful photography. Her creativity is endless!

Thanks for reading Mobile Home Living®.

September 30, 2018