What Is A Manufactured Home & Do We Appraise Them?

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Definition

A manufactured home is a single-family house constructed entirely in a controlled factory environment, built to the federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (better known as the HUD Code).
 Factory-Built Homes
Many types of structures are built in the factory and designed for long-term residential use. In the case of manufactured and modular homes, units are built in a factory, transported to the site and installed. In panelized and pre-cut homes, essentially flat subassemblies (factory-built panels or factory-cut building materials) are transported to the site and assembled. The different types of factory-built housing can be summarized as follows:


Manufactured Homes: These are homes built entirely in the factory under a federal building code administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (commonly known as the HUD Code) went into effect June 15, 1976. Manufactured homes may be single- or multi-section and are transported to the site and installed. The federal standards regulate manufactured housing design and construction, strength and durability, transportability, fire resistance, energy efficiency and quality. The HUD Code also sets performance standards for the heating, plumbing, air conditioning, thermal and electrical systems. It is the only federally-regulated national building code. On-site additions, such as garages, decks and porches, often add to the attractiveness of manufactured homes and must be built to local, state or regional building codes.

Modular Homes: These factory-built homes are built to the state, local or regional code where the home will be located. Modules are transported to the site and installed.

Panelized Homes: These are factory-built homes in which panels - a whole wall with windows, doors, wiring and outside siding - are transported to the site and assembled. The homes must meet state or local building codes where they are sited.

Pre-Cut Homes: This is the name for factory-built housing in which building materials are factory-cut to design specifications, transported to the site and assembled. Pre-cut homes include kit, log and dome homes. These homes must meet local, state or regional building codes.

Mobile Homes: This is the term used for factory-built homes produced prior to June 15, 1976, when the HUD Code went into effect. By 1970, these homes were built to voluntary industry standards that were eventually enforced by 45 of the 48 contiguous states.

Reference: 2004 by Manufactured Housing Institute

We Appraise Manufactured Homes

We appraisal all residential real estate, and this includes manufactured homes.  Manufactured homes are a big part of the housing market in our area and make up a large portion of our appraisals as well.  Many appraisers will not appraise manufactured home for various reasons; however we have always appraised manufactured homes and will continue to do so.  We will complete all appraisals of manufactured homes including FHA & USDA loans.

Manufactured homes seem to have gotten a "bad rap" over the time of their existence.  Many people consider their quality to be poor and generally refer to them as "trailers".  Manufactured homes have come a long way since the days of "trailers" and continue to have an active market.  All in all you can often get alot more square footage for the money.  While the quality of construction of a basic manufactured home is not that of a basic stick built, they will last if taken care of properly.  The biggest down fall is that manufactured homes tend to deteriorate more quickly than a stick built home if left vacant for long periods of time or proper and standard maintenance is not performed.  This just goes with an old saying "Take care of your home and it will take care of you".

This Manufactured Home is Over 26 Years Old.