Buying manufactured home

User Forum Topic
Submitted by cv2 on June 9, 2008 - 2:14pm

I am interested in buying manufactured homes, like this:

http://www.sdlookup.com/MLS-086024744-10...

I wonder for the price is it just the house without the land?

Since I am buying it for rentals, is it easy to rent out manufactured homes? For this particular home, it is also in a senior 55+ community. This will make it even more harder to rent out.

Thanks in advance.

Submitted by bsrsharma on June 9, 2008 - 2:45pm.

I think it is without land since the assessors report values land as 0. So you may have to consider land rent before computing your cash flow. But at 85K, house structure seems well priced. After the bubble buyers lose their homes to foreclosure, they have to live somewhere. So demand for low cost housing is one thing that is guaranteed.

Submitted by patb on June 9, 2008 - 7:52pm.

They don't last, they fall apart badly in 10 years.

Submitted by salo_t on June 9, 2008 - 7:59pm.

Usually the sale is for the home only and you have to lease the land they sit on so factor that into the expense. Also the park may have rules that wont allow you to rent it out.
Give the park manager a call and see what the rules are before making any offers.

Submitted by Eugene on June 9, 2008 - 11:21pm.

They don't last, they fall apart badly in 10 years.

My mom lives in one (in Texas), it's 10 years old and it's still like new. They bought it for ~50k and it has a zestimate of 106k now.

They fall apart eventually, but build quality and materials of modern manufactured homes aren't too different from your average hardwood & plaster California McMansion.

Submitted by SD Realtor on June 9, 2008 - 11:26pm.

Actually it is not always without the land. It all depends on the community you purchase in. Some areas are indeed owned by the homeowners although the majority of areas are not so you end up leasing the land. One thing you need to learn about is financing because the financing is not the same as with a conventional home. Also you need to make sure that the community you purchase in does not have bylaws or ccrs restricting your occupancy to being owner occupied.

SD Realtor

Submitted by cv2 on June 10, 2008 - 1:07pm.

Thank you all for giving me very good pointers!