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Is it a modular or a manufactured home?

By Tammy Lankford,

Real Estate Broker/Owner with Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 GREC# 169695

April 16, 2014 06:36 AM

Is it a modular home? Is a manufactured home? Is it a trailer? What's the difference?

In our market we see the term modular getting misused a LOT! People (including some agents) are of the belief that just because you take the wheels off and put block, non load bearing around the perimeter that it somehow makes it a modular. Nope, it doesn't. If the house was ever on wheels and was delivered from the factory to the site on wheels and has a iron I-beam under it it's a manufactured home.

A modular home:

built completely in a factory
delivered on flat bed truck
set in place by a crane on a permanent load bearing foundation
must conform to the same building codes as site built homes
must be structurally approved by inspectors
are highly customizable
are treated the same by banks and insurance companies as site-built homes
does not, nor did it ever have a "title" or seriel number

A manufactured home (formally called a trailer or mobile home which changed in the industry with HUD standards in 1976):

available in three sizes: single wide, double wide or triplewide
much more affordable than modular or site-built homes
are manufactured in sections in a factory
are transported on steel chassis which are never removed
are transported on their own wheels (which are most times removed in our area)
are treated as a separate lending category
are insured differently from modulars or site-built homes
conform to HUD standards
do not have a conventional foundation
has a seriel number and a title or a retired title

If you buying a home on Lake Sinclair it makes sense to work with an agent who knows the difference as it certainly makes a difference when it comes to financing. And if the listing agent has the wrong information in the MLS they obviously don't know the difference. When you are buying a manufactured home the rate is slightly higher and there is the extra step to have an engineer certify the permanent attachment and the perimeter around the structure. At Lane Realty, we know the difference and can guide you accordingly.

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Maria Gilda Racelis

Home Buyers Realty, LLC-Manchester, Bolton. Vernon,Ellington - Manchester, CT

Home Ownership is w/in Reach. We Make it Happen!

Good Morning Tammy: I have already bookmarked one of your blogs. This would be the second. Excellent useful information. Thank you for sharing.

Apr 16, 2014 10:07 PM

Amanda Christiansen

Christiansen Group Realty (260)704-0843 - Fort Wayne, IN

Christiansen Group Realty

This is a great explanation of the differences between a modular and manufactured home. We don't see too many of these in our market thankfully. Those boogers are tough to finance!

Apr 16, 2014 10:27 PM

Tammy Lankford,

Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA

Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

Praful- many markets don't have them I suppose

Jack- way of life for agents here to deal with it. Some buyers want to avoid one or both

Joe- we have a couple of local banks that do them, not all though

Richard- many times the inside seriel numbers have been removed when remodeling because the local factory put that sheet inside a kitchen cabinet and not by the breaker box.

Jordon- considered as or just taxed as, because it can be one or both and it depends upon how it's affixed to the land.

Maria- Well I need to pay forward some of the wonderful information I've gotten from AR by sharing what I know about

Jared- we have less lenders, but not more difficult than a traditional home here.

Apr 16, 2014 11:00 PM

Michael Setunsky

Woodbridge, VA

Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Tammy, good break down of the difference between a modular and manufactured home. I believe many think that because it is on a foundation, it must be modular.

Apr 16, 2014 11:09 PM

Kristin Hunteman

True Title Company - Clayton, MO

Escrow Closing Officer

Thanks for the clarification. I was trying to come up with the best way to describe the difference to a client and this helps immensely.

Apr 16, 2014 11:11 PM

Mary Douglas

United Country Ponderosa Realty, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado - Red Feather Lakes, CO

REALTOR, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado

Bravo Tammy, you've explained the differences very clearly. It's more challenging finding lenders for manufactured housing here, but not impossible.

Apr 16, 2014 11:35 PM

John G. Johnston

John G. Johnston & Associates, LLC - Westcliffe, CO

An Exclusive Buyer's Agent ~ Westcliffe, CO

Tammy Great blog...suggested! I've sold both and one buyer would not believe his 2 story home was a modular! Financing seems pretty easy around here for the manufactured homes.

Apr 16, 2014 11:44 PM

Richie Alan Naggar

people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA

agent & author

for those that want to know...here is their chance to do so...good post

Apr 16, 2014 11:53 PM

Tg Glazer - The Right Realtor® for the Right Results!

Coldwell Banker, Westfield, NJ - Cranford, NJ

Westfield/Cranford, NJ area

Thank you so much for that information! While we don't have a lot of modular or manufactured homes in my market, it's always good to know!

Apr 17, 2014 01:04 AM

Joe Pryor

The Virtual Real Estate Team - Oklahoma City, OK

REALTOR® - Oklahoma Investment Properties

And in Oklahoma if it isn't attached to the land it is personal property not real property.

Apr 17, 2014 01:13 AM

Tammy Lankford,

Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA

Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

Michael- happens here that owners seem to think that

Kristin- sometimes we have to explain it to our sellers too.

Mary- same here, we've got one or two... about to try to give a shot to a third to see if the process is easier

John- we have some here with second story and basements.

Thanks Richie

Joe- in our county it really only depends on how the owner elects to have it taxed and if they own the land. But being attached to the land is a requirement even if it's in a trailer park and taxed as personal property.

Apr 17, 2014 01:24 AM

Nina Hollander, Broker

Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC

Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Like many terms in real estate, these are bandied about without people knowing precisely what each term refers to. This is a great primer on the differences.

Apr 17, 2014 01:34 AM

Evelyn Johnston

Friends & Neighbors Real Estate - Elkhart, IN

The People You Know, Like and Trust!

I think not only do Agents get it wrong, sometimes the appraiser does too!

Apr 17, 2014 02:43 AM

Jo Olson

HOMEFRONT Realty - Kettle Falls, WA

Retired - HOMEFRONT Realty @ LAKE Roosevelt

Great explanation! I had a modular home once. Weyerhaeuser the huge timeber company build some modulars back in the 80's. They were trucked in and lifted onto the foundation. My foundation was a full basement. I also had a builder who was looking at building at a plant instead of on site to keep costs down and quality up.

Apr 17, 2014 02:50 AM

David Johnson

Team Real Estate Sprigfield - Springfield, MO

Let My Family Help Your Family

I was just actually looking for this answer and now I fully understand. Thanks

Apr 17, 2014 02:53 AM

Tammy Lankford,

Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA

Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

Nina- thanks

Evelyn- now that I've never seen.

Jo- I've seen some super nice ones

David- glad you found it.

Apr 17, 2014 12:34 PM

Pamela Seley

West Coast Realty Division - Murrieta, CA

Residential Real Estate Agent serving SW RivCo CA

Tammy, excellent explanation of the difference. In the rural areas in my market area, there are manufactured homes, or formerly known as, mobile homes.

Apr 17, 2014 02:35 PM

Kathy Jackson

RE/MAX Mainstream - Vincennes, IN

Big or small, I sell them ALL!!

Great post Tammy! I just had this discussion with a buyer's relative. :)

Apr 18, 2014 07:26 AM

Debra Valdes

Tampa, FL

Realtor Tampa Area Specialist

Great explanation and very simple for those that aren't that knowledgeable to remember!

Apr 18, 2014 01:06 PM

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

Hi Tammy Lankford

I thought I'd pass this along to you. You seem to have a pretty good grip on the MH industry, however, there are a few things you may want to know about.

The difference between a hud manufactured home a modular home.

Please feel free to join my group. We welcome your contributions.

Manufactured Home Sales and Lending Industry

Oct 26, 2014 08:27 AM