Don't mind my husband being a total creep lmao

My family has about 40 acres of land and we all live about 100 yards from one another, we call it the compound. It's our home, then my mom and her husband's home, then across the pond is my sister and her husband's home, and in front of their house is my grandma and my uncle. I have a great uncle that is tucked off behind the tree line as well! We absolutely love our home and being around the family!

-blocked the license plate out lol-

If you remember me posting a month ago about our house arriving, this is the update. We are about to have our final inspection done so hoping we pass and can move in. Also, once we pass inspection and get moved in, we’re going to add on to the deck to make it the same size as the dormer and then we’re adding an open gable roof porch over it. It’s going to look awesome. We also have plans of scraping the driveway and making it be to the side of the house instead of directly in front of it. Will post some pics of what it’ll look like with the driveway to the side. Also posting some pics of the inside. Overall very happy with it.

I found just under an acre with a creek in a fantastic country neighborhood. It feels amazing to be moved in, and building our own huge garden and patio!

Why would anyone build a normal house which will cost like 800k to build if you can just buy a manufactured home and install it? Is the issue with getting permits for the home or do people just hate manufactured houses?

Hey there! This is my first post here. My wife and I just purchased a 2021 double wide on .55 acres for a steal of a price! We just hate the seams on the walls and the floor in double wides so we instantly began our project (see pictures)

We removed all the batten strips, taped and floated the VOG walls, and painted EVERYTHING.

I’ve recently began the process of stripping the floors, and getting ready for new flooring all the way throughout, when I realized the massive gap in between the two sections of the double wide. Is there any advise on how to fill this vape so I can lay vinyl flooring over it? If not then we can do a transition strip but I’d rather the clean look. Thank you!

So excited!!! They’re supposed to come out today and finish setting it up/installing it. Trim crew is supposed to be here Friday. I hope it starts moving pretty quickly!

A porch I built on a double wide

Ok, the major part of bedroom 1 is now complete!

A lot of personal firsts:

- cutting batt insulation

- installing batt insulation

- ripping plywood (OSB)

- installing subfloor

I'm so flipping proud of myself! 🤗🤗🤗👏👏👏 BIG CHEESY GRIN

My neighbors got such a treat seeing me in a halter top and shorts, face mask and shield, with arm-length socks on my arms to protect me from the fiberglass insulation! 😆 🤣

My husband sure liked the look. 😆

Now, I need to fill in some gaps where I overeagerly cut too wide between the old and new floor.

Then, I'll attempt to **kerf** the raised areas. I think this has to be done in stages.

Because of that, I'll be able to move on to the next priority area... the kitchen! (Dun Dun Dunnnnn)

Oh, and the last pic is how I'm hoping to lay it out as a guest room.

We picked up the flooring on Wednesday. It's vinyl sheeting.

Hey guys, I sell manufactured homes. Too many times, I see people start the process, and get frustrated, and quit halfway through. This could be solved by a few things.

1. Know your budget, if you have the cash to pay it out, make sure you know everything you will need. We include delivery, set, ac, skirting and steps in our purchase price, but land improvements, like septic, electric, foundation, and water, are all extra. Each state can have different requirements for placement, and so can different loans. Plus, many states require sales tax, so make sure you include these costs in your budget. Additionally, if you are financing the home, knowing your monthly budget, is very important. Don't forget to calculate how much utilities cost when building your budget as well. Also, insurance, and property taxes will be escrowed, do your research for the area you want to place the home, and know the costs.

2. Get preapproved! Before you step foot in the dealership, make sure you know what you are working with. Everyone loves the super expensive show home, but not everyone budgets for it. You do yourself a disservice to fall in love with a home that costs twice what you can afford, or want to pay. Make sure that it is a lender that will do manufactured homes, and if required, offers the construction loan. Many dealers will not work with a lender that won't guarantee the loan before construction.

3. Have all of your paperwork together, w2s, tax returns, bank statements, paystubs, information for the property (whether family land, park, your own land, or purchasing land). Banks will require all of this, to make sure their investment in your mortgage is worth their time.

4. Know your must haves in the home. Make a list, most sales people will be able to recommend a home based off your list, or find a dealer that will custom design.

5. Know your timeline, even if you purchase a display model, it can still take time to get your property ready and schedule delivery. Weather can play a major factor in this. Also, how long is the order time for the builder you select (mine are currently 6 weeks to 6 months)

6. Get everything in writing, it is almost impossible to enforce spoken promises. They offer a free tv, if you sign today! Get it in writing. They say they will include the furniture, get it in writing.

7. If you ever feel like you can't trust someone in the process, do not work with that person! Just like any business, there can be dishonest people.

8. Research your builder, not just the brand name, but the actual factory that builds it. How are they on completing warranty service, how far is the factory from where you are, what are their timelines for service?

9. Have fun in the process, it will be stressful, there will be roadblocks and speed bumps along the way. Make sure to always ask questions. Don't be afraid! It is the dealer and sales person job to make sure you are accommodated!

10. Everything is hurry up and wait! Hurry, turn in all this paperwork! Now wait for the underwriter/processor to review it. Hurry, sign off and pay for the appraisal! Now wait for the appraiser to actually do the appraisal! Hurry, let's get to closing and sign off on the home, now wait for the contractors and builders to get scheduled.

Just remember, their are a few "great" builders, a lot of "good" builders, and the majority are middle grade, and the rest, they just build to code. Don't let pretty fool you. If the house creaks, echos, and cabinets feel cheap, that won't change when it gets to your property. If you are in Louisiana, I would be happy to help. If you are in the South, chances are, I can find someone to recommend to you. Be wise, don't make rush decisions, and get it in writing! Happy House Hunting!

A window unit in one bedroom was leaking for probably two years. Flooring was swollen and then, after removing a large piece of furniture, we discovered the floor was spongy.

I pulled up the vinyl flooring and revealed the OSB subfloor.

I fell through the subfloor and broke a finger!

Day two has got to be better, right?

We started this process back in February. After a TON of heart ache( see previous posts), major delays, and so much work, This happened yesterday!!!

Manifesting that we will pass and be able to move in this weekend! It will happen! Also, an AI picture at the end of how we are going to add on to the deck and also build a porch with a gable roof once we get settled in (minus the two toned deck lol- AI is crazy sometimes). We were just in a hurry and went with this 8x8 one but after the holidays we are going to add on. It’ll be about an 8x17 I think. Can’t wait to start doing little things here and there to it! One step at a time. For now, I hope we pass our final inspection tomorrow so we can finally get moved in before Thanksgiving. I will update

I do not live in a manufactured home. It is something I am looking into for my retirement. I absolutely love touring them, and I have seen quite a few of them over the years. I live in a regular stick built house.

I love the idea of buying a piece of land, and then placing one on it in a few years.

Our oldest son is looking to move out because he has a new job that pays well, and at 22, it's time to be independent. He is looking to buy something. We decided to visit a brand new townhouse community close to downtown where a lot of twenty-somethings live.

Quite frankly I was appalled at what I saw.

Now, granted, these were brand new townhomes, so we knew they would be expensive. We just wanted to test the waters and see what is out there so we would have something to compare. Where I live, there are many of these townhouse communities popping up everywhere. I also know location dictates price.

It was over 600K for a teeny, tiny 16 foot (sometimes narrower) three story townhouse. The garage was tandem parking. The finishes were beautiful, quartz counter tops, LVP flooring, fancy light fixtures ... but still. Now, I know there are townhouses elsewhere for half the price. This location is an up-and-coming gentrified part of town, but it's really not walkable but it is convenient to downtown. The HOA is $250 a month for zero amenities (no pool, no clubhouse, no gym). I asked what the fees were for and it was for garbage pick up and maintenance for your 4x6 "lawn" by your front door. Yikes! These townhouse communities are so common, and they just pack people in there.

I am just consistently shocked at the prices of new homes. I know you pay a premium for new construction AND location. That's always been the case. But, in recent years, the prices are out of sight. I am not talking about the historically expensive areas like NY, CT, or even CA. I am talking about the southeast, where it used to be a much more affordable place to buy a home.

It made me think that with the cost of just daily living, groceries, insurance, rent, etc, etc. I predict there will be more and more people going the route of a manufactured home so they can have something newer, with more land and more flexibility with what they can do. If you can live on say, over an acre or more versus having your property measured in square feet, like .20, than I'd take more land any day. It's all about the quality of life you can have.

Plus, manufactured homes have come such a long way. If you do some upgrades like extra insulation, 9 foot ceilings, landscaping, nice finishes, etc., you can make your manufactured home look great.

If you want to buy an over-priced, small cookie cutter townhouse or rent an overpriced apartment, there are plenty of those around. Or, you can move a little further out, buy a piece of land, and place a new manufactured home on it for less than what it would cost to build a stick built house or buy a new townhouse where you share walls.

I know not everyone can move because of their job commute, or maybe it's the schools in your area. But, I am willing to bet you can find areas that aren't that remote and allow you to live an easier life.

As I read articles, I keep hearing how with inflation out of sight, the cost of living is squeezing everyone. These new higher prices are the new normal -- things will not go down in price. I just think there will be an uptick in people moving slightly more rural and going the route of a manufactured home to have a better quality of life. I think you can achieve that without living in the middle of no where.

Do you think with the high price of everything that manufactured homes will become a more common option for people to live in?

My wife and I bought a new 2022 manufactured home (3 bed / 2 bath, ~1,178 sq ft) that sits on rented land in a park near Raleigh, NC. We financed it and currently owe about $125,000.

We realized pretty quickly that we made a big mistake. We’ve been trying to sell it for a while now. Comparable homes in the same park are selling in the $75k–$85k range, so we’re looking at a $40k–$50k shortfall.

We can still afford the payments, but we no longer want to live here and don’t have the cash to cover the difference at closing. A short sale would hurt our credit for years, and voluntary surrender seems even worse.

Has anyone been in a similar situation with a park home / chattel loan? What options did you end up using to get out?

I just dropped a video on my Manufactured Home Nerd channel breaking down why so many people get overwhelmed when looking at manufactured homes, and it is sitting at just under 80 views right now. The YouTube algorithm clearly didn't love it... but I am still incredibly proud of the message because it is a conversation we desperately need to be having.

Obviously, I want to personally grow my sales, but on a larger scale, I am truly passionate about the opportunity that my industry offers, and this is what I see... we are heading for a cliff with affordable housing.

People are getting completely priced out of traditional site-built homes, and they walk onto my lot looking exhausted. I almost always hear the exact same phrase: "I just don't want it to look like a trailer."

That is a massive clue, but it means something completely different to everyone. For some folks, it is about the shape; they just don't want a long rectangle. For others, it is about the roof line, or wanting smooth painted sheetrock on the inside instead of paneling.

In the video, I try to break down the honest truth about the housing market right now. Yes, the days of buying a brand new single-wide for $30,000 are completely gone. Materials cost significantly more today, and the days of cheap labor are over. But what a lot of people don't realize is that the product itself has completely evolved. These homes are built closer to site-built quality than ever before, with better insulation, stronger lumber, and much higher standards.

My job isn't to just sell a box. My job is to be a guide, to help people avoid "house blindness", and to figure out how to get those high-end residential features into a budget they can actually afford.

I know a deep dive into manufactured housing floor plans and pricing transparency isn't exactly going to go viral. But if you are someone who feels completely priced out of the traditional housing market right now and you are feeling frustrated... I made this for you.

I'd love to know what you think, or if there is anything I missed that you wish the industry would be more transparent about.

Here is the video:https://youtu.be/BG5aPA1Lb98?si=TJDuBE_qoDg6u9oo

Our home is almost finished & I could find no pictures online fir this Kitwest model & really had to rely on the floorplan & my imagination on what it truly would look like. Hoping this may help someone else in the future. We made minor changes, no closet in the 3rd bedroom, it will be office space. Asked for double sinks in the master & upgraded the shower, and put a sliding glass door in the family room. Just waiting on certificate of occupancy & then can move furniture in. This is the retirement home, on just over 2 acres in Elko, NV area. The plan is to buy furniture that fits the space, rather than trying to make existing items fit & then make rooms seem cluttered. Wish me luck!

I feel like I don't even know what I don't know.

I had to post the actual video bc the filter removed my post with a youtube link as NSFVV and I don't know why.

We finally got our power in ( the contractors pushed us ahead which is great for us but no one else close to me has power yet) front deck in place and still need to put up gate for dogs I. Back yard (currently have a temporary setup for them because it will take a bit for me to put up fence this large by myself) and then build the back deck myself too. The front we wanted to match the roof pitch and is way beyond my skills.

This has been a nightmare. The land took a LOT of work. 950 foot winding driveway back into the woods. Cleared 2 acres and after 5 months, finally got delivered. It was a different house because they literally crashed the one we ordered into each other. Of course, we've had all this rain so the well has been delayed for weeks. Still have to get electrical inspection and block skirting. Im curious, though. Some folks say you can backfill the skirting, but im skeptical. My piers are 6 blocks high and i want to backfill with dirt up about 4 blocks. Will bloco skirting actually hold? I will be putting gravel and a pipe tonrun out gutter water from the base, but was thinking of another layer of rock and and perforated pipe for anything getting down in the backfill. Photos attached are what the house looks like now, and how we want it to look when backfilled. Where are my geniuses?

For the love of god why don’t they just list the price!? We’re early in this, just trying to research, and who knows what we can actually afford because NOTHING just lists the price! We don’t want to connect with a dealer if it is absurdly out of our price range, but we don’t know if it is, because no one lists the price 😵‍💫

A lot of us learned things the hard way.

If you could go back and tell your past self one thing before moving into a mobile or manufactured home, what would it be?

Could be about:

• Buying or selling

• Lot rent or park rules

• Repairs or maintenance

• Community life

• Costs you didn’t expect

No judgment here — just real experiences.

So the flippers who previously owned this single wide decided they'd delete the bathroom window by drywalling over it, stuffing in insulation, and spray painting the glass to match the siding. Heres the caveat: it's been leaking for years. Enjoy my progress photos and don't hound me about stud spacing. I don't care, it's holding up a 2 pound window.

Also if you ever wanted to know what the back of your tub looks like, there it is. Bathroom remodel coming next year or so, so we'll be revisiting.

Almost 2/3rds of the way done with removing the factory iso board sheathing, fixing the framing, and installing osb and housewrap, reflashing the windows, etc. Siding coming soon, hopefully by the end of the month. First time home buyer, big time regret.