Home buying? Double Wide Trailer?

[BabyBearsMom608]

It looks like my dh and I can buy a 3 br and 2 bath double wide trailer on 1.5 acres of land for 47,000 . Our mortgage payment would be 250.00 which is half what we pay for rent now. This includes tax and insurance. After we pay off our student loan debt - we would be looking for a house in 5-7 years. I understand that trailers lose value over time very easily but this is what we can afford right now and it gives us a chance to move back closer to our families. I keep hearing a lot of No-No's about buying a trailer though. Has anyone had any experience with these homes and buying they can share with us?

[teachermama924]

I've known several who have done this. The only thing to me is it is better to put it on a foundation rather than leave it on the axles. We live in tornado alley. The foundation turns it into real estate rather than personal property here and it is safer and more sturdy and still cheaper in most cases.

[nmaxwell816]

I grew up in these type of homes and they offer a great way to get your into your own home.

[mom2aspclboy]

We used to own a double-wide & loved it, except ours was in a park, so it was really hard to get rid of when we went to sell it. Since yours would be on your own land, it won't depreciate the same way, plus if it happens to be on a foundation, rather than a slab, it should appreciate more like a stick-built house would.

[DawnPratt23]

Our home was placed on a quarter acre in 2001, we moved here in 2007. It's a 2050 sq ft double wide with a huge crawl space under. If we were going to stay here we'd make it a basement because its that big.

We have 3 nice size bedrooms, a large master bedroom with sitting room that we turned into our daughters room. Huge master bath, dining room, family room, living room, huge kitchen, laundry took and kids bath.

I'm happy with it, little disappointed in some clear poor craftmanship on doors. But our last home was a 2 story house on a slab, 4 bedroom, 1586 sq ft. There was so much wasted space in that house, small kitchen and bedrooms.

[DawnPratt23]

Oh and ours we bought for 132k and had appraised market value for 145k.

[katiebug840204]

Exactly this! Just make sure u have good insulation. Every type of mobile home I have very lived in or known someone who lived in had terrible insulation and power bills were always extremely high. The insulation that is put in when they make the homes is really cheap. So I would definItly suggest having the place reinsulated if it hasn't been already.

Quoting mom2aspclboy:

We used to own a double-wide & loved it, except ours was in a park, so it was really hard to get rid of when we went to sell it. Since yours would be on your own land, it won't depreciate the same way, plus if it happens to be on a foundation, rather than a slab, it should appreciate more like a stick-built house would.

[Kathleen69699]

Quoting teachermama924:

I've known several who have done this. The only thing to me is it is better to put it on a foundation rather than leave it on the axles. We live in tornado alley. The foundation turns it into real estate rather than personal property here and it is safer and more sturdy and still cheaper in most cases.

[quiltingmom77]

Yes on the insulation. We rented one for a few years and the heating bill ( electric) was INSANE!!

Also you need to make sure it is tied down in some area's. ( sorry not sure if that is the right term for keeping the home from sliding off of the foundation in earthquake area's)

 A property that large could be neat, because you might be able to built yourselfes a house in a  few years while living in this one.

Also make sure you check for mold, especially around the windows and such.

Good luck :)

[Hanab818]

I don't know but even if the value of the home decreases u still have the land. Which if you wanna buy a house you might be able to build at a good price d you'll have the land already. So that might be something to keep in mind

[randomosityblog]

I am not keen on trailers but I'd do it.