What is a Mobile Home? Cost Breakdown and Insurance Guide
Are you planning to buy a new house? If you are on the look for a good house that does not require you to break the bank, then you might have come across the term, “mobile home.” So, what is a mobile home?
Mobile homes can be great options for home buyers looking for an affordable dwelling that doesn’t take too long to construct and can be moved as per your requirement. However, mobile homes are typically not moved after installation on a site due to the complexities involved.
Mobile homes are popular across many states in the US. For instance, the sunshine state of Florida itself has more than 800,000 mobile homes.
Let’s find out more about mobile homes, the cost of buying and owning one and how insurance works for mobile homes.
What is a Mobile Home?
The meaning of a mobile home stems from the nature of its construction process. Mobile homes are prefabricated houses that are manufactured in a factory on a permanently attached chassis and are later transported to a site.
Mobile homes are also known as manufactured homes since they are manufactured in a factory and not on site.
Mobile homes are legally called “manufactured homes” since 1976 after the federal government passed the 1974 National Mobile Home Construction and Safety Act, followed by the 1976 HUD Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards with an intention of providing affordable and safe housing.
Hence, mobile homes must adhere to the HUD code building specifications.
Characteristics of a Mobile Home- What defines a Mobile Home?
You might have a mobile home if it passes some of these key characteristics. Mobile homes have to meet certain legal requirements. Let find out more:
1.Factory Manufactured:
As the name suggests, mobile or manufactured homes are constructed in a factory. Mobile homes have to adhere to specific building codes established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) rather than local building codes.
2.Mobility
Mobile homes are manufactured on a permanent chassis with wheels which makes them transportable.
3.Size
Mobile homes come in different sizes, and you can purchase them as per your requirements.
Single-Wide Mobile Homes: These homes are narrow and compact, often with a layout where rooms are aligned.
Double-Wide Mobile Homes: These mobile homes are wider, with two sections joined together on-site, offering more space.
Triple-Wide or Larger Mobile Homes: Less common but offers the most space.
4.Mobile Home Ownership
Mobile homes can be installed on privately owned lands or rental lots in mobile home parks or communities.
Mobile Homes Cost Breakdown: How much does a mobile home cost?
Mobile home costs can vary depending on many factors like size, add-ons, customizations and also the place you are buying in.
According to the US Census Bureau, the average cost of a new manufactured home by region is as follows:
Northeast: $124,100
Midwest: $116,300
South: $119, 200
West: $140, 800
Cost of a Single Wide Mobile Home by Region
These are the costs of a mobile home as per the census bureau.
Northeast: $88,700
Midwest: $84,400
South: $75,800
West: $92,600
Costs of a Double-Wide Home by Region
As per the data by the census bureau, these are the prices that you can expect to pay for a double wide mobile home by region.
Northeast: $142,400
Midwest: $147,700
South: $145,400
West: $168,800
How to Find When Mobile Home was Manufactured?
Every mobile home comes with a serial number that you can use to find out the year your mobile home was manufactured. The serial number can be usually found near the hitch or tow bar (left side), inside the boiler door or on the siting plan of a mobile home.
The mobile home VIN number can be used to identify the manufacturer, state where it was built, your serial number, and the section code.
How much does it Cost to move a mobile home?
Moving mobile homes can be a challenging and expensive undertaking. Apart from legal regulations, you also have to prepare a lot of things for moving a mobile home successfully.
The type of moving service you choose can also impact your expenses. If you choose a transport-only move, you can expect to shell out anywhere between $700 and $3,500. Whereas homeowners choosing the full-service move can expect a bill of anywhere between $3,000-$14,000.
According to CostHelper, if you choose a transport-only move, here are the prices for up to 60 miles
$700-$1,000 for a single-wide,
$2,000-$2,500 for a double-wide,
$2,600-$3,500 for a triple-wide.
Mobile Home Insurance and Cost: How to Insure a Mobile Home?
Similar to a normal house, mobile or manufactured homes also require insurance to safeguard yourself from unexpected perils, disasters, and threats.
If you own a mobile home in a region like Florida, you have to be extra cautious and get the best mobile home insurance as you are exposed to hurricanes, floods, and storms.
However, mobile home insurance isn’t as simple as standard home insurance.
A typical mobile home insurance covers the following:
1.Dwelling coverage
2.Personal Property Coverage
Liability Coverage
4.Additional living expenses coverage
The average mobile home insurance cost is $700 to $1500. Insurance costs can vary depending on a lot of factors like size, location, and more.
If you want to learn more about reducing mobile home insurance cost in Florida, click the link above.
As mentioned earlier, mobile home insurance can be a complicated matter and requires careful research and coverage planning.
Get Mobile Home Insurance from the best insurance agents on Agency Height
To get the best mobile insurance, you can connect with the best insurance agents on Agency Height, a top insurance platform where you can find the best coverage for your manufactured homes.
