As a Sudden Valley rental property investor, you are probably searching for a good deal on a property constantly. You may be considering whether manufactured homes are a wise investment. It might appear to be the best choice for your upcoming rental property on the surface. Manufactured homes are popular in numerous regions of the United States. But before choosing a manufactured house as your next investment property, you need to weigh a number of benefits and drawbacks.
A manufactured home is often more affordable than other single-family home types, which is one of its biggest benefits. Their cost per square foot can be significantly lower than that of other properties, even those of similar age and size, because of how manufactured homes are constructed and installed. Additionally, a new manufactured home will probably be far less expensive than new construction, which may be out of your budget range as an investor. In many cases, the construction time is halved compared to traditional houses, making them quicker to build. In other words, you could spend about the same amount on a brand-new home and start renting it right away as you would on a fixer-upper that would take months to get ready for your first tenant.
Quality and environmentally friendly design are additional advantages of purchasing manufactured homes. Nowadays, unlike in the past, the quality of manufactured homes is usually on par with or higher than that of traditionally constructed homes. You have a better chance of getting a manufactured home that is structurally sound, attractively constructed, and energy efficient because of the strict factory standards for manufactured homes. Most have upgraded insulation in the walls and under the foundation. In addition, they provide energy-efficient windows, on-demand water heaters, and other appliances and fixtures that conserve energy. These eco-friendly attributes can all lower utility and upkeep costs.
However, there are some disadvantages to investing in manufactured homes. Finding a decent place to construct a prefabricated home for rental purposes is one of the greatest challenges associated with the purchase of a manufactured home. Even though the residence may be inexpensive, the cost of the land must also be taken into account when calculating the total cost of the investment property. Cost, zoning, and land availability may provide insurmountable obstacles, particularly in urban or suburban settings.
Finding and purchasing a pre-existing manufactured home may help with this issue, but it also raises a second common drawback of these homes: long-term value. There is disagreement over whether manufactured homes will appreciate enough to be worthwhile investments as rental properties. In some areas, the future value of manufactured homes may be severely constrained by an ongoing stigma.
Lastly, financing a manufactured house may be more difficult than financing other property types. Numerous mortgage lenders do not consider manufactured homes to be “real property.” The perception of a manufactured home’s ephemeral nature may lead some lenders to deny you a loan sufficient to cover both the land and the home. Although this objection might eventually be overcome, it adds new challenges for rental property investors. Therefore, are manufactured homes a worthwhile investment? The most appropriate answer is that they potentially could be, subject to factors like quality, location, and financing availability.
Do you need a new investment property? Our Sudden Valley property managers help connect rental property investors with off-market deals you can’t find elsewhere. Contact us online to learn more!