Why consider used mobile homes? My own first home was mobile in a small space. I bought it for $ 19,500. With the mortgage payment it was still cheaper than the rent, plus I paid for it in advance and then sold it for $ 45,000. Naturally you can live cheaply and build equity with a mobile home. (Buying is equivalent to cheap rent, but this article is about mobiles in real estate.)
The basic advantage of mobiles over traditional homes is obvious to first time home buyers. For starters this may be the only option. Then there are lower starting prices, simpler, cheaper maintenance, lower monthly payments, lower property taxes, lower insurance costs and possibly faster equity build-up (I will explain this in another article). Mobile homes have their own special problems, so pay attention to the following.
Problems with used mobile homepages
Sometimes mobile home age makes financing difficult. If it can be financed, it will have a much higher interest rate. Check it out before making an offer and keep in mind the high payouts when comparing your options.
Age is also a big factor when it comes to insurance. Some older homes may not be insured. Before you buy, see if you can get insurance at a reasonable price.
Some mobile homes built before 1976 have aluminum wiring. This is a fire hazard because the chemical reaction between aluminum and other metals breaks the wiring, eventually causing sparks to form inside the walls (not good). Remove any electrical outlets or switch covers and look inside with a flashlight. If the bare ends of the wires look like silver, they are probably aluminum and you will need to re-wire the house to insure it.
Look for stains on the ceiling. Used mobile homes are prone to leaks. If it is raining and the stains are dry, the leak is probably fixed, but if there are too many dark spots, at least ask how long the roof has been leaking. Quickly repaired leaks may not cause much damage to the supporting beams, but if the roof is severely deteriorating, there may be rotten wood.
Look for wavy walls and curved door frames. If the mobile is set at random, the walls will sometimes show it. It also appears on the door frame, so see if the gap above the door is straight with respect to the frame.
Check fluffy floors. Most mobiles have a particle board on the floor. If these floors are damp, they will change color and rot. Take tough steps here and there to test specifically in the bathroom. I had to remodel two bathroom floors in mobile homes. The condensate moves down from the toilet and soaking the wood around it is a common place to find problems around the toilet. Is there a toilet level or tilting?
Most of these problems are solved and solved at a much lower cost than a traditional home, so if there are any problems, you may want to look into the possibility of offering them for less. Alternatively, you can avoid mobile with problems. However, do not give up buying your own home because of the high prices. Look for good used mobile homes.
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