Purchasing a new home is an important milestone in anyone’s life. During these times, we understand that now more than ever, your budget matters. If you have always aspired to own your own home and would like to do so without breaking the bank, buying a single wide mobile home may be a fitting solution.
Single wide mobile homes are strong, cost-effective options that can fast track your path to homeownership. If you are looking to explore this particular type of housing as a first-time buyer, you likely have a few questions.
To get you started with some initial research, here is a brief overview of all things single wide homes.
Single Wide Basics
Today’s single wide homes are 12 to 18 feet long, 50 to 80 feet wide, and offer around 720 to 1,400 square feet of living space. These residences are generally known for their compactness, but in reality, they are often larger than most apartments.
Today’s single wides are made with such care and expertise that it has become increasingly difficult to tell the difference between a modern single wide and a smaller traditional-style home. These small but spacious dwellings have contemporary features, energy-efficient fixtures/appliances, and overall new flow and design. Moreover, these particular types of mobile homes are easy to customize or upgrade.
When considering transportation and other particulars, it’s beneficial to understand all that goes into shipping a brand new single wide mobile home from the factory to your intended homesite or lot in mobile home community. With single sections, delivery and installation are basically seamless. Due to there size, fewer resources are required to get your new home up and running. Similarly, setup typically requires less manpower and materials than other larger options will (double, triple wides).
Why Buy a Single Wide?
So, we’ve touched on a few benefits, but there are several other advantages to highlight:
Cost
For starters, one of the clear advantages of that single wides have over other types of housing is they are the less expensive option. When compared to double wide homes or multi-section homes, many buyers prefer single wides because of their affordable pricing. Even an affordable luxury townhouse, apartment, or condo is likely to cost you more than a single wide. If you are looking to cut back on your overall monthly expenses, these homes are an excellent choice.
Space
Perhaps the most compelling advantage that single wides offer is space. More specifically, the amount of space that they provide for the cost. A 1200 square foot single wide offers about as much room as a traditional, 2 bed, 2 bath home. Many homeowners who live in single-section homes often pleasantly surprised by how much extra room they have. The additional space offers flexibility with how you decorate your home interior and store your belongings.
When you consider the price per square footage, single wides are a strong option for getting the most value for your money.
Variety
Single wides come in a large variety of layouts and floor plans. While they don’t offer quite as robust of a selection as double wides, there are plenty of options available for buyers of all types. As mentioned earlier, modern single wides are easily customizable and can accommodate many modifications, upgrades, or additions after the purchase.
Privacy
In addition to cost and space, single wides also offer privacy. One of the biggest reasons why many renters leave the apartment lifestyle is the desire to have their very own space. When you own a single wide you can enjoy freedom away from sharing walls with neighbors and living in close quarters.
Finding the Perfect Single Wide
Today, tracking down the single wide of your dreams is easy. More and more buyers are finding their best options online, which makes home shopping simple and convenient. On MHVillage, you can find thousands of single wide mobile homes for sale, with a search-friendly database that allows you to filter home listings by location, size, price, specific features, and much more.
You can also find great single wide homes by searching through our extensive selection of mobile home parks. You can get all the info on several mobile homes at once, contact a representative, ask questions, and take in-depth virtual tours.
With that said, while you are browsing online for your future home, there are a few things you should consider:
- Determine if a new or used single wide is best for your needs. If you’re looking to buy new, you’ll want to browse our selection of single wide mobile home floor plans to determine what type of layout is best suited for your lifestyle.
- Go into the buying process with a solid understanding of your financial situation and what you’re able to afford.
- Be sure to do your due diligence when browsing homes. You may find several options enticing early on, but it’s important to spend time comparing different options in order to find the right single wide home that checks all of your boxes.
Lastly, make sure to understand what type of mobile home financing options are available to you ahead of time.
Financing a Single Wide Mobile Home
You have a handful of options when it comes to financing mobile homes.
Common mobile home financing includes personal loans, traditional mortgages (FHA, Conventional), chattel mortgages, or government loans (VA or USDA Rural Development loans).
If you are buying a single wide through a mobile home community or dealer, it’s common for them to recommend options as well.
As is the case with financing any home, there are minimum mortgage requirements for each loan program. Thus, it is vital that you determine which loan scenario works best for you. For example, many of the above-mentioned loan types have minimum credit conditions, down payments, and land requirements. There are also specifications to consider with each mobile or manufactured home loan, such as the size of your home, whether it needs a permanent foundation, etc.
The breadth of options you will have access to for your future single wide home ultimately comes down to your financial situation and what loans you can qualify for.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, buying a single wide mobile home is a big decision, especially if this is your first time purchasing a home. Currently, there is a wealth of affordable housing options across the country, and financing is, for the most part, readily available. As a result, there is no time like the present to begin your search.
MHVillage has the largest selection of manufactured and mobile homes for sale in the nation. Just visit our advanced search page to start browsing our selection of home listings. And for more buying tips, be sure to check our new mobile home buyers guide.
