Mobile Homes Have Come a Long Way

Like many people who grew up in the seventies, I had a certain image of mobile homes and it wasn’t necessarily a good one.  Too many trailer parks off the interstate that were full of battered trailers in poor repair.  After spending the better part of thirty years writing about new model homes and the latest luxury home builders, I’d probably be considered the least likely person ever to consider buying one of the new mobile homes offered today, but believe it or not, I’m a convert!  After touring a facility offering factory direct mobile homes, I came away so impressed by the quality and value offered by these units that my husband and I bought one on the spot.

One thing you learn when you work closely with traditional home builders is that the model home is an exceptional house.  The builder pops by frequently to make sure it’s as close to perfect as possible and assigns the best crews to work on it.  Unfortunately, the rest of the houses in the development don’t necessarily receive this same attention to detail.  While new mobile homes are built under climate controlled conditions, a typical subdivision starts as pile of lumber and other building materials that get rained on and baked by the sun.  A house may be framed, then subjected to days of torrential rain before the roof goes on.  Work crews change frequently, so there isn’t always consistency.  Factory direct mobile homes are a completely different story.

When my husband first suggested considering mobile homes as a way to cut our costs in retirement, I had my doubts.  But he insisted I come with him to a manufacturing facility to see how they were constructed and tour the models in the onsite village.  The “Factory Home Center advantage,” as the web site he showed me called it.  I agreed to come along.

The moment we stepped out of the car, I began to lose all my preconceived notions about mobile homes.  The homes in the model village were beautiful.  And while some were decidedly modest (they’d make lovely starter homes or cottages), they also carried price tags that reflected this, starting around $36,000.  There were many models that had me questioning how they could be called mobile homes.  They had incredible floor plans, multiple bedrooms, dens, front porches and luxury touches like designer kitchens and bathrooms.  Better yet, when we took the tour we learned about the strict standards factory direct mobile homes are built to.  Quality, features and price -everything I care about.  We bought one on the spot from the onsite sales office.

About the Author:
Helen Beck has written many features about new homes, and recently became interested in the potential of new mobile homes as an alternative to traditionally built housing.  While initially skeptical, a visit to a factory where these homes were being built quickly made Helen a fan.  After touring the factory direct mobile homes, she and her husband bought one themselves to use as their retirement home.

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