Modular vs. Manufactured

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Real Estate

Modular vs. Manufactured

Just a little information on this topic. I have been asked many times about the difference in these homes.

You have heard the terms “stick built” and “site built”. This refers to a home, usually a single family, that is built on location and according to local building codes. Stick built can also refer to a modular home which was built in a factory and transported to the building site and attached to a concrete foundation without the frame or wheels used for transportation. Modular homes must conform to building codes to the specific location. These homes usually cost less per square foot than a stick built but are usually extremely energy efficient. Modulars qualify for traditional financing because they are usually attached permanently to the land.

Modular homes may be the waive of the future. In some countries they now have become 30-60% of the total housing market.

Now lets look at the manufactured home. Twenty-five percent of new residential and home sales annually in the U.S. are manufactured homes. They are the lowest cost stand-alone residence available. They are no longer the “mobile” homes they once were. They are constructed to Federal Codes that are nationwide. They are inspected throughout construction and must comply to the Uniform Building Code.

These homes, when attached to what is considered a permanent foundation, usually known as a pier system permanently attached to land, according to FHA standards, can actually get traditional financing.

Hope this has helped to clarify some of the differences. In our area, especially rural properties, manufactured homes are very popular with a great variety of floor plans.