Friday, May 9, 2025

Buy Your New Manufactured Home From a Dealer

Buying a manufactured home can be an exciting and cost-effective way to achieve homeownership. As more and more Americans look to buy a home, millions have discovered manufactured homes – that is, homes built in a factory and then transported to the home site – to be a fantastic, accessible option.

When you buy a manufactured home, you’ll buy it one of two ways: either pre-owned, or brand new.

While both types of manufactured homes offer unique benefits, ranging from cost to amenities, if you’re buying a home in a community, a distinction with new homes in this case is that you can buy them from a dealer.

But how does this process work? Where can I find a dealer near me?

This blog post will answer these questions and more to prepare you to buy your new manufactured home from a dealer.

Differences Between New and Pre-Owned Manufactured Homes

Before we start, it’s important to distinguish between new and pre-owned manufactured homes.

With a pre-owned or used manufactured home, you’re buying a home that has had a prior owner. You may even buy that home directly from the owner, too.

A new manufactured home, however, has had no prior owners, and has not been lived in prior to being listed for sale.

The majority of dealers have a lot of model homes for you to browse to help you with your purchase of a new manufactured home. They offer great service that allow you to become familiar with a specific model of home before you buy it.

From there, the dealer will order that home from the manufacturer, and it will be transported to your home site.

Who Are Manufactured Home Dealers?

Often, you’ll hear talk about buying a manufactured home from a “dealer.” A dealer – sometimes called a retailer – is a person or company that sells manufactured homes off of a lot. While they can sell homes both new and used, they’re one of the only places you can readily buy a new factory-built home.

They act as a crucial link between the consumer and manufacturer to ensure that homebuyers get the highest quality home possible and have a smooth, personable buying experience. This is why they’re so important when it comes to buying a brand new manufactured home.

Dealers aren’t just important when it comes to home sales, though. They’re also great resources for assisting with mobile home insurance, managing the transportation of your new home, and can provide pointers and recommendations for post-sale additions to your home. For instance, your local dealer may have a recommendation on a vendor for mobile home carports if you’d like one installed on your home.

Of course, there are a few different types of manufactured home dealers. Many are independent dealers, which sell homes from multiple manufacturers and offer local, personalized service. Others are factory-direct, which means they offer homes from one specific manufacturer.

We’ve written in the past about the different types of manufactured home dealers you’ll come across, so be sure to take a look there, too.

How Can I Buy My New Manufactured Home From a Dealer?

If you’ve decided to buy a new manufactured home – congratulations! You’re about to take the first step on what may be one of the most fruitful journeys of your life.

Keep in mind the following steps when it comes to buying your manufactured home from a dealer:

Research

This should be the first step in any home purchase. Take some time to research not only the types of dealers in your area, but also what you want personally from your manufactured home.

How many bedrooms do you need? Do you prefer to live in a community, or on your own private land? Do you intend to buy a manufactured home with multiple sections? What about a specific type of floor plan?

These are just a few examples of questions you should ask yourself when you’re getting ready to buy a home. Once you’ve decided what your criteria are, you’ll want to find a dealer in your area (which we’ll cover in more detail below) that has homes available that meet your needs.

Window Shopping

After you’ve found a dealer in your area, you might want to do some “window shopping.” This means visiting the dealer lot to check out the model homes they have on display.

This is another great way to get a better idea of what type of home you’d like to purchase.

By visiting the dealer lot, you’ll also get to meet the staff firsthand, who can provide you with advice and support on your manufactured home needs.

The Purchase

Every dealer may have a slightly different process for buying a manufactured home through their sales center. The process will also differ depending on which state you live in.

Regardless, your dealer will likely order your home from the manufacturer. It’s less common that your actual home will be on the dealer lot – this is because homes are often ordered with customizations to room size and type that are then factored into the construction process.

Where Can I Find a Dealer Near Me?

If you’re browsing for manufactured homes for sale on MHVillage, you can take advantage of a few different features on our website to find new homes from a dealer.

First, you can search for dealers in your area directly from the MHVillage homepage:

Click on the “Dealers” tab
Enter your city, state, or ZIP code in the search bar
Select your desired location in the dropdown menu that appears
Click “Search”
You will then be taken to the search results displaying the nearest manufactured home dealers in your area.

If you want to do an in-depth home search focused on homes sold by dealers, here are the steps you can follow:

Visit the Advanced Search page on MHVillage
Ensure the “Homes” tab is selected – it should be selected by default when you first visit the Advanced Search page
Enter your city, state, or ZIP code in the search bar
Select your desired location in the dropdown menu that appears
Add any additional home search criteria you would like to filter for, such as number of bedrooms or bathrooms and minimum or maximum prices
From the Location Type dropdown menu, click “On Dealer Lot”
Click “Search”
You will then be taken to the search results displaying the nearest manufactured home dealers in your area that are sold by dealers.

From this page, you can also filter your search for dealers to include those that are registered state association members.

If you’re even considering buying a manufactured home in the future, buying a new home from a dealer is a great way to go. They’re trusted advisors in the world of manufactured housing and provide value to the consumer by ensuring a smooth, successful sale.
Start your home search with a dealer today by visiting mhvillage.com!

How to Create the Perfect Home Office Space

Did you know that one in four full-time employees in the United States work remotely? That’s according to 2023 data released by the U.S. Labor Department, but some studies place that number even higher.

Either way, there are an increasing number of working adults that work from home. While some work out of a home office, many still work out of their bedroom, kitchen, or living room, and not a dedicated office space.

If you’re looking for the perfect way to create the perfect home office space, then this blog post is for you.

What Is a Home Office?

Simply put, a home office space is a dedicated area in your mobile home for a professional office setup. This can be either a full room that’s converted into an office, or an area of a room with all of your office needs.

There are many benefits to a mobile home office setup. For one, you have a space that’s solely dedicated to your work. Whether you work in marketing, business, or make homemade goods, having a space solely for your breadwinning ventures can improve your productivity and focus during your work hours.

You also may have the benefit of privacy. When it comes to Zoom calls, children running around in the background or your roommates cooking lunch may end up being an undue distraction. A space where you can handle your business with the door closed means video calls with clients, or phone calls in a sales center setting, makes a home office very highly sought after for those who work remotely.

The most important thing to remember about a home office is that they’re what you make them. No two people are alike when it comes to working styles, schedules, or professions, so curating your space to fit your needs is essential. This means making sure you have the right amount of working space, privacy, and personal flair to make the space feel like yours is the best way to get the most mileage out of your home office.

The Essentials

Of course, no mobile home office is complete without the following essentials:

Desk

Chances are, you’ll need a desk for your home office no matter what type of work you do. A desk can hold space for your computer or laptop, a streaming setup, or crafting space if you sew or make other goods by hand.

The right desk will be just the right size for you, both in terms of tabletop surface room and storage space offered by any shelves and drawers that are included. Thankfully, there are limitless options available for desks out there that make finding one just for you far from impossible.

Lighting

You can’t get work done in your office without being able to see what you’re doing. So, the proper amount of lighting is essential to any home office setup.

If the main light source in your office isn’t adequate, the right floor lamp can often do the trick. Or, a lamp on your desk can be a more space-efficient, yet just as effective option.

Also consider how much natural light your home office gets, too. If you have a window near your desk, consider letting in some light during the daytime to liven up your space.

Video Conferencing

Many people who work remotely often video conference via Zoom or other video calling software. So, it’s important that your home office space has an adequate backdrop for when you’re on camera.

A neutral, yet inviting background is often best for video calls. Many people choose to point their camera at either a blank wall, a wall with a decorating fixture such as a painting or a hanging decorative plant, or use their entire room as a backdrop.

Whatever you choose, make sure your home office setup is geared towards a high-quality video call from your end, from your background to your appearance. Lighting comes into play here, too – you don’t want to appear too dim to your boss during your team meetings.

Make Your Own Perfection

Of course, these aren’t the only things that a manufactured home office will have. The reality is that a home office space will have your own personal touch that makes it work best for you.

If you’re looking for inspiration on kitting out your home office with quality-of-life upgrades, there are hundreds, if not thousands of influencers and content creators on TikTok, Instagram, and other social media platforms dedicated to sharing the best in office tech with as many people as possible. For example, a recent TikTok showing one influencer’s favorite office must-haves received over 160,000 likes as of this writing.

Not everyone will need smart timers or specialty fabric shelves in their home office, but regardless of what you need, you have the power to make your home office space truly unique.

Find Homes With Offices on MHVillage.com

Of course, we can’t talk about manufactured home offices without talking about where to find the homes in the first place.

That’s where MHVillage comes in. On MHVillage.com, you can browse for thousands of manufactured and mobile homes for sale all over the country. Here, you’ll be able to find the perfect home that fits your lifestyle, complete with many that have home offices or rooms that can be converted into one.

The Ultimate Guide to Getting Your Manufactured Home Appraised

As you get ready to sell your manufactured home, or are even thinking about selling in the future, you may hear friends, family, or trusted selling partners talk about a mobile home appraisal.

If you weren’t planning on having your home appraised you may want to reconsider. Appraisals are a crucial part of the home selling process, particularly during this time when home values are changing rapidly.

But, what IS a mobile home appraisal exactly, and why are they so important to selling a mobile home in today’s market?

Worry not. The MHVillager has you covered with everything you need to know about mobile home appraisals – as well as some tips to get you started.

What’s a Mobile Home Appraisal?

Often called a manufactured home appraisal or valuation, this step in the selling process gives you an accurate, market-based value. An appraiser will visit your mobile home and determine what it’s worth in the current market.

The appraised value of your mobile home is dependent on a number of factors, including but not limited to:

Location
Quality
Age
Condition
Size
Features
Amenities
Comparable Sales Near You

An appraiser will provide you with a report of their findings, which may include photos of the outside and/or inside of your home. Each of these factors will play a role in the final appraised value of your mobile home.

Why Do I Need an Appraisal?

The appraisal lets you know exactly what your home is worth. It gives you peace of mind when setting your listing price so that you know you are not pricing yourself out of the market, nor are you leaving money on the table by pricing your home too low.

An appraisal is an “expert” valuation that provides credibility to the asking price for your home. If a buyer tries to haggle with you on cost, you can point to the appraisal report as a resource that shows how you decided on your selling price.

However, keep in mind that your mobile home’s appraised value does not necessarily have to match your asking price. For example, if you’re eager to sell your home as fast as possible, you may consider listing your home for slightly below the appraised value.

What Should I Consider When Getting My Mobile Home Appraised?

Before, during, and after your manufactured home appraisal, there are some considerations that you should keep in mind.

For starters, an appraisal can be a good starting point for making updates to your mobile home that increase its value. For example, if you have your mobile home’s siding replaced before it’s time to sell, or replace a number of appliances like your hot water heater, those can have a positive impact on the value of your home if you decide to have an appraisal re-done.

You should also think about the market you’ll sell your home in. One of the many things an appraisal can take into account is the value of comparable homes that have sold in your market. Chances are, your home will be appraised similarly to a home that’s much like yours in the same market. If you’re planning on selling your home for higher than similar homes in your area, have a list of recent upgrades, improvements, or repairs ready to provide to a potential buyer. This will help support your asking price.

Thirdly, as you’re looking at appraisals for your mobile home, you’ll often come across something called a “book value report.” Book values, or replacement cost values, are typically calculated using a guide book which provides the user with a home value based on the make, model, year, and size of the manufactured home.

These values are often quite different from the true fair market value of your home. A book value has a difficult time taking into account your local market, or the impact that supply and demand may be having in your community. If you are in an excellent community with nice amenities your home may very well sell for above average. If you have spent a lot of time and money improving your home, the book value has a hard time taking that into consideration. But, if you are looking for just a rough average estimate of what your home might be worth, then you may consider a Book Value as a viable option.

There’s another very important point that you should know. An appraisal report is meant to provide you with a fair market value of your home. The appraisal report is not meant to be a structural inspection of your home. The appraisal process does not include a detailed look at the roof, underbelly insulation, plumbing systems, electrical systems, or HVAC systems. If you are looking to get additional information regarding the structural integrity of your home, you would need to contact a home inspection company.

Finally, you’ll want to make sure that you know what’s included with your mobile home appraisal package when you order one. For example, not all appraisals will involve taking photos of the inside of your home, and some may provide a lengthier report than others. Do some research to ensure that your appraisal service offers you exactly what you need for your home.

This last point is especially important if you’re appraising a pre-owned mobile home – which, if you’re a mobile home owner reading this blog, applies to you. Many appraisal services only work with brand new homes for professionals. So, you’ll want to make sure that any given appraisal service offers appraisal products to homeowners specifically.

That being said, there’s one question left to answer…how do you find an appraisal service that operates in your market, AND offers the most comprehensive report around?

How Can I Determine My Mobile Home’s Value?

With Datacomp’s market-based appraisal services, you can rest assured knowing that you have access to one of the most extensive and comprehensive appraisal networks in the country. Datacomp covers the entire country, meaning that an appraisal for your mobile home from Datacomp is just a few clicks away when you visit datacompusa.com.

Or, if you need just a book value report, MHVillage has you covered. MHVillage’s book value product gets you a reliable, expert-sourced book value for your mobile home using a cost-based approach. Learn more by visiting https://www.mhvillage.com/mobile-home-book-value.

Where To Find Parts For Your Mobile Home

As the years go by in your mobile home, whether you bought it new or pre-owned, you’ll likely find yourself making the occasional repair or remodel.

From replacing your kitchen flooring to repairing your mobile home roof, you might be wondering where you can find the parts you need to get the job done.

The MHVillager has put together this handy guide that will help you find the right parts, while meeting your budget, without having to spend needless time or money searching for what you need.

Hardware Store

This might seem like an obvious first point to bring up, but your local hardware store, whether it’s a large national brand like Lowe’s or The Home Depot or a locally owned business, is a first stop for many.

There are benefits to shopping at both of these types of stores.

By shopping at a larger chain store, you’ll be able to find just about anything you might need for a mobile home repair project, from lumber to flooring to paint to landscaping tools. And, if you can’t find what you need at one store, oftentimes you can order it ahead at another store of the same brand, right then and there.

With locally owned “mom and pop” hardware stores, you have a few distinct benefits that you may not have thought of before. For one, these stores may have more specialty parts that you might not be able to find at a larger brand, such as oddly specific sizes of pipe fittings, drain grates, or other fixtures.

Additionally, shopping at a locally-owned hardware store means that you get to directly support your community in the process, too.

Specialty Suppliers

In your community, you may have specialty stores that sell a specific type of supply. These may be an excellent source of specific types of mobile home parts. This is because these stores might have a greater supply of parts relating to your project. For example, a paint store may have a wider selection of paint, or more variety in painting tools, compared to general hardware stores.

Here are a few types of specialty stores that you might find in your community:

Paint Stores

Some paint manufacturers, such as Sherwin-Williams, may have their own brick-and-mortar stores that you can visit and purchase supplies you might need for your mobile home painting project.

HVAC Supply Stores

While these types of stores more often cater to professionals working in the HVAC industry, you may be able to visit one and pick up HVAC parts for a lower price than other hardware stores. You can read this MHVillager article on mobile home cooling to get ahead of the warmer months.

Flooring/Carpeting Stores

Some stores are dedicated to selling different types of flooring and carpeting. These may be a better option for you when it comes to replacing or repairing your flooring, and you can find several different types of floors to choose from, too. In fact, we recently wrote about the benefits of hardwood flooring in mobile homes, which are just one of the types you can pick out.

Lighting Stores

You might even come across a store dedicated to all things lighting. These are a great way to find the perfect light fixture for any room in your mobile home. Just make sure to bring your sunglasses – those display models can be bright!

Mobile Home Parts Stores

Did you know that there are local stores solely dedicated to mobile home parts?

It’s true! Depending on your area, you may be able to find a store nearby that’s dedicated to mobile home parts and supplies. A quick google search for “mobile home parts and supplies near me” can help you find a location near you.

If you live in a manufactured home community, your park owner or manager may be able to help you find a location nearby, too.

Check Out Our Mobile Home Parts and Supplies Hub!

With all of the above options, it’s important to remember that there’s an option that not only allows you to shop for manufactured home parts and supplies from the comfort of your own home, but offers you parts meant exclusively for mobile homes.

Our Mobile Home Parts and Supplies page is a go-to resource for many homeowners looking to start a repair or remodel project.

Shopping here gets you the best of both worlds when it comes to the convenience of shopping online and product availability. You’ll rest assured knowing that any and all types of mobile home supplies for your repair or remodel may be found here. This is because, as the name suggests, the Mobile Home Parts and Supplies covers manufactured homes exclusively.

You can head to our Mobile Home Parts and Supplies page and find just about anything you need for your repair or remodel project.

Introducing MHVillage Appointment Scheduling

At MHVillage, we’re working constantly to improve your experience on the nation’s #1 website for buying, selling, and renting manufactured homes. That’s why we have an exciting announcement to share with you about a new feature added to MHVillage.com.

Starting today, MHVillage users can directly request a tour of homes, communities, or dealers they’re interested in and reach out directly to sellers and communities with our new appointment scheduling feature.

As an MHVillage user, this new feature is quite literally as easy as 1, 2, 3:

1: Select Your Preferred Date and Time

From the webpage for the home, community, or dealer you’re interested in, select your preferred date and time and click the “Request a Tour” button. Then, you’ll fill out a simple form where you can request your in-person tour and provide the seller or community with your contact information and more information about your request.

2: Wait for Confirmation from the Seller

After you submit your request, the seller, community, or dealer will receive your request and reach out to you directly to confirm your appointment.

NOTE: the seller will contact you BEFORE your appointment is finalized. Do not visit the home, community, or dealer for your appointment until it has been confirmed with the seller.

3: Finalize the Details

Once the appointment is confirmed, you’ll receive a notification from the seller, community, or dealer with all the necessary details for your tour.

Our all-new appointment scheduling feature makes it easier than ever to live the manufactured home lifestyle.

Ready to try this feature out for yourself? Search for homes or parks on MHVillage today to set up a tour and kickstart your manufactured home buying journey!

Can You Install Hardwood Floors in a Mobile Home?

Mobile homes have all different types of floors in them. This is something that mobile homes have in common with site-built homes.

From carpeting, to hardwood, to vinyl planking, you’d be hard pressed to find a type of floor that doesn’t exist in a manufactured home.

One question that a lot of homeowners have is whether or not hardwood floors can be installed in a mobile home. For example, can you replace a carpeted floor with a hardwood one?

The answer is a bit more nuanced than you might think. Keep reading to learn more.

Can You Install Hardwood Floors In Your Mobile Home?

Yes! In many cases, it’s entirely possible to install hardwood floors in your mobile home. Whether you’re replacing existing flooring or having hardwood floors installed in your new or customized mobile home, hardwood floors are more than just a viable option; they’re an ideal one for many.

How to Install Hardwood Floors

There are actually a few different ways to install a hardwood floor. Here are the most common methods that homeowners use:

Nail-Down Installation: this is a time-tested installation method, because it’s the most secure. The name is pretty self-explanatory – hardwood boards are placed down, and then nailed into the floor.
Click-Lock Installation: this method has become more popular in recent years. Hardwood panels “click” together into place like puzzle pieces, which make this a popular form of modular flooring.
Glue-Down Installation: using this method, the boards of hardwood flooring are clicked together and kept in place with glue.

No matter which method you choose, you’ll want to do your research to ensure that you’re going about your hardwood floor installation the right way. Installation methods may be slightly different depending on which type of hardwood you buy, as well as who you buy it from.

Hardwood floors should also have enough “flex” in them to move with changes in humidity that occurs as the seasons change. Otherwise, an improper installation may mean that your floors will become damaged over time.

Floors in Mobile Homes – What Are They Made Of?

We hinted at it earlier, but there are multiple types of materials that a mobile home floor can be made from. Here are four of the most common:

Carpeting

This is among the most common types of flooring in any home, including factory-built homes. Carpeting is an accessible, family-friendly flooring that has a lot of benefits. These include heat retention, comfort, and protection in case your young ones take a fall.

Of course, it’s worth considering the fact that carpeting is prone to stains from spills, and can be tougher to clean and maintain over time compared to other types of flooring.

Tile

Tile floors are very common in kitchens and bathrooms. This hard surface makes for easy sweeping and mopping, and can add a classic flair to your mobile home. It’s not always suitable, however, for living rooms or bedrooms.

Vinyl

Vinyl flooring has become popular in recent years. They are an affordable, yet stylish option for many rooms in any home, and can simulate multiple types of flooring on a budget.

Hardwood

This is, of course, the focus of our blog today. Hardwood flooring in mobile homes are some of the most popular floors you can find.

They’re an incredibly upscale option that adds a ton of personality to any room in your mobile home.

Speaking of which, they’re versatile, too. Hardwood floors can be used in just about any room in your house, from the kitchen to the living room to the bedroom.

Alternatives to Hardwood Floors

If you’re going for a hardwood look but are working with a strict budget, there are a few alternatives you can consider.

Vinyl flooring is one way to have that hardwood aesthetic. Installing it is about as easy, and many homes come with vinyl flooring pre-installed.

If you’re looking for a more sustainable option, bamboo flooring is another option that’s becoming increasingly popular. You can achieve the hardwood look on a budget that’s far more environmentally friendly. This is because bamboo grows back much faster than it takes for a tree to be replanted and fully grown for hardwood flooring.

Cork flooring is another environmentally friendly alternative. And, cork flooring has some soundproofing qualities too, although you might not want to install cork floors in high-traffic areas like your living room.

Many flooring outlets can help you find the right style of flooring for your home, too. For example, some kitchen layouts may benefit more from hardwood flooring over vinyl.

Mobile Home Parts and Supplies

Hopefully this blog post has answered some of your questions about installing hardwood floors in a mobile home.

If you’re looking for more ways to enhance your mobile home lifestyle, check out our Mobile Home Parts and Supplies guide. Here, you’ll find just about anything you might need for a mobile home remodel project.

You can also check out the Lifestyle section of the MHVillager for even more tips when remodeling your home, or simply need a few ideas to liven things up.

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.

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