Mobile and Manufactured Home Living News has been reporting for over a decade that third-party research reflects the fact that modern manufactured homes can and do gain value, and for similar reasons, as conventional site-built housing.
More recent research by LendingTree and other sources, such as the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), is linked below. But the purpose of this article is in part to illustrate the long before the more recent research, it was already known that manufactured housing can and does gain value.
So, as noted, this is a flashback report to 2003 in a study by the Consumers Union and includes several references to research performed by others the collectively covers decades of evidence.
Manufactured Housing Appreciation:
Stereotypes and Data
Abstract:
Consumers Union assessed the financial appreciation of manufactured-housing units, by examining the relative appreciation rates of manufactured housing and site-built housing, as well as the factors affecting the appreciation rate of manufactured housing. Our analysis includes an extensive literature review of previous work in the field, as well as primary research using data from the 1985–1999 American Housing Survey Panel and county appraisal data from several counties in Texas.
The stereotypes of manufactured housing are built upon very real differences in appreciation experienced by the people who own them. The large proportion of manufactured homes in rental parks contributes greatly to the lower appreciation experienced by manufactured home owners as a whole, as land ownership is an important driver of appreciation. High variation in the individual appreciation rates of manufactured homes also causes a higher proportion of manufactured homes, even packaged with land, to lose value over time.
Even so, average appreciation rates of manufactured homes packaged with owned land are statistically in line with the site built market, and there are few inherent reasons that a home built in a factory should perform differently than one built on site. Our analysis suggests that consumers can make decisions which can improve the appreciation of a manufactured home. Land ownership, location, purchase price and maintenance expenditures are among the factors that predict appreciation, and should be considered when attempting to increase appreciation in a particular unit.
The full document by Consumer Reports is linked here. Our prior report on contemporary research and details on what contributes to gains or losses and rates of appreciation is found linked below.
When multiple sources with no direct ties to manufactured housing reveal similar findings over the course of decades, that ought to give home shoppers confidence in their findings.
Our goal is to provide seekers of affordable homes solid and reliable information. In doing so, one should keep in mind that every industry and profession has its good and bad actors. If you stay clear of the ‘bad actors,’ your odds of happiness in a modern manufactured home are good. See the following reports to learn more.
Postscript 1)
Postscript 2) MHLivingNews is pro-manufactured housing but advises potential home buyers to shop carefully and avoid doing business with so-called predator firms. Few manufactured home websites other than MHLivingNews and our MHProNews sister site provide as much information and evidence about concerns regarding unjust and potentially illegal business practices attributed to specific manufactured home firms. The following are just some examples. Search this site, or our sister site, by company or organization name to learn more.
Postscript 3) Shopping tips are found in the videos with transcripts, graphics, and information found linked below.
That’s a wrap for this installment of MHLivingNews. ##
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Mobile Home and Manufactured Home Living News explores the good, bad, and ugly realities that keep the most proven form of affordable home ownership under-appreciated and misunderstood. MHLivingNews provides third-party research and other resource collections and reports not found on other sites. We also provide thought provoking analysis that are designed to open minds and hearts. This is the widely acknowledged best source for authentic news on mobile and manufactured home living, as well as the policies that impact this segment of housing that provides 22 million Americans with good, surprisingly appealing living.
On our MHProNews sister-site and here on MHLivingNews, we lay out the facts and insights that others can’t or won’t do. That’s what makes our sister site and this location the runaway leaders for authentic information about affordable housing in general, the politics behind the problems, and manufactured homes specifically.
That’s a wrap on this installment of “News through the lens of manufactured homes and factory-built housing” © where “We Provide, You Decide.” © ## (Affordable housing, manufactured homes, reports, fact-checks, analysis, and commentary. Third-party images or content are provided under fair use guidelines for media.) (See Related Reports, further below. Text/image boxes often are hot-linked to other reports that can be access by clicking on them.)
By L.A. “Tony” Kovach – for MHLivingNews.com.
Tony earned a journalism scholarship and earned numerous awards in history and in manufactured housing. For example, he earned the prestigious Lottinville Award in history from the University of Oklahoma, where he studied history and business management. He’s a managing member and co-founder of LifeStyle Factory Homes, LLC, the parent company to MHProNews, and MHLivingNews.com. This article reflects the LLC’s and/or the writer’s position, and may or may not reflect the views of sponsors or supporters.
Connect on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach
Recent and Related Reports:
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