Onebyone

In my town the pre fab home are different then the mobile homes (trailor). Pre fabbed are constructed on the property and the mobile homes are towed and set up on the property. My area has a no mobile home zoning law, but a pre fab home is considered a built home. In my area a manufactured home and mobile home means the same as a trailer but a pre fab home is not. Every storm the local news is saying leave your mobile or manufactured homes for safety.

grammy17

I live in a manufactured home in FL. Ours is a 2005 model built to withstand 130 MPH winds. Research the laws of the state where you plan to live. They are different. And if you can visit the factory where the homes are made. Take the tour and see how it is done. Each Manufacturer does things a little differently. What is an option (read that costs more) for one manufacturer may be included at another one. There are reasons for the price differences. Then decide if you want to live in a park. I would suggest one that is resident owned. That keeps your options open for the future. Or on your own land.

Whatever you decide, do your homework up front.

I would add, today's manufactured homes are very different from the mobile homes of yesteryear.

Ellageo

How many 'stick built' homes can drive down the interstate at 70mph? and still be in one piece? Should tell us something about how good these modular homes are. I got to 'redesign' a few things from the sample home, add features, upgrade some, and go to the 'factory' to watch some of it being built! Then 2 weeks later !! Home!! : )

coopah

Yes, they are built better. There's a HUD inspector at every step of the way. Plus the homes are built inside a huge building, so are not exposed to weather. The zoning here is very specific about the way manufactured homes are set up and I would imagine the same is true for modular. Way more checks on the manufactured homes than the stick built. IMHO We bought one for our retirement and it sits on 10 acres. The worst upkeep is mowing! I like that we were able to choose colors, flooring, etc. before it was built. Cleaning is a snap. Lots of storage...more than in the large stick built home we had in Seattle!

nativetexan

I think that's what my son and DIL got. when they had it moved to their property, the windows weren't in place well and the girls had drafty bedrooms. but they figured out the problem and it was fixed.

caspharm

My InLaws had a manufactured home and it had wonderful finishes.

abdconsultant

look at American homes, google modular and panelized homes.

Carol34446

Live in a 1985 modular home, and it is sturdy and first owners had roofs extended to make them have wide eaves and it is a good home. Would like to update but hard to do on SS. Little at a time. In 1975 when buying first home in El Paso, got an older home as the new ones were so shoddy in their building in price range DH #1 (Career Army and pay sucked back then) and I could afford.

CAS49OR

Just be careful what you will do with the home. If you set it on a leased lot or in a "retirement" community you run the risk of the community going broke and kicking you out. Since it costs over $10,000 to move a modular home you should consider it.

Also, the home depreciates in value just like a car unless it is set on a permanent foundation.

With all that said - I tried to encourage my DH to consider buying a modular home in a "50+" community. There were several here that had a pool, gym, social activities, landscaping provided, etc.

He would not consider it and now he wishes he did.

One wonderful thing about those homes is all the built in storage!

CAS49OR

I should add -- when shopping for one, make sure it is a "true" house with real studs, sheet-rock, windows, etc. Some houses that are stapled together fall apart rather quickly and have no value.