MOBILE, AL (Jan. 24, 2022) — Affordable housing is hard to come by these days due to supply chain issues related to the Covid-19 pandemic. So, more people are turning to manufactured homes to achieve the dream of homeownership.
The Appeal of Manufactured Homes
As housing costs skyrocket due to lumber price spikes and concrete shortages, price is a huge factor for many homeowners favoring manufactured homes.
The average price of a new manufactured home is $81,900, according to 2020 data from the Manufactured Housing Institute, and the cost per square foot is $57, compared to a site-built home at $119.
A recent report from LendingTree found mobile homes cost about $190,000 less than site-built single-family homes.
You don’t have to sacrifice style for affordability. Manufactured homes come in a variety of architectural styles and exterior finishes that allow the home to blend seamlessly into almost any neighborhood.
Multiple Layout Styles
With different layouts and floorplan options, you can find a manufactured home to suit any style. For instance, the Alabama Manufactured Housing Association describes these four popular layouts:
Traditional Ranch Layout
This standard layout features a single-story home with an open floor plan and the designs often feature long, low-pitch rooflines and large windows along the front of the house.
Ranch-style house shapes can vary. Most are rectangular, but they can also be built in a “U” or “L” shape. Other common features include sliding doors, wide roof eaves and an attached garage.
Modern Manufactured Home Layout
Modern manufactured homes mix style with function. They have rectangular exteriors, flat or slanted rooflines and angular points.
You can also expect to see metal, glass and steel on the exterior, along with a large expanse of glass windows or doors.
Open layouts are typical in these homes, so you can get the most use out of the space.
The Farmhouse Layout
The farmhouse manufactured house, like its site-built counterpart, features rustic simplicity.
You can expect a rectangular or square floor plan that is practical and timeless. Also common are a formal front room and living area with a large kitchen at the centerpiece of the main floor.
Light-colored exteriors with expansive or wraparound porches, overhead dormers and fireplaces or exterior chimneys are usually staples of such layouts.
The Cabin Home
Cabin floor plans emphasize casual indoor-outdoor living with spacious porches and open kitchens, and they’re customizable to suit any homeowner’s specific wants and needs.
Cabin floor plans are usually smaller and more compact in square footage by comparison, so they would likely be ideal for smaller families, couples or an individual.
By the Numbers
Manufactured homes are generally less expensive than site-built homes, but they can still be pricey in some states.
States where mobile homes are the least expensive:
- Nebraska
Median mobile home value: $21,800 - Iowa
Median mobile home value: $23,300 - Ohio
Median mobile home value: $24,900
States where mobile homes are the most expensive
- Washington
Median mobile home value: $125,400 - Oregon
Median mobile home value: $93,500 - California
Median mobile home value: $91,400
