Friday, October 18, 2024

7 Must-Do Spring Cleaning Projects For Your Mobile Home

The weather is starting to warm up across the United States. With spring officially beginning this week, you might be wondering how to get to work on spring cleaning in your mobile home.

While there are a lot of different ways you can get started, here are just a few must-do spring cleaning projects for your mobile home:

Organize, Organize, Organize

After a busy holiday season, you may have put off re-organizing your home’s common areas. You might still have boxes of things that need to be packed up, things not in their right place, or overall a less organized home than you’re used to.

The first step in a successful spring cleaning season can be a simple organization sprint. With some storage totes of different sizes, you can declutter every room in your mobile home and get things put away to get the rest of your cleaning done. This is also a great time to put your winter jackets and boots away, if you’re confident you won’t be getting any more snow for a while.

Consider a Fresh Coat of Paint

If you have the time for it, painting a room or two of your house in preparation for the spring months can give your home a whole new feel.

Finding a warm, yet inviting color to paint your living room or bedroom can have a surprising effect on your mental health and outlook for spring. Popular colors for this time of year include light, subtle blues and greens – colors that evoke warmer weather and blooming plants.

Wash Your Doors, Windows, and Baseboards

It can be easy to neglect these when doing your routine cleaning throughout the year. But, taking time to ensure your entryways and baseboards are spick and span can go a long way.

When cleaning your doors, wipe them down with hot, soapy water – but not too much! This will get rid of a lot of germs that have built up over time. Make sure you wipe down the doorknobs, too!

Your windows might take a little bit more work. In addition to cleaning the glass of the windows themselves, you’ll also want to clean out the window tracks, as well as wipe down any handles and locks. If your windows have mesh screen protectors, make sure those are in good working condition too. Patch up any tears or rips, and clear them of any dust or debris that might have collected.

The baseboards are the most overlooked out of these three items. But, cleaning these can be super important for not only keeping away dust and germs, but other types of allergens too. Similar to your doors, wash these down with warm soapy water to keep them looking clean.

Dust Those Nooks and Crannies

Over the winter months, you may have seen dust collect in those hard-to-reach places throughout your home. The spring cleaning season is a great time to have an afternoon dedicated to taking out your dusting tools and ridding your mobile home of all the dust bunnies that moved in over the winter months.

Here are just a few areas to keep in mind when dusting including:

Lampshades
Baseboards (particularly on the edges and in corners)
Tops and sides of doors and doorframes
Picture frames
Underneath and on top of cabinets
Ceiling fans
Window blinds
Refrigerator coils
Behind your toilet and sink

Clean Your Air Ducts

While we’re on the subject of dust, it’s highly recommended that you have your air ducts professionally cleaned every year or two.

Loose dust can collect deep inside your vents over time, which increases the chance that you’ll have allergens spreading throughout your house.

To avoid potential health problems, having your air ducts cleaned is a common step to take. The spring cleaning season is an especially good time of year to have this done. This is because, as pollen and other allergens become more common during the spring months, it’s easier for allergens to enter your mobile home. So, having your ducts cleaned before allergy season kicks in can be a good idea.

Many HVAC professionals offer duct cleaning services, and there are even some companies that specifically specialize in duct cleaning and maintenance.

Clean Your Kitchen From Top to Bottom

Your mobile home kitchen is especially important to keep in mind when spring cleaning. This is because a number of germs and bacteria can collect in here while cooking or baking.

Wipe down all cooking and food preparation surfaces – your countertops, stove, oven, and any other surface that regularly comes in contact with food with a good antibacterial cleaning solutiony. Make sure you thoroughly wipe down all handles too – from your microwave to your cabinets.

Speaking of cabinets, it might be a good idea to clean out and re-organize them. You might end up throwing away a lot of food that has expired, creating extra storage space in your kitchen.

Sweeping and mopping floors, under cabinets, and behind your appliances is also incredibly important for clearing out loose dust and food particles.

Rev Up Your Laundry Machines

Across all of these steps, you’re probably throwing a number of clothing or linen items in your dirty laundry hamper. That t-shirt you misplaced at Christmas, those dirty kitchen towels, or your bedsheets for example.

While you’re spring cleaning your mobile home, run your laundry machines to give your often-used fabrics a fresh wash. This will make your kitchen and bathroom towels feel just like new again at the same time you can crawl into bed tonight with freshly washed bed sheets. This will also help keep them clean and sanitized – not to mention smelling like springtime!

Keep in mind that not all seven of these mobile home spring cleaning projects need to be done at once. If you’ve kept up on the dusting throughout the year, for instance, you might not need to spend as much time on it during your spring cleaning.

But these projects can help your mobile home feel brand new as you finally beat the winter blues. If you’re looking for more mobile home lifestyle tips, you can check out the MHVillager to live the best mobile home life possible!

2023 Interior Design Trends for Your Mobile Home

Now that we’re a month into 2023, you might be thinking about how you can redecorate or remodel your mobile home this year.

No matter what your wants or needs are for your home, you should know about the newest and most popular design trends for 2023. By reading this blog, you’ll be able to make your mobile home even more modern when it comes to style and appeal.

Here are some of the top 2023 interior design trends for your mobile home that you should consider using:

Trend 1 – Earth Tones

Interior designers everywhere are continuing to emphasize earth tones when decorating or painting the inside of your home. This includes shades of brown, green, gray, and even some muted reds.

Why are these colors so popular in 2023? Well, for one, these colors can help a home sell faster, as they’re usually more neutral colors that a buyer can more easily see themselves in if rooms in your home are painted these colors.

Additionally, they invite a sense of natural beauty. Rather than have colors that feel artificial or sterile, the right shade of taupe or sage can make one feel more refreshed and in tune with their home.

Trend 2 – Stone and Wood Trims

Speaking of more natural vibes for your home, furnishings with stone and wood trims, such as counters and tabletops, are on the upswing. These can sometimes be made out of the real thing and covered with a lacquer or sealant, or can be marble, vinyl, or another surfacetop that looks like stone or wood.

These are becoming more popular for the same reason as earth tones for your walls. They invite a sense of natural curiosity and can make your home feel more upscale.

If you’re building a customized manufactured home, your manufacturer may also have surfaces for counters and tabletops that fall under this category.

Trend 3 – Easy on the Lights!

If you’re redecorating your mobile home, pay special attention to your lights.

Brightly lit rooms have been a design trend for a while now, but one downside can be that they can overstimulate and tire out the eyes.

That’s why rooms that have more muted lighting are becoming more popular in 2023. Rather than having four different light sources in your living room or bedroom, consider cutting down to just a few that make your room feel more “zen” – that is, calming and energizing.

You’d be shocked at how much a room with just the right amount of calm lighting can make you feel cozier in your home!

Trend 4 – Nostalgic, Vintage Design

This is a design trend that’s not only fashionable, but also sustainable.

Whether it’s a tile backsplash in the kitchen or bathroom, or cabinets that are as vintage as they look, going back to the past for your home’s decor is an increasingly popular way to go.

For one, many design trends from the early to mid-20th century still hold up today in terms of quality and stylistic flair.

Re-using these materials to redecorate your home is also sustainable from an environmental standpoint, and eliminates waste.

One thing to keep in mind if you’re using, say, old tiles or cabinets is to make sure you’re installing or decorating them safely. Many older building materials from before the 21st century may contain hazardous substances that can cause harm if you’re not careful. Do your research beforehand to ensure anything used in your mobile home remodel project is free of any toxic substances.

Trend 5 – Wellness and Productivity Design

Having a home office isn’t a brand new design trend; these have surged in popularity over the past few years, even before remote work became so commonplace.

What has started to rise in popularity, though, are spaces that are more thoughtful and intentional when it comes to wellness and productivity. Yes, having a home office is great, but does it make you feel refreshed and ready to take on the work day? Or do you find yourself more stressed and drained here than in other areas of your home?

Consider the following additions to your home office or wellness space (such as if you have a fitness area in your home):

Soundproofing foam
Curtains that allow in increased natural light
Calm, cool colors as opposed to bright colors on your walls
An air filtration system, if possible

For mobile home remodels big and small, this year’s design trends should be kept in mind when you’re in that HGTV mindset.

If you’re looking for ways to spruce up your mobile home this year, check out the MHVillager for other lifestyle ideas. In fact, we’ve collected 101 of the most popular mobile home remodeling ideas for you in one handy blog!

Home Staging Secrets to Help Your Home Sell Faster

If you’re getting ready to sell your mobile home, you might already be thinking about how to best show off your home to potential buyers.

Whether it’s staging your home for photos for your mobile home listing, or staging it for in-person tours, you want your home to shine as brightly as possible to attract potential buyers. So, here are some tips for how to do just that.

What is “Staging Your Home?”

In real estate terms, “staging” is a term often used to describe how you arrange and decorate your home when you get ready to sell.

If the term “staging your home” reminds you of a stage play, it should. A play or musical set on a stage is literally “staged” to be performed. So, you might consider your house as being “staged” for a performance – but in this case, the performance is getting ready to be sold to a potential buyer.

Staging your home can involve many different things before you list it online – not every home seller will do all of these steps, but it’s important to consider them as you’re getting ready to find a new owner for your home. By following these steps, you can stand out from the crowd and potentially even boost your chances of selling your home quick.

Clean Up!

This one might seem obvious, but take some time to tidy up before taking photos of your home after it’s staged!

Even small details like dusting or vacuuming can go a long way in making the right impression with a potential buyer, which is why they’re a must when selling your home even apart from the staging process. Yes, these might be things you do around your home weekly anyways, but taking extra care when you’re staging your home to do these housekeeping tasks can have a huge impact.

Consider New Life Through Painting

As you’ve lived in your manufactured home over the years, you’ve likely given it a fresh coat of paint to suit your tastes.

As you’re getting your home ready to sell, consider painting it one last time to a neutral, widely accessible color. For example, if your home office is a shade of purple, consider painting it to a shade of beige or light blue. These are highly popular colors that will make it easier for a homebuyer to see themselves living in your home and making their own cosmetic changes. Speaking of which…

Depersonalize

Believe it or not, it’s more beneficial to take out personalizing touches from your home before you list it.

Why, you might ask? Think of it this way: if a potential homebuyer is looking at photos of your mobile home, and they see photos of your family or home decor with your names on them, they’re less likely to be able to see themselves living in your home.

Your goal, as a mobile home seller, is to help potential buyers see themselves living in your home and making it their own. So, even though it might feel heartless to take down the framed photos from the end tables in your living room, it might just help sell your mobile home that much quicker.

Check Your Lighting

As you’re taking photographs for your online mobile home listing, you might notice that some are coming out too bright, or too dark.

Before you start taking your photos, take a few test shots to see if your lighting is showing off your home in the best, well, light. If photos are coming out too dark, consider adding an extra lamp or two to brighten things up. Or, if you’re coming out too bright, find some windows that are letting in natural light (if any) and cover them up with some curtains.

When it comes to staging your home, lighting plays an incredibly important role here, too. If a room is too dark when guests are touring, they might miss a feature of the room that convinces them to make an offer on your home

One other thing to note here: editing your photos before you post them may help, but don’t use them as your only crutch. Overediting is a real thing, and you don’t want your photos to look so edited that they look fake.

Make Any Final Repairs

The last thing you want when you’re showing your mobile home to a potential buyer is for them to point out damage that you didn’t know was there.

Take some time to do a visual inspection of your home before you prepare your mobile home for sale. You may find small cracks or other cosmetic issues that you wouldn’t have found otherwise. Addressing those and making final mobile home repairs before you stage your home for buyers in your area will go a long way in making it shine that much more!

If you’re considering selling your mobile home, why not go with MHVillage?

On MHVillage, the nation’s leading platform for selling manufactured and mobile homes, you can rest assured knowing that thousands of daily visitors can potentially find your listing. And, with multiple listing options that offer different benefits (including unlimited photos for some listings), you can make your listing work for you and sell your mobile home to an audience that’s solely dedicated to manufactured housing.

The best part is that starting your mobile home sale with MHVillage couldn’t be easier. Simply head to mhvillage.com/homes/start to list your home today!

Don’t Delay on Your Annual Mobile Home Safety Checkup!

It’s the season for New Year’s resolutions, and that means making promises to ensure health and prosperity in 2023.

When thinking about what you want to accomplish this year, you don’t want to forget about your manufactured home. From your roof to your flooring, you want to make sure that your home is safe to live in from top to bottom.

Thankfully, there are a number of things you can do every year to help bring you peace of mind all year long. Here’s what you should have on your annual mobile home safety check-up:

Check Your Fire Extinguishers

Your mobile home should have at least one fire extinguisher, ideally in or near your kitchen. If you have more than one, as many homes do, placing them near entryways is a smart idea.

An equally smart idea is to check your fire extinguishers annually to ensure that they’re still in working condition. No, this doesn’t mean spraying them in your backyard – in fact, you should hire a professional to inspect your extinguishers annually. You can either have them visit your home, or take your extinguishers to them.

Fire extinguishers don’t have a set expiration date like the gallon of milk in your fridge, but how you maintain them plays a role in how long they last. Keep your fire extinguishers in a dry, yet readily accessible place away from exposed chemicals.

Better yet, if you don’t already have a fire extinguisher in your home, it’s in your best interest to get one. They can be incredibly useful for helping contain small fires before they turn catastrophic.

Check Your Smoke Detectors – And Their Batteries!

Just as important as a fire extinguisher is the smoke detector. They’re often the first sign that something may be wrong in your home.

Most smoke detectors run on batteries, and it’s important to ensure that every smoke detector in your home has batteries that aren’t running on empty. Do a yearly check of each smoke detector to ensure that they won’t fail when you need one most.

Additionally, some smoke detectors have batteries installed within them. This means that, when a smoke detector loses its charge, you’ll swap out the entire unit by slotting it into a ceiling-mounted cradle. These disposable units sell for about $25 at most hardware stores, and only need to be changed out once every few years or so.

Make Sure Your Power Strips and Extensions Cords are Safe to Use

Power strips and extension cords are more and more prevalent in daily home use. With all of the game systems, smart speakers, appliances, and of course chargers that have found their way into our lives, it’s no wonder that cords and cables can be found in almost every nook and cranny.

That said, you want to ensure that all of your power strips – the devices that allow for up to a dozen electronics to be plugged in at once – aren’t damaged or at risk of causing damage to your home. If any wires are frayed, for example, replace them immediately.

Also, there are some appliances that you should NEVER use with an extension cord or power strip, such as space heaters. You also should NEVER plug an extension cord into a power strip, or overload outlets by using multiple power strips on a single outlet or plugging too many things into any one power strip.

Clean Your HVAC System

Your HVAC system – which operates both your furnace and your air conditioning – should be checked annually for a few reasons.

First, you want to make sure that your filters stay clean and in good operating order. These are often replaced on a monthly basis.

But, checking your HVAC system goes beyond that. You may want to check your ducts as well to ensure there’s no mold or debris.

Your system may also have what’s called a condenser or evaporator coil – these are also parts that you should check on yearly. If you don’t, you risk having your entire system break down, which could result in costly repairs.

If you’re unsure of how your central air system works, you’re best off seeking assistance from a certified HVAC professional.

Check Your Nearby Trees

Of course, not everything on this checklist is about the inside of your home.

As the leaves have fallen off the trees in many areas of the country, it’s a great idea to check any trees that may be around your property.

Do any of them brush up against or come close to making contact with power lines or other structures?

Do any branches pose a risk of breaking off and causing property damage or personal harm?

Are there any trees at risk of falling over entirely?

If any of the above are a “yes,” then you should hire a professional to either trim the problem trees or recommend another solution for keeping you and your mobile home safe. Otherwise, you risk causing damage to the exterior of your home – or worse, injuring a loved one.

One thing to note here: if you live in a manufactured home community, check with your community’s staff first to determine how to go about tree maintenance. They will likely handle it for you.

Check On Your Mobile Home’s Foundation

The mobile home foundation is a crucial component of your property. Each year, it’s important that you check the foundation, no matter what type you have, to make sure that there is no visible damage or signs of deterioration.

Things to watch out for include cracks, mold, and water from leaks or floods.

You can read more about the different types of mobile home foundation here on the MHVillager.

And, if you’re looking for other tips for keeping up with your mobile home or are looking for remodeling inspiration, we can help you there too and help you live the best mobile home lifestyle possible.

Get Ready “Fore” Tee Time at These Top-Rated Manufactured Home Communities with Golf Courses

Did somebody say, “Fore!”?

Golf courses are a popular amenity at many retirement communities across the country. Whether a park is located near your favorite course, or whether a park has a course all on its own, manufactured home communities with golf courses are a hot-ticket item.

If you’re looking to brush up on your iron game or just kick back with a few friends, here are a couple of the hottest manufactured home communities with golf courses that you should check out:

Cimarron Golf Course

Lake Elmo, Minnesota is home to Cimarron Park and Golf Course, a pet-friendly all-ages community with activities galore!

This park’s incredible on-site management staff is there to ensure your peace of mind. And, a vast number of dining and entertainment options nearby make this the perfect place to live for any family.

Now, we couldn’t possibly forget to mention the golf course hosted on-site for mom and dad to play on. Meanwhile, the kids can enjoy themselves on the nearby basketball court and playground.

If you’re interested in homes in this community, simply click the link above!

Golf Vista Estates

Golf is so popular in this next community that it’s literally in the name.

Golf Vista Estates in Monee, Illinois is a luxurious 55+ community about 30 miles outside of the Chicago area. If you’re looking for all of the modern conveniences of home living away from the noise and clatter of a busy downtown scene, you’ve come to the right place.

This community’s 9-hole golf course is one of many shining gems to be found here, along with a bocce ball court, shuffleboard court, billiard room, and a library. You can even take part in social activities at the clubhouse!

Click the link above to learn more about this fantastic golf community and even take a virtual tour!

The Lakes at Countrywood

Let’s head down south for just a minute and explore The Lakes at Countrywood in Plant City, Florida!

This beautiful award-winning community offers the finest resort-style amenities, including a swimming pool, clubhouse, billiard room, and a golf course! You can tee off in the morning before taking a dip in the pool once the sun is shining in the afternoon.

If you’re looking for a lovely golf community where your furry friends are welcomed, don’t worry; The Lakes at Countrywood is pet-friendly. And if you’re looking for other sports to partake in, this community offers a bocce ball court and tennis facilities galore.

Don’t wait – check out homes at The Lakes at Countrywood today!

Not everyone can be Phil Mickelson. But, you CAN be the best golfer among your neighbors when you live in a mobile home park with a golf course.

If you’re interested in checking out available homes in these communities, simply click on the links above to head to MHVillage.

Or, if you’d like to browse mobile home parks in your area, head to our Mobile Home Park search page to find a bustling community near you.

Your Top MHVillager Reads for 2022

It’s hard to believe that another year has already flown by!

2022 has been an incredibly active year for the MHVillager. We’ve been proud to share the latest trends, guides, and blogs on all things manufactured housing with you.

As we look back on a busy 2022, we wanted to highlight the most popular blogs from this year that our users have come back to again and again.

So, without further ado, here are the top ten posts, according to our readers, that we published over the past year!

1. Before and After: 9 Mobile Home Remodels You Have to See to Believe

It’s easy to understand why this post was our most popular blog from 2022. After all, who DOESN’T love a good before and after glow-up?

Whether you’re looking at a single-wide or double-wide, this post features some of the most notable mobile home remodels across the entire internet. If you’re looking for a place to look at all of the best makeovers for manufactured homes, this is it!

2. The Ultimate Mobile Home With Land Guide

At the MHVillager, we receive questions relating to buying a mobile home with land all the time. In fact, many homebuyers are only interested in buying a manufactured home if it comes with its own plot of private land. So, it’s no surprise that this was another one of our most popular blogs this year!

There are a ton of things you should know about buying a mobile home with private land. More importantly, there are a ton of benefits that come with going this route!

If you haven’t already read this blog, don’t wait any further – dive in now!

3. Is Buying a Mobile Home Better Than Renting an Apartment?

Apartment rents faced a soaring increase in 2022. As in, a double-digit percentage increase.

With that in mind, it’s easier to see why this blog post on the benefits of buying a mobile home compared to renting an apartment was so popular this year!

With a manufactured home, you can move into a property that you own in many cases. Not only that, but you’ll have more space and more freedom. The best part? Owning a manufactured home is a much better investment than renting an apartment.

You can read the full blog by clicking the link above.

4. How to Buy a Mobile Home on Any Budget

Readers of the MHVillager discovered in 2022 that, no matter the financial situation, buying a mobile home on any budget can be easier than you may think!

With how varied the housing market continues to be, readers flocked to this blog in 2022 to see just how affordable manufactured homes actually are. If you haven’t already read this one, it’s a must-read first-stop for any potential homebuyer!

5. 101 Mobile Home Remodeling Ideas

Another one of our most popular blogs in 2022 was actually our longest one!

The MHVillager team came together to present 101 (no, that’s not a typo) mobile home remodeling ideas for every single room in your home. Whether it’s your laundry room, or living roof, or the exterior of your home, this guide has you covered.

Take a dive into this guide today by clicking the link above!

6. Buy a Mobile Home At The Right Price, Like a Pro

If you’re getting ready to buy a mobile home, like thousands of our MHVillager readers have this year, then you should arm yourself with one of 2022’s top blog posts on buying a mobile home at the right price.

By preparing yourself with everything you need to know about the buying process, you can get the absolute best price for a home that has everything you want or need for your day-to-day-life.

Consider this a “cheat-sheet” that goes over everything from location to the condition of the home that you’re buying.

7. What Happens When Your Mobile Home’s Park is Sold?

For those that live in a manufactured home community, this blog proved to be an interesting read.

When you hear that your mobile home park has been sold, you might have questions about what that means for your home or community. Thankfully, this guide, which we published earlier this spring, answers some of the most burning questions anyone might have about when a mobile home park has new ownership.

This blog is worth a bookmark for future reference!

8. The Basics of Mobile Home Carports

The carport is a highly sought-after feature with today’s manufactured homes. They offer weather and sunlight protection for your car, and don’t require a huge amount of additional space near your home – it sets up right over your driveway.

The popularity of carports translated well into the popularity of this blog post. If you don’t have a carport attached to your mobile home, then this blog is a must-read.

9. Don’t Make These Mistakes When Financing a Manufactured Home

A common part of the mobile home buying process is financing your purchase. As accessible as the process is, there are pitfalls and mistakes that any buyer should avoid when financing their mobile home.

Thankfully, this highly-read blog from 2022 is a great way to steer clear of any roadblocks that might delay your purchase. This is another great resource to add to your toolbelt for when it comes time to buy your home, or even if you’re looking to refinance down the line.

10. What’s My Mobile Home Worth?

This blog post is for the sellers out there. One of the first questions that many mobile home sellers ask themselves is, “What’s my mobile home worth?”

Our 2022 blog on the factors that go into a mobile home’s value – from condition, to size, to market, to many other things – has been incredibly popular for sellers of mobile homes. If you find yourself considering selling your home in the near future, you don’t want to miss this one.

From everyone at the MHVillager, thank you for an exciting and productive 2022! We’re looking forward to providing you with even more useful information and advice on manufactured homes in 2023 and beyond.

Mobile Homes for Sale Near Me: A Guide for Finding Your Perfect Home

Residential mobile home on a quality caravan park estate — New residential mobile home park in South East England. Generally this type of caravan park estate is for home owners over the age of fifty years.

Congratulations – if you’re reading this, it likely means you’re getting ready to start looking for a home to purchase!

Whether you’re interested in manufactured homes from the get-go or are still catching up on the MHVillager to learn all about the benefits of factory-built housing, you’re probably wondering how you can best find the perfect home near you.

Here’s everything you should consider before you type “mobile homes for sale near me” into your search bar:

What’s Important to You?

Of course, there are many key things you’ll want to look for in your future home. Some might be important to you personally, while others are important to think about no matter what type of home you want:

Location

Above all else, your new mobile home should be in a prime location that meets your needs. Whether that’s being in your child’s school district, near the major highways, or near your office, you don’t want to buy a home that isn’t in a location that you love.

Bedrooms and Bathrooms

Similarly, your ideal home shouldn’t have too few bedrooms. You want to have enough space to comfortably hold you and your entire family.

This means having an ample amount of bedrooms for everyone, as well as enough bathroom space for those busy mornings before the school bus arrives. Many manufactured homes come with at least two bathrooms as a standard, so you can rest assured that everyone will have enough space on that front.

Community or Private Land?

This one can be more specific to your preferences. When you’re browsing for manufactured homes near you, you might be interested in browsing within a manufactured home community. If you are, there’s a good chance you might want to look for retirement communities if you qualify to live in one.

Or, maybe you want a mobile home that’s sited on private property. Maybe you even want a home that you can move to your own land.

No matter what your preference is when it comes to the type of location you want to move to, make sure you have a good idea of what you want before beginning your home search.

State Associations

This is another item that’s important to many homebuyers. When searching for a manufactured home, some will seek out guidance and resources from a manufactured home state association. These organizations are great for helping consumers throughout the mobile home buying journey. This is especially helpful for homebuyers who are seeking a helping hand throughout the process.

Decide Which Upscale Amenities Are Important

We mentioned manufactured home communities earlier in this post, so let’s go into some more detail about which upscale amenities are important to many when searching for a mobile home:

Pools/Saunas

This is one of the most popular upscale amenities you can find at a mobile home park – especially in states with year-round warm weather like Florida. In fact, many homebuyers search for communities that specifically have pools and/or saunas so they can take a dive on their own schedule!

Clubhouses

Some communities offer clubhouses (also known as lounges) where residents can gather and take part in events. The socialization aspect is appealing to many residents and homebuyers!

Pet Friendliness

This one’s especially important for many potential manufactured homeowners. Communities that allow pets within their homes sometimes also offer dog-walking trails that are PERFECT for your furry friend! And, you may be able to take your pets to the local playground or nature trail, too.

Filter Your Search For YOU!

The best part about every single consideration we’ve listed in this blog post is that you can filter your MHVillage home search for every single one!

When you’re looking for manufactured homes on MHVillage, you can filter your search based on search radius, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and the location type (community or private land, among others).

And, if you’re looking for the perfect community for you, there are even more options to take advantage of. Whether you’re looking for a park with a pool, a clubhouse, or is pet-friendly, you can power up your search on MHVillage and tailor it to find the home of your dreams.

Tips For Pet-Proofing Your Mobile Home

Picture this: you’ve just moved into your new manufactured home. You and your dog, or cat, are getting ready to start living the high life when it comes to being a homeowner.

That is, until your pet decides that they’re the alpha of the house. Mud all over the floors. Food spilled all over the place. The works.

How can you pet-proof your mobile home to keep your belongings, and your pet, safe? This blog will cover all of that, and more.

Gates are a Homeowner’s Best Friend

If there’s a room in your manufactured home that you don’t want your furry friend to get into – such as the kitchen – a security gate is going to come in handy.

There are several types of security gate that can be installed without any kind of hardware like screws or mounts. These easy-to-install models can be set up in minutes and do a great job of keeping your pet where you want them – and keeping them out of where you don’t.

Protect Valuables and Hazardous Materials

A pet owner’s worst nightmare is finding that their dog or cat has damaged an expensive piece of equipment (like a video game system) or, worse, something that can hurt them.

That’s why it’s a really good idea to keep these types of things away from your pets. The big thing to remember is that they shouldn’t be stored where they can easily get to them. This means no low shelves, no easy-to-open cabinets, and no loose bottles with hazardous substances where they can be spilled.

When it comes to your video game console, or that new cell phone that you just bought, you definitely don’t want your dog or cat to treat them like a chew toy. So, keep them away from low tables or shelves that your pets can easily get to.

Think about your charging cables and power cables, too. If your dog or cat want to chew on those, you not only put your possessions in danger, but your pet’s health, too. The risk of electric shock from pet damage is real!

Cabinet Latches Are Cool!

Odds are, your pet might be able to smell the treats that are in one of the kitchen cabinets.

Believe it or not, childproof latches designed for cabinets are great for pets, too! With no hardware required to install them in many cases, they keep pets from being able to open a cabinet with just their nose or their paw.

While it’s still a good idea to leave any hazardous chemicals away from lower cabinets, having additional peace of mind with a childproof lock is a great extra step to take. You should also keep this in mind for cabinets where foods that are toxic to many pets, such as chocolate, are found.

The best part is that these are a rather inexpensive, yet invaluable way to protect your belongings, whether they’re in a kitchen cabinet, bathroom cabinet, or even a closet that’s latched for security from your pet.

Keep Your Mudroom Mud-Free

This tip is one that’s specifically geared for mobile homes with mudrooms in them.

If you’re not already familiar, a mudroom is a room in your home that’s meant to serve as an entryway for not just you and your family, but your belongings as well – from your coat to your shoes. Think of it as a “drop zone” for your wet outerwear after coming back from the rain. Some manufactured homes also have double-purpose mudrooms that act as a laundry room as well.

Not only are mudrooms great for storing your coat, umbrella, and car keys and purses, but they’re great for pet care, too.

Some mudrooms come with dog washing stations that are perfect for giving your pooch a quick rinse after they’ve been digging for bones in the backyard. This is perfect for keeping literal mud out of the rest of your mudroom and away from your other belongings, too.

If your mudroom doesn’t have a washing station, there are other things you can do with the space to keep the rest of your home free from pet damage: The best one we can recommend is a well-placed doormat, one that’s heavy-duty and can remove any outdoor debris from your shoes or your furry friend’s paws. This is a great idea for your mudroom’s entryway leading to the outside.

These are just a few tips to pet-proof your mobile home, whether you’re just moving in or have lived in it for years before adopting your new best friend.

If you’re looking for a new or pre-owned manufactured home to call your own that’s in a pet-friendly community, check out MHVillage. With loads of filtering options for homes, including finding homes in pet-friendly communities, you and your dog or cat can find a great home with loads of amenities – including dog-walking trails in some parks!

Cheap Mobile Homes for Sale: Finding Value For Your Home Purchase

When you’re considering buying any type of home – but especially manufactured homes – you’re probably wondering how to get the best value out of your big investment.

And no, we’re not just talking about finding the best price. You might have so many other questions that’ll impact the value of your mobile home purchase.

In this blog post, we’ll go over the criteria that can make a good home purchase a great one in terms of value when searching for cheap mobile homes for sale.

Location, Location, Location

It’s practically a cliché in the world of real estate, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. A big part of a manufactured home’s value is where it’s located.

Are you near a highly-rated school district that’s perfect for your children? Are you close to the nearest highways, or your nearby downtown district? What about living in a mobile home park that has lots to offer?

All of these factors can affect the value of a mobile home to you. If two mobile homes are similar in quality, but one is closer to a school for your child, that home is inherently going to be more valuable.

That’s a big theme that we’re going to talk about a lot in this blog: the idea of the value of a home being specific to you. Not everyone will care about having a home just a few minutes from the highway for easier commutes to work, but those who do care about that will see value in finding a cheap mobile home near them that offers just that.

Recent Remodeling and Maintenance

This is another big factor that can greatly affect your value in a mobile home.

Many homebuyers seek out peace of mind when buying a mobile home that’s had many major repairs done to it. For example, if the mobile home roof was recently redone, homebuyers will have peace of mind knowing that they won’t have to make repairs for many years to come.

This goes for inside the home, too. If the kitchen or bathroom have recently been remodeled, that’s another selling point for many potential homebuyers. This also goes for the A/C unit and other “big ticket” items that can be quite costly to repair on their own. And, if an item still needs to be repaired, someone looking for a fixer-upper may value that so they can build even more equity over time, or sell the home for a profit.

Of course, not everyone needs the latest in bathroom or kitchen technology, but if you’re looking for a home with the latest trendy kitchen remodel, then this will deliver extra value to your mobile home purchase.

Kitchen Space

Not everyone can be Gordon Ramsay. But, for aspiring chefs and frequent cookers of breakfast, lunch, and dinner, kitchen space can be incredibly important.

There are a lot of things that can make any kitchen perfect for any one person, including:

Available cabinet space
Condition and age of appliances (refrigerator, stove, oven, dishwasher, etc.)
Flooring
Kitchen sink and garbage disposal
Countertop surface space
Kitchen island
And more!

Maybe you’re someone who absolutely wants an eat-in kitchen to minimize travel space between your cooking area and where you’ll be serving family dinner. Or, maybe your kitchen HAS to have an island for serving appetizers and entertaining guests. No matter your dream kitchen, finding one that fits your style is super important when finding a mobile home that’s valuable to you.

Community Amenities

If you’re looking for manufactured homes in a manufactured home community, their amenities might interest you, too.

This can add even more value to any mobile home that you’re thinking about buying. At the MHVillager, we’ve gone in-depth before about the top community amenities that residents absolutely love.

Here, we’ll go over just a few:

Clubhouses and Lounges: many communities offer a common gathering space for residents to host or take part in events. This is a great value add for community homeowners who also happen to be social butterflies.
Swimming pools: this one’s especially valuable to those who live in states with year-round warm weather. Being able to take a dip in the pool – or even a whirlpool in some communities – is a great way to beat the heat and makes any home feel that much more luxurious.
Dog walking trails: If you’re a pet-owner living in a pet-friendly community, this one can be a must. Having a dedicated space to walk your dog around the community is extremely valuable for many.

Like we mentioned earlier, there are so many other great amenities that can boost the personal value of any mobile home for any homeowner. It’s all about what you’re looking for out of your community experience!

If you’re wondering, “how can I find cheap mobile homes near me?” and want to find one that offers the most value, why not head to MHVillage? With the nation’s largest platform for buying and renting mobile homes, you can filter your search for any criteria you want, whether it’s a home in a community with your favorite amenities or homes with a certain number of bedrooms.

You can get started today at mhvillage.com!

An Elf’s Guide to Holiday Decorating Ideas For Your Manufactured Home

If you haven’t already started, then you’re most likely giving serious thought to how you’re going to decorate your mobile home for the holiday season. With all of the festivities just a few weeks away, it can feel intimidating just thinking about where each decoration will go, or how you’ll even get started.

Thankfully, this handy guide from the elves at the MHVillager is here to help. Here are some of the most important things you should know about decorating your mobile home for the holidays.

(Note: if you live in a mobile home park, make sure any holiday decorating follows your park’s guidelines).

Work In Your Seasonal Furnishings

In your home, it’s very possible that you’ll have some furnishings that you switch out depending on the season. These can include:

Blankets
Pillowcases
Curtains
Towels
Rugs and Doormats
Cabinet Decorations
Countertop Decorations
Tablecloths
Seat Covers

Why not make some of these items holiday themed? If you have specific blankets that you use for the winter season, make some of them holiday themed for some effortless decoration! You’ll get the family more festive at dinnertime AND stay warm!

Same goes for tablecloths, curtains, doormats, and other items you tailor to the season.

The Key to Smart Tree Placement

Like many families, you may be thinking about setting up a Christmas tree in your manufactured home. Depending on what your floor plan looks like, you’ll likely have a few different options for placing your tree in an area that makes sense:

If your mobile home has an open floor plan, with large areas that blend rooms like your kitchen and living room, consider placing your tree either in the corner of your living room or near a support beam. If you go with the latter, this helps serve as an improvised “wall” that helps with traffic flow in your home – something that’s important to think about if you’re hosting family this season!

If your home has a fireplace or mantle, your tree can look great in a corner on the same wall as those fixtures. Just don’t put your tree close to the fireplace – you don’t want your ornaments to go up in flames!

Stockings Stuffed!

Stockings are a pivotal holiday decoration, and commonly hang up on the wall, on your entertainment center, or above a fireplace.

Stockings are also a highly effective storage tool for a number of different holiday odds and ends. And no, this doesn’t just include using the stockings as stuffers for small gifts for your family.

You could also use stockings to hold strands of ribbon or bows that you’ll need for wrapping gifts closer to the holidays. Not only does it look festive, but it’s purposeful, too!

Also, you can put other gift-wrapping necessities such as tape and nametags at the bottom, while the colorful flashes sit at the top.

Think About The Outside, Too!

Outdoor holiday decorating is becoming more and more popular. In fact, some communities are taking after neighborhoods and hosting decorating contests for manufactured homes!

There are two types of decorating that we’ll cover when it comes to your mobile home: lights, and inflatables.

Of course, decorating your home in lights is what most people think of when you’re decorating the outside of your home. Whether you’re hanging strings of lights around your roof or covering the entire home in a dazzling glow Christmas With The Kranks style, your mobile home can stand out from the rest with a smart, effective placement of lights.

The big thing to remember when hanging lights is safety. Don’t staple lights into your roof (we’re looking at you, Clark Griswold). Don’t hang up lights that have damaged or frayed wiring due to risk of fire. And, don’t hang up lights on your roof without the proper safety equipment, including and especially a properly-used ladder.

One idea that you should consider is decorating your windows with PVC frames that are wrapped in Christmas lights. You can measure the frame around your window, create a frame out of PVC pipes and elbows, and wrap your lights around the frame before hanging it up around or in your window. The best part about this idea is that you can keep the frames in your mobile home’s storage shed, and make decorating with your lights an absolute breeze for years to come.

Inflatables, on the other hand, can be much easier to set up. If you’ve ever seen a blow-up Santa, reindeer, or Frosty the Snowman on someone’s front lawn, then you know exactly what we’re talking about.

These are a great, fun way to decorate your lawn without tangling with lights if that’s not your thing. Here, you’ll want to make sure that you have a front lawn or yard that can mount stakes a few inches into the ground to keep the inflatable from flying away. Pair them with a snowflake light projector, and you’ll practically have a light show right in your front yard.

Hopefully some of these holiday decorating ideas put you in a festive mood to dig out the lights and start setting up your tree! If you’re looking for other ways to spruce up your manufactured home, check out this guide from the MHVillager on giving your home a new, fresh look inside and out.

123...45 Page 2 of 45

EVENTS