People Are Giving Up On Brick And Mortar Homes: Here’s Why.

According to the latest estimates, about 20 million Americans now live in mobile homes. For a long time, they were a byword for poverty and deprivation, but evidence suggests otherwise. It turns out that many people actively choose to live in mobile homes, thanks to the many benefits they bring. Research suggests that from around 2011 onwards, they began to rise in popularity once more. Could there be more to this than the mainstream media lets on? Take a look at these reasons why trailer parks are gaining in popularity.

More Square Footage For The Money

There’s an enormous difference between the amount of square footage offered by and traditional and manufactured homes at the same price. According to the 2010 US Census, the price per square foot of regular stick-built homes was $83, more than twice the $41 of mobile homes.

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 That means that the price of a typical 2,000 square foot regular home came in at more than $166,000 back in 2010. You could get the same area for a little over $82,000 with a manufactured home.

What’s more, the space you get is more customized to your needs. Many prefab homes can be designed to the exact specifications people want, meaning that they don’t have to make compromises, such as putting kids in bunk beds.

Hardly Any Time To Build

If you want to build your own home from scratch, you’re looking at a project that could last two years or more. Most stick builds require about 12 to 18 months of planning, and 6 to 12 months of construction. But mobile homes can be put together in a matter of weeks, and shipped, intact, to the relevant site. According to the industry, most manufactured homes take about six to eight weeks to complete, from the initial order to moving in. Because homes are made in a factory, it means that things like bad weather can’t disrupt the build.

Safety And Design

The manufactured home industry once had a reputation for shoddy workmanship and poor design. And, as a result, it’s been battling hard to rid itself of this image so that it can sell more units.

The result of all this effort are homes that often exceed the safety and design specifications of traditional homes. In the 21st century, manufactured homes are made from modern insulating materials, have excellent heating systems, and are highly resistant to inclement weather. They’re nothing like the rusting metal buckets of yesteryear. Add to that the fact that most models now come with energy-efficient doors and windows and you have an offering that attracts both old couples and young families alike.

Another concern about mobile homes is that they are prone to fire – something that the industry has been hard at work to solve. A study by Foremost Insurance company recently found that manufactured homes are actually less likely to burn down than regular homes. According to the data, the rate of traditional fires is 8 per 1,000 for manufactured homes, compared to 17 per 1,000 for conventional homes.