Doublewide. How bad are they?

Slamfire · Aug 23, 2003

For reasons too complicated to go into, we bought a "Double Wide" supposedly from one of the "best" makers. It sure is nice, but too big for two old people. Then I discovered there ain't much wood in the danged thing. Even the door frames are made of paper. The hinges had to be replaced on the pantry door cause the spice rack was pulling the stock ones out of shape. When I put in the chimney, I had to add solid blocking to the 2x2 truss work that makes up the roof. I'm sure it is gonna outlive me, and my wife, but the heirs aren't gonna get any value out of it.
My Dad on the other hand got a modular home, Mother recently sold it to one of her granddaughters, who will probably leave it to hers.

Docsknotinn · Aug 24, 2003

I noticed yesterday that one of my neighbors got a single or traditional trailer delivered for deer camp. It looks pretty darn noce and I bet they dont cost much. Dave

Slamfire · Aug 25, 2003

I've seen several repo's that would make excellent deer camps.

heehaw · Aug 25, 2003

doesn't matter how inexpensive the double wide is, compared to building something...you will still lose more money with the double wide when and if you ever sell..don't care if you sell 2 years after buying, you will still lose lots of money with a double wide...
heehaw

Docsknotinn · Aug 25, 2003

Would you mind elaborateing on that a bit please ? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif In my area a 800 sq' stick built with a 2 car garage is 150k +. A modular is about 60k Tax, tag, title, delivery, set up. Add 5k for blocks and 15k for a garage and I've got 2,000 sq' vs 800 with a disparity of 70k. Even if the Modular has zero value at sale, which I rather doubt, It seems to me I would break even. Secondary homes and cabins are definately not going to appreciate like primary residential areas. When the economy gets hit Cottage country is the first thing to go. I would appreciate it greatly if there are oppossing views that you might please share your mathamatical hypothesis as I am seriously considering one of theese as a camp and dont want to overlook any thing. Dave

fivestring · Aug 25, 2003

Doc, if your gonna do a deer camp, the cheapest way is a mobile home. Just don't expect to get your money back if you sell. It's just like an automobile... it depreciates every year.
Modulars and stick-built do build equity. I do not live in a modular but if I ever move, a modular will be the first thing I will look at.

Bird · Aug 25, 2003

Rick, you're generally right, but that's not always the case. About 7 years ago, a fellow bought the 27 acres next to me with a 1972 double-wide on it for less than $40k. He paid me to help remodel the interior, used the place this past 7 years and a couple of months ago sold the doublewide and 2 acres for $59k. And this month, he sold the remaining 25 acres for $1150 an acre. You can bet that doublewide sold for a lot less than that when it was new.

And of course I bought my 10 acres the end of '94, put a new custom built double wide on it in '97 (paid a premium price to get it built the way I wanted it), lived in it a little over 5 years and sold the place for almost exactly what I paid for it.

Admittedly, I have no doubt it would have sold for more if there had been a stick built house on the property, but that stick built house would have also cost more to build, and an important factor for me at the time was the fact that a stick built house (or even a modular) would have taken a lot more time to build, and I just didn't have the time then.

Also, as with any home or property, much depends on location and whether you own the land. We just bought a pretty nice little single wide, in a mobile home park, for $17k and the lady who bought it new in '97 paid $32k for it, so yes, she took a considerable depreciation.

Docsknotinn · Aug 25, 2003

There cetainly are a LOT of variables. I do not believe stick built or modular will appreciate one red cent as a camp. It would be nice and I could be wrong but as a camp I really doubt it. The real appreaciation with acerage is the land. Unlike in a neighborhood where land almost never appreciates as it is the home. The only way I have seen sub divided LAND appreciate is when a adjacent vacant lot the same size sells for more. Most are spending roughly 25k and stick building their own 20 x 20. for the money mobile has got my attention. Modular is not even a option. If I am going to spend that much and deal with contractors any how I personally will have a log cabin built. I am really considering one of the cedar panel concept buildings as they are even less than mobil. Dave

PhilNH5 · Aug 25, 2003

Dave,
I think you will have sticker shock when you look at log cabins. I live in a log cabin and I love it. So when we started to look at a new structure for our camp we, of course looked at log cabins.

For a 1200 sq ft log cabin we were looking at 60K for just the weather tight shell. That means with roofing, doors etc. The inside is completely unfinished. AND it is a kit. That price is just for the materials delivered to the site. Someone has to put it together. This info price was from 2 different manufacturers but they all seem to have very similar models.

We quickly rethought our options. We stopped by the nearest modular house dealer. For the same 60K we get a finished house. Carpet, bath fixtures, cabinetry etc. They install it on your foundation so the foundation work is an additional cost but it was for the cabin as well. Once you have a foundation the install of the modular structure takes less than a week (according to testimonials at the dealer)

For now we'll leave the two cottages we have but as we get closer to putting up a year round structure I am certain it will be a modular.

Phil

Docsknotinn · Aug 25, 2003

Log cabins are not nearly that much here for a standard log cabin. If you buy a cadillac sure, like the cypress logs etc. either way I personally wouldn't spend any time or money on a modular, thats just personal choice but I can tell you you cant touch any sort of quality in a modular here for that price. Mobil, yes. Modular no. I think you really have to look at the whoe price includeing the foundation delivery, hardware etc etc. If you are chooseing to overlook the cost of concrete on a modular that is a major expense to the total. I can get a Panel concepts 800 sq', contractor bulit with all fixtures for around 80k with a 12/10 pitch and a loft, deck etc for the mid 80's. A modular is about the same but weather its modular or mobil it still has the same "stigma" to most buyers and thats really where the loss is. I dont want to be on the market for several years when its time to sell. With a mobil the loss is actually trivial after the use and initial saveings. But then its all in your location etc. a log cabin on recreational property is almost assureadly going to hold value better and sell quicker in that setting. Dave