The Manufactured Housing Forums

I know it has to do with the date of manufacture if it`s not HUD approved or something.

Can somebody here say it in a way I can explain to someone else that their home if made before a certain year (what year ?) has no resale value and why. This home is in the Northeast, if that makes a difference.

The only homes that are worthless are those that have been made so due to location or condition.

Many people will tell you that MHs built prior to the HUD code standards are worthless but that is just not so. Homes that are older than the HUD code are more difficult to get financed, because the lenders have no idea how the home was constructed or what its life expectancy might be.

We own mobile homes that we rent which were built in the 70's prior to the Federal MH Building Code. They have been maintained and updated periodically with new carpet, appliances, fixtures and even additions... just like you would with any 40 year old structure. They have held their value and we get as much rent for them as our newer homes of the same size.

The fact that the home is in the North East may have to do with its location. Homes that are in parks... and most manufactured homes in the NE are in parks. Often don't hold their value because the location and condition of the parks deteriorate... and the homes follow.

My brother built a park in Mass in the 70's that was in a beautiful country setting. That location is now in the center of an industrial section of the town that grew and grew over the years 'till it surrounded the park. When the park was surrounded by woods and streams it was a highly desieralbe locaiton for families. Now in the midst of the toughest part of town, surrounded by slummy homes and deterioratong factories the same location is not very desieralbe. Like the other places around it the value of the homes in that park have plummeted.

Location Location Location ... condition

We have a 1987 that we bought new. We have tried to keep up with it but now it's really bad. We need new floors, doors windows everything. Everything leaks. We have mold and mildew that everyone in our house has sinus problems.
My husband myself my daughter and her 2 little ones live with us. We remorgage so we still owe 12,000. Is there anything we can do?

While you may have tried to keep up on it it sounds like the repair and maintenance got ahead of you. It is apparent from the problems your talking about that you have moisture entering the home. It could be from roof leaks... windows that need to be resealed or doors that are not closing all the way or all of the above.

What you should do is start to make the needed repairs. Find and stop the sources of the moisture and only then will you be able to start isolating and removing the mold. Any structure needs regular maintained. We maintain a library with dozens free articles in our repair and maintenance section

If you feel that living in your home is making your family sick you should probably seek alternative shelter 'till you can make your home a healthy place to live. Sick homes are not uncommon today. The catch phrase "Sick Homes" describes homes with poor, even hazardous, living environments and is not limited to any part of the country or any type of structure. Site built or factory built NONE are immune to developing the right conditions for mold to thrive. Most of the time the problem has to do with air quality. If your breathing in a lot of mold you could be putting yourselves at great risk. See Does Your Home Make You Sick? Home Health Hazards

Here is what North Dakota State University and U.S. Department of Agriculture have to say:

"Exposure to mold can cause cold-like symptoms, respiratory problems, nasal and sinus congestion, watery eyes, sore throat, coughing and skin irritations, and can trigger asthma attacks. Because some mold spores are very small and can easily be breathed deeply into the lungs, it is not safe to live in houses with high mold levels. Exposure to high mold spore levels can cause development of an allergy to mold. People can react to mold whether it is living or dead.

Everyone should minimize their exposure to mold. Children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with existing respiratory sensitivities are at higher risk for adverse health effects from mold. Some people are affected when exposed to very little mold, while others may show no adverse health symptoms when exposed to mold.

If you can smell a musty odor or see mold, you have a mold problem. Reliable sampling for mold can be expensive since it requires special equipment and training. Testing is not generally recommended as a first step".... Read the rest at... Remove Mold for a Healthy Home

It could also have something to do with your local zoning laws,in North Carolina most if not all counties now set rules as when power can be connected back to older mobile homes being moved into or with the county i know in our county you cannot get power reconnected to any mobile home built before 1982 or that was the year last time i checked so if your county has simular rules it in effect makes those home worthless except fpr powerless storage.