Conventional Wisdom is Wrong on This One.

The old status quo of mobile homes losing value over time is no longer the case – here’s why.

In days gone by it was expected that a mobile home was a tradeoff of long-term returns for an obtainable retirement. No longer are the days of 1960s trailers lined up in some desolate lot off a highway! The modern mobile home has finally caught up with its brick-and-mortar counterpart in ability to appreciate in value.

According to the Urban Institute, a D.C.-based think tank, manufactured homes have appreciated an average of 3.4% compared to traditional homes at 3.8%. However, while the appreciation rated have close-in on each other, the number of new mobile homes has declined since the 70s. That’s actually a good thing.

The Market Meeting Demands

Hopefully we’re all acquainted with supply and demand and how they affect pricing. If you’re unfamiliar or want to brush up on this economics basic then go here.

The supply of new mobile homes has dropped annually from the late-seventies to the present day. While that initially seems like bad news, it’s good because it shows the market maturing. Manufactured homes are built better than in the past and thus cost more. Plus, the average buyer now demands a lot more of a mobile home park. Simply, the product has changed from a lower-quality alternative to one on-par. All the while, regular homes are just made more cheaply. If you want to know more about this, read here.

The increase in price has lowered low-income demand which has in-turn gentrified the market. The 55+ community of the modern age is made up of mostly middle-class people from northern climates, retired people who’ve downsized, and working people established in their career.

The lowered supply has had another benefit of bringing supply an demand into a sustainable equilibrium. Nowadays, the prohibitive cost of a new mobile home means buyers are looking at ones already on-site. This, coupled with superb build quality in the last few decades, has meant buyers are more confidant than ever.

The Old Woes are No Longer a Problem – or Never Were in the First Place…

Bad Weather isn’t That Bad Anymore

If you’ve been around long enough the name Hurricane Andrew might stand out. This 1992 hurricane battered Florida among other places and leveled a lot of homes – both mobile and traditional. In response, the State of Florida enacted numerous new building codes that culminated in Florida having the strictest codes by 2002. These codes apply to mobile homes too, and the industry stepped up.

You can read here about how codes have improved home safety, but rest assured knowing that by hurricane Irma in 2017 most mobile homes received minimal or no damage. The codes have worked and a modern mobile home is as sound as ever.

Rent’s Due!

Another woe of mobile homes tossed up by the uninitiated is lot rent. Many homes are situated in parks that own the land and charge a monthly rent for land, utilities, park services, clubhouse membership, etc. What the pop journalists of the internet don’t realize is that lot rent works for you in the long run.

Mobile home parks are competitive… very competitive. They know that if you want to, you can sell your home and buy a new one fast. If you want to move to a different park it’s likely you will, losing your old park a revenue stream to a more affordable one. Hey, this sounds like economic competition!

Indeed, mobile home parks compete with each other to offer the most amenities at the best price, and since you’re living there they can’t cut corners like certain retailers nowadays. Lot rent is always going to be manageable because the 55+ market has a large group of fixed-income individuals. You can’t turn away retirees and run a mobile home park, can you?

Wait, Rent is Behind That Home Appreciation?

The value of your home is positively affected by your community having a rent. Rent directly goes into maintaining your community and adds a barrier of entry to certain uncouth types. Those that don’t have their stuff sorted out, even after 55+ years on this earth, won’t be your neighbor.

The well-managed and well-invested-in communities that charge a lot rent preserve the quality of the environment your home exists in. When future buyers go by your home to check it out, they’ll see manicured landscaping and clean homes and think that’s the place they want to be. As long as you can keep the home together, you won’t be dissatisfied in the long run.

High-Value Communities Around Here

The Florida Gulf Coast down near sunny Sarasota has the best mobile home communities in the nation. The competitive nature of the area combined with a long established presence of the mobile home community means prices are low and quality is high. We’ve hand-picked the communities below for their exceptional resort amenities at a bargain rate. You’re sure to be excited by the value in these parks!

Staging is one of the best ways to get the highest offer possible when selling your home.

What is Home Staging?

Home staging is the process of making your home look picture perfect prior to listing.

Staging generally entails:

• decluttering
• removing pets during showings and in photos
• cleaning the home
• basic repairs
• increasing curb appeal
• depersonalizing the home

Basic staging can be done without the assistance of a staging company (rearranging furniture, removing clutter, etc.) however, hiring one can be beneficial in getting the best possible result. If your home is empty, staging companies can even bring in furniture and decoration.

What are the benefits?

The National Association of Realtors has collected and published data on the benefits of home staging. According to their data, 47% of agents stated that staging has an impact on most buyers’ opinions of a home. 82% of agents stated that staging has made it easier for buyers to visualize the property as a future home.

Staging resulted in a higher dollar value offer in 49% of cases, while it resulted in no change in 26% of cases. The agent was unsure 25% of the time.

The length of time prior to home sale was affected the most. Over 50% of agents said they saw a decrease in time on the market in a home that has been staged.

At the bottom line, buyers are most likely to purchase a home that they can imagine themselves living in.

What are the next steps?

Data suggests that now is an advantageous time to sell your home in Florida! Staging your home has a high probability of getting you higher offers and/or a quicker sale for your home. If you do choose to stage your home, there are many companies located in Ellenton, FL and the surrounding area that can get you the results you’re looking for. Talk to your agent and let them know you’re thinking about home staging. Don’t have an agent? Check out our list of helpful and professional agents at Integrity!

We wish you a Happy Veterans Day

We hope that you take a moment to remember those that have served in the name of freedom. This holiday is one of solemn remembrance as it’s the anniversary of the end of the First World War. We ask that you take a moment to remember all that have served and perhaps reach out to anyone close to you that is a Veteran. This holiday goes by many names: Remembrance Day, Armistice Day, National independence Day in Poland, and simply 11 November. No matter the name, the idea is the same – reflect on those that gave everything so we can enjoy peace and prosperity. It is important to remember the past and take a moment to reflect on our history and those that have shaped it.

To everyone that’s served, we thank you and want you to know you are in our hearts.

In Flanders Fields

A poem about the First World War by John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
    That mark our place; and in the sky
    The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
    Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
        In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
    The torch; be yours to hold it high.
    If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
        In Flanders fields.

What’s a Mobile Home?

Factory-built homes offer superior value and a higher quality of life – if you know what you’re looking for.

Most people know nothing about manufactured, or “mobile,” homes. There’s a pervasive idea that the term mobile home means travel trailer or camper. In reality, the term comes from the city of Mobile, Alabama. Manufactured homes were built in bulk in Mobile after the second World War when there was a housing shortage. Today, factory made homes offer a competitive alternative to “traditional” homes (although this is a misnomer, read on to learn more) because they cost less to buy, own, and repair.

…But What About Brick and Mortar?

Often one will come across the terms “traditional” or “brick and mortar” in the context of modern homes. It is assumed by many that a home is either something “on wheels” or it’s made like a Victorian townhouse. This belief couldn’t be further from the truth!

Homes have always been made of a mix of materials, from stone to wood, but in the late 1800s everything changed. Balloon framing came in vogue in this era and soon all small or low-cost structures were built with this technique. But what is balloon framing? Instead of the sturdy, interlocking carpentry of the far past, long spindly pieces of lumber are stapled together to just barely get the job done. Nowadays, practically all homes in the American South are built via balloon framing by low-skill contractors in paid-by-the-job manner.

When talking about alternatives to mobile homes, make sure you’re not upselling a cheaply-made blow-up structure that’s made to last less time than a mobile home. Also, don’t go thinking block homes are much better than a wooden home either. The insulative properties of wooden walls filled with insulation is much better than blocks of concrete. Heat is best kept out by pockets of air and fiberglass insulation within walls. The insulative properties of wood also help keep heat at bay. Every bit helps when you’re the one paying the electric bill.

Is There Anything Good About Mobile Homes?

A mobile home has the industrial-scale savings of balloon framing and the skillful craftsmanship of specialized factory workers. You save up-front because a home made on an assembly line takes less time and has much lower on-site cost (like paying a construction crew to drive out somewhere and set up). Also, factories buy higher quality materials in bulk and are integrated into supply lines. A manufactured home also saves you money in the long run because maintenance is easier and cheaper. Simply put, the reasons a mobile home saves you money are the same as why a factory-made car saves you money. People would find you mad if you expected a car to be made on-site out of antiquated materials. However, people expect this of homes for no reason other than tradition.

The greatest thing about a mobile home is the mobile home parks. Parks are communities where everything except the physical home is taken care of for a relatively small monthly fee. For normally less than the average rent in an area, one can live in their own home while also having manicured landscaping, access to community clubhouses and pools, possibly even included RV and boat storage off-lot, and so much more. Also, there’s no property tax and no state income tax!

More About Mobile Home Communities

A mobile home community is an affordable neighborhood with an HOA and exclusive amenities. Every community is different but you can expect a clubhouse, at least one pool, gym, and an outdoor activities space. Veranda Springs is an example of an exemplar community with a lot of amenities including:

• Swimming Pool
• Clubhouse
• Well-equipped gym
• Off-Street Parking
• Pet-Friendly Environment
• Library
• Game Room

While not every community is the same, you have a choice of which one you live in! If you want to learn more about Veranda Springs just go here. To browse homes then go to this link. For general community exploration you can go to the community hub in the website menu.