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Buying New Manufactured Home

The Benefits of Buying a New Manufactured Home

Buying New Manufactured HomeThe process of buying a manufactured home is full of big decisions. After you’ve made the first big decision to buy a manufactured home, your next choice is whether to buy a new manufactured home versus a pre-owned manufactured home. There are many benefits of buying a brand new manufactured home that should be considered, from customized features to increased safety standards to lower monthly bills. 

The advantages of a new home are difficult to ignore, but they do come at a price. Here we will highlight the pros and cons of buying a new manufactured home and break down some of the important considerations when buying a newer home.

Some of the biggest benefits of a new manufactured home are:

Less Energy Consumption, Lower Monthly Bills

Many newer homes are made with energy-efficient features such as double-paned windowed, which have now become the standard for windows among newly constructed manufactured homes. An even more efficient option is to get Low-E windows which reduce the amount of UV light and heat entering the home and can certainly be worth the upgrade cost. New homes also often have options for energy-efficient appliances with heating and cooling systems, kitchen appliances and water systems all designed specifically to keep energy use (and costs) low. Energy Star appliances, for example, are a gold star in the industry, guaranteed to be 10% more efficient than minimum HUD code standards. Eco-friendly features on new homes like Low-E windows and insulated skirting or siding not only reduce your environmental impact, they also lower your monthly utility bills and keep your home more comfortable year-round. 

Quality Appliances, Fewer Repairs 

Purchasing a new home means getting fresh-off-the-factory appliances and finishings. Having new, high-quality appliances in your manufactured home means you are much less likely to have any issues or require any repairs for quite some time. On the other hand, an older pre-owned home is more likely to need frequent repairs and maintenance in order to keep up clean, safe and comfortable living standards. When your appliances and furnishings haven’t been worn and overused, you can focus on living your life instead of constantly worrying about fixing broken items in your manufactured home. 

Customized Features, Modern Amenities

One of the most common reasons people buy a new manufactured home is so they can have the opportunity to select their own ideal features and take advantage of customizations. When you buy there are typically more options to choose from in terms of floor plans, exterior look, and extra amenities. Even if you’re not working  By working directly with a manufacturer, new homes tend to offer more modern features, everything from walk-in closets to convenient mud rooms to upgraded showerheads. When searching for your ideal home, you can find a customized mobile home that fits your lifestyle and personality at a small fraction of the cost to find the same with a site-built home. And – unlike with renting – there’s no permission needed to paint rooms, add new flooring, or continue adding your style to the home however you see fit. 

Updated Construction, Higher Safety Standards

The construction process for building manufactured homes has become increasingly more efficient with technological advancements since the early “mobile homes” of the 1970s. The newer the home, the more likely it was constructed using the state-of-the-art machinery and expert craftsmanship that make up today’s modern manufactured homes. The standards for manufactured home construction increased greatly after 1976, when HUD codes of compliance were implemented, but every year new additions and updates are made to both construction and testing standards. Buying new means that the home is guaranteed to have gone through the most up-to-date, meticulous construction processes, followed by rigorous wind and weather testing. This ensures the home you are buying is safe, comfortable and ready for anything. The older and more worn a pre-owned home is, there is a higher likelihood that there may be safety risks from lower quality materials or poorly maintained construction. 

High Value for Cost, Great for First Timers

On average, prefabricated housing costs around $70,600 without land which is about $216,214 less than purchasing the average site-built home*.¹ This makes manufactured homes a great option for first-time home buyers or anyone who wants to have a more affordable home-ownership lifestyle. The cost per square foot of buying a manufactured home averages about $40 to $80 per square foot, compared with the average $154 per square foot for site-constructed homes, which means you are getting much more space for every dollar you spend when you invest in buying a manufactured home. Manufactured Homes also depreciate more quickly than site-built homes, so if you are purchasing a pre-owned home it will likely already have lost much of its value compared to a new home. Buying a new manufactured home is a great way to build some equity and establish a good credit history.

Active Warranties, Better Protection

Buying a new home gives you the opportunity to benefit from warranties that may be included for the home, appliances, and other items. Manufactured homes often have separate warranties for manufacturers, retailers, installers and appliances, so make sure your home owners manual and documents include all of this info. Many brand new homes have at least a one-year warranty that covers certain structural defects or safety issues, but it’s important to document and understand all of the warranties your home entails. It’s also essential to note and remember anything that can void or nullify your warranties. For example, sometimes improper site preparation and even inadequate maintenance can void a warranty.

Community Lifestyle, Prime Park Options

When you buy a new manufactured home, you get to choose from many park communities to find your ideal neighborhood. There are plenty of options and lots of variety in these communities, but many of them are welcoming and willing to show you the spaces or homes they have available. When you aren’t worried about affordability or limiting yourself with rental options, you can focus on selecting a park with the ideal amenities for your lifestyle. Some of the modern amenities offered by quality manufactured home communities include pools, playgrounds and social activities. Many also offer professional maintenance and landscaping services which help your new home stay in great condition!

** Home Buying Pro Tip: Consider Buying in a Community

If you buy a home within a community park, you’ll have no issues regardless of the age of the home. Professional maintenance and management can keep manufactured homes in great condition meaning the home can stay clean, comfortable and efficient for decades.

What Are the Drawbacks?

As mentioned before, the wonderful benefits of buying a new manufactured home do come at a price. New homes are more expensive than pre-owned homes and the costs are higher up front than renting a home. It can also be trickier to finance a manufactured home than a traditional home, but there are plenty of financing options to explore that make buying a manufactured home possible for homebuyers of all ages. The costs are certainly higher for a brand manufactured home, but the benefits of buying new are also certainly worth the price.

Sources:

  1. Buying New or Pre-Owned Manufactured Homes
  2. New vs. Used Mobile Homes
  3. Manufactured Home Prices
Security Camera for Safety

How to Increase Security for a Manufactured Home

Manufactured Home Safety Has Come A Long Way

Security Camera for SafetyThe manufactured homes of today are much sturdier than they were in the past. Before HUD standards and regulations were established in 1976, the mobile homes of yesteryear had a reputation for not being as safe and secure as traditional site-built homes. Between high construction standards and modern technologies this has all changed, and now manufactured homes are safer than they’ve ever been. In fact, manufactured homes are built with 20 to 30 percent more materials than site-built homes in order to withstand transport and extreme weather, making them strong and resilient structures.1 The intentional “sight-line” design and professional management of modern manufactured home communities make this lifestyle even more safe and secure.

Today’s manufactured homes are safe and nearly as secure as site-built homes, but there are still plenty of additional security precautions you can take to keep your family, home and valuables safe.

Some of the best ways to add security to your manufactured home include:

Check Windows for Warping

Windows and frames can become warped from heat or water exposure, weakening them and making them easier to compromise. Be sure to frequently check all the windows and doors in your home, making sure they fit into their frames snugly. It’s also important to check the frames themselves to confirm that there are no gaps or breaks in the construction. Any weakness in doors or windows could make it easier to break into the home, so if you find any damage you’ll want to get it fixed immediately.

Use Dowels in Sliding Doors & Windows

Putting wooden dowel rods, “jammers”, or blocks of any materials in all sliding doors and windows from the inside is always a good idea. This will keep anyone outside from being able to slide doors or windows open, even if the locks fail or aren’t engaged. The dowel or jammer you use should be almost as long as the door or window – just short enough that it will fit on the inside but not allow any movement of the door or window. 

Check Exterior Doors for Stability

If your manufactured home currently has a hollow exterior door, you may want to consider upgrading to a quality, solid exterior door. Hollow doors can be easier to break, but a solid wood or even aluminum door is a good investment since it will prevent anything or anyone from getting through the door itself. It’s also a good idea to occasionally check and make sure the door pins are upright and securely fit in place. Loose or uneven pins could make your entryway more vulnerable. Between a solid door and a sturdy pin, you should have no security issues with your exterior door.

Add Extra Locks

Deadbolt locks are a great idea to install on every exterior doorway to your home, even if you’re already taking the precautions listed above. Many pre-owned manufactured homes will already have these installed but if your home only has knob locks it is worth taking the extra time and money to add them. Think of this as a worthy investment that will give you peace of mind, and maybe even save you more money, for years to come. Additional specialized window locks can also be added, usually from the inside, if you wish to further secure the windows.

Invest in A Locking Safe

A combination or locking safe not only keeps your precious valuables safe in the event of a break-in, it can also deter criminal activity in the first place since thieves know they are unlikely to find anything valuable laying around outside of it. It’s a good idea to put any items of value in the safe when you leave the house, especially if you will be gone for more than a few hours or going on vacation. A small safe can be enough for valuables like jewelry, money and laptops, but if you have larger, more expensive possessions, you may want a larger safe that can fit more items. Home and office safes are available in many different sizes, with options for either combination and electronic keypad locking mechanisms. 

Use Light Timers Inside to Appear Home

Light timers can help you program lamps inside the home to come on at a certain time of day –  or at selected intervals- to give the appearance that someone is home even if you are out. Experts say having lights on in the evening or early morning can help deter criminal activity since criminals usually are looking to avoid being seen or caught in a confrontation. Setting timers on a TV can be helpful for the same reason, and many TVs already have this functionality already built in.

The best strategy for light timers is to set them so they mimic human activity. Maybe it goes on in the kitchen in the morning, off again for part of the day, turns on in the living room for a few hours in the evening, and then in a bedroom or office later on. It might seem a bit ridiculous to set so many different timers in different rooms, but some experts say that leaving lights on or setting timers too predictably or obviously can actually help burglars figure out you’re not home. So, be thoughtful about where you are and how you usually act in your evenings at home and set your timers to mirror that.

Install Motion Lights Outside

One of the best ways to discourage any criminals from coming near your home is to install motion sensor lights on the outside of the home. When any movement comes within range of the light it turns on, illuminating the area and scaring off the intruder. Whether the trespasser is a raccoon or a criminal, you’ll be able to see and report any foul play if you’re home. If not, motion lights can still easily trick wrongdoers into thinking someone is home and has flicked on the light. Another extra precaution to help keep your possessions and loved ones safe.

Install Home Alarms or an Alarm System

Full-blown alarm systems like ADT are great, but there are other more user-friendly and tech savvy options available nowadays like Ring, Nest and SimpliSafe. These options often give you control to monitor your home security from your smartphone and usually save records to the cloud.

Even low tech home alarms, like Doberman window sensors, can be affordable, effective and easy to install. Set up alarms on each door or window so that, when activated, a loud siren will sound if the window or door is tampered with. The alarm will startle the intruder(s) and typically scare them away, but you’ll also be made immediately aware that there could be a safety risk in the house. If you hear one of the alarms sound you should call 9-1-1 right away, even if the attackers appear to have fled.

Even just purchasing and displaying the security system sign can encourage criminals to pass by and target another home with less protection. Homes that don’t have any sign of security systems are about 3 times more likely to be broken into than those without, so it’s helpful to make it look like you have an alarm system even if you don’t.

Install a Video Surveillance Camera

If you’re really serious about home security and want to have documentation of any criminal activity, a video surveillance camera can provide the ultimate peace of mind. Some of these systems record video at all hours, while others have advanced features like motion sensors or recording timers. Cameras can help deter criminal activity to begin with since any lawbreakers will want to avoid being caught on tape. But, if any offenses or disputes occur, you will be more likely to help authorities catch the criminals or settle the issues thanks to the evidence captured on camera.

**Safety and Security Pro Tip: Consider a Community

Living in an organized manufactured home community is one of the best ways to ensure the safety and security of your home, family, and possessions. The close-knit nature of these communities also often creates a group of trusted friends and guardians, making illegal activity easier to detect and harder to get away with. Some communities may even have an organized Neighborhood Watch program or security patrol that can help monitor criminal activity and protect the community.

Manufactured home communities are also designed with ‘sight lines’ in mind, so neighbors have a direct view of the nearby homes. The physical layout of the neighborhood actually helps dramatically reduce the likelihood of crime on these properties. Communities with professional management can strictly enforce rules and even evict problematic neighbors that violate rules or threaten community safety.

Make Your Manufactured Home Safe and Secure

Nothing is more important than feeling safe and secure in your home, knowing that your family and possession are safe as well. When buying a manufactured home it’s important to make sure the home is already set up for safety, with quality windows, doors, and construction as they should be according to HUD code standards. Then, consider the extra security measures we’ve recommended above to make your manufactured home as safe as possible and keep your peace of mind. 

 

Sources:

  1. 6 Busted Myths About Manufactured Housing
  2. Should You Leave Your Lights On At Night?
  3. How to Secure Your Mobile Home