Before presenting the reasons why people choose to live and stay in a manufactured home community, we will offer up some statistics and information that might guide your decision to purchase a new modern manufactured home and place that home in a community – whether its called a “mobile home” park or a “manufactured home” community. (Going forward our “manufactured home” references will be interchangeable with “mobile homes.”)
Manufactured homes by the numbers:
- 21 million Americans live in 8.2 million manufactured/mobile homes.
- 15% of the housing stock in rural areas, 8% of the housing stock in metropolitan areas.
- 112 U.S. counties-predominantly in southern and western states-where one-third of all homes are manufactured homes.
- 25-30% historically, the percentage of manufactured home land-lease communities.
- 35,000 to 40,000 approximate number of manufactured home land-lease communities in the U.S.
- 4.2 million homes located in manufactured home land-lease communities.
The stereotypical belief is that only low income poor people live in a mobile home park is not necessarily based upon facts. There are a multitude of reasons why so many Americans choose to live and remain residents of these communities, including affordability, pride of ownership, privacy,community, lower maintenance cost, lower taxes and utility costs. Following are 5 of those reasons.
#1. Affordability
Entry level home buyers appreciate the ability to purchase a home that is at least equal and often superior in every respect as a custom site-built home at a cost up to 50% less, not including land. Payments on a manufactured home, plus park rent will be considerably less than that of of a home mortgage payment. If financed, the initial investment (down payment) will be one-half less. Site preparation such as grading, utility connections including water, electric, gas,sewer or septic is usually provided by community park management.
#2. Privacy
Oftentimes, those who live in manufactured home communities prioritize privacy, as opposed to an apartment or condo complex where privacy is not an option. The manufactured home on a plot of land does not share walls, ceilings or floors with other residential structures.
#3. Community
Typically manufactured/mobile home communities are either family parks or age restricted parks, with a sense of community similar to a small village, often with a community clubhouse or recreation center, a children’s playground, laundry facilities, etc., neighbors protective of other neighbors contributing to a safe environment to live and raise a family and/or sense of security for an aging resident.
#4. Lower utility, maintenance costs and tax savings
Affordable utility costs are a significant reason that attracts people to manufactured/mobile home communities. Typically, a newer manufactured home will be more energy efficient than a pre-owned site-built home and may be smaller resulting in additional utility savings. Repairs for mobile homes are usually easier to access than other types of housing. For many, the ability to access and make repairs on their own would be an additional saving.
#5. Pride of ownership
“There is something permanent,and something profound, in owning a home” – Kenny Quinn
Home ownership is integral to the American Dream. Owning a home gives people a sense of initiative, self esteem and pride. Today’s modern manufactured home is “everything a home should be,” whether sited within a mobile home park/manufactured home community or upon private property.
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