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Over the years, the stigma around mobile homes has changed. With the burgeoning student debt and sky-rocketing hospital expenses, living in a traditional home has become a far-fetched idea for today’s millennials. Those that were first searching for single-story homes for sale near me are now considering the idea of buying mobile homes just to save on the expenses that come with living in traditional houses. Many now prefer to live a minimalist life, fulfilling their daily needs to live a more satisfying life. This has caused people to show a lot of interest in the many designs provided by mobile homes or tiny homes. Many people are prompted more than ever to fire up their laptops and start searching for used single wide mobile homes for sale near me. If you’re one of those people who are looking for used single wide mobile homes for sale near me, then this guide has all the necessary information regarding used mobile homes and how you can get them.
Before we head to how you can start searching for used single wide mobile homes for sale near me, let’s look at some of the benefits and drawbacks of this lifestyle.
Benefits of buying a mobile home over traditional homes
It is important to know some benefits of a mobile home before you consider buying used single wide mobile homes for sale near me.
Lower-cost option
In today’s day and age, it has become very difficult for an average person to buy and own their traditional home. With debts stacking up, many have chosen to live the mobile home lifestyle as it is a lower-cost option of the two. Mobile homes cost less per square foot as compared to traditional homes due to fewer materials being used.
Flexibility
Mobile homes offer flexibility like none other. Traditional homes are built on land and they stay their eternity unless demolished by people or destroyed in natural calamity. With mobile homes, it is a convenient purchase as you can move the mobile home wherever you want. If you own a piece of land in the suburbs, you can shift your mobile home there. Going on a trip, take your mobile home with you. The best part about this is that, if you need money in the future, you can sell the land without worrying about your home. Simply sell the land and shift your mobile home to rented land.
Consistent quality
Mobile homes are built off-site in warehouses and factories meaning the conditions that they are built-in are controlled. This leads to a consistently high-quality product, unlike a traditional home that is built on-site. Building on-site starts the wear and tear process much earlier and impacts the quality of construction.
Now that we have gone over some of the benefits of mobile homes, it is important to know the drawbacks of mobile homes to help you decide whether or not to buy used single wide mobile homes for sale near me.
Drawbacks of buying a mobile home over traditional homes
Let’s look at some of the drawbacks of buying a mobile home over traditional homes to help you make an informed decision whether or not to start searching for used single wide mobile homes for sale near me.
Depreciation
Unlike traditional homes that appreciate over time, mobile homes are the opposite and drop in value as soon as they are transported out of the factory. The reason behind traditional homes appreciating is because of the land it is built on. The price of land goes up and so does the price of traditional homes. However, if you own land with a mobile home on top of it, the land price might go up but mobile homes’ price might take a while to appreciate.
Expensive to finance
We have mentioned how mobile homes are cheaper than traditional homes however they are still expensive to finance. Mobile homes are personal property and not real property which makes the loans more expensive due to higher interest rates and shorter payment terms.
Comes with a landlord
This is a huge point to consider before you start buying used single wide mobile homes for sale near me. Although mobile homes might be owned by you, the land it is on might not be. This will result in you always having a landlord unless you purchase your land. With a landlord comes strict rules that need to be followed and not many people can adjust their lives to that.
Susceptible to damages
Mobile homes are made on temporary fixtures, unlike traditional homes that are built on permanent fixtures. During the event of flooding or earthquake, mobile homes are more susceptible to damages than traditional homes due to their weaker foundations. You might find yourself spending thousands of dollars fixing the damage if there were to be any natural calamities that hit your way.
Now that we have discussed some of the benefits and drawbacks, you may want to start searching for used single wide mobile homes for sale near me. However before we show you how to find used single wide mobile homes for sale near me, let’s look at some of the prices of these mobile homes.
Prices of used single wide mobile homes for sale near me
The price of a mobile home varies according to the location, features, condition, and other factors. For example, 2 bedroom single wide mobile homes in San Antonio can cost you $40,000 to $60,000. However, these prices are for a brand new mobile home. If you’re looking for prices of used single wide mobile homes for sale near me, then expect to pay 20% to 40% less than the market price of a new one. The percentage will depend on the condition of the mobile home and the features it has.
So, what prices on used mobile homes can one expect? Quick research will let you know that the prices of used mobile homes vary also according to the number of bedrooms. 3 bedroom used single wide mobile homes for sale with a manufactured date of 2009 will set you back $32,000. 3 bedroom used mobile homes for sale by owner with a manufactured date of 2013 will cost you around $40,000. These prices do not include the price of land and if you’re looking for mobile homes with land for sale by owner, then expect to pay more depending on the location of the land.
Used small mobile homes for sale can come surprisingly cheap if you’re okay with the home being manufactured in the early 1970s or late 1980s. If you were to do a search on used mobile homes for sale near me craigslist prices would have you shocked as you can find homes ranging between $4,500 for 1972 to $20,000 for a 1987 manufactured mobile home. Have a budget of less than $5,000 and are searching for mobile homes for sale under 5000? Consider getting those manufactured in the early 1970s.
But what if you find a used mobile home in one city and live in another. Used mobile homes for sale to be moved will cost you a couple of thousand dollars extra to have the mobile move removed from its temporary fixtures and shifted to a location near you.
Before you start searching for used mobile home dealers near me, let’s look at all the different ways you can find used single wide mobile homes for sale near me or single wide modular homes.
How to find used single wide mobile homes for sale near me?
Here are some of the ways you can find used single wide mobile homes for sale near me.
Drive through mobile home parks
Many find that driving through mobile home parks regularly in search of “for sale” signs is the best way to get your hands on a used mobile home. If you’re going to be purchasing the mobile home right there and then, plan to pay in cash and have the deed of the home with you immediately.
Craigslist
Whatever grievances you might have with craigslist, the platform is still a great place to get used items at stellar prices. Buying used mobile homes on craigslist is no exception. Many of the elderly who are moving to old homes put their mobile homes for sale on craigslist so keep an eye out for craigslist advert as you might find a good deal on it.
FEMA homes
During natural disasters such as hurricane Katrina, the governments pay contractors to make mobile homes for those displaced or affected by these disasters. These trailers or homes are then auctioned off at really low rates which is a great buy as these homes are no older than a few years. If you’re looking for a used single wide trailer for sale near me or used single wide mobile homes near me, consider looking out for FEMA homes.
Facebook marketplace
This is another great platform where people buy and sell products or services. Facebook has more ads than craigslist and is a great way to filter out suspicious sellers. Yes, there are sellers who you don’t want to bump into and with Facebook, you can do a background check on the seller before heading over for the purchase.
eBay
eBay is also a large platform with niche products and a trailer or a used single wide mobile home might be available with just a quick search. With eBay, you might even stumble across a bid for the product essentially getting the product for the lowest price possible.
Newspapers
Not many millennials head to this source of information but newspapers are a great way to find products or services. But bear in mind that not many people post adverts in newspapers, mostly the older generation and businesses. Don’t let that deter you from checking the papers because those that live and want to sell their mobile homes are usually older than millennials. This population resorts to newspapers rather than Facebook ads.
Mobile home parks
Mobile homes that are parked in mobile home parks are overseen by the landlord of the park. The administration office where the staff of mobile home parks work is a great place to check for any adverts placed by tenants looking to sell their mobile home. There may be a bulletin board that you can check out for any local adverts.
The bottom line
The stigma against mobile homes has slowly started to fade away. You might be surprised to find out that even investors are plunging into the opportunity of purchasing mobile homes. This is because the trend set by millennials and the burgeoning expenses stacking upon individuals has been a reason for many seeking low-cost living solutions. It is better to get a mobile home than to rent an apartment as there are several additional expenses associated with apartments.
The best thing about mobile homes is that you can get a rent-to-own model from sellers whereby you simply need to pay a minimum amount monthly. This eliminates the need to rent an apartment because, after a certain time, you will own the mobile home but if you’re renting an apartment, the ownership of the property will never be with you no matter how long you stay there. Searching for privately owned mobile homes for rent near me is still cheaper than renting out an apartment.
Investors are buying mobile homes and giving them out on rent to those looking for low-cost living solutions. This way the investor makes money while holding an asset. Secondly, although mobile homes depreciate over time, keeping it on rent is a great way to get your investment back and have an additional source of income. This tells you something positive about the future of mobile homes. If you’re looking to live a minimalist life and save money, mobile homes are the best option for you.
