6.23.20

Manufactured Housing FAQ

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What Are The Advantages of Buying A Manufactured Home?

One advantage manufactured homes offer is that they are often a lower-cost option to buying a stick built home. In this regard, manufactured homes can make home-ownership easier to achieve. And since manufactured homes usually cost less per square foot than a stick built home, you can get more home for your money. An additional advantage that manufactured homes offer is that they are usually built in a controlled environment. This means they can be consistently built to a high standard. And because they are manufactured in such conditions, construction delays due to weather or difficulty scheduling subcontractors are less likely.

Can I finance a manufactured home with no money down?

The short answer is …. yes. VA, USDA, Some Federal Credit Unions, all offer 0% down loans. Many Conventional Loans are 3% or less and there are many Buyer Assistance Programs. With so many options available to the buyer, we strongly recommend letting our finance experts at Brewer Quality Homes help you in the finance process.

Are Manufactured homes safe in a fire?

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.  ……. Insurance studies reflect the fact that manufactured homes today are designed to prevent fires, and have features designed to inhibit and limit the damage caused should a fire occur. 99% of the things you think you know about a manufactured home is most likely false – they are safer than stick-built homes and have 50% fewer deaths by fire. Manufactured homes built since 1976 are safer than homes traditionally built on land.

Nationally, manufactured homes have 38-44% fewer fires and lower civilian fire injuries than site-built homes. A fact backed by the 2013 National Fire Protection  Association study indicates manufactured homes have stricter fire safety codes and fewer fires than site-built homes.

Do manufactured homes last long?

Manufactured homes are built with virtually the same construction materials and techniques as site-built homes. The only difference is that manufactured homes are built in a factory environment, where building materials are protected from weather damage and vandalism.

Manufactured homes are built to the federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards, better known as the HUD Code, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The habitable life of a manufactured home has increased to 55.8 years.

Can a manufactured home be customized the way I want it?

Among the greatest benefits of manufactured homes is the fact that you can fully customize any design you like. From the floor layout to the countertop materials,  the sky is the limit. While some people believe that these homes are reserved only for low-income buyers, the truth is that there are many premium quality manufactured homes on the market that look just like traditional construction in terms of material and interior design. In addition, if you are comparing custom builds, a manufactured home can be completed in a fraction of the time of a site-built house.

Does Home Ownership tax breaks apply to manufactured homes?

As far as the IRS is concerned, if a dwelling has a toilet, a place to sleep and a place to cook…it’s a home. It must be a primary or secondary home in order to receive tax benefits. Based on the IRS Tax Topic 505, the interest paid on any loan that has been taken out to purchase or renovate a manufactured home can be written off as long as the home is used to secure the loan. To deduct manufactured home loan interest, you need to file Form 1040 and itemize deductions on Schedule A.

Are Manufactured Homes Safe During Storms?

The short answer is ….. Yes, Yes, Yes. Properly installed manufactured homes are as safe as traditional homes during a storm, and in hurricane zones, the standards for manufactured homes are more stringent than regional and national building codes for site-built homes. The Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI), the national trade association for the factory-built housing industry, is working to clear up the negative stereotypes about manufactured homes and inform the public that since 1976 they have been built to rigorous federal standards. Manufactured homes are designed to withstand wind speeds of 100 miles per hour in Wind Zone 2 and 110 miles an hour in Wind Zone 3.

Manufactured homes are built to the HUD Code which is a performance-based construction and safety standard. Homes are built to regional conditions.  Research has shown manufactured homes can withstand weather events like hurricanes as well as or better than site-built homes.

Do manufactured homes depreciate in value?

The Myth Is:
Manufactured homes do not appreciate in value like other forms of housing. Instead, manufactured homes depreciate in market value, similar to the way automobiles lose value each day.

The Reality Is:
While there is no one easy answer, recent data seems to suggest that manufactured homes can appreciate just like other forms of housing.

 

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