Any advice on older modulars?

[Vince]

Hello all,
I'm scheduled to view a MH that is listed at a reasonable price for my area. It has a full walk-out basement, something I would love to have. However it was built in 1974.
I've heard rumors that, while the newer MH's are in many ways BETTER than stick-built, older ones may have been "junk". I understand that appliances and fixtures may have to be updated, but am I safe with an MH built in this time period, and what should I look for when in the home? The house has an oil furnace and aluminum siding.

[Vince]

Looks like I posted to the wrong discussion topic. Sorry, I'm new here!

[chrissy]

As with any older home look for wiring issues, plumbing issues, integrity of the roof, sidewalls, etc. Without knowing how much work has been done to this home or what the ongoing homeowner maintenance program has been, there is now way to tell if it is still structurally sound or not. Since it is a home built prior to the enactment of the federal building standards code, it may well have aluminum wiring and you may want to look at the plumbing as well to see what type of lines were used. And - - find out for sure if it really is a modular (home built to the state building code) or a mobile (home built to any other code).

[Vince]

Chrissy,
Thanks so much for your reply! All of it is helpful. After seeing the home, I lost interest for several reasons. It's actually a double-wide trailer, with the cheapest windows I've ever seen. One or more were broken around the frames just from poor quality. There are stains in the ceiling tile along the outer walls in almost every room, a sure sign of roof damage, water leakage in the basement, and finally, wooden stakes throughout the yard marking the location for a necessary septic replacement, a small fact the listing agent never mentioned.

Thanks again for the input, it may come in handy as I continue my search.
Vince