Trailer/Mobile Home - Pros & Cons

[slo]

We are thinking about buying a trailer/mobile home for DD19 to live in by her college. The ones we are looking at online are very nice and would give her more room than an apartment. We pulled the local police log on calls in the trailer park and there were very little for 2022, and the ones listed were not anything serious to other people, so the area is as safe as where we live now.

Now I’m coming to those here, that are experienced with this, to please give me the pros and cons of owning a trailer. Anything specific that we should look for when we go look at these in person? Any questions we should ask? Any input will be appreciated - thank you.

Please keep this thread serious - no comments about tornados & trailer parks. We want what’s best for our DD19 and our family. Thanks.

 

[Dan Murphy]

No suggestions for you, Sandy, I have no experience. But possibly a consideration for others giving thoughts, woukd you be planning on keeping it after Katie is finished with her schooling or selling it?

Kind of a neat idea, thinking out of the box. Nice.

 

[Southernmiss]

We lived in a mobile home after we first got married. My inlaws owned the home and gifted our stay to us rent free.

Thunderstorms and bad weather were the reason we saved as fast as we could to buy our first home.

We could hear much more weather noise in the trailer than in a solid home.

I know you said no tornado or weather stories, but it was our real concern.

 

[wenrob]

My mom lived in a series of mobile homes from freestanding to solid foundation. Where she lived that was the norm, most people had them. As mentioned above they just never felt as “solid” as a traditional home. Any harsh weather felt quite scary. In addition you have to take into account space rent, water, sewer, trash, gas, power and any fees related to whatever park she ended up in. Where I’m at that would cost considerably more than renting an apartment.

 

[Schneewittchen37]

Not sure where your DD is going to school, but my only concern would be high and low temps.

DH and I have a travel trailer which could have similiar issues to a mobile home. In prolonged below freezing temps, you have to be careful that the fresh water pipes don't freeze and the home could be drafty in spots. When it's really hot, it maybe harder to keep the home cool because of the lack of insulation.

And yes, thunderstorms are terrifying.

My parents have a very old stick built home in the country, they get drafts and hot spots and frozen pipes because of the crummy insulation. And a bunch of their neighbors live in mobile homes and suffer from the same issues.

 

[firefly_ris]

Lot rent reasonable? Is trash pickup managed by the town or by the park owner? Are there extra fees associated with sewer and water? Just some thoughts to throw out there. My aunt and uncle lived in a trailer for over 25 years, in a very nice well maintained park, however I know that they had to pay lot rent that fluctuated, and I believe they had to pay extra for trash pickup services and so on. Maybe not a big deal but just some thoughts off the top of my head. They never had any troubles outside of those various fluctuating costs as far as I remember. My aunt passed away but my uncle is still there. This is in Maryland, I would have different concerns if the trailer was located somewhere else (places that experience severe hurricanes and so on, which would also affect insurance rates).

 

[wvjules]

I grew up in a trailer and also lived in one as an adult. I have never felt unsafe in weather events. Of course it's not as solid as a home on a foundation, but it was never "unsafe".

Things to ask depends on where you live. If it gets really cold you need to make sure that the pipes underneath have heat tape or some freezing prevention mechanism in place. Also, what is included in the lot rent and how much is it? Where I lived it included water/sewer and garbage. You need to find that out. Weather safety unless it is in a tornado prone area isn't really a concern.

 

[easyas123]

As a investment long-term I don't think it's a good investment (in general I'm not sure they appreciate as-is, but maybe someone else could comment on that who has experience buying /selling them in and out of a trailer park) BUT if what you spend now is comparable to the rent you'd be paying for the next 3 or so years, and it's a case of getting more for your money (as in space, comfort, that sorta thing), then it could make sense.
Will you be able to sell it when she's done with it, or perhaps rent it to another college student? Might be able to recoop your costs a bit if you are feeling like being a landlord.

 

[lovesmurfs]

One huge con is that you likely won't get your investment back, as a mobile home/trailer is a depreciating asset. Depending on whether you pay outright for it, you may owe more when she graduates than it's worth.

 

[JLTraveling]

I've never lived in a mobile home, but I did spend 10 years RVing around the country in a travel trailer, which should be a reasonably similar comparison.

Weather in general is a big concern. When it was very hot outside, we had trouble cooling the trailer to a comfortable temperature. And when it was very cold, heating it to comfortable was an issue. There will always be drafts and hot/cold spots. Regular thunderstorms can be an issue. Something like a small branch coming down can do way more damage to a trailer than a regular home. And though you don't want to hear it, tornadoes do matter unless you're in a place that never, ever gets them. Because even a small EF1 spinup can destroy a trailer altogether. It can also just be scary to hear the rain/lighting/thunder in a trailer, because there's less mass between you and it.

Speaking of which, you hear EVERYTHING. I used to get awakened at daybreak at one of the parks by squirrels scuttling over the skylight. It was LOUD. If the neighbors are making any noise outside, you'll hear them loud and clear.

Also, you mentioned the ones you are looking at are nice. That's really a relative term. Our last RV was an incredibly nice model that we purchased brand new. But they're still flimsy. Things just aren't as solidly built and are much prone to breaking.

I'm not saying you shouldn't do it, and I don't know exactly how a fixed mobile home compares to a travel trailer. I'm just saying that lots of things are different when you leave sticks and bricks. For me, I would go back to RVing, because it's worth the tradeoff to travel all the time. But I personally wouldn't want to deal with the hassles if my residence was staying put anyway. I'd gladly take a smaller apartment for the same price.

 

[_19disnA]

Not clear from your post if daughter is just starting college or been there a year or two already based on her age. Many colleges offer dorms for students who choose to live on campus and not have to bother with setting up a 'household' (furniture, dishes, beds, cooking.....etc.). Does she have other friends who could share the cost of a larger appartment? Many college students do that. Does the college offer any type of off-campus housing? With those choices she could be closer to her friends to do things together, study, etc.

An issue with owning something is that for at least part of the year it would be unoccupied since most colleges don't go the entire year. Do you want it to sit vacant when she is home for the summer? You would likely still be paying those various fees even if unoccupied.

 

[wenrob]

Lot rent reasonable? Is trash pickup managed by the town or by the park owner? Are there extra fees associated with sewer and water? Just some thoughts to throw out there. My aunt and uncle lived in a trailer for over 25 years, in a very nice well maintained park, however I know that they had to pay lot rent that fluctuated, and I believe they had to pay extra for trash pickup services and so on. Maybe not a big deal but just some thoughts off the top of my head. They never had any troubles outside of those various fluctuating costs as far as I remember. My aunt passed away but my uncle is still there. This is in Maryland, I would have different concerns if the trailer was located somewhere else (places that experience severe hurricanes and so on, which would also affect insurance rates).

Oh yeah, insurance which I imagine would be considerably more than renter’s insurance. Also, the cost to bring it in and take it out. I’ve known more than one person who has let theirs go rather than trying to find a new space. Once you’re in a park you’re kind of at their mercy.

One huge con is that you likely won't get your investment back, as a mobile home/trailer is a depreciating asset. Depending on whether you pay outright for it, you may own more when she graduates than it's worth.

And this. You won’t be building any kind of equity.

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

My Dad has been looking into buying a mobile home close to where I live. It’s been hard to find one in decent condition and if it is in decent condition, the owner wants a lot for them, despite the age of the mobile home. Also, not all mobile home parks are well maintained in our area.

I was surprised how much the lot fees were. The recent one we looked at had lot fees that were currently $475/mo, but were increasing to $535/mo early this year. That included the lot fee rent, trash, and common area/road maintenance. The homeowner was responsible for electric, gas, lawn mowing and snow removal of their own driveway. I can’t recall who paid for water/sewer. This model just had a flat roof, while others in the complex had a fixed roof over their mobile home, which I didn’t even realize was an option. The homeowner had a neighbor there who told us about it. The homeowner did say she has experienced frozen pipes and it was necessary for her to have the pipes re-wrapped / insulated the prior year. She also had roof leaks and had the roof repaired recently.

In summary, you want to look at the trailer park itself and other homes in the park. Is the park maintained? What about other homes in the park? What is the monthly lot fee and what is included (who’s responsible for lot maintenance, etc.). For the trailer, how is the roof; are the pipes wrapped, etc.? Lastly, how are annual taxes assessed? The homeowner was telling us how much she paid for her trailer which was quite a bit more than she and the prior owner told the county she paid. She said this determined her annual tax as the county doesn’t do valuations on mobile homes. That part seemed suspect to me.

 

[kymom99]

I would think if it is located close to the university, you wouldn’t have trouble reselling it after she graduates.

 

[wenrob]

Another thought, she’d be responsible for all home maintenance as well as maintaining her yard vs calling someone in the apt rental office to come fix it.

I would think if it is located close to the university, you wouldn’t have trouble reselling it after she graduates.

Eh, I wouldn’t bet on that. They’re not easy to sell especially if you still owe on it. Rent maybe but add in lot rent and OP would be lucky to break even.

 

[disneychrista]

Paying mortgage and space rental likely equals the same or more then that of a house. For the three years she needs it, I would stick to an apartment. Which would likely be cheaper.

 

[SueInBoston]

Another thing to consider is the community, would she want to be around older people or families? or would she prefer to be closer to her peers for activities and study groups.

 

[slo]

No suggestions for you, Sandy, I have no experience. But possibly a consideration for others giving thoughts, woukd you be planning on keeping it after Katie is finished with her schooling or selling it?

Kind of a neat idea, thinking out of the box. Nice.

Thanks Dan - we thought so too.
Definitely seems nicer than an apartment.

We lived in a mobile home after we first got married. My inlaws owned the home and gifted our stay to us rent free.

Thunderstorms and bad weather were the reason we saved as fast as we could to buy our first home.

We could hear much more weather noise in the trailer than in a solid home.

I know you said no tornado or weather stories, but it was our real concern.

I appreciate your post.
I just don’t want silly, sarcastic weather comments.

Not sure where your DD is going to school, but my only concern would be high and low temps.

DH and I have a travel trailer which could have similiar issues to a mobile home. In prolonged below freezing temps, you have to be careful that the fresh water pipes don't freeze and the home could be drafty in spots. When it's really hot, it maybe harder to keep the home cool because of the lack of insulation.

And yes, thunderstorms are terrifying.

My parents have a very old stick built home in the country, they get drafts and hot spots and frozen pipes because of the crummy insulation. And a bunch of their neighbors live in mobile homes and suffer from the same issues.

NE Indiana - close to Ohio border.
The weather isn’t to drastic there.

Lot rent reasonable? Is trash pickup managed by the town or by the park owner? Are there extra fees associated with sewer and water? Just some thoughts to throw out there. My aunt and uncle lived in a trailer for over 25 years, in a very nice well maintained park, however I know that they had to pay lot rent that fluctuated, and I believe they had to pay extra for trash pickup services and so on. Maybe not a big deal but just some thoughts off the top of my head. They never had any troubles outside of those various fluctuating costs as far as I remember. My aunt passed away but my uncle is still there. This is in Maryland, I would have different concerns if the trailer was located somewhere else (places that experience severe hurricanes and so on, which would also affect insurance rates).

Great questions - I’ll add them to my list of things to ask

As a investment long-term I don't think it's a good investment (in general I'm not sure they appreciate as-is, but maybe someone else could comment on that who has experience buying /selling them in and out of a trailer park) BUT if what you spend now is comparable to the rent you'd be paying for the next 3 or so years, and it's a case of getting more for your money (as in space, comfort, that sorta thing), then it could make sense.
Will you be able to sell it when she's done with it, or perhaps rent it to another college student? Might be able to recoop your costs a bit if you are feeling like being a landlord.

She would be living there about 6-8 years.

One huge con is that you likely won't get your investment back, as a mobile home/trailer is a depreciating asset. Depending on whether you pay outright for it, you may owe more when she graduates than it's worth.

Good thought - we did think of that so we may just buy it with no mortgage and then whatever we get for it when DD doesn’t need it anymore is better than nothing.

Not clear from your post if daughter is just starting college or been there a year or two already based on her age. Many colleges offer dorms for students who choose to live on campus and not have to bother with setting up a 'household' (furniture, dishes, beds, cooking.....etc.). Does she have other friends who could share the cost of a larger appartment? Many college students do that. Does the college offer any type of off-campus housing? With those choices she could be closer to her friends to do things together, study, etc.

An issue with owning something is that for at least part of the year it would be unoccupied since most colleges don't go the entire year. Do you want it to sit vacant when she is home for the summer? You would likely still be paying those various fees even if unoccupied.

She’s still a freshman, but an old freshman. She missed the cutoff for kindergarten so she was 6 when she started.

With college dorms not livable during breaks and summer is why we’re considering this. She’s going to school for PT and she’s hoping to have an intership during the summers, so she will need somewhere to live.

My Dad has been looking into buying a mobile home close to where I live. It’s been hard to find one in decent condition and if it is in decent condition, the owner wants a lot for them, despite the age of the mobile home. Also, not all mobile home parks are well maintained in our area.

I was surprised how much the lot fees were. The recent one we looked at had lot fees that were currently $475/mo, but were increasing to $535/mo early this year. That included the lot fee rent, trash, and common area/road maintenance. The homeowner was responsible for electric, gas, lawn mowing and snow removal of their own driveway. I can’t recall who paid for water/sewer. This model just had a flat roof, while others in the complex had a fixed roof over their mobile home, which I didn’t even realize was an option. The homeowner had a neighbor there who told us about it. The homeowner did say she has experienced frozen pipes and it was necessary for her to have the pipes re-wrapped / insulated the prior year. She also had roof leaks and had the roof repaired recently.

In summary, you want to look at the trailer park itself and other homes in the park. Is the park maintained? What about other homes in the park? What is the monthly lot fee and what is included (who’s responsible for lot maintenance, etc.). For the trailer, how is the roof; are the pipes wrapped, etc.? Lastly, how are annual taxes assessed? The homeowner was telling us how much she paid for her trailer which was quite a bit more than she and the prior owner told the county she paid. She said this determined her annual tax as the county doesn’t do valuations on mobile homes. That part seemed suspect to me.

All great things - I’ll add them to my list

Another thought, she’d be responsible for all home maintenance as well as maintaining her yard vs calling someone in the apt rental office to come fix it.

Eh, I wouldn’t bet on that. They’re not easy to sell especially if you still owe on it. Rent maybe but add in lot rent and OP would be lucky to break even.

We discussed this with her and she’s ok with that - she used to cut the lawn at home and shovel the driveway. Luckily she’s incredibly responsible so I’m not worried about any of that.

 

[slo]

Thank you to EVERYONE that has replied - it’s extremely appreciated!

 

[SandyinMonterey]

I have had a lot of relatives live in mobile homes. Property/land has been issues for most (because they didn't own the land). My older relatives that had mobile homes had oil for heating (no other choice). My cousin who now lives in her parents mobile home said her oil bill more than doubled ($6000 +) and it's a very small mobile home. Is this common to the area that you're looking at? Meaning, is it a popular place for the college students to live? That would factor into my decision.