While buying a home may be the most expensive purchase you will
ever make, a manufactured home can offer an affordable, quality
option.
Manufactured homes are built in a factory with the finest
quality materials available, then transported to the site. With the
wide variety of available floor plans that include spacious living
rooms, dining rooms, fully equipped kitchens, bedrooms, family
rooms and utility areas, the first step in finding the right
manufactured home for you can start online.
Clayton Homes, the largest builder of manufactured homes, offers
a variety of tools on its Web site, www.clayton.net, which allows
visitors to search for the best floor plan or the closest
model-home center. A ZIP code and a single click of the mouse
provide a detailed listing of search results. Inquiry buttons and
toll-free numbers listed on the site connect users to staff who are
trained to answer consumer home and finance questions.
Today’s manufactured homes come with the same features and
amenities found in site-built homes, including vaulted ceilings,
fireplaces, bedrooms with walk-in closets, deluxe kitchens with
name-brand appliances and bathrooms with whirlpools. Depending on
the region of the country, construction cost per square foot for a
new manufactured home averages anywhere from 10 percent to 45
percent less than a comparable site-built home, excluding the cost
of land.
As of 2005, the Manufactured Housing Institute reports that the
average cost per square foot for a new manufactured home was $39.06
compared to $90.63 for a new site-built home.
Quality comes with a low price tag. All manufactured homes are
built according to federal codes administered by the Department of
Housing and Urban Development. Regulations include design and
construction, strength and durability, transportability, fire
resistance and energy efficiency.
To find the best home for the best price, shop around. Retailers
offer a variety of products and services, and because most
manufacturers use computer-assisted design, you’ll have flexibility
in choosing variations to floor plans and décor to suit your needs
and your budget.
Just as there are choices when you buy a site-built home, there
are a variety of financing options when you buy a manufactured
home. Your manufactured-home retailer usually can provide
information about financing. If you own or plan to purchase the
land where you will place your home, traditional mortgage financing
may be arranged. If you don’t have land, the retailer can usually
help you find it.
For more information on selecting a new dream home or finding a
model-home center, visit www.clayton.net. For innovative financing
programs to make homeownership a reality, try Vanderbilt Mortgage
and Finance, www.vmf.com.
(NewsUSA)
