Getting to the bottom of mobile home prices is a tricky enterprise. After all, when you deal with a home that can literally be picked up and moved to another location, there are some extra considerations to take into account. If you are currently facing this conundrum and trying to consolidate information from a bunch of different sites but are just left scratching your head in confusion, you have come to the right place!
Whether you want to buy or sell a mobile home, you need to know:
1. Exactly what the home is worth
2. How to gauge the worth of a mobile home
3 A reasonable ask or bid price.
Buying or selling your home is a big financial step, one that affects to your foreseeable future. Consequently, it is crucial that you get it right for you and your families financial well-being.
In this article, we will be focusing on those readers who want to buy a mobile home and would like to get the idea of the immediate, and short to mid-term costs involved. Additionally, we’ll take a look at your financing options. Along the way, you might pick up some helpful tips on how to classify mobile homes and what to look for when trying to value one.
MOBILE HOME PRICES AND THE FACTORS INVOLVED TO DECIDE THE COST
HOW MUCH ARE MOBILE HOMES?
Mobile home prices for new ones range from $40,000 to $250,000. For used mobile homes, the prices range from $10,000 to $50,000.
NEW MOBILE HOME COST
Mobile home prices for new ones range from $40,000 to $250,000.
USED MOBILE HOME COST
For used mobile homes, the prices range from $10000 to $50,000. Find more on used mobile home prices here.
HOW MUCH ARE TRAILER HOMES?
The cost of a trailer home varies and can range from $10,000 to $100,000 or more, depending on factors such as size, age, location, and features. Used trailer homes may be less expensive, while new ones or those with additional features can be more expensive.
Let’s get to the most important bit of mobile home pricing first. The actual cost of new and secondhand mobile homes. Because financing options are more restricted and less attractive, when it comes to mobile homes, knowing what homes cost in full is important. Mobile homes, even though growing in quality and “homeliness” every year, are still much cheaper than stick-built homes. As a result, more of us can afford one without the help of financing.
One thing to keep in mind is that mobile homes today vary greatly in dimensions, materials, designs, layouts, and amenities. Some manufacturers even let you choose which add-ons you want to enhance your home before buying! Mobile home owners are usually capable, DIY homeowners and might have made some tweaks of their own. Other significant factors include age, overall condition, area, and the number of times it has been moved.
Understandably then, pinpointing the value of any mobile home into one price range is a perilous task. You should judge every home on its own merits. Okay, warning time is over. Here follows the three types of mobile homes as well as their average costs.
HOW MUCH ARE MOBILE HOMES OF DIFFERENT KINDS?
SINGLE-WIDES
How Much Does a Single Wide Mobile Home Cost?
Single-wide mobile homes are 10-16 ft wide and 42-90 ft long, with 600-1300 sq ft of living space. They come with 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 1 living room, and an eat-in kitchen. New single-wide's cost around $40,000, while used ones range from $10,000 to $25,000.
First, we’ll start with the smallest one. Single-wide mobile homes officially fall within the dimensions of 10-16 ft. in width by 42-90 ft. in length which results in 600-1300 square ft. of living space. They are called “single”-wide's because they can be towed as a single unit to a site or location.
As the opportunity for variation shrinks with the size there isn’t as wide a range of room assignment variations as the bigger versions. A regular single-wide comes with:
2 Bedrooms
1 bathroom
1 living room
And an eat-in kitchen
Some higher-end single-wide's will have a second toilet. Other models trade a bedroom for bigger living space, like a bachelor pad. These models are typically only suitable for young, small families.
Single-wide's are very hard to finance and you should keep that in mind before you buy.
COST:
New: Around $40,000
Used single wide mobile home prices are typically between $10,000 and $25,000.
So for a 16×70 mobile home you’d probably pay prices around $35,000 to $40,000 and more.
And a little less price for a 14×70 mobile home : about $32,500 to $40,000.
DOUBLE-WIDES
HOW MUCH IS A DOUBLE WIDE TRAILER?
Double-wide mobile homes are larger than single-wide homes and have more living space. A new double-wide can cost around $75,000, while used models can vary, with a good one costing between $20,000 and $50,000.
These are the most common type of mobile home. The dimensions of double-wide's usually fall within the 20-42 ft. in width by 42-90 ft. in length range, resulting in up to 2000 square ft. of space. Much bigger than a single-wide. They are towed to the site in two separate sections before assembly.
Double-wide's also allow for much more flexibility when it comes to room layouts. However, the typical room allotment is:
3 Bedrooms
2/3 Bathrooms (usually one ensuite and 1 or 2 for sharing)
Two or three of the following:
Kitchen
Dining room
Living room
Washing room
As you can see double-wide's are already a huge step up when it comes to size and living comfort. The bigger model should easily house an average size family with ample room.
COST:
Double wide mobile home prices are Around $75,000 for a new one.
Used: Can vary dramatically, but a good model should be between $20,000 and $50,000
On an average, a standard 24 x 48 mobile home typically costs about $75000-$100,000 for a new one.
TRIPLE OR MULTI-WIDES
These homes aren’t as popular just yet but are slowly taking their own share of the market. Because of the stigma and stereotypes surrounding mobile homes many people feel they are better off simply buying a smaller site-built home if they are going higher in price. Triple-wide's are around 50 ft. in length but the width varies greatly and the living space is usually anywhere below 4500 square ft.
Multi-wide's can get pretty huge but are very rare. We will stick with the average rooms available in a typical triple-wide, which are:
3-5 Bedrooms
3/4 Bathrooms
An endless possibility of combinations between:
Living room
Kitchen
Dining room
Washing room
Foyer
COST:
New: $100,000 to $250,000
Used: $50,000 and up
ASKING PRICE COMPARISON REPORTS:
If you’re in the market to purchase a mobile home and you’re not quite sure how to know if the value matches the asking price we suggest getting an Asking Price Comparison Report. By giving us a bit of information about a home, we’ll match it up with thousands of homes currently on the market and give you the average price range, as well as the highs and lows. This allows you to purchase a home with confidence, knowing you’re not paying outside of market standards.
With this report you’ll get:
Lifetime – You’ll never need to purchase another report
Live data – We update your report in live time, as new homes go on the market
Printable – Print a PDF of your report for flyers or open houses
Sharable via web link – Post the link with other web listings you have so buyers can see your report
Visualized via graphics – Easy to understand bar graphs to visualize the data
A price comparison report is the best way to know if a home’s asking price is within current market standards.
MOVING A MOBILE HOME
Moving a mobile home is an expensive, time-consuming, and risky endeavor. It is not recommended to move a mobile home if it can at all be helped. This is not just because the home is at risk of being damaged but because it can impact the value of the home and lower the chances of financing. In fact, it is virtually impossible to finance a home that has been moved two or more times, mostly due to the fact that lenders feel the foundation of the home can no longer be trusted.
At the same time, there may be cases where moving a mobile home can not be avoided, and it’s better to be armed with the knowledge of how much it costs when the situation arises. When you have to sell a mobile home but plan on keeping the land, try to sell the home locally. Moving the home somewhere in the same vicinity drastically cuts the cost.
A good rule of thumb is to bank on somewhere between $1 and $5 per mile.
COST:
Short distance haul: $1000-$5000
Long distance haul: $10,000 and up to $25,000
Disconnecting utilities and preparing the home: Up to $1,000
HOW TO FINANCE A MOBILE HOME
For some obtaining a way to finance their new home is the only way to make the acquisition financially viable. While it’s not exactly easy to finance a traditional home, it can be even harder if it’s a mobile home. Even though mobile homes have made great leaps regarding quality and standards, especially thanks to the HUD code, the process of buying and financing hasn’t changed much. It means that buying and selling a mobile home shares more similarities with buying and selling a car.
FACTORS THAT MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO FINANCE A MOBILE HOME
It is a single-wide.
If the home has been moved (almost impossible if moved twice or more)
Not permanently affixed to a property
The home is not up to the HUD code
The age of the home. If the home was built before 1976 when the HUD code was written, the chance is even worse.
Personal credit score.
Not owning the property the home is on.
The probability of the home being moved.
Although obtaining financing might be harder, it’s not impossible, and there are a few options available to you. For some types of financing, a mobile home will immediately be disqualified if it meets one of the points just mentioned. Let’s look at the options so that you know what could apply to you.
FINANCE OPTIONS
CONVENTIONAL LOAN
Finding a conventional lender that is willing to give out loans for a mobile home is pretty hard. There aren’t many willing to take on the risk. If you do find one they usually charge a very high down-payment and have exceptionally high-interest rates which mean mobile homes have been called “higher priced mortgage loans.” On top of that, you will need a good credit score and might have to put down collateral to qualify.
Usually, the down payment is 5-20%, the terms are usually 20-30 years, and the rates are around 5%.
CHATTEL LOAN
This is one of the most widely known and used ways to get financing for a mobile home because they do not require you to own the land the home is on. The biggest problem with a chattel loan is the very high-interest rates and short terms.
If your credit score is in good standing, you could get an interest rate lower than 10%. If it’s not that great, expect it to be in the 13% range. The terms are usually limited to 20 years, and a minimum down payment of 5% is required.
FHA LOANS
The FHA (or Federal Housing Administration) falls under the Title 1 program and therefore includes mobile homes as well as site-built homes. Essentially, what the FHA does is take some of the risk themselves when they hand you a mortgage or loan. If you fail to make your payments or default, the FHA will pay part of the remaining amount.
Just like a chattel loan, whether or not you own the land is unimportant. Unlike chattel loans, the loan is fixed for the full mortgage term, and the borrower must have the option to lease the plot under the home for at least three years. They do take into account what your credit score is and how likely you are to meet your payments. The home must meet HUD standards.
There’s also a limit to the loan amount. For example:
For a Mobile Home only: $69,678
For the Lot only: $23,226
For the Home + Lot: $92,904
VA LOANS
First of all, only veterans are eligible for a VA loan. You will need to present proof that you served in the military to qualify. Other than that, VA loans are very similar to FHA loans in that the Department of Veteran Affairs takes up some of the risk themselves. These loans also do not require you to own the land.
You have to pay a minimum of 5% of the loan’s total amount up front. The interest rates are just over 3.5%, and the terms are between 15 and 30 years.
COSTS:
Double-wide at an average cost of $70,000: $3,500 down payment and a monthly payment of $350.
OTHER COSTS WHEN BUYING OR SELLING A HOME
Building a foundation: Every home needs a foundation, even a mobile one. Although it depends on the type of home, plot, and foundation it usually costs anywhere between $10,000-$15,000.
Utilities: Removing or hooking up utilities will cost around $1,000
Lot rent: If the home is in a park. Lot rent varies a lot according to the park and the state. However, it tends to be much lower than the rental of an apartment or home. You should be looking at anywhere from $300 to $800.
IN CONCLUSION
We hope this guide of mobile home prices has been a light for you in the murky, foggy waters of trying to figure out the cost of a mobile home. We’ve pulled all the information into one place so you can make the best-informed decision whether you are buying or selling your home.
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