My husband and I are thinking about purchasing a mobile home that will be on property we own. Do you know of anyone who has done this? We have only ever rented and have traveled a lot. Our other home was a shared arrangement. Do you have any advice for a person thinking about purchasing a mobile home? I saw that you can download the NADA appraisal guide online, this might help in ensuring we are getting what it is worth. But when it comes to maintenance, I have no idea. It is being offered with a land contract which is what we can afford. We know a home is probably best, but we don't think it is within our budget at the moment.
Why not build a tiny house that is also mobile? You can get second hand ones or build them yourself for under $30K. The running costs are quite low as well and these days many companies offer ready made kits so you just need to put it together or you can customize it. There are lots of sites with advice and the prices have come down as more people are choosing to downsize and cut costs.Log In
It's quite a common concept where I come from. I have known people who have lived for several years in their mobile homes situated on their property while they were constructing their house. You can live comfortably in a caravan with power and water access. All it takes is some organisation.
It's common these days that people actually do that because of today's situation. But it differs from one person to another and it depends on ability and preference really.
I don't know what your budget constraints are, but in addition to traditional mobile homes, there are also modular homes, some of which are built better than stick built, or traditional homes. There's also (depending upon your area) the possibility of buying a home and having it moved to your property. Sometimes that can be a cost effective way of having a traditional home on a budget.
Thank you for posting this! I actually tried looking it up online but couldn't find anything. I think I forgot what they were called, I don't know what I was calling it but whatever it was I wasn't finding it. In that very area there were some tiny homes last year and so I was wanting to look into that. Thanks!
Good luck. There is a tv show called Tiny House NationLog In and it has some great ideas and you can watch and learn from others. The great thing about a tiny house is you can have an upstairs where mobile homes don't tend to. Also the fact you can put it on a trailer is better as you can add decking and then keep it separate if you need to move.
If you can find something else in your price range, I would choose something else. Mobile Homes are much nicer today than they once were, but having lived in one years ago, I can assure you that you will be happier with a more stable structure. There are also many things you need to watch out for when buying a mobile home. Some of the salespeople are worse than any used car salesman. Do a LOT of research if you decide to go this route. Check out any company you plan to do business with VERY carefully. Good luck.
One thing to keep in mind: If you're going to keep a mobile home on your land, it might be considered a fixed property by the local government, which means you could need a permit or have to pay extra taxes. It's quite annoying, but it's still something to keep in mind to avoid problems later on, in case you are required to report such things to the city and whatnot.
I am not aware of that! Thank you! This is why I posted here. Where would we even go to ask about that? I have learned how to ask if a property is condemned, is it the same thing? Thank you so much for all of this information. It is a huge decision and we are scanning the net every day trying to figure out the best way to make this decision affordable.
Thank you! I was wondering about that. The winters in this area can be rough and I was thinking the structure might totter. Also, I was worried about insulation. I'm trying to do a lot of research to know the right questions to ask. So many homes will not do land contract these days. Maybe that is another good question to ask! lol
You need to ask other people who are doing exactly what you want to do about their experiences in the specific area you want to do it in. The reason being that laws differe from location to location and some areas are harsh with their enforcement while others are not. You may find that in places where immigrants settle that the laws are applied more strongly than if you were doing this with a lot in the country by yourself. I know of a small strip of land beside a river about 30 minutes from my home that allows people to live there in a trailer year-round. They are still fairly close to the city but their rent is roughly $200 a month instead of the $2000 they would pay in town. As was mentioned above, a lot of people live in a small location for a while while building a bigger home or while saving so it's not uncommon, just make sure to talk to others who are doing it for tips and advice.
Another good point. You definitely need to check the area and see how mobile homes are handled. In some areas, they are considered personal property, which would put them in the same category as a car or truck or camper. Whatever the classification, you will most likely have to pay some sort of tax on it. This may not be a big issue, if your property tax (on the land) is cheap, and the home is charged similarly to what they charge for a vehicle, but it's definitely good to find out. Also, if the land is unimproved, you will want to find out how much it's going to cost you (and how long it will take) for everything you need to make the place livable. If existing utilities are easily accessible, it might not be bad. If they have to actually put in an electric pole (or more than one) to get electricity to your property, you might be looking at a chunk of change. Then there's water, phone, etc. You may also need to pipe the water from the home to the meter or well. If you need a septic system, you will need to have the land tested first. It's called a "perk test," so I suggest looking that up. Having a septic system installed can also be pricey, depending on what you need. It makes sense to check this out ahead of time as well.
It's up to you. Whatever floats your boat at the moment, you should pursue it. Personally, though, I would not consider buying a mobile home. Although home doesn't always equate to house, for stability, security and posterity's sake, I'd rather I buy a lot and build a house on it. Living in a mobile home can be quite costly than building your own home if you think hard on it. You can always get a mortgage. There are new home loan programs that can be tailored based on buyers' needs.
Great thread! I have been considering buying a small plot of land and building a tiny home. I have spent an embarrassing amount of time watching tiny home videos on YouTube. Land in Southern California isn't cheap, but it is still on my bucket list.
The owners decided to buy these two homes (I am thinking about buying one of them) for renters so they could afford to pay for their kids college tuition. Now their kids are grown and they want to travel more. There is an older couple moving out of the one we are thinking about in May. So we are pretty confident things might function, although I would love to get in contact with that couple! Do you think there is some sort of special law because it was a rental?
Me too! I can't believe how many people have done that. And a lot have just used an old camper and rebuilt around it. I like the sound of tiny home more than mobile home - it makes me sound trendy instead of broke! lol Some have made their tiny homes look like gypsy caravans.
Thank you! I have checked out many channels on YouTube about Tiny homes but haven't seen this one yet!
I've looked into buying yurts and taxes and permits and depending on your state, a certain size doesn't require any permission or incurs any tax, a bit like a large garden shed or garage. You could be clever and and have a couple of them if your land is big enough. That's what I would do.
