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Mobile, Manufactured, or Site Built Home. What's the difference?

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Services for Real Estate Pros with MyInsuranceNerd.com

Plagiarized from my blog at http://blog.mylandlordinsurance.com. I have abbreviated the post here. For the full blog please visit my.., well.., blog. Thanks.

Different types of homes require different types of insurance. How the home is built will determine what type of insurance you can buy, how much it will cost, and what it will cover in the event of a loss.

A site built home is a house that has been built where it stands. The house is built on site from the foundation to the roof. This is the most common type of home people think of when they think of a house. A traditionally built home will usually appreciate in value over time.

The manufactured home is built differently from a traditionally built home. A manufactured home or mobile home as it used to be known is built in a factory. The house is built with a permanent steel chassis which is why they are commonly known as mobile homes because they are more easily moved from place to place. A mobile home also usually has a title like a vehicle rather than a deed like a home. The home has to conform with federal HUD guidelines but usually doesn't have to conform to local building codes. Manufactured homes tend to decrease in value over time.

A modular home also known as a prefabricated home or prefab is a hybrid of a site built home and a manufactured home. It is built in a factory like a mobile home but it does not have a permant chassis. The home is brought to the building site on a flatbed truck. The home also has to meet all federal HUD, local, and state guidelines for a traditional built home. Modular homes when built well increase in value similar to a traditional built home.

When it comes to insurance, many companies do not write manufactured homes. They are built on a chassis which means they are mobile, they do not have to conform to local building codes, and they decrease in value over time. There are a few companies that specialize in manufactored homes and can be very comparable in rate to a traditionally built home. You should look for a company that provides coverage for fire, wind, hail, vandalism, water, and liability. Also find out how much the insurance company will pay if you lose your home completely.

Many companies that will write a traditional site built home will also write a modular home. Since they conform to all local codes and appreciate in value, they are have a similar risk profile to a stick home. Some companies may not write a home if it was built in a factory so check with your agent to be sure you will be covered in the event of a loss.

The most difficult to insure is a manufactured home that is rented to another person. It can be very hard to find a company that will write a landlord policy on a mobile home. We can write all of these homes and we would be happy to try and write your business if you give us a chance.

Comments (2)

Earl Miller
Coldwell Banker Solano Pacific - Benicia, CA
Solano County, Contra Costa,Benicia Real Estate, 707-280-6366

thanks for the information......good stuff....

Sep 08, 2010 03:31 AM
John DL Arendsen
CREST "BACKYARD' HOMES, ON THE LEVEL General & Manufactured Home Contractor, TAG Real Estate Sales & Investments - Leucadia, CA
Crest Backyard Homes "ADU" dealer & RE Developer

I'm way late for this one but it just popped up on my radar so here goes anyway.

Please feel free to log onto our Trulia [http://www.trulia.com/blog/onthelevelcontractors/] or Active Rain blog [http://activerain.com/action/agents_secure/my_home] for more comprehensive information about the MH Industry. 

Or you can check our our website and give us a call or drop us an email. We are RE Brokers, Manufactured Home Dealers and licensed, bonded and insured General Contractors and have been actively engaged in the MH Industry statewide for almost 3 decades.

We also do "Lonnie Deals" 

We love to network!

Feb 26, 2011 07:35 AM