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The Best Energy-Efficient Homes are Factory-Built. Here’s Why.

The past year has seen an increase in average energy costs, meaning homeowners pay more for heating their homes during the winter months and cooling it during the summer. When it comes to energy-efficiency, it’s on a homeowner’s mind far more than it used to be. Thankfully, manufactured homes are increasingly energy efficient and offer cost-savings for homeowners across the nation. These homes, which are built in a factory, promote more energy-conscious practices than one might expect. 

Here’s why the best homes for energy efficiency are factory-built:  

Factory-Built Bonuses

Factory-built homes live up to their namesake. They are built part by part in a factory, assembled right there at the plant, and then transported to the home site. 

This process, while different from site-built house construction in a few ways, marks a key difference when it comes to energy efficiency. 

For one, since they’re made inside of a factory and then shipped to the home site, the building process is far less likely to be impeded by weather conditions, unlike homes that are site-built. If a rain storm appears over construction on a site-built home, it can soak all the wood and potentially cause damage. During the factory-built process, the home is weather tight thanks to being entirely indoors. 

Secondly, because factory-built manufactured homes are built to a specified floor plan and produced in multiples in most cases, there’s less leeway needed during the building process for unforeseen issues. This means that the customer saves thanks to materials being purchased in larger quantities to reduce the overall cost.

All of this means that factory-built manufactured homes are literally built more efficiently from a time-savings standpoint.  

Appliances

Modern manufactured homes are outfitted with modern appliances that not only work faster and quieter than ever, but promote even more energy savings than in years past. 

For instance, washers and dryers now offer “low energy mode” that wash and dry your clothes using far less energy than normal. Dishwashers can now work similarly, and modern manufactured homes may include these appliances as standard. 

Temperature Control

Similarly, many smart thermostats, which now automatically regulate temperatures inside your home, come standard with modern manufactured homes, such as the ecobee smart thermostat to the right. These thermostats are great for lowering your home’s temperature automatically during times of lower usage, such as overnight, and prioritizing use during a resident’s most active hours. 

While the amount of energy you save depends on who you ask, some energy providers say you can save up to 30% of your energy costs annually by using a smart thermostat from brands like ecobee, Honeywell, and many more. 

Tips For Improving Energy Efficiency

If you’re a manufactured home owner and are looking for ways to improve your home’s energy efficiency, here are a few tips: 

  • Insulate your windows and doors. Clear insulation around your windows, weatherstripping, and ensuring there are no gaps around your doors and windows are key. 
  • Annually inspect caulking, and re-caulk if necessary. This can be a major source of cold air drafts in your home if you don’t keep up with your caulking. 
  • Ensure that your mobile home’s insulation is in good shape. If not, explore getting it replaced. 

Now it’s time to find the mobile home of your dreams and take charge of your energy-efficiency. Visit MHVillage today to search for mobile homes for sale or rent in your area.  

How to Go From Searching to Closing When Buying Your Manufactured Home

Recently, we wrote about how to go from listing to closing when selling your manufactured home. What about the other side of the coin – if you’re looking to buy a manufactured home? 

There’s a lot that goes into buying your manufactured home that you’ll need to know before you officially start the process, so this guide on all of the steps to take when buying your home is a must-read. 

Set Your Wants and Needs 

Like with any home purchase, you’ll want to create a list of your priorities when getting ready to buy your manufactured or mobile home. 

Consider first the things that you MUST have for your mobile home. This can include enough bedrooms for you and your family, yard space for your pets, central air and heating, and so on. Your needs should be the things that you cannot spend a single day without. 

From there, you can set a list of added desires that you might look for in your dream home. Modern manufactured homes boast features such as jacuzzi-style bathtubs, kitchen islands, walk-in closets, and other fixtures commonly found in luxury homes. Take a look in your market to see what kinds of features manufactured homes near you have, and see which ones call out to you as desirable for your next home. 

Set a Budget 

Once you’ve firmed up your wants and needs, it’ll be time to figure out what your budget is when shopping for manufactured homes. 

Your manufactured home budget won’t be a single price that you want to pay. Generally your budget will be a range of the lowest you want to spend on a manufactured home, as well as a “ceiling” value – the most you can spend on a home. 

This range should be based on a few different factors, including: 

  • The price at which manufactured homes sell for in your area. You can get a good idea of this by browsing MHVillage and seeing manufactured homes similar to yours within a certain radius. 
  • The condition of the home you’re looking to buy. If you prefer a new manufactured home over a used manufactured home, for example, your sticker price will likely be higher. 
  • How much you personally are able to spend, given your financial health, including income and expenses. 

Get Your Credit In Order 

Before you begin the buying process, it’s important to take a look at your credit score to ensure it’s in the best shape it can be prior to buying your mobile home. If you have time, take some of the following steps to try boosting your credit score before your buy your home: 

  • Don’t open any new credit accounts in the months prior to your home purchases. Mobile home lenders will typically frown upon this when reviewing mobile home loan applications. 
  • Avoid changing jobs or close unused credit card accounts too soon before you buy your home. 
  • Pay down any existing balances you can and catch up on your past-due accounts. 

If your credit score is less than perfect, don’t fret. Many lenders offer loans for mobile home buyers that are ideal if your credit score needs improving. 

Find your Dream Home 

Now comes the fun part – finding your dream mobile home! Looking in your market for the mobile home that’s right for you and your family can be fun, but it does have its challenges. 

One of the most important things you’ll do throughout this process, however, is tour mobile homes that you want to potentially buy. This gives you a firsthand look at the home you may end up living in, while familiarizing yourself with its features and the surrounding neighborhood. 

At this point in the process, you may already be asking yourself whether you want to live on private land, or in a manufactured home community. While both have their pros and cons, living in a community allows residents to take advantage of amenities and communal facilities while leasing the land that your home lives on.

Closing Paperwork

Once you’ve gotten an offer accepted on a mobile home, it’s time to go through the closing paperwork. Depending on which state you’re in and which type of manufactured home you’re buying, the exact forms you’ll fill out may differ. 

You’ll most likely fill out a purchase agreement, which outlines the sale and the required contingencies needed to complete the transaction, whether that’s financing approval or a third-party inspection. During the process, you’ll also receive a mobile home title from the seller, or multiple titles if you’re buying a multi-section home. 

Other paperwork involved during the process may include tax-related documents, a final purchase contract, and any documents from a manufactured home community if you’re moving into one. 

Moving Time! 

After all is said and done, you’ve finally gotten to move into the manufactured home of your dreams! Once you’ve closed on your home, you can take time after you’ve moved in to redecorate or remodel if you so desire. For example, a fresh coat of paint right before or after you move can really help make your home feel more, well, like your home. 

So what are you waiting for? Now that we’ve given you the ultimate checklist on how to go from listing to closing when buying your manufactured home, start your search today. Visit MHVillage to browse and buy the latest manufactured homes for sale. 

There Are Seven Red-Hot States for Manufactured Housing. Is Yours One of Them?

Manufactured housing in recent months has seen a boom in activity in nearly every aspect: new home sales, pre-owned home sales, home listings, and so on. And with the surge in housing market activity overall in the past few years, there are a few key states where manufactured homeowners-to-be are flocking to. 

Here are seven red-hot states for manufactured housing in 2022, based on MHVillage listing volume:

Florida

Florida is one of the nation’s largest markets for manufactured housing, and for good reason. 

The Sunshine State is perfect for many retirees, for instance, looking to move to a warmer climate in their later years. Florida is also a prime market for 55+ manufactured home communities, giving potential residents many options to choose from. 

For manufactured home residents of all ages, however, the year-round warm weather and the state’s prime location for oceanside views and tourist attractions make Florida one of the top markets for manufactured housing. 

Michigan 

Moving further north, Michigan is another market ripe with manufactured home listings across the entire state. Not only is Michigan super affordable for manufactured home buyers, but with a wide array of listings across the state for manufactured homes and communities, you truly have a number of choices when home shopping. Michigan is also widely considered a “top ten” state for cost of living, making it another great option. 

The mitten-shaped state is also home to gorgeous national and state parks, beautiful lakeside views (with four of them being rather Great, or so we hear) and something to do nearly everywhere you go. 

California

On the other side of the country, you’ll find that California manufactured homes are abundant. Nestled all across the state in between palm trees and the occasional mountain, it’s no wonder California is one of the largest markets in the country for manufactured housing. 

Thousands of mobile homes in California sell every year because it’s such a high-profile destination for home buyers young and old alike. Oh, and did we mention that California is another state with pristine oceanside views? 

Arizona

In between the East and West Coast lies the state of Arizona, another prime market for manufactured housing. 

Arizona is particularly popular for manufactured home owners looking for retirement communities. Its year-round warm weather, along with the abundance of manufactured home communities, make it a bustling state to buy a manufactured home. 

Indiana

Heading back to the Midwest, homebuyers in Indiana are a part of one of the nation’s top markets because of its affordability and accessibility. 

Manufactured homes in Indiana are among some of the most affordable in the country – according to Datacomp sales data from 2021, new manufactured home sales in Indiana average at $69,721 per home, one of the lowest levels in the Midwest.

Texas

Texas is one of the largest states in the entire country, so it would follow that it’s also one of the largest markets for manufactured housing. 

There are hundreds of new and used manufactured homes to buy in Texas at any given point. And with weather that’s warm throughout nearly the entire year and a number of manufactured home communities that are both all-ages and retirement-focused, there’s a manufactured home in Texas for just about anybody. 

Illinois

Rounding out our list of top states for manufactured housing is Illinois. Nestled squarely in the Midwest and host to the great Windy City, Illinois is an extremely popular state in the Midwest for manufactured housing. 

Why is that? Well, proximity and affordability are two big reasons. Illinois is a large suburban state, with many cities located nearby anything a manufactured home resident would need in their day-to-day lives. Not only that, but Illinois, like its neighbor to the right, is an incredibly affordable state for buying manufactured homes, as new manufactured homes in the state go for around $77,725 on average, based on 2021 Datacomp sales data.   

I Want to Move to One of These States. What’s Next? 

Manufactured housing in 2022 is the best deal it’s ever been. Affordable homes in scenic markets make for a good combination, after all. 

If you’re interested in purchasing or renting a manufactured home in any of these red-hot states, MHVillage has got you covered. Visit MHVillage today to filter your manufactured home search by state and find your dream manufactured home.

Buy a Mobile Home at the Right Price, Like a Pro

Picture this: you’re getting ready to buy a mobile home. After all, why wouldn’t you? They’re priced super affordably, offer immense value and quality, and help realize the American dream of homeownership for millions. 

If you’re looking to buy a manufactured home in the near future, make sure you’re getting the most value for your dollar. Here, we’ll go over the considerations you should keep in mind throughout the manufactured home buying process so that you get the absolute most out of what you spend. 

Know What You Want

First, it helps to put together a list of what you want out of your mobile home. Do you need to have space for a dog to play? What about space for your family to live and grow? 

Or, if you’ll live alone, perhaps you need an extra room for remote work, or a manufactured home community to be a part of that offers amenities and socialization with others in your area. 

By putting together this list of wants and needs, you’ll begin to set a price on what your final home will look like once you buy it. For instance, if you know you have to live in a double-wide manufactured home so that there’s space for your family, you’ll know to budget extra for that. 

Know Your Market

It helps to have a solid idea of where you’d like to purchase your manufactured home. This is because the market is going to have a massive impact on the price of your home. 

Your target market can be the city in which you want to live, or more broader like a state. The more specific you get with your manufactured home search, the better of an idea you’ll have of the price. 

Know Your Budget

Your market, income and living expenses will dictate your budget. If manufactured homes near you sell between the range of $60,000 and $100,000 for your ideal type of home, your budget should be within that range. 

If you’re looking to save money throughout the manufactured home buying process, ensure your budget is on the lower end of that scale within your market. On the flip side, if you have the money to buy a manufactured home on the higher end of your budget, then ensure that your market has one on the higher end of your range.  

Know the Value You’re Getting for the Price 

It goes without saying that there are numerous factors that go into pricing a manufactured home. And, like with all things housing, some of those factors can fluctuate widely. These include: 

  • Location, location, location. Yes, it’s a cliche when it comes to any home, but it’s true all the same. Like we discussed earlier, your market will be the prime indicator of a home’s cost. For instance, manufactured homes in California or highly-sought after states for retirement like Arizona and Florida will sell at a higher price than manufactured homes throughout the midwest. Your home’s proximity to major highways, tourist attractions, or downtown activity hubs will also impact the price. 
  • Condition of the home is a huge consideration. If a home is pre-owned, it may sell for less than a new home, though this can depend wildly on how old the home is, whether it’s in good shape, or whether it needs any major repairs, and if there have been any upgrades or renovations. This makes pre-owned mobile homes an ideal option for many home buyers.
  • The season of the year can dictate market temperature: generally, the market is less active during the winter months (October through March) than the spring and summer months (April through September). 
  • Size can play a role, too. If a double-wide home is on the market, generally expect it to sell for more than a single-wide, but less than a triple-wide. 
  • The economy can have an effect on what manufactured homes sell for overall, similar to the broader real estate market. If houses are high in demand, the price will go up for most homes. On the opposite end, if there are more sellers in a market than buyers, prices will be lower.

If you’re ready to buy that perfect mobile home in your budget, start your search with MHVillage today.

How to Buy a Mobile Home in Arizona

If you’re getting ready to purchase your next home, or maybe even your first home, then a mobile home in Arizona should be high on your list. Why? Because the year-round warm weather makes the Grand Canyon state not only a scenic place to settle down or start a family, but the value you get out of buying a manufactured home in Arizona has never been higher. 

Here, we’ll go over the process for buying a mobile home in Arizona, and everything you’ll need to go through the process from start to finish. 

Start With Your Wants and Needs 

Before you decide to start your Arizona mobile home search, it’s important to put together a list of wants and needs – things that you’d like to have in your new manufactured home, and things that you MUST have. 

There are a number of things to consider when putting this list together, such as:

  • Condition: Do you want to buy a new manufactured home in Arizona, or a used one? While new manufactured homes offer a guarantee that everything from the appliances down to the foundation will be in the best condition possible, they will generally be more expensive. Used homes in Arizona, meanwhile, offer a fantastic value for your money, while still being in good condition given their build quality when they are new, but does require some due diligence to  
  • Size: will you be living in your manufactured home by yourself, with a partner, or with your whole family? This question will determine the size of the manufactured home you should buy. If you’re living alone or with a partner, a single-wide manufactured home, most commonly measuring 16’ by 80’, will be your best bet. For families looking to buy a manufactured home, you may be more comfortable in a double-wide, which can vary more often in its measurements but offer more space for you and your loved ones to relax and spend time in. 
  • Location: Arizona is full of beautiful cities to live in, with gorgeous landscapes, warm weather, and affordable manufactured homes across the entire state. If there is a particular city in the state that is calling you home, narrow your search for mobile homes for sale in Arizona to only that city and the surrounding area. ensure you narrow your search to only that city and the surrounding area.    
  • View: some manufactured homes in Arizona offer picturesque views of the local scenery, whether it’s a nearby park or the Grand Canyon itself. Many manufactured home owners prioritize finding a home where they watch the sunrise over the scenic horizon, so consider whether this is important to you as you begin your manufactured home search in Arizona. 
  • Community or Private Ownership?: Manufactured home owners in communities can take advantage of amenities and other benefits that offer an idyllic lifestyle. These communities, some of which are all-ages and some of which are for those age 55 and up, mean that residents live in a manufactured home on which the land is leased. Before beginning your mobile home search, think about whether the community lifestyle is for you or whether owning a home on your own land is more important. 

Figure Out Budget

Now that your wants and needs are figured out, it’s time to set your budget. 

The average price of a new manufactured home in Arizona is $102,865 for a single-wide, according to 2021 sales data. This offers cost-savings compared to site-built homes that average around $450,000 in cities like Phoenix. 

Even with their affordability, it’s important to determine a budget for your manufactured home shopping experience. Take time to explore what homes in Arizona sell for and determine how high you’re willing to go. 

It’s also worthwhile to ensure your credit is in order before you commit to buying a manufactured home. If you need to boost your credit score, it’s usually best to limit the amount of new accounts you open, pay down currently existing debt, and catch up on past-due accounts. Many lenders will also offer loans for manufactured home buyers with less than stellar credit. 

Look In Your Market

Now comes the fun part – browsing for homes in your area! MHVillage makes it easier than ever to search for new or used manufactured homes in Arizona that are in your desired market. 

Not only that, but MHVillage offers specific filtering options for your mobile home search. Want to look for manufactured homes with two bathrooms, or specifically for homes for sale by owner? MHVillage has you covered. 

Once you’ve found a home that you’re ready to learn more about, tour, or even place an offer on, you can contact the seller directly to arrange next steps and begin the buying process. This will usually involve touring the home for yourself, getting a feel for the neighborhood or community, and ultimately placing an offer if you feel the home is right for you.  

Arizona-Specific Preparations 

Arizona is one of many states that requires a manufactured home to be properly titled. In this case, the Arizona Department of Transportation will issue the title for the home. If your home has multiple sections, each one may require their own title. 

At the county level, you may also need an Affidavit of Affixture from the county if you’re placing your mobile home on land that you own. A mobile home dealer, if you purchase your home from them, can help you with this process. 

Ready to find that perfect Arizona mobile home? Get started on your home ownership journey today by visiting mhvillage.com/homes/az.

Use 2022’s Color of the Year in Your Mobile Home

The new year brings promises of resolutions, new beginnings, and revitalizing your living space to spark some creative inspiration or simply change things up. 

For manufactured homeowners, this means doing some winter cleaning before the spring cleaning, some new interior decorating, or a fresh coat of paint. 

If January is your month for any of these projects for your mobile home, then you need to know about this year’s Color of the Year, and how you can best use it in your mobile home. 

What is the Color of the Year? 

Every year, Pantone, the company behind the famous color matching innovation known as the Pantone Matching System, unveils its “Color of the Year” that represents the current culture and serves as a symbol for the times to come. 

This year’s color, “Very Peri,” marks the first time the first time a newly-created color has been selected as part of this recognition.  

“We are living in transformative times…Very Peri is a symbol of the global zeitgeist of the moment and the transition we are going through,” the official Color of the Year announcement reads.

With that in mind, there are a number of ways this blue-purple hue can bring some transformation and transition into your mobile home, whether you decorate with it on the inside or the outside.

How Can You Use It In Your Home? 

Painting

Very Peri can make for a strong blue or purple color if you’re painting indoors. 

At first glance, the vibrant shade can make an excellent color for a children’s bedroom, or a bathroom. The blue and purple invoke a sense of calm, serenity, yet playfulness, making it ideal for either environment. 

Alternatively, you can explore using Very Peri in your mobile home via an accent wall. An accent wall is one wall of any given room that is painted a different color from the rest of the room, though still thematically similar. For instance, an accent wall in a living room painted teal blue may be painted a darker blue, similar to the color of the ocean. 

In the case of Very Peri, you could use a darker purple as the accent wall, or have Very Peri be your accent color for a more bluish color as your main color. 

If you’re looking for Very Peri or a similar shade for your next paint project, you can achieve this by printing out a photo with the Very Peri shade and matching it to the closest swatch at your local hardware store. You can also use digital color finders from popular paint manufacturers, such as Sherwin-Williams, to match Very Peri to the exact shade that you’d like for your paint project.  

Interior decorating 

If you’re looking for more subtle ways to incorporate Very Peri into your mobile home, consider other methods of working the shade into your interior decorating. 

Think curtains, or perhaps even wallpaper trim, ways that make the color pop against your current living environment. Feel free to think outside the box with these, too. Need new cooking utensils or equipment? Finding what you need in a similar shade can bring a pop of liveliness into your kitchen where you wouldn’t normally expect to find it. 

Even something as small as glassware in a display cabinet can provide that vibrant splash of color you need for a dining room or kitchen.

Outdoor floral arrangement

In warmer regions of the country, this is something you can do right now. Planting flowers outside your home, whether it’s in a flowerpot on your porch or in a garden bed along the front or side of your home, can bring your home to life on the outside as well as the inside.  

Carpeting

Replacing carpet in your mobile home is no easy task. But, when it does need to be done, consider a blue or purple carpet similar to Very Peri. Similar to how it looks when painted on a wall, the color can inspire both calmness and creativity, depending on your mood, making it the perfect choice for a carpet that ties any room together. 

What are some other colors of 2022? 

Pantone is not the only organization that denotes a “Color of the Year.” 

Sherwin-Williams’ Color of the Year is Evergreen Fog, self-described as “soothing, subtle, and a perfect shade to freshen up any space.” They also offer additional colors to pair Evergreen Fog with, as well as some creative influences perfect for your mobile home living space. 

And Shutterstock lists a variety of colors for 2022 centered around one theme – serenity. From Calming Coral to Pacific Pink, manufactured home owners can use this guide as well for inspiration when it comes to revamping your living room, bedroom, or bathroom. 

Need more lifestyle ideas? Head over to the Lifestyles section of the MHVillager to sweeten up your mobile home lifestyle today.

Why You Should Buy a Manufactured Home in 2022

Manufactured homes are a homeowner’s biggest opportunity for affordable, yet high-quality homes out there. 

Manufactured housing in 2022, whether you buy a manufactured home new or used, carries immense benefits that makes it easier to buy and own a home. So much easier, in fact, that 22 million Americans living in manufactured homes today have already done it. 

Here are some of the top benefits of manufactured homes in 2022:   

Affordability 

Manufactured homes are perhaps the easiest way for a homeowner to-be to realize that dream. 

When comparing manufactured homes to site-built homes, the average price of a manufactured home sits at around $45,000 according to the Manufactured Housing Institute – far lower than the average price tag of $443,000 for a site-built home, based on Statista data. 

That is nearly a 90% savings for what you get out of it, which is a high-quality home for you and your loved ones. 

Quality

There is often a misconception that owning a manufactured home means cutting back on quality, or the amount of livable space you have. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. 

Today’s manufactured homes for sale are built with high-quality in mind, and it’s not hard to find homes that offer luxury fixtures, such as jacuzzi tubs, smart appliances in the kitchen and living room, and outdoor patios and decks. 

If you’d really like to go all-out, then mobile home dealers and manufacturers offer custom mobile home plans for you. If you want to customize the square footage of your mobile home, fit it with custom cabinets or appliances, or otherwise tweak your floor plan, custom mobile homes give you that option. 

Reliability

The root of a manufactured home’s reliability is their strict standards for building materials, quality, and safety. Manufactured homes built after 1976 are subject to building code from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and this “HUD Code” is what ensures a manufactured home is built to last and offer its occupants a high-quality living experience. 

Security is also a factor when it comes to the reliability of a mobile home. Many mobile homes live in gated communities (more on that below) that offer peace of mind for their residents. 

Community Amenities

Many manufactured homes live in what’s known as a manufactured home community. It’s essentially what it sounds like – a community of manufactured homes where the residents can socialize together and take advantage of the amenities at their disposal. 

This can include: 

  • Swimming pools and spas 
  • Dog-walking parks 
  • Playgrounds
  • Lounges and clubhouses
  • Tennis and pickleball courts, among other athletic facilities 
  • Lakeside or oceanside views

Not only that, but manufactured home communities (sometimes referred to as mobile home parks or land-lease communities) may also include monthly utility payments, such as water, trash, electricity, and internet, as part of your monthly lot rent. If you’re considering moving into a manufactured housing community, check with the community management to see what specifically their site-lease fee includes. 

If we’ve convinced you that manufactured homes are the absolute best for affordable, quality living, then don’t wait. Start your manufactured home search today with MHVillage’s directory of manufactured homes for sale in your area.

Getting Involved With Your Manufactured Home Community

If you live in a manufactured home community, or are looking to move to one in the near future, you might ask yourself about how to be an active member of that community. What are some of the different activities you can take part in, or clubs or organizations that might be on-site or nearby? 

Thankfully, if you live in a manufactured home community or mobile home park, most likely you’ll have no shortage of things to do with your fellow community residents. Here are a few of the key attractions for residents in manufactured home communities to take part in: 

Finding Amenities

One of the biggest draws for residents living in manufactured home communities are the amenities available to them. When living there, residents can access community amenities like: 

  • Swimming pools and spas 
  • Dog parks 
  • Playgrounds
  • Lounges and clubhouses
  • Tennis and pickleball courts, among other athletic facilities 
  • Lakefront or ocean views

These amenities are usually available for all residents of a community at any given point, save for those that are seasonally dependent such as pools and outdoor walking trails. 

If you need help finding out whether your community, or a community you’re interested in moving to, has a specific amenity, there are a few ways to go about that. 

Firstly, a community may choose to list the amenities they offer on their MHVillage listing. This is a great starting point for residents looking at communities online or current community residents that aren’t sure of how to contact their community’s ownership. 

If you’re currently a resident of a community, you can also contact the park’s ownership (which can be usually found online) and receive a list of amenities. You may also receive a pamphlet or brochure when you move in or tour a mobile home community with this information.  

Finding Clubs and Organizations

In addition to finding out which amenities your community offers, you can also contact your community to find out if there are any neighborhood clubs you can take part in. 

Many communities may offer a weekly shuffleboard gathering, game night, or some other kind of social function. Or, there may be an on-site club for groups within your community (such as women or veterans) that you can join. 

However, if your community doesn’t have the right kind of club or organization that you’re looking for, it may be worth contacting community management to see if you can start one yourself. 

For example, if you’d like to create a monthly book club within a community, but it doesn’t exist just yet, then that’s your cue to work with your community’s management or board to create one. Many communities even host these kinds of events within their own clubhouses or lounges, too! 

Manufactured Home Community Boards

Earlier, we referenced “Community Boards” – but what are they? How do they work? 

Resident-owned communities, in place of ownership, may have a “board” in place that’s comprised of residents that share ownership of the community. Residents can choose to engage with these boards by either attending their meetings, if they hold them publicly, or running to be on the board itself. 

Each resident-owned community will have a different guideline 

The board, in these cases, is able to play a direct role in shaping that community’s bylaws and policies, as well as the fixtures and amenities that residents can engage with. 

Don’t wait to find your dream manufactured home lifestyle in the perfect community. Find your dream home with the community lifestyle on MHVIllage today.

Here’s Why You Should Buy a Pre-Owned Mobile Home Today

Pre-owned manufactured homes offer prospective home buyers immense value that cannot be passed up in today’s market. 

When buying a manufactured home or a mobile home, you’re already saving thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars on your living experience, and that’s doubly true if you buy your mobile home used. 

If you’re looking to buy a used mobile home, here are some of the benefits in store for your home buying journey: 

Value For Your Money

We know everything isn’t about the money, but it’s still the biggest selling point when talking about used manufactured homes near you. 

From an affordability standpoint, manufactured homes are already incredibly more cost-accessible than your average site-built home – by nearly 90 percent, in fact. The average price of a manufactured home sits at around $45,000 according to the Manufactured Housing Institute – far lower than the average price tag of $443,000 for a site-built home, based on Statista data. 

When it comes to used mobile homes, you’ll often find even more affordable homes given the rate at which mobile homes appreciate. Given their high quality builds and reliability long after they’re built (more on that below), purchasing a used mobile home is the way to go for millions of American families.  

Not only that, but when buying a used mobile home from a dealer, you may have more options for financing your mobile home purchase at your disposal. And, you especially have greater options for mobile home financing compared to a site-built home. This is because new and used mobile homes don’t rely on traditional mortgages like a site-built home does. 

Reliability

Modern manufactured homes are built to standards enacted in 1976 by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). When a manufactured home is built to “HUD Code,” it means that it is held to highly strict specifications that are enforced at the federal level, making them an extremely safe option for homeowners. 

This means that used manufactured homes on the market that were built after 1976 are built to standards relating to fire and wind resistance, energy efficiency, and innovations in the home’s foundation that make them more reliable than ever. If you’re shopping on a budget, you cannot go wrong with a reliable used manufactured home.

Quality

In the same vein as reliability, modern manufactured homes are built with high quality and luxury in mind. 

Today’s used manufactured homes can offer top-of-the-line features, including: 

  • Smart appliances 
  • Spa-like bathrooms, some with jacuzzi-style tubs
  • Wide, spacious bedrooms
  • Open-concept kitchens 
  • Barn-style doors 

Because manufactured homes, and used manufactured homes, are produced so efficiently, there’s sometimes extra room for these kinds of luxury features. If you’re looking for a used mobile home with an open kitchen, or a jacuzzi tub, you can curate your mobile home search with that in mind. 

Take Advantage of Amenities

By living in a used mobile home in a park, you can access a number of amenities and fixtures that would otherwise be unavailable outside of a community setting. 

These can range from laundry facilities, to athletic courts, to lounges and clubhouses, to dog walking trails and parks, to pools and spas for your enjoyment and relaxation. By buying a used mobile home in a community or park, you can use many of these amenities if they’re available all while saving thousands of dollars as part of your home ownership experience. 

Many communities even offer basic utilities, such as water, trash disposal, and internet, as part of your monthly lot rent, promoting even further cost savings. 

Ready to start your homebuyer’s journey? Browse MHVillage today to view our selection of used mobile homes in your area. You can also filter your search based on whether a home is based in a community, is a certain size, and many other criteria. 

The Ultimate Guide to Touring Mobile Homes

So, you’re looking for a manufactured home to buy. You might already have your market picked out, or you might even know which manufactured home community you want to live in. A crucial step of the home buying process is touring mobile homes you’re interested in buying. Touring mobile homes gives you the best idea possible of what your living space will look like if and when you choose to buy that home. 

Touring a mobile home is more important than one might realize. If you’re looking to buy a manufactured home and set up a tour, here are a few things to keep in mind:    

What to Look For 

Firstly, you should ensure that the exterior of the home is in solid condition. This includes making sure the siding is in good shape without any major damage, ensuring your roof is in order, and that the mobile home skirting doesn’t show any gaps or visible damage. 

The skirting is especially important, as any tears, rips, or other damage to your skirting could mean lowered energy efficiency for your home in addition to your foundation and plumbing being exposed to the elements. 

One other consideration that often falls through the cracks has to deal with multi-section homes. If you’re touring a double-wide or a triple-wide manufactured home, ensure that the connections holding each section together are properly functioning. 

On that note, you’ll also want to ensure your manufactured home’s foundation is properly set and installed. Just like with a site-built home, having an improperly installed foundation could jeopardize the stability of your manufactured or mobile home. 

Of course, the inside of what could be your new mobile home should be considered too. Ask yourself the following questions when touring your mobile home’s interior: 

  • Is the flooring in good condition and free of damage? 
  • Is there any moisture or mold where it shouldn’t be? 
  • How about the walls? Are there any holes, cracks, or water spots? 
  • Does the plumbing and electrical work as it should? 
  • Are all of the windows and doors properly insulated and sealed? 
  • If included, do the appliances work properly? 

If any of the above questions indicate that there is damage to the home’s interior, or that something isn’t functioning like it should, consider whether that impacts your desire to purchase the home. 

Big Ticket Repairs

Generally, the most expensive repairs you’ll make to your manufactured home are to your mobile home’s roof, your furnace or air conditioning units, and your siding. 

These three facets of your manufactured home should take priority when you’re touring the home. If the roof is several decades old and needs replacing right when you move in, make sure you’re okay with that and can budget for it when deciding to purchase the home. 

Is The Home Right For You? 

Once you’ve done your due diligence on the manufactured home’s condition, it’s time to consider whether that mobile home is the right fit for you. 

Manufactured homes come in many shapes and sizes. To that end, think about whether the home you’re touring offers the right amount of space for you and your loved ones. If a manufactured home is too big, you may end up paying extra for space you’ll never use. Even worse is if the house is too small: you’ll butt elbows with guests and family members for years to come if this is the case! 

Remote work may also be a consideration. If you’re like the millions of Americans working from home, you’ll want your new manufactured home to have dedicated space for a desk, laptop, and perhaps a second monitor so you can be productive in your home. 

Also, the kitchen is the room many manufactured-homeowners-to-be prioritize when touring manufactured homes. Having the right amount of counter and cabinet space is a must for many, so determine where this ranks on your list before touring a mobile home and committing to a purchase. 

Will You Redecorate? 

Often, manufactured homes are given a fresh coat of paint and some cosmetic touch-ups before being listed for sale. As you’re touring any given manufactured home, make sure you have at least a rough idea of how you might redecorate your manufactured home once you move in. 

For instance, if you plan to re-paint, or replace carpeting in rooms of your home with hardwood, make sure that’s going to work with what may be your new home. 

Going virtual or in-person?

In the age of COVID, many home sellers have turned to virtual tours in the spirit of social distancing. If there’s a manufactured home you’re interested in touring to see if it’s the right fit for you, consider seeing if a virtual tour is available for that home. 

In fact, MHVillage allows users shopping for manufactured homes to filter their home search so that only mobile homes with virtual tours appear. Simply click on the “Only Listings with Virtual Tours” checkbox when searching for mobile homes on MHVillage. 

If you’re ready to tour mobile homes near you, let MHVillage get you started. Start your manufactured home search today and set up a tour in your local area. If you’re interested in touring a specific manufactured home, contact the seller listed on that home to make touring arrangements. 

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