Reality TV Star Moves to Florida Resort-Style Community

TV personality Mackenzie McKee testifies on social media about how a Sarasota manufactured home community kept her close to her family and her work.

Mackenzie McKee, social media personality and married mother of three, had made waves by sharing her new manufactured home digs at Sun-n-Fun RV Resort in Sarasota, FL in an Instagram story with her followers over the weekend.

The “Teen Mom OG” star turned social media influencer detailed her family’s journey of traveling from their native state of Oklahoma to the sunny shores of Florida to move into their new manufactured home.

“We pulled up after 18 hours of driving, and, honestly guys, this place is awesome,” McKee said.

Sun-n-Fun RV Resort, operated by Sun Communities, is an all-ages luxury resort-style park in Sarasota that offers amenities ranging from a spa and sauna, to an Olympic-sized pool, to a number of outdoor and indoor recreational facilities such as a fitness center and volleyball courts.

“It’s like a vacation spot and it’s super fun,” she said. “I called them and they had one trailer available and I’m like, ‘Boom!’ Take my money.”

Not only that, but moving to Sun-n-Fun meant added convenience for McKee, her husband, and her three children. Their new manufactured home puts McKee and the family just ten minutes away from school and work, according to an article from Heavy that’s since been viewed over 27,000 times.

McKee went on to detail their hunt for a home, including looking for a mortgage pre-approval, before receiving the news that they had less than a month to vacate their rental home.

“We were going to use that time…to get pre-approved, to go house hunting,” McKee said. “The market’s crazy.”

But now, having settled down with her family at Sun-n-Fun, it’s no wonder that McKee is enjoying the resort-style lifestyle that they offer.

McKee’s story is just one example of how residents living in manufactured home communities can take advantage of luxury amenities, all while keeping their housing costs affordable.

With MHVillage, it’s easier than ever to search for the perfect manufactured home community. Simply head to mhvillage.com/parks to filter your search and find your dream manufactured home today.

Seven Fantastic Resident-Owned Mobile Home Parks in Arizona

If you’re looking for mobile homes in the great state of Arizona, you may come across some that are in resident-owned mobile home parks. In a resident-owned mobile home park, the residents share joint ownership of the property, similar to a co-op house but applied to an entire community. This puts voting and decision-making power into the hands of the residents.

In Arizona, you’ll find a number of resident-owned mobile home parks that are age-restricted and thus great for retired folks, as well as some that are open to all ages. Here, we’ve highlighted seven fantastic and unique resident-owned mobile home parks that are sure to grab your attention.

Country Roads – Yuma, AZ

Country Roads in Yuma, AZ is a resident-owned retirement community located away from the hustle and bustle of Arizona’s downtown locales. This community offers many amenities, such as a playground and clubhouse, and gives its residents a quiet, yet scenic lifestyle to look forward to.

The community has 1,294 sites and is pet-friendly, making Country Roads an ideal resident-owned community for those looking to get away from a more bustling downtown.

Casa de Francisco – Phoenix, AZ

Casa de Francisco is a great example of an all-ages resident-owned mobile home park in Arizona. With 203 sites and such amenities as a billiards room, top of the line laundry facilities, and storage for RVs and boats, comfort and convenience is the name of the game at Casa de Francisco.

Additionally, the resident-owned Casa de Francisco contains a swimming pool, allows for some pets, and best of all sits just a few miles from the water, offering an aquatic getaway right by your home. With all that in mind, it’s no wonder why Casa De Francisco is “an oasis in South Phoenix.”

Apollo Village – Peoria, AZ

Looking for a pet-friendly resident-owned community? Apollo Village in Peoria, AZ may be the right fit for you.

It might not be the only resident-owned community in Arizona for pet owners, but this 55+ community with 236 sites is located just a quarter-mile from the water, making it perfect for walks with your dog. For a more quaint, relaxing type of lifestyle, residents can visit the on-site spa, library, or billiards room.

Peoria, AZ has often been ranked as one of the top places in the country to retire, and this resident-owned community is just one part of it.

Voyager RV Resort – Tucson, AZ

Voyager RV Resort in Tucson, AZ is a resident-owned retirement community brimming with amenities. From multiple dedicated courts for basketball, tennis, volleyball, and shuffleboard, to a nearby golf course and spa facilities, Voyager RV Resort offers retirees with the perfect active lifestyle for them. The community has 1,576 sites, with both pet and non-pet sections and gated security offering peace of mind.

Voyager RV Resort’s resident-owned status makes it one of the largest resident-owned communities in all of Arizona. All of its amenities and conveniences makes this a strong contender for any retiree looking for a new mobile home.

Copper Crest – Tucson, AZ

Copper Crest is a 55+ resident-owned mobile home park in Tucson, AZ, with a plethora of amenities for residents ranging from a horseshoe and shuffleboard court to a library and fitness center. This resident-owned park touts gated security for its residents, offering a quiet and scenic lifestyle for residents settling down after retirement.

With 357 sites, the vast majority of which are multi-section homes, there is bound to be something for anyone 55+ looking for a mobile home park to call home.

Comanche Wells Mobile Home Park – Tucson, AZ

Comanche Wells Mobile Home Park in Tucson, AZ, offers its residents a range of single, double, and triple-wide homes for sale from a total of 209 sites. As a resident-owned retirement community, Comanche Wells Mobile Home Park also offers a suite of amenities, such as on-site RV storage and a free car wash facility.

If you’re looking for a pet-friendly, resident-owned retirement community in Arizona, Comanche Wells Mobile Home Park could be just what you’re looking for. The nearby downtown lifestyle of Tucson offers easy access to dining and entertainment, offering residents the best of both worlds when it comes to both quieter and livelier lifestyles.

Golden Vista RV Resort – Apache Junction, AZ

Golden Vista RV Resort gives its 55+ residents plenty to offer out of a resident-owned community. Located in scenic Apache Junction, AZ, Golden Vista RV Resort boasts a clubhouse, swimming pool, and other highly desired amenities perfect for those looking to find the perfect retirement community.

At a massive 1,075 sites, Golden Vista RV Resort ought to have something for everybody looking to move into this idyllic resident-owned community in Apache Junction, AZ.

Looking to Buy in Arizona?

MHVillage helps make your mobile home search a breeze. Check out additional mobile home parks for sale in Arizona, along with our entire available catalog of mobile homes for sale in Arizona.

If you’re looking to sell your mobile home in Arizona, check out this handy guide from MHVillage to guide you along the way.

9 Steps to Winterize Your Mobile Home

A window looking out onto a snowy scene.

As temperatures begin to cool across the country, it’s time to start thinking about how to winterize your mobile home to protect it against the cold and, in some cases, snow. Even in warmer climates such as the southern United States, winterizing your mobile home to avoid damage to your utilities and fixtures is a surefire way to save money over the course of your mobile home’s life.

Whether you’re preparing for slightly cooler temperatures or for blizzards in the coming months, make sure you take the following steps, if needed, to winterize your mobile home:

Insulate Windows and Doors

If your doors and windows have exposed or damaged insulation, it can lead to drafts inside your home, which means a costlier heating bill. Insulating your windows and doors from the inside ensures that heat doesn’t escape from your mobile home.

There are multiple ways to insulate both your doors and your windows. Many hardware stores offer spray foam insulation useful for filling gaps and cracks in your door frame or window frame, and some may offer large sheets of plastic adhesive that fit over windows to keep the heat indoors. No matter which method you choose to insulate your windows and doors, it’s best to start during the late-autumn, early-winter timeframe to prevent as much heat as possible from escaping your home.

Check Your Pipes

If you suspect that any pipes in your home may have leaks or are otherwise damaged, now is the time to repair them. Not only that, but freezing pipes can result in some of the most extensive damage possible during the winter. Heat tape can help ensure that your pipes are properly warmed and functioning throughout the winter.

Have Your Furnace Inspected

Any utility that provides climate-control for your mobile home, whether it’s a furnace, air conditioning unit, or space heater, should be inspected annually to ensure it works properly. Before winter fully sets in, your furnace will be the most important of these three to inspect.

As mechanics and service professionals become more and more backlogged with service calls towards the end of the year, it’s important to get ahead of the game and have any necessary repairs made to your mobile home’s furnace before you’re stuck waiting in the cold.

Maintain Your Skirting

Moving over to the exterior of your home, you want to ensure that the entirety of your mobile home’s skirting is still in good condition. If there are any cracks or dents, it may lead to damage from external moisture, particularly during snowstorms. Additionally, damaged or missing skirting can lead to frozen pipes, as the skirting keeps cold air from getting under your home.

Check the Marriage Line

In multi-section mobile homes, the marriage line – the seal that keeps each section of the home together – should always be level and firmly sealed. However, if there’s damage to the marriage line, or if it’s become unlevel over time, you risk losing heat around this division, among other problems. As you’re winterizing your mobile home, it might not be a bad idea to check on your marriage line, if you have one, and insulate if needed.

Loosen Your Tie-Downs

On the subject of your mobile home’s bones, each year you’ll also want to loosen your tie-downs ever so slightly, to account for the ground heaving and shifting throughout the winter. This is especially true for mobile homes in colder climates like the northern United States. Having tie-downs that are too tight during harshly cold weather can lead to foundation damage to your mobile home, shortening its lifespan.

Make Sure Your Gutters are Maintained

If you’re in an area such as Florida or Louisiana with high precipitation, or live in snowy Michigan, you’ll want to ensure that your gutters, if you have them, are clear of any debris and are properly installed. If you don’t, freeze-over may occur – which means water or snow may collect in your gutters and create large icicles. This can cause significant gutter damage, so it’s important to check your gutters before the winter sets in to ensure they’re in good condition.

Check For Any Needed Roof Repairs

In addition to checking on your gutters, take time to assess the overall condition of your mobile home’s roof before winter sets in. If you have any leaks, or openings where heat may escape your home, be sure to patch those up before it gets too cold. Repairing your roof can take on many different forms depending on what material your roof is made out of, but our mobile home roofing guide has further insights on how to repair the most common mobile home roofs.

Reverse the Ceiling Fans

The last tip on this list is one many homeowners take advantage of. If you look at your ceiling fan, you’ll see a small switch that changes which direction the fan rotates. During the summer, your fan blades should rotate counterclockwise, whereas in the winter they should rotate clockwise to properly distribute warm air throughout a room.

A mobile home will be one of the greatest investments you make in your life. This is because, for being a widely-used source of affordable housing for millions of Americans, they offer immense value and quality of life. That’s why it’s so important to take extra precautions before each winter season, whether you live in Michigan, Arizona, or Florida, to ensure you get as much value out of your home as possible.

What Makes a Great Retirement Community?

Manufactured home communities – also known as mobile home parks – make for some of the most ideal retirement locations in the country. They offer great amenities, scenic views, security for their residents, and many are even geared for residents that are of retirement age.

When researching mobile home communities to settle down into for the laid-back retirement lifestyle, it’s important to keep several considerations in mind when it comes to community living. Besides the usual criteria – those scenic views and amenities that we mentioned – there are also some lesser-discussed qualities that can make a big difference during your community search.

The Basics of a Community Search

Above all else, a community or park should be equipped with the right amenities for any retiree. This includes clubhouses for lounging and relaxation, dog parks, pools for the summer weather, and sports facilities such as tennis and shuffleboard courts for physically active community dwellers. While a community may not have all of these amenities, or may even have more besides just those four, it’s important to gauge which ones are most valuable to you when looking for your retirement community.

With any home, but especially for those in communities or parks, you also want to ensure that homes are available for sale in the right size for you. For instance, if you require a triple-wide mobile home, double-check that your community of interest has triple-wide lots available. Another important factor to consider is the level of security that comes with a community. If this is a primary concern, look for communities that tout gated entry or private grounds.

Finally, while this might be one of the more obvious things to look for, many communities are age-restricted. This is a desirable option for many retirees as they usually offer a quieter lifestyle compared to all-ages communities. If this is something you’re interested in for your retirement home, make sure you filter your home search accordingly.

The Not-So-Usual Things to Look For

All of the above qualities can be an imperative for your retirement home search to make sure you connect with the right community. However, they aren’t the only qualities you should look for when searching for a place to live.

Firstly – affordability. Many mobile home communities will often have some kind of site fee or lot rent that covers the amenities and other services that the park will offer. This will vary based on community, but this information may sometimes be listed online – either on a community’s MHVillage listing or their own website.

There’s also the question of convenience. That is, will your community of interest be located near neighborhood fixtures that you love? This can include local shopping districts, entertainment centers, or your favorite restaurants. Finding the ideal community that’s nearby what you love can be a key component of your community search that often goes forgotten.

If you’re making a move out of state, it’s also important to consider whether your new community provides enough relaxation for your new retired lifestyle. The best way to measure this is looking at a combination of the community’s amenities, local tourism fixtures, and whether the community is age-restricted. In this aspect, not all communities are equal – some near popular vacation spots may be more bustling and lively than others, making for a higher-traffic community along with the area surrounding it.

At the end of the day, looking for the perfect mobile home community or park for your retirement lifestyle all comes down to one X-factor: will it meet the quality-of-life needs of you and your loved ones? You should never make compromises when it comes to your wants and needs during the home buying process, and that goes double for looking for the perfect mobile home in the perfect community. The right community for you will meet your needs as we’ve laid them out in this article, and with the right combination you’ll find the community that’s the perfect fit for your new retirement lifestyle.

I’m Interested in Buying a Home in a Community – What’s Next?

If you’re interested in shopping for mobile homes located within a manufactured home community or mobile home park, look no further than MHVillage. The leading website for buying and selling manufactured homes with over 25 million views annually, MHVillage lets potential home buyers filter their search by homes located in communities and parks, in addition to other criteria such as city and state, 55+ communities, and more. Simply click on the “Parks” tab on the homepage to start your search.

And, be sure to read up on everything else there is to know about manufactured home community living, from the financial work involved in buying a home in a mobile home park to the most scenic states for mobile home living.

The Value of Repossessed Mobile Homes

If you’re searching for a manufactured or mobile home to purchase, you may occasionally come across a home listing describing a home as a “repo.” While some may write off a repo mobile home without a second thought, or even disregard repo homes altogether during their home buying journey, repossessed manufactured or mobile homes can actually be a viable source of entry for first time homeowners on a budget.

But first, it’s important to understand the ins and outs of repo mobile homes and understand their pros and cons. Spoiler alert: repossessed homes generally are a good investment for homeowners, particularly those on a budget, but there are a few things you should know first.

What is a Repo Mobile Home?

A repo mobile home is a home that’s been foreclosed and repossessed if the homeowner defaults on their loan payments. These homes are placed back on the market, usually by the financial institution or bank that originated the loan, and are often sold at auction to the highest bidder. If a repo mobile home isn’t sold at auction, it’ll be listed on mobile home selling platforms such as MHVillage.

While some assume repo mobile homes as derelict or in poor condition as a result of being foreclosed, in reality repo mobile homes can be of comparable quality to other mobile homes on the market. Some repossessed mobile homes were previously owned by homeowners who purchased their home when it was brand new, meaning that you may be able to find repo mobile homes on the market that are less than a decade old. And, it’s important to remember that a repo mobile home doesn’t mean that it’s a run-down home, compared to what you may think.

Should I Buy a Repo Mobile Home?

Rather than convince you whether you should or shouldn’t consider purchasing a manufactured home that’s been repossessed, we’ll lay out some of the advantages and disadvantages to going this route.

Repo mobile homes can be a good source for newer homes in good condition.

The most obvious advantage to buying a mobile home that’s been repossessed is cost. Because repo mobile homes are often sold either on auction, or are sold directly from the bank itself, they’re usually priced significantly lower than market value, sometimes for a fraction of the usual cost of a new manufactured home. This makes the home more affordable for first-time homebuyers.

And as we mentioned earlier, some repo mobile homes are newer models, since they were originally purchased as brand new mobile homes. This means that repo mobile homes can be a good source for newer homes in good condition.

Are There Any Downsides to a Repo?

Because a repossessed mobile home is often managed by a bank or other financial institution as opposed to an individual home seller, there may be less information available on the home, such as the condition of the interior or exterior, amenities, or other features of the home. As a result, repo mobile homes are often sold “as-is” since the condition of the home cannot be verified prior to the sale.

In these cases, you’ll want the house inspected by a third party to properly assess the home’s true condition. This ranges from ensuring whether any appliances come with the repo home, checking for any structural damage, and verifying the condition of the inner workings of the home, such as plumbing and electrical wiring. Otherwise, you’ll end up spending the money you saved on your home purchase on expensive home repairs within a few years of moving into your home.

It’s also worth noting that repossessed mobile homes, because of their lower asking price, tend to sell much more quickly than manufactured or mobile homes that are not repossessed. The increased amount of competition among prospective homebuyers, not to mention competition against investors looking to flip the home for profit, means that if you’re interested in purchasing a specific repo mobile home you have your eye on, you better move fast.

Finally, while it’s not a downside per se, buying a repo mobile home will often require a good credit score and credit history to get approved for financing. This is the case for virtually any manufactured home purchase, but holds especially true for repo mobile homes.

What If I’m Interested in Buying a Repossessed Mobile Home?

If you’re interested in browsing repo manufactured homes or foreclosures, MHVillage currently has over 600 active repo listings.

Here are a few quick tips for finding them in your preferred area:

Head over to our nationwide search page and enter your city
Once you are on the home results page for your city, click the “Filter” button shown below to narrow down your search
On the filter menu, select the “Only Repossessions / Foreclosures” option as shown below to display these homes exclusively

and that’s it, now you can explore repo listings across the country!

If you are new to this class of home, you may want to explore a little first and take a look at some of the homes that are currently on the market. Check out some of our listings from a few markets down South.

No matter what you’re looking for in a manufactured home, a repossession can be the perfect match for a prospective homeowner.

Laying the Groundwork for Strong Mobile Home Foundations

A home is nothing without a strong foundation to support it, and that holds especially true for manufactured homes and mobile homes. The foundation for a manufactured or mobile home is especially important, as they not only support the home but provide it with a strong framework to withstand high-impact weather. Think of a mobile home foundation as a chassis that gives your home a dense frame in the form of an undercarriage.

Here, we break down the anatomy of your most common mobile home foundations, as well as some extra considerations to watch out for.

Types of Foundation

The first thing to know when it comes to mobile home foundations is that no two foundations are alike. Compared to other aspects of factory-built homes, the foundation is most often installed at the home site itself, prior to the home being completed.

Foundations have also been held to stricter code regulations since the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) enacted safety codes for manufactured homes in 1976. That same code dictates guidelines for manufactured home foundations – for instance, the types of wood or padding to be used in any given foundation, or the degree to which special footing is needed to protect against frost damage. Refer to the manufacturer’s set up instructions and local authority for the rules for your area.

When looking at mobile home foundations, there are several types you’ll come across:

Pier and Beam Foundation

The “pier and beam” foundation system is far and away the most common type of foundation you’ll find in a manufactured or mobile home. This foundation system consists of two main parts: the concrete cylinders that anchor into the ground, and the steel beams that connect them all together and support the home.

There are multiple reasons why the pier and beam foundation is the go-to in the manufactured housing industry. For one, this foundation type is adaptable to nearly any manufactured home in any environment, and will provide the same level of reliability no matter where it’s installed. The installation process is perhaps the quickest out of any foundation type for mobile homes, too.

With this type of foundation, the concrete can be either poured on-site or precast and brought to the installation site. For instance, some homes in the southern U.S. won’t rely on poured footings as much in favor of ground sets.

But are there any downsides to the pier and beam foundation system? If anything, this type of foundation may need extra support if a mobile home is sited in a flood zone or an area that experiences high winds. While this isn’t a cause of concern for many mobile home owners, it may change how a foundation is installed depending on your environment.

Slab Foundation

Slab foundations consist of a flat surface, usually concrete, that sits on a flat plot of land for the home to sit on. These slabs will also sit on a layer of looser materials under it, such as gravel, for stability. Slab foundations can be installed with or without added piers, similar to the ones mentioned above, for added support.

Slabs are an economical choice for a manufactured home foundation, and often carry better flood ratings for a mobile home foundation compared to other types. Many mobile homes use a slab foundation simply because it’s not only one of the cheapest and most reliable options, but because the installation process is quick, too.

However, a slab foundation cannot be used for just any manufactured home. The site on which the manufactured or mobile home will sit must be relatively flat, to ensure the slab foundation can evenly support the home. However, this ensures a more permanent foundation for your mobile home that can resist high-winds. Additionally, mobile homes with added fixtures, such as a garage or basement, may not support a slab foundation.

Basement Foundation

A basement foundation is exactly what it sounds like – a foundation for a mobile home that gives your home a basement.

The most direct benefit of a basement foundation is the added space for your mobile home. Installing a basement foundation gives any homeowner that much more room for entertainment, storage, or an extra bedroom. The extra living space is a major bonus for many mobile home owners.

However, it’s worth noting that a basement foundation will be among the most expensive foundation types for your mobile home. This is because they take much longer to install than other foundation types, involve more excavation, and of course increases the retail value of the home. A basement foundation also does not offer the same level of flood protection like other foundations do, but they do provide other types of weather protection, even giving you and your family a shelter in case of tornadoes. For these reasons, basement foundations aren’t as common as pier-and-beam foundations.

Crawlspace Foundation

A crawlspace foundation, similarly to a basement foundation, takes advantage of the open space under the home to help support it. Unlike a basement, however, the crawl space isn’t a usable living space.

Crawlspace foundations are usually reserved for site-built homes, so while you won’t find them on a mobile home as often as a pier-and-beam or slab foundation, you’ll occasionally find them in mobile homes found in flood zones, as the crawl space elevates the home off the ground and away from potential floodwaters. Installation for these foundations are among the most expensive, and often take longer than the other types of foundation we’ve covered here.

Foundation Considerations

Regardless of what type of foundation your manufactured home has, there are a few extra considerations to keep in mind:

All manufactured or mobile home foundations should be up to safety code, including those imposed by HUD. All of the above foundation types are HUD-compliant when installed correctly, though some other forms of foundation, such as “ribbon” foundation, have been phased out and are no longer considered safe for manufactured homes.

If you’re getting ready to purchase a manufactured home, ensure you’re aware of what kind of foundation your home has, and what maintenance, if any, may be required. The home seller should be able to provide you with this information.

If you live in a manufactured home community or mobile home park, they may have specific guidelines on foundations for new or existing mobile homes within their park.

Whether a mobile home has a pier and beam, slab, basement, or crawlspace foundation, these four foundation types are the most common for a reason: they provide the crucial support and stability a manufactured home needs for years, even decades after it’s been delivered from the factory. Keeping up with what each type of foundation provides, however, can bring you up to speed with what to look for when shopping for a manufactured home, and what foundation might be best for a home in your area.

Now is The Time To Sell Your Mobile Home

If you’re considering selling your manufactured or mobile home, there’s no better time than now. With a white-hot housing market and historically low interest rates benefitting prospective homeowners, selling your home may be a prudent choice if you’re looking to relocate, upsize or downsize your home, or simply want to chase after your dream mobile home.

No matter the motive behind selling your mobile home, the market is ripe for homeowners looking to sell their home on their own. Referred to as a “For Sale By Owner” sale, or “FSBO,” this type of home sale empowers the homeowner to take charge of the process and save money along the way.

With the manufactured housing market seeing more activity than ever, keep the below considerations in mind when weighing whether to list your home for sale:

Low Supply Means High Demand

In recent months, the supply of homes for sale on the market, including manufactured and mobile homes, have dwindled, meaning homes on the market tend to sell quickly as a result of decreased supply. Thus, if you decide to list your mobile home in the current market, know that with the right listing, market conditions will favor you as a seller when it comes to selling your home quickly.

Make Sure You’re in the Know

Before you decide to go the FSBO route, make sure you’ve researched every step in the process, from getting your home listed to ensuring you’ve got the financials in order. The Mobile Home Sellers Guide is a great resource to start with that covers every step of the mobile home selling process.

This goes double if you’re selling a mobile home in a community or mobile home park. Make sure you study your community’s bylaws and guidelines to ensure you’re selling your home in a compliant manner. For example, a community may mandate that an individual home seller use a specific listing service, lender, or otherwise go through the selling process in a specific fashion.

Get the Most Value For Your Home

Before you list your mobile home, look into ways you might be able to increase its market value before it sells. For instance, if you need to replace your mobile home’s roof or make other necessary repairs, doing so before you list can increase the home’s value. For big ticket repairs such as a roof, porch, or siding, it may even be worth plugging those upgrades into the description of your listing.

Pro Tips for Listing Your Home

For individual home sellers, there are a few key considerations to keep in mind when listing your home to ensure it sells as quickly as possible:

Make Your Listing Shine

You want to do everything you can to draw eyeballs to your home listings. Use descriptive language when describing your home to bring out its best features and make it more appealing to homeowners looking to view homes in their area. At the end of the day, you’re writing about your home to make a sale, so convince them why your home is worth buying at your asking price.

A great description of your home alone won’t cut it, however. You’ll want high-quality photos of the exterior and interior of your mobile home that show everything your home has to offer. More often than not, it’s worth hiring a photographer to stage and take pictures of your home before listing.

Secure More Visibility for Your Listings

A great listing is nothing without homebuyers to see it online. That’s why MHVillage offers listing options that get your home for sale in front of as many people as possible. This creates the biggest possible advertising “net” for your listing and allows you to advertise with other selling tools, such as virtual open houses and printable flyers of your listing.

Know Your Market

What do houses sell for in your area? What’s the market activity like? How does that impact, or how should it impact, your own listing?

These are all questions that you should ask yourself when you’re preparing to sell your mobile home the FSBO way. Doing some in-depth research on the manufactured housing market in your city or state, including the average price of home sales and how many homes have sold in your market over the past year, can help inform how your own listing takes shape. For instance, while doing research you may learn that similar mobile homes in your area have sold for higher or lower than your initial asking price.

The Don’ts of FSBO Listings

Just because the market is so ripe for manufactured home sales doesn’t mean there aren’t mistakes to be made along the way. Here are some of the most common mistakes and traps individual home sellers may come across:

Incorrectly pricing their home. While it’s true that home prices have increased over the past few years, that doesn’t mean you should ask for more money than your mobile home is worth. In fact, asking for more than the appraised value of your home can greatly reduce your chances that you’ll receive an offer.
A lackluster web listing or photos. Much like a strong listing can sell a home faster, a not-so-great listing, with vague descriptions and low-quality photos, can take away from the shine your home listing would otherwise have and increase the amount of time it takes to sell your home. If your home’s description or photos aren’t appealing, then your prospective home buyers won’t show interest in buying your home.
Falling short on the home inspection or appraisal. This also includes outright neglecting to complete a home inspection or appraisal when selling your home. A lack of transparency on the seller’s part when it comes to the home’s condition and true value can turn prospective buyers away and make it harder for you to sell your home.

Alright, I’m Sold. I Want to Sell My Mobile Home. What’s Next?

If we’ve convinced you that selling your manufactured or mobile home is the right move – congratulations! You’re just a few steps away from successfully listing your home during a time where mobile home sales have never been hotter.

MHVillage, the nation’s leading website for buying and selling manufactured and mobile homes, can get your mobile home listing in front of the thousands of people that visit MHVIllage daily. The website offers multiple tiers of pricing for different kinds of listings, with unlimited photos of your home included in the Premium tier. Simply fill out the online form to start your MHVillage listing today.

What’s more is that MHVillage offers a “For Sale By Owner” kit with even more guides and tips for those who list their home on MHVillage. The best part? Over 25 million people visit MHVillage every year, making it the best marketplace for listing your mobile home when it comes to visibility and reach.

Mobile Home Patios: What You Need to Know

Furniture sitting on a tile mobile home patio — A tile patio surface

The summer and fall months are a key window for installing new patios beside your manufactured or mobile home. They’re a great way to provide some added flair to your home’s backyard, not to mention make a great space for entertaining your family and friends while grilling up a nice dinner.

If you’re considering adding a patio to your mobile home before the summer is over, check out this handy guide to catch up on the latest patio styles, and which will be best for your manufactured or mobile home.

What makes a patio, a patio?

A patio is generally defined as a paved outdoor space behind the home used for entertaining, grilling, dining, or recreation. These are fairly similar to decks, since they often serve the same purpose, but patios are more often made with stone or concrete compared to wooden decks. Additionally, patios are usually built as one flat level, compared to decks that are often built with multiple levels or floors, though this is not always the case.

You can check out our in-depth breakdown on all things decks and porches for more information if your project is heading in that direction.

Why should I add a patio or upgrade my existing patio?

Installing a new patio onto your manufactured home or mobile home can greatly add to your home’s visual appeal. This is especially true if you’re considering selling your mobile home in the future, as the added patio to your home’s exterior may increase its asking price.

Financials aside, sprucing up the patio on your home can also:

Add extra lounging space for those cool summer nights
Provide extra space for your outdoor furniture or grill
Give your backyard a flat, paved surface with ultimately less lawn to mow each summer
Options for added fixtures, such as an above-ground fire pit
Make your backyard more wheelchair-accessible with a flat, paved surface

The best part? Compared to a wooden deck, patios typically come with less year-round maintenance and will usually last you much longer, making a patio a great long-term investment for your mobile home.

What types of patios exist? What type of patio is best for me?

No matter which material you choose for your patio, you’ll want the right tools to ensure you’re building on flat, solid land. Before you lay down your building materials, you’ll typically mark the plot of land you’re building your patio on with stakes and mason’s line, and use a foundation of gravel or sand under your building materials. All of these materials can be found at your local hardware store.

By far the most common form of patio is a stone or concrete patio. These materials provide a consistently flat surface for your mobile home’s patio that is durable to the elements and relatively easy to work with.

A concrete patio installation is relatively simple, too. It involves spreading your concrete mixture over the leveled surface where your patio will lay, ensuring the concrete is flat and smooth before it hardens. With stone, the process is a little different – essentially, you’ll lay out your stone across your leveled surface, making sure each stone is snug and flush with one another.

You’ll also commonly see patios made out of brick. Brick patios are similar in composition and construction quality to a stone patio, but may vary slightly in color, surface texture, and cost. These patios are installed in a very similar manner to stone patios.

Though stone, concrete, and brick patios are the most common for mobile home patios, they’re not the only types that you should consider. There are a variety of materials you can choose to build your patio with:

Tile patios are another fairly common choice. If you choose tile for your mobile home patio project, be sure to go with a style of tile that’s specifically rated for outdoor use.
Cobblestone, while a less common used for patios, is another option that gives your mobile home’s patio a more rugged feel. Cobblestone patios can be slightly tougher to install compared to the other options listed above, since there’s more work involved to ensure your cobblestone will lay flat.
Gravel is a great option for your patio if you’re on a budget. Since you’ll often use gravel as a foundation for your patio anyways, you could simply have a gravel surface – similar to what you might find on a playground.

You can check out our mobile home parts and appliances catalog once the time comes to purchase your patio materials. The best patio material for your mobile home will depend on your personal taste and budget – do you like the aesthetic of a colored brick outside your back door? Or does the simplicity of a concrete patio appeal more?

How much should I budget for a patio project?

The amount of money you invest in your new patio project depends entirely on your building material of choice. For a stone patio measuring 100 square feet, expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $750 for the stone itself, on top of the costs for your foundation materials – gravel, sand, and other tools needed to complete the project.

You may also consider budgeting for a wood patio, too. However, the price of lumber has essentially doubled over the past year, making it a higher-priced option than it once was. Still, you can source the right lumber for a price in the triple digits, but you’ll want to factor in the costs of a more intensive maintenance regimen for a wooden patio.

Should I hire a contractor to install or renovate my patio?

If you’re comfortable handling a weekend project outdoors and installing your patio yourself, then DIY is the way to go. Compared to roof, deck, or porch installations, patios are simpler to install and often don’t require a permit from your city or township. However, be sure to check your local permit requirements, as well as the rules and bylaws of your manufactured home community or mobile home park if you live in one, before starting on your patio project.

However, if you’d rather leave a patio installation to the professionals, it’s not too difficult to find a contractor in your area that can get the job done quickly. Online contractor sites such as Angi offer a wide variety of services and providers that can help with your project.

MHVillage also offers a number of additional resources on a variety of remodeling topics – from patios, to porches and decks, and issues you’ll have to consider when going about a mobile home remodel. But when it comes to your mobile home’s new patio, the investment should be well worth the outdoor enjoyment for you, your family, and your friends.

The Homeowner’s Guide to Mobile Home Skirting

Mobile home skirting (also called mobile home underpinning) is a barrier made from hard material that protects the underside of your manufactured home and keeps it safe from all kinds of threats. While it’s an often forgotten component of mobile home maintenance, your home almost certainly needs it.

Mobile home skirting is required around a manufactured home’s bottom exterior to keep away pests and moisture. Additionally, the installation of skirting can enhance the visual appeal of the home by masking piers, tie-downs and the concrete slab.

Many online marketplaces and corner hardware stores sell mobile home skirting. However, the question remains…what look is best for you? What features should you look for in mobile home skirting, and what material is best to use?

The Key Benefits of Skirting for Mobile Homes

Many manufactured homes use a pier and beam foundation, which means the homes sit a few feet off the ground. To cover the gap between the home and the ground, homeowners use skirting for a smooth, seamless finish across the entire home.

Skirting fulfills important functions such as:

Helping your home maintain a more consistent temperature and keeping moisture away
Preventing animals from nesting under your home
Protecting your home’s foundation and plumbing from weather conditions
Enhancing the visual appeal of your home by providing a finished and stately look for your home

In addition, federal Housing and Urban Development code requires skirting on any manufactured home.

Standard vinyl skirting comes in 12-foot long panels. It’s cut to width for the average height off the ground from the bottom of the home. Vinyl is the least expensive option (more on that below), and comes in solid panels or panels with ventilation holes.

Types of Mobile Home Skirting

Many types of mobile home skirting are available, but the most common are:

Vinyl Mobile Home Skirting: The most popular choice, thanks to its cost-effective nature and ease of installation. Vinyl mobile home skirting is a solid choice, but note that it can be vulnerable to moisture and needs to be vented well (see below).
Brick and Cinderblock Mobile Home Skirting: These are great options for a homeowner who plans to stay put. Brick and cinderblock are pricey and labor-intensive to install, but they provide great insulation and are extremely durable.
Wood Mobile Home Skirting: Wood skirting looks great on a manufactured home, particularly if paired with wood paneling. But it retains a lot of moisture, meaning that ventilation is especially critical. Varieties with water-resistant features like pressure-treated wood or cedar should be strongly considered.
Metal Mobile Home Skirting: Metal skirting made from steel, tin or aluminum is a perennially popular option. It’s durable, lightweight and relatively affordable. Like metal siding, its only real disadvantage is that it can be dented easily and that some types are vulnerable to rust.
Faux Stone Skirting: Faux stone skirting is a stylized choice of skirting material for mobile home owners, given its low maintenance and durability. Since faux stone skirting is typically made of plastic, but made to look like stone, some types may be more durable than others.
Cement Board Skirting: A highly durable option, cement board skirting – sometimes known as “hardie” skirting – comes in sheets, or blocks, and is one of the pricier options you’ll come across. Like with vinyl skirting, you’ll want to monitor for moisture over time to ensure the material doesn’t warp or crack.

Each type of skirting has different components. Vinyl skirting, for example, requires top and bottom tracks, a front piece, and screws to hold it in place. Buying your skirting from a reputable mobile home parts supplier will help ensure that you get all of the parts you need.

What You Will Need to Install Mobile Home Skirting

If you’re the do-it-yourself type and are interested in tackling the mobile home skirting installation on your own, here are a few tips to help you with the project:

Make sure you have the necessary equipment. The following tools will be required to install your own skirting:

Drill and bit
Hammer
Tape measure
Wood stakes
Tin snips
Spikes
Nails
Level
Utility Knife

If you’re a homeowner with some handyman skills, replacing skirting on a single-section home could take you most of the weekend. On the other hand, it’s worth knowing that an experienced installer can finish most skirting-related jobs in about a day. You can typically expect to pay around $45/hour if you prefer hiring a professional for the project.

How Much Mobile Home Skirting Does My Home Need?

For a basic calculation of your mobile home’s skirting requirements, you’ll first need the total linear footage of your manufactured home. To find this, measure the length of all side of your home and porch, and add them together. You’ll also need the average distance of your home from the ground. To find this, go to each corner of your home and measure the distance from the ground to a point two inches above the bottom of the home. Add the numbers up and divide by the number of corners to find the average distance.

For more details, look at any of the instructions for measuring mobile home skirting available online. Pro tip: Purchase all of your skirting from the same source and at the same time so that you don’t get mixed lots that can result in mismatched colors and bad fits.

How Should I Vent My Mobile Home Skirting?

Venting is an important part of mobile home skirting installation because it prevents moisture from building up behind the skirting. Any new skirting should have vents installed in it, with a recommended ratio of 1 square foot of vent space per 150 square feet of manufactured home flooring. Make sure to place some vents close to the corners of your home to improve air circulation, and use screens on your vents to allow air to pass through without letting animals in. Unwanted moisture under the home will create mildew and possibly buckle the home’s floor joists, which is particularly common in wet states like Louisiana and Michigan.

A ground vapor barrier is another good way to control moisture under your manufactured home. GVBs are plastic barriers placed directly on the ground to prevent moisture from seeping up into the foundations of your home. They can greatly reduce the amount of moisture that needs to be vented out through your skirting.

Faux and textured panels are solid and trap ground moisture below the home. The recommendation is to only use the solid panels on three sides of the home and to use a ventilated material on the rear of the home. This approach provides some ventilation, but is less effective than having a home ventilated on all sides.

Should My Mobile Home Skirting Be Insulated?

Some manufactured home experts maintain that skirting should always be insulated, while some say separate insulation isn’t necessary. If you live in a colder climate, it may be worth investigating foam-insulated skirting, which comes pre-made with foam insulation backing. Again, experts disagree on whether it’s cost-effective, but it can be a potential difference-maker for some manufactured home owners.

Learn more key information about mobile home remodels and upgrades that make a manufactured home safe and enjoyable.

Mobile Home Skirting Maintenance

Skirting of nearly any variety can sustain damage or be destroyed by a weeder, among other lawn equipment. This will be unsightly and provide access for water to enter. Additionally, these compromises in the mobile home skirting provide an animal gateway to chew on wiring and harm other utilities. Worse yet, they could take up residence under your mobile home.

There are two primary approaches to beating back skirting damage caused by weeding. First, consider putting down a few inches of plastic and landscaping stone around the skirting. Second, you can spray chemical weed killer, which tends to yellow the surrounding foliage. But, as a result, the remaining spray could be toxic for pets and children.

Want more tips for improving your home exterior? Check out our guides for mobile home siding, mobile home porches, and mobile home steps.

Four Financial Benefits of Living in a Mobile Home

Mobile home buyers can save some serious coin versus traditional homes, and this can come in handy for the financially conscious. Fixed housing payments, whether a mortgage or rent, are likely your largest fixed monthly expense. Housing is a necessity, and the less you have to pay for it, the easier life will be.

Mobile homes come in many sizes, designs, and materials, so you have plenty of options to suit your lifestyle and budget. Whether you’re a single homeowner or have a large family, there are plenty of comfortable, safe, and cost-effective options to choose from. The economic advantages of owning this type of home can be huge and make it well worth the effort.

Here are four cost-friendly benefits of living in a mobile home:

1. You can live more simply

Many people choose to move to a manufactured home to live more simply or modestly. This type of “less is more” attitude has been scientifically proven to improve the mental well-being and overall health of those who adhere to this lifestyle. According to U.S. News and Worl d Report, favoring “the environment over material consumption and income has been linked…to improved environmental sustainability [and] boosted mental and physical health.” So, for those looking to embrace frugal, simple living, purchasing a manufactured home is a viable option for many.

2. Today’s mobile homes are safe, quality-controlled and built to last

While it might seem that mobile homes are more vulnerable to weather, this is simply untrue. Manufactured homes built after 1976 have significantly raised quality standards and requirements for these types of homes as a result of revised coding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Now, all manufactured homes are required to be up to strict code requirements to ensure safety and quality of life. This includes the home’s heating and air conditioning systems, fire safety, plumbing, electrical systems, structural design, construction, energy efficiency and transportation.

The Manufactured Housing Institute notes that today’s manufactured homes are “engineered for wind safety and energy efficiency based on the geographic region in which they are sold.” If you’re purchasing a manufactured home in California, for instance, you can have peace of mind that it has been built to withstand occasional rain and earthquakes. Today’s “mobile” homes are actually held in place by steel anchors.

3. Purchasing a manufactured home is environmentally sound

If you’re hoping to save costs on utilities while benefiting the environment, then purchasing a manufactured home could be a very smart investment. Manufactured homes yield significantly less waste and environmental impact than site-built housing, making them much more eco-friendly than standard site-built homes.

And since manufactured homes are created in a factory and assembled on site, getting them to a mobile home community leaves a much smaller environmental footprint. When building a traditional home, raw materials must be moved to and from the construction site daily.

Also, since your manufactured home may be less spacious than your former traditional home, you’ll have lower maintenance and utility bills.

4. You won’t break the bank when purchasing a manufactured home

Possibly the most attractive feature of buying a manufactured home is its low cost. Compared to site-built homes, manufactured homes offer much more bang for your buck in terms of dollars per square foot.

Today, the Manufactured Housing Institute reports that the average price for a new, single-wide mobile home is $45,000, with the average price for mobile homes overall coming in at $81,900. Today’s average price of a new, site-built home? $408,000, according to Statista.

A monthly payment for a mobile home may be in the hundreds, which is next to nothing compared to monthly mortgage payment for a traditional home in the thousands based on the above numbers. Owning a manufactured home is even cheaper than most rental rates. Considering their affordability, manufactured homes are one of the best options for obtaining home ownership without breaking the bank. Plus, think how much less stress you’ll have with that significantly lower payment? That’s huge.

If you decide to pull the trigger on buying a manufactured home, you’ll experience the huge monetary benefits for yourself. It’s possible to save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars per month by purchasing a manufactured home. This means you won’t need to work as hard to pay the bills and you can spend more of your income on things you enjoy — travel, family, events, investing, another child, or whatever you choose! Give mobile home ownership a long, careful look. The benefits are numerous and obvious.