Are Mobile Homes Worth It?

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Going Modular: A Growing Trend

It seems the whole world is catching on to the benefits of modular design. Retailers like IKEA have caught onto the benefits and have brought the terms “modular” and “modern” together in the same space. Other industries are catching on as well.

Businesses are starting to favor modular storefronts, too, as they are simple and inexpensive to set up, energy efficient, and every bit as functional as traditional brick-and-mortar. The buildings are also very modern, which sends a message to potential customers about the business itself.

The housing industry, which was one of the first to employ this idea, has not been left behind in its innovations. While many of the concepts from the original mobile homes are still being utilized in today’s world of real estate, the industry has seen a great deal of evolution in the past few decades. The list of benefits to these homes continues to grow as advances are made in other fields regarding modular innovation.

Let’s Talk About the Options

New mobile homes are completely customizable to suit the homeowner’s needs, preferences, and style. This starts with a floor plan (single wide vs. double wide, two bedrooms vs. three) but goes far beyond that to meet the needs of each buyer. Have you got a hefty wardrobe? Add a closet. Perhaps your favorite part of your day is relaxing – what better place to do it than in a Whirlpool tub? Do you love to bake? Upgrade the kitchen countertops or backsplash, add an island to your prep area, or spend a little extra on upscale appliances.

The modular element also allows the homebuyers to design a living space that completely caters to their stylistic preferences. Hardwood or carpet? Door knobs or door levers? Coach lights or nickel? White doors or oak? Every element of the home has a variety of options so that the finished project reflects the personalities of the people living there. Even the roof has options: you can choose the pitch, shingle style, and even have a skylight installed. Fancy!

However, the biggest option offered by these homes isn’t in the upgrades or design, but the fact that you can put them just about anywhere. Whether you’re moving into a new neighborhood or building on a piece of property that’s been in the family for years, these homes can go where you go. This is one of the selling points of the currently booming “tiny homes” craze, but you don’t have to cram your family into a dwelling the size of a garden shed to have it. You can put a full size, fully individualized home pretty much wherever you want it to go.

Next Up: Speed of Construction

Because mobile homes are well, mobile, you can find lots of pre-owned mobile homes for sale. These homes are not anchored to one location, so you can find the very best one for your needs and have it shipped where you want it to go.

But, if you’re really looking forward to customizing a brand new living space, you’re in luck. Even new models only take about three months to build and deliver, which is less than half the average time it takes to build traditional homes. That means you can stop paying rent and start nesting in half the time.

And Finally, the Price Tag

The most obvious benefit of purchasing a mobile home is the cost. A three bedroom, two bathroom mobile home with about 1300SF of living space starts around $30,000. Compare that to the construction cost of a traditional home, which averages roughly ten times that amount ($294,179) – now we’re into some serious money saving.

The comparatively minuscule price tag means a few things. It means that people who could never otherwise own a home now have the ability to do so. It means that there is another option added to the two existing choices, lifelong debt or flushing out rent money without ever actually owning something. It means that your mortgage payment isn’t going to keep you from doing the things you love.

It means that you CAN have it all – not just the home but all the bells and whistles that come with it. On that kind of budget, you can upgrade to that spa-tub or splurge on a really outstanding patio with a water feature. You can fill your home with luxurious furnishings and décor. You can afford a bigger parcel of land and plant lavish gardens on it, or get the kids a swing set. You can put your home on a basement or dig a pool in the backyard. You can literally make every upgrade listed here and still have saved a surmountable amount of money over building a standard model house.

The best part is that with all the advances made to mobile homes in the recent years, it’s often hard to even tell which homes are modular anymore. Nowadays, mobile homes are every bit as attractive as traditional houses, and with all the benefits of owning one, it would be crazy not to give the option serious consideration.

So the short answer to the question “Are mobile homes worth it?” is a resounding “Yes, they are!”

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