Manufactured Homes are NOT the Same as Modular Homes
Something I run across quite a bit in my real estate business is a buyer thinking that manufactured homes and modular homes are one and the same type of house. There is one similarity, but these are really two different types of houses.
Both manufactured and modular homes get their start in a factory. I think that is where the confusion comes from, but that is where the similarity ends.
A manufactured home is the updated version of a trailer. It is a mobile home. It has a chassis known as a steel frame. This is a permanent part of the house. It is towed in on it's own wheels. A manufactured home is built to HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) standards. They are always one story.
Even though a manufactured home is set on a permanent foundation, it is still considered a manufactured home. Even if the steel frame, HUD label, wheels and axles are removed...it is still considered a manufactured home. There is no way to change what type of home it is. A manufactured home is classified differently by lenders and the tax assessor. Like a motor vehicle a manufactured home depreciates in value over time.
Modular homes are brought in on a flatbed truck in sections. They aren't towed in like manufactured homes. They don't have axles. They are constructed in a factory and put together on a permanent foundation on the building site. Modular is a method of construction. Modular homes are built to very specific, tight standards. This is because the sections have to withstand traveling to the building site. All modular homes must be built according to local standards and codes and IRC Code (International Residential Code). You can have a two story modular home.
They are treated like site built homes by lenders and tax assessors. I have talked with builders that say modular homes are often better than site build homes, because of the controlled environment in which they are constructed, the tight construction standards used and they don't sit out in the weather for many months like a home under construction. A modular home can go up in as quick as two months.
Modular homes are very much the same as site built homes. A manufactured home is an inexpensive form of housing.
I've lived on Colorado's Western Slope for over 25 years. I love this area and all it has to offer, and I enjoy sharing what I know about my home. As a REALTOR®, I also love to share my expertise in this area as well. If you need any real estate information for Montrose County, or Delta County, Colorado...please give me a call
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