what is this industry doing to fix itself

[DD]

I know of entire counties in my area where you dare not even THINK of putting a mobile home on private land, even if you're out in the middle of nowhere. Other communities I know of "technically" allow it, but put so many ridiculous restrictions on it that they know it's nearly impossible to comply (i.e., the roof slant has to be exactly 15 degrees, etc).

A big part of it is the stigma of mobile homes as "trailers", and what can be done to change that. When I was a kid, a friend of my mom's bought a very nice single-wide in an well-maintained park, so I didn't grow up with that preconception many have of mobile homes as being "trashy". We used to visit quite often, and to me, my mom's friend just lived in a different kind of house in a different kind of neighborhood...except that her neighborhood had a clubhouse, tennis courts and a pool! It wasn't until I was older that I started to notice some mobile home parks weren't as nice as this one, and that some homes weren't kept in such good condition.

I'm not saying that there aren't trashy mobile homes and parks out there. Indeed, some "trailer parks" earn that name. It's just a shame that the run-down homes and communities have to create this stigma which ultimately ruins it for the rest of us who believe that our mobile homes are quite respectable, and that there is nothing wrong with choosing this affordable form of housing.

[Karl]

I think the acceptance of manufactured homes by local governments is by far the biggest problem. The appearance of manufactured homes has improved greatly from year to year--I see a difference just in the past five years or so. There are little "trailer" giveaways in many manufactured homes, however, that mean the homes don't blend in well with neighborhoods comprised of stick built homes. Things like little gables on double-wides over the front door. Faux eagles (or some sort of bird) hanging over windows for "decoration." Things like the hexagon-shaped bathroom window appearing on the front of the house. Inside, a constant reliance on gimmicks like garden tubs and skylights. It seems to me many of these companies are able to build modulars that look identical to stick-built homes, and maybe more of that look should be emphasized. Another problem I see -- probably the greatest -- is depreciation. People often buy a manufactured home for a given price, and find out two or three years later that it has dropped in value several thousand dollars. That takes away part of the incentive for buying one. Then the finance companies specializing in them tend to charge much higher interest rates. Why drag a loan out for thirty years on a home that will be worth nothing when the loan is paid off? Most site-built homes are worth much more than their purchase price thirty years after the sale. All that said, I find mobile, manufactured and modular homes very appealing--they have many advantages--but the "trailer" image, the bad finance deals, and especially, the depreciation, are really hurting the industry, in my (amateur) view.

[Richard Wilde]

I think you'll find that a large consumer awareness of the lack of quality in these 'Mobile Homes ' is going to be the answer..

[BB]

I've remodeled my mf home completely. The outside is stone and cedar shake, ive added an addition, reworked the roof pitch, replaced all windows and completely redone the interior. I also replaced all the plumbing and the electrical where available. Unless you looked underneath you would not know it is a mf home. To do all of this extra work, it was still way cheaper than building a stick built home. (plus 2x6 const) and not to mention MUCH nicer that a slap together $120/sq stick built. Too bad the bank will never see that. Curb appeal will sell my home, thats what mf home are lacking today..