When looking at buying a mobile home whether it be throughout the greater Sarasota Florida area or anywhere in the country, one needs to fully understand what type of product they are buying and what the difference is between all of the most common models available to the Buyer.
Mobile homes are, for many, a home that they can go to every day, raise their children in, and enjoy the Golden Years of their lives.
This purchase is not one to be taken lightly as buying a new home is usually the largest single purchase someone will make in their lifetime.
With such a large purchase on the horizon for so many folks looking for an affordable place to call home, we want to review the basic differences between the three most common mobile home models and what you will need to understand prior to moving forward with your new mobile home purchase.
The rise of folks purchasing these types of homes is on the rise now more than ever so if you are looking at upgrading your current home or entering the mobile home space for the first time you are in good company!
According to http://www.movity.com, it is believed that over 17.7 million homeowners are living in some type of a mobile home in the United States at the time of this writing making this type of living one of the most popular options in the entire country!
In fact, according to NAHB, of the 912,000 new build single-family homes constructed in 2020, almost 30,000 of those homes were built using some sort of modular construction
Further, with the need for affordable housing being higher now more than ever before it has been estimated that the cost of a mobile home is significantly lower than that of a single family home.
To further illustrate this affordability statistic, as recently as 2019, the average cost for a new mobile home out of the factory was around $50 per square foot as the average cost for a traditional stick-built home was close to $250 per square foot!
With all of these numbers in their favor, it is no wonder why so many folks consider buying a mobile home such a great investment!
Most oftentimes, mobile homes will come in three different types of configurations; a park model mobile home a singlewide mobile home, and a doublewide mobile home.
All of these models offer their highlights and we are here today to review some of the most important features and items you need to look out for so that you can make the most informed decision when you are looking at buying your next mobile home!
Sarasota mobile homes
Park Model Mobile Homes:
Park Model Mobile Homes are most commonly found in mobile home parks where part of the park is set up for traditional mobile homes and the other area is set up for park models and RVS.
Although one can certainly put a park model on their own property, it is not as common as that folk placing a single-wide or double-wide mobile home there due to the size differences of the models.
Many times these mobile homes are shorter and stature coming in at around 32 feet in length and 12 feet in width.
Most park-model mobile homes provide the same amenities as traditional mobile homes just in a smaller, more compact package.
These homes will have a full kitchen, full bathroom, large sitting area, and a very spacious bedroom towards the back of the home providing the new homeowner with a very nice comfortable home in a smaller space.
Throughout the South, it is very common for these homes to have an additional room, commonly referred to as a “Florida Room” attached to the body of the home that is used as a screened-in porch, storage area, or laundry room for added living space.
While small in stature these homes do not lack practical usability for anyone looking for a nicely equipped home at a fraction of the price!
Sarasota mobile home
Single Wide Mobile Homes:
One of the most common mobile home models would certainly be that of a single-wide mobile home.
Single-wide mobile homes, as shown above, look very similar to that of a park model mobile home only that they are much longer in stature.
Most single-wide mobile homes will have one to two bedrooms or one to two bathrooms, a full kitchen, and a large sitting room towards one end of the home.
Traditional floor plans will usually be one of two options; either a split plan where each bedroom is on an opposite side of the property or a “line” approach where the bedrooms are next to one another with the bathroom separating the two rooms.
Single-wide mobile homes can vary quite a bit in length but will usually be 12 feet wide and anywhere between 36-52 feet in length.
Very similar to park model mobile homes, it is very common for owners of these properties to add additional living space onto the existing structure of the property for additional living space.
Single-wide mobile homes offer the homeowner all of the amenities of a park-model mobile home only in a larger package.
Mobile Home in Nokomis Florida
Double Wide Mobile Homes:
Doublewide mobile homes are by far the largest of all of the most common mobile home types available for sale.
The reason why these units carry the name doublewide is because there are two single-wide mobile homes banded together in order to make a doublewide mobile home.
In the photo above, one can notice the strip in between the two parts of the property that adheres the two halves of the home together making it one combined property.
Doublewide mobile homes will most often resemble of a traditional stick and brick home due to the size and total square footage the home possesses.
The most common doublewide mobile homes will be 24 feet in width and 40-54 feet in length.
Most doublewide mobile homes will be either two bedrooms two bathrooms or two bedrooms and half bath with a large open kitchen and sitting area in the center of the property.
Due to the size of the property, it is not nearly as common for a doublewide to have the additional room attached to the body of the property for extra living space as the property itself is already twice the size of the average single-wide mobile home.
Which Mobile Home Is The Right One For You?
As mentioned in this article, each mobile home that is available on the market provides its pros and cons for each Buyer.
If you are looking for a lower-cost home that is small in stature but provides everything that is needed for an efficient lifestyle then we would suggest considering the park model mobile home as these homes pack quite a bit of punch in a pint-sized price.
If you are looking for more space but do not want too much home to take care of then we would steer you in the direction of a single-wide mobile home as these properties provide all the convenience of a park model without the extra maintenance requirements of a double-wide mobile home.
Lastly, if you are a growing family or are coming from a single-family home where you are used to adding space then you may want to skip the first two options and veer directly to that of a doublewide mobile home as these properties provide the most square footage and usually always come with two large sized bedrooms.
When reviewing all of the different types of mobile homes on the market make sure you have a good idea of what you are looking for in a home prior to setting out on the hunt for a new home.
Shopping for something new is always fun but having a solid understanding of exactly what homes are available and the attributes that each of them carry will make you an educated mobile home Buyer!
This is Mark Kaiser with The Mobile Home Dealer and we help mobile home Buyers and Sellers get to a better place in life.
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