comparisons for mobile/prefab/modular homes

[franceen soares-robinson]

Could you explain the differences between a mobile home, prefabricated/premanufactured home and a modular home? WE are also looking to purchase a home in Northern California. Are there any manufactures in the area. Are you familiar with any web sites that may show some home designs without going to a dealer? Thanks. Franceen Soares-Robinson

[Ron]

All mobile homes, prefabricated/premanufactured homes and modular homes have one thing in common. They are contrstructed inside, in a manufacturing plant.

The basic differences are as follows:

Mobile home may be single wide or doublewide. These homes are built on metal frames (I Beam construction running the length of the home.) These homes can be installed on a permanent foundation, but normally are not.

Modular homes are built similar to stick built homes, except the are built in modules in a factory and these modules are trucked to the site and put together as units and are installed on a permanent foundation.

Prefabricated homes are more like stick built kit products. The parts of the home are constructed in panel form, then assembled on job site. (e.g.Pre-assembled vertical walls are shipped to job site and home is constructed like a stick built by assembling the wall parts.) Requires permanent foundation.

Some internet sites you might find helpful are:

http://www.mfdhousing.com/consumer.shtml
http://www.mh-quote.com/ (floor plans)
http://www.mh-quote.com/main/finance.asp
http://www.usbiz-mobilehomes.com/manufa ... fct_af.htm
(List of manufacturers)

Don't know about manufacturers in California, but the above sites may prove helpful.

Hope this help,

Ron

[Terry]

Franceen, Hello, You reside in one of the states that has some of the best manufactured homes around you. Check out the HallMark Southwest Corporation of Loma Linda, California. This company builds one of the finest manufactured homes in the industry and use the finest building materials. Karsten Homes of Sacramento, California is also another good company that builds high end homes and uses the best building materials. Silvercrest homes is also another fine company that produces the best homes for the money. Skyline homes of Woodland, California is also a very good reliable company to deal with. You just have to compare the homes to one another and see which one really stands out. Good luck

[judy]

What proof do we have that our home (mfg.) is NOT a "double-wide trailer"?

Our neighbors (both in Summit houses) are attempting to have us move our home. We are on a permanent foundation, hooked up to electric, propane,water and have a huge septic system installed.

Please help us out on this.

We are in the state of Ohio

Thank you,

Judy

[Ron]

Judy,

I am not a lawyer, so I cannot offer you legal information. As a former real estate salesperson, most states treat mobile homes on permanent foundations as "real estate" and not personal property. A MH on rented land is personal property. Unless there are zoning restrictions against MH on permanent foundations, not sure what your neighbor's claim is based on.

If you own the land the home sits on, the MH has a permanent foundation, and you are paying city/county property taxes, it would seem to me you your home is a permanent residence, and no longer classified as "mobile."

Some things to check on:

Check your state laws on Real Estate definitions MH and real property
Check, if you have a homeowners association agreement you signed with a no doublewides allowed, then you are in problems.
Check your county zoning requirements for MH and permanent foundations vs skirting.

Hope this helps,

Ron