The Manufactured Housing Forums

Hey - getting back to the subject of depreciation - listen to this. Last Saturday I went to an estate sale held in a 30 (or so) year old brick house that was going to be moved off the property to make way for a new drugstore. This was a one-story, 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath ranch with hardwood floors - a very nice house which was sold to somebody about 50 miles north to be put on some acreage there. Now get this - - - that brick house was sold for $4000!!!! That's right - just four thousand dollars!! What does that tell you? I'll answer that question: it tells you that site built homes NOT ATTACHED TO THE LAND D-E-P-R-E-C-I-A-T-E !!!! This is what I've been trying to tell a snooty acquaintance of mine and now I have the proof! So the next time some know-it-all tells you about manufactured housing depreciating, throw this fact at them. LAND appreciates. Houses don't.

I hate to disagree, but I do see a big difference. The price to move and set up a manufactured home may be 4 to 5 thousand. I know from expereince that moving a "non trailered home may be in the ball park of 40 to 50 thousand dollars after paying the transport co. and all the utlity co to move all there lines.
Now this is not to say that this is a wise way to spend youre money. I think this person would be much better off if they bought a new manufactured home and put it on thier lot, unless the $ 4000 dollar home was a historical or an exceptional home.

No, that's not correct. The cost of moving this particular house was $12,000. Don't know if the distance (only 50 miles or so) is the determining factor, but that was the price. That was for the moving only. Setting up the utilities was not included. I agree that the buyer would be much better off buying a manufactured home, which is certainly easier to move and will have a warranty.

Regardless of how much it cost to move the house and the cost of setting up the utilities, the house STILL sold for only four thousand dollars.