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    <title>Manufactured Housing Global Forums</title>
    <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/index.php</link>
    <description><![CDATA[]]></description>
    <language>EN</language>
    <pubDate>Sun, 07 Feb 2010 18:25:13 -0500</pubDate>
    <lastBuildDate>Sun, 07 Feb 2010 18:25:13 -0500</lastBuildDate>
    <category>Manufactured Housing Global Forums</category>
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    <item>
      <title>[Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert] Re: Appraiser can't decide if home is manufactured or modular</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80191#msg-80191</link>
      <author>Tessa</author>
      <description><![CDATA[I talked to the homeowner today, she confirmed that the literature she used to have said Redman.  She is going to look for it and I will upload the pictures I was able to take with my phone.  Maybe someone on here will be able to look and tell me if it looks like a modular.]]></description>
      <category>Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80191#msg-80191</guid>
      <pubDate>Sun, 07 Feb 2010 18:25:13 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert] Re: Appraiser can't decide if home is manufactured or modular</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80190#msg-80190</link>
      <author>trmimo</author>
      <description><![CDATA[The cut away you posted does look like Redman literature of that time.]]></description>
      <category>Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80190#msg-80190</guid>
      <pubDate>Sun, 07 Feb 2010 15:38:54 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Manufactured Home Repair &amp; Renovation] Ceiling Fan Installation</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?8,80189,80189#msg-80189</link>
      <author>Deanna A.</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Hello,

I'm trying to figure out how to install a ceiling fan into one of our bedrooms.  We have a Ritzcraft manufactured home with vaulted ceilings.  They seem like they're scissors trusses (from what I can see in the hole in the ceiling).  There is already a light there, but just a 4&quot; plastic electric box screwed in to the ceiling which is about 1/2&quot; plywood and 1/2&quot; sheetrock/plaster.  I'm having a lot of trouble trying to find joists to use one of those expandable brackets for mounting ceiling fans.  Does anyone have any suggestions on how to mount a fan with no support?  HOw much weight would the ceiling be able to handle if there were no joist support and the fan was just screwed into the ceiling.  Could we use toggle bolts?  

Thanks for any assistance.]]></description>
      <category>Manufactured Home Repair &amp; Renovation</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?8,80189,80189#msg-80189</guid>
      <pubDate>Sun, 07 Feb 2010 13:51:44 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Manufactured Home Repair &amp; Renovation] Re: painting kitchen cabinets</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?8,80150,80188#msg-80188</link>
      <author>Deb</author>
      <description><![CDATA[But if I just replace the cabinet doors, I will still have to paint the facing of the cabinets themselves.  Does this contact paper-like material accept paint?]]></description>
      <category>Manufactured Home Repair &amp; Renovation</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?8,80150,80188#msg-80188</guid>
      <pubDate>Sun, 07 Feb 2010 13:34:26 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert] Re: Ownership Records</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80182,80187#msg-80187</link>
      <author>rmurray</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Texas has the best online info source in the nation for ownership information. You can find information here;

http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/mh/]]></description>
      <category>Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80182,80187#msg-80187</guid>
      <pubDate>Sun, 07 Feb 2010 01:48:11 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert] Re: Appraiser can't decide if home is manufactured or modular</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80186#msg-80186</link>
      <author>Tessa</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Just north of Grand Rapids.]]></description>
      <category>Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80186#msg-80186</guid>
      <pubDate>Sun, 07 Feb 2010 01:42:54 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert] Re: Appraiser can't decide if home is manufactured or modular</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80185#msg-80185</link>
      <author>rmurray</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Tessa what part of MI?]]></description>
      <category>Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80185#msg-80185</guid>
      <pubDate>Sun, 07 Feb 2010 01:35:47 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert] Re: Appraiser can't decide if home is manufactured or modular</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80184#msg-80184</link>
      <author>Tessa</author>
      <description><![CDATA[I am sure that rmurray is correct.  They didn't have the right documentation for a modular so they changed the manufactured one.  I have gotten some suggestions that it may be a Redman home.  There is a Redman factory in Indiana and I am in MI, so that would make some sense.  I am working on getting in contact with the closest Redman dealer to see if they have sales records dating back to 1986.

The document I put in a previous post is from the building permit.  On the actual permit page, it is listed as &quot;doublewide&quot;.]]></description>
      <category>Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80184#msg-80184</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 06 Feb 2010 21:23:36 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert] Re: Ownership Records</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80182,80183#msg-80183</link>
      <author>David Oxhandler</author>
      <description><![CDATA[You can check with the DMV or which ever state office handles mobile home registrations in your state.  The serial number should be enough for them to trace back the registered owners.  The question is will they do that for you?  That type of information is treated differently by each state.  It may be considered public record or privileged depending on your states rules and regulations.  

Even if you do find the former owner there may not be any legal recourse against him.  Did you enter into a sales contract?  Did that contract guarantee you against any defects?  For the most part used homes are sold where is and as is.... so it is up to the buyer to make the necessary inspections prior to completing the purchase... Kind of like buying a used car.

Inspecting a use manufactured home has become relatively easy these days.  In most states licensed home inspectors have added  manufactured housing to their business.  I have been buying, renovating and reselling manufactured homes for about 20 years.  I have looked at thousands of used homes and have quiet a bit of experience and luck in recognizing problems.  Unless the home is so inexpensive that I just don’t care about the condition I always hire a licensed professional home inspector.  They comb systematically thru the homes electric, plumbing, structure, foundation, roof etc for even the slightest of defects.  

While I have seen more manufactured homes than most of the inspectors, two heads are still better than one... Four eyes better than two and a written professional report better than an informal walk thru.  Inspection companies have different pricing in various parts of the country.  Generally their fees are considerably less then the cost of missing a major defect. 

Floor repair and replacement is not an impossable job.  Take a look at Floor Repair Info Kit from Aberdeen RepairThis kit includes a 25 minute  video about repairing/replacing the floor ina MH,along with a booklet on floor repair.
 
This is not a high-dollar video with actors that wear makeup and every word smoothly rehearsed, these videos are. However a good-quality that features a real contractor clearly showing you how to do the job]]></description>
      <category>Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80182,80183#msg-80183</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 06 Feb 2010 21:01:12 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert] Ownership Records</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80182,80182#msg-80182</link>
      <author>rickkoppie</author>
      <description><![CDATA[I recently purchased a used 2007 mobile home and paid cash to individual seller. After getting the home to my property I discovered that apparently the home had been flooded by recent hurricane. I specifically ask seller had it been subjected to recent flood waters and was told it had not been. I am now unable to contact seller so I am wanting to find who the original owner was. I have the manufacturer name,which is in Tx.,but i purchased in La. and believe original owner is also in La. I also have s/n# on home as well. How do i go about getting home ownership records in this instance?]]></description>
      <category>Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80182,80182#msg-80182</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:35:07 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert] Re: Appraiser can't decide if home is manufactured or modular</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80181#msg-80181</link>
      <author>trmimo</author>
      <description><![CDATA[At this time many HUD homes were set improperly with the frames removed.  No frame is not proof.  Look for the seals or perhaps the township has the building permit on file.]]></description>
      <category>Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80181#msg-80181</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:08:51 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[First Time Home Buyers Forum] Re: Site Preparation</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?3,80169,80180#msg-80180</link>
      <author>David Oxhandler</author>
      <description><![CDATA[There are dozens of approved systems and for the most part none is better or worse then the others.  Each meets or exceeds the FHA standard.  The key is which is best in your location.   This will depend on soil and climate conditions as well as the local building permit authority's installation requirements.  Talk to a local state licensed installer and find out what has been most successful and effective  in your geographic location.

Take a look at TWO HOUR DVD VIDEO SEMINAR on Site Preparation &amp;amp; Home Installation &amp;nbsp; It is the most effective way ever to learn about the step by step process involved in properly installing a manufactured home.&amp;nbsp; This great five-part video series with George Porter, the industry's most respected installation specialist will prepare you for the numerous operations and complexities involved in the installation of the modern manufactured home]]></description>
      <category>First Time Home Buyers Forum</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?3,80169,80180#msg-80180</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 06 Feb 2010 19:27:51 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[First Time Home Buyers Forum] Re: Site Preparation</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?3,80169,80178#msg-80178</link>
      <author>Celtlund</author>
      <description><![CDATA[We had our doublewide set to FHA standards and used runners. I don't know if is better than a full slab but it is a lot less expensive.]]></description>
      <category>First Time Home Buyers Forum</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?3,80169,80178#msg-80178</guid>
      <pubDate>Sat, 06 Feb 2010 14:58:19 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert] Re: Appraiser can't decide if home is manufactured or modular</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80177#msg-80177</link>
      <author>rmurray</author>
      <description><![CDATA[This page looks like a marketing document for a well built(for the time) manufactured home.. The hand written note must have been done by the home owner or sales person when they ordered a home. If the factory built it without the frame it IS NOT a manufactured home. At the time a few manufacturers did build both products often sharing many of the specs and floorplans. This looks like something I could have given a prospect when they were shopping for the modular but I only had the manufactured version. I would have given a brosure and made note to the differences..Have you found the manufactures name in the paperwork you have...Have you seen a vin number in any documents..
I just zoomed your photo to a much larger size and see they hand wrote the floor joists to 2x8 (replacing the frame) AND hand wrote the 2x6 exterior walls...For most modulars this would be the most obvious difference between the homes..The more I looked at your picture, the more sure this was a retail sales document of a manufactured home given to a prospect (or customer to high light the obvious differences between it and its modular cousin..Is this a Vindale Home?. This document reminds me of some they would have had..]]></description>
      <category>Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80177#msg-80177</guid>
      <pubDate>Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:20:43 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert] Re: Appraiser can't decide if home is manufactured or modular</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80176#msg-80176</link>
      <author>Tessa</author>
      <description><![CDATA[The original paperwork shows the frame was replaced.  Here is a copy of the page that shows the intent to replace the frame.  It looks to me like it was done in the factory but there is no way to know this for sure as the original owner is deceased.  

]]></description>
      <category>Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80176#msg-80176</guid>
      <pubDate>Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:00:19 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert] Re: Appraiser can't decide if home is manufactured or modular</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80175#msg-80175</link>
      <author>fredcdobbs</author>
      <description><![CDATA[rmurray Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
  The lack of a frame IS
&gt; DEFINITIVE PROOF that this home IS NOT a
&gt; manufactured (mobile) home.. 

Well not really 100% proof but for the most part that is a good indicator, I have run across 2 HUD homes that were basement set and the frames were removed, I visited a home in Colorado and in New Mexico that were both new HUD units at the time and were under factory warranty.Both these units were set by the homeowners, they dropped the frames and built walls under the floor and cut a stairway into the floor,both happened to be in an area that was not subject to installation inspections at the time.This is not something you would expect to see often.(Both of these guys did very nice work by the way) Now the fact that the frames were removed did cause me to void the warranty on any part of the house that was affected by the frame removal.Get someone that has MFG housing experience to check it out for you, should not be that hard to determine there are plenty of clues.]]></description>
      <category>Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80175#msg-80175</guid>
      <pubDate>Fri, 05 Feb 2010 08:32:51 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert] Re: Appraiser can't decide if home is manufactured or modular</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80174#msg-80174</link>
      <author>rmurray</author>
      <description><![CDATA[A manufactured home MUST have a frame under the floor. ALL post 1976 homes would have been built to the HUD code and it would have a HUD label affixed to the side. The red HUD label would probably still be there. You can find it if you face the front door and look to the left far corner near the bottom of the sidewall..Modular homes would have been built to a state building code and had a label on or very near the electric box inside the home certifying that it meets this code.

The most obvious clue is the lack of a frame..Also the next immediate clue is the lack of title. Modular homes never had a title.. The wall covering has NOTHING to do with the code that it is built to. Panel, Sheetrock has nothing to do with the code the home was built to..An example I have always used was portable classrooms.. They are ALL modular structures but almost always have panel wall covering. An experienced appraiser should know the difference and not worry about a local inexperienced government office who have employees unfamiliar with the differences. The ONLY definitive proof is the modular certification label on the wall ( of course after over 20 years these may well have been removed by the former owner long ago).. The lack of a frame IS DEFINITIVE PROOF that this home IS NOT a manufactured (mobile) home..Good Luck]]></description>
      <category>Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80174#msg-80174</guid>
      <pubDate>Fri, 05 Feb 2010 01:11:01 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert] Appraiser can't decide if home is manufactured or modular</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80173#msg-80173</link>
      <author>Tessa</author>
      <description><![CDATA[I am in the process of trying to purchase a home on a basement.  The home was placed in 1986.  When the home was placed, the assessor and building inspector listed the home as a &quot;doublewide&quot;.  The homeowner was under the impression that it is a manufactured home.  But she has never had a title for the home, which is required for manufactured homes in MI.  Before we looked at the home in the first place, we were under the impression it was a manufactured home but decided to look at it anyway because we liked the location and land so much.  When we went into the basement, it looked like a modular home.  There is no steel frame anywhere on the home, it has 2&quot; X 8&quot; floor joists.  It also has 2 X 4 interior walls and 2 x 6 exterior walls.  

The appraiser has seen all of this, but is afraid to say it is a modular because the assessor says it is a mobile.  The appraiser has said if we can give her BOCA standards that show the house is a modular then she will classify it as a modular.  I have found several websites that list the current differences but there are a couple of discrepancies because the house was built in 1986.  The biggest issue is that it says modulars always have drywall and manufactured homes have paneling with drywall as an option.  

Does anyone know where I could find documentation showing that modulars used to have paneling and didn't always have drywall?  If I can show the appraiser that it qualifies as a modular then the deal will go through, if not then we will lose it because the bank won't lend on manufactured homes.  

Any help would be greatly appreciated.]]></description>
      <category>Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80173,80173#msg-80173</guid>
      <pubDate>Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:20:39 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Manufactured Home Owners Forum] Re: 1992 Saint Charles by Norris Homes</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?1,5799,80172#msg-80172</link>
      <author>rmurray</author>
      <description><![CDATA[I just edited this post and deleted the other...I am not exactly sure about the lever position of the bottom vent but when it is open the fire will burn better with the door closed and your costly heated room air will not go out your chimney..The smoke problem is most likely not a fault of either lever.. Most smoke problems are because the chimney is not tall enough. The spark arrester (top part of chimney) should be well above the highest part of the roof or wind can blow back down the chimney forcing the smoke back in..Good Luck]]></description>
      <category>Manufactured Home Owners Forum</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?1,5799,80172#msg-80172</guid>
      <pubDate>Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:04:33 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Manufactured Home Owners Forum] Re: 1992 Saint Charles by Norris Homes</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?1,5799,80170#msg-80170</link>
      <author>dumbazz</author>
      <description><![CDATA[I have a 2002 FLEETWOOD manufactured home and have trouble with smoke blowing out of my Coleman woodburning fireplace, when conditions are windy. I know that there are two levers in the fireplace box. I also know that the one in the middle of the fireplace box is the damper, which allows the smoke to rise up the stove pipe. Now here is my question. The other lever I know is the one that controls the outside air intake. What I don't know is this. Is the lever supposed to be in the up or the down position to open the outside air vent? I have checked the book that came with the home, but I can't find anything about it. I would appreciate any help on this matter. Thanks in advance.]]></description>
      <category>Manufactured Home Owners Forum</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?1,5799,80170#msg-80170</guid>
      <pubDate>Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:35:11 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[First Time Home Buyers Forum] Site Preparation</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?3,80169,80169#msg-80169</link>
      <author>shick</author>
      <description><![CDATA[I am preparing to buy my first MH and need some advice on site preparation.  Is a full slab foundation the best way to go or is there a better alternative?

Thanks!]]></description>
      <category>First Time Home Buyers Forum</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?3,80169,80169#msg-80169</guid>
      <pubDate>Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:53:46 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Manufactured Home Owners Forum] Re: Palm Harbor Delays</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?1,80142,80168#msg-80168</link>
      <author>Celtlund</author>
      <description><![CDATA[If your problem is not resolved by now you should try contacting Palm Harbor at https://www.palmharbor.com/secure/our-company/customer-service/ There is no excuse for this kind of service.]]></description>
      <category>Manufactured Home Owners Forum</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?1,80142,80168#msg-80168</guid>
      <pubDate>Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:31:33 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert] Re: Can a Manufactured home be sold and removed from property?</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80162,80165#msg-80165</link>
      <author>n2clogn</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Thank you, thank you, thank you for this wealth of information and advise! Much appreciated!]]></description>
      <category>Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80162,80165#msg-80165</guid>
      <pubDate>Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:15:34 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert] Re: Can a Manufactured home be sold and removed from property?</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80162,80163#msg-80163</link>
      <author>David Oxhandler</author>
      <description><![CDATA[1 - Manufactured homes were built in factories and trucked to your site.  A professional moving team can install the running gear and weld on hitches, if these were removed and haul the home off of your land.  At one time this was a very inexpensive task. Over the past several years with higher gas prices and increased Federal and State regulation, in most locations moving a manufactured home has become quiet expensive.  While a MH dealer might purchase you home for resale, you would probably have to sell it at a fraction of its value to leave enough room for 2 relocations... From your place to the sales center and then once resold to the new owners location.  If you are determined to remove the home you might do better reselling it yourself. See Guidelines for Selling Your Manufactured Home OnLine 

2- I'm afraid that you have been misinformed about home appreciation/depreciation - But don't feel like your alone. Many Americans have been victimized by an outdated conception of manufactured homes—one which has been perpetuated in the news media... IN FACT, manufactured homes held up well, even when compared to site-built homes. That this is the case should not really surprise anyone: since 1999, manufactured homes have been built and installed to standards tougher than any but the most recent codes for site-built structures. 

Since the end of the housing boom and the loss of value to all types of existing homes, those built off site, in factories have held a higher percent of their original value when compared to those built on site.  

&quot;The cost of manufactured homes is significantly lower than the cost of site-built homes. This gives them an instant appreciation between what the home actually cost the homebuyer and what its market value is. In some cases, a multi-section manufactured home has sold for more the second time than the first. Properly setup and well taken care of, you are talking about a fantastic investment potential.

If a home of any kind is built or setup in a bad neighborhood or area it will probably depreciate no matter what. In a good area or neighborhood they will generally appreciate in value depending on the local housing market and economy. In the case of a manufactured home, if it is setup on a permanent foundation... blocked properly and anchored properly, with good drainage so water does not sit under the home and if one buys from a reputable dealer who uses good setup people, the home will be no different than a site built home. It would appreciate in value at the same rate as a site built home in the same area.&quot; (http://www.rebelhome.net/myth.html)

&quot;Consumers Union assessed the financial appreciation of manufactured-housing units, by examining the relative appreciation rates of manufactured housing and site-built housing, as well as the factors affecting the appreciation rate of manufactured housing. Their analysis includes an extensive literature review of previous work in the field, as well as primary research using data from the 1985–1999 American Housing Survey Panel and county appraisal data from several counties in Texas. The stereotypes of manufactured housing are built upon very real differences in appreciation experienced by the people who own them. The large proportion of manufactured homes in rental parks contributes greatly to the lower appreciation experienced by manufactured home owners as a whole, as land ownership is an important driver of appreciation. High variation in the individual appreciation rates of manufactured homes also causes a higher proportion of manufactured homes, even packaged with land, to lose value over time. Even so, average appreciation rates of manufactured homes packaged with owned land are statistically in line with the site built market, and there are few inherent reasons that a home built in a factory should perform differently than one built on site. Our analysis suggests that consumers can make decisions which can improve the appreciation of a manufactured home. Land ownership, location, purchase price and maintenance expenditures are among the factors that predict appreciation, and should be considered when attempting to increase appreciation in a particular unit.&quot; Consumers Union Report

You can download the Consumers Union Report at no cost HERE]]></description>
      <category>Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80162,80163#msg-80163</guid>
      <pubDate>Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:00:21 -0500</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>[Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert] Can a Manufactured home be sold and removed from property?</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80162,80162#msg-80162</link>
      <author>n2clogn</author>
      <description><![CDATA[I'm looking for some advice. My husband and I are looking to purchase a house and we came across a beautiful, large, year 2000 double wide on 3 acres in Orange, VA. My husband is hesitant to purchase it because it won't have a significant resale value because of the double wide. 

Our realtor suggested that because of the lot size, we could purchase it, and in the near future, sell the double wide back to a Manufactured Homes Company and they will come and remove it, refurbish it, and resell it. We would then be left with a property ready to build on.

I'm looking for someone to verify this information. Can this scenario actually play out?]]></description>
      <category>Ask The Manufactured Housing Expert</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?2,80162,80162#msg-80162</guid>
      <pubDate>Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:36:35 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[First Time Home Buyers Forum] Re: Questions about manufactured homes</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?3,80156,80161#msg-80161</link>
      <author>trmimo</author>
      <description><![CDATA[What brand home are you looking at?]]></description>
      <category>First Time Home Buyers Forum</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?3,80156,80161#msg-80161</guid>
      <pubDate>Thu, 28 Jan 2010 07:41:17 -0500</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>[First Time Home Buyers Forum] Re: Questions about manufactured homes</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?3,80156,80160#msg-80160</link>
      <author>fredcdobbs</author>
      <description><![CDATA[raaaain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
&gt; I am in Michigan though and we don't have
&gt; hurricanes. Do they make manufactured homes
&gt; differently in different areas?


Yes, There are 3 wind zones that Manufactured homes are built to, zone 1 is for about 90% of the continental US, zone 2 is for most of Florida, and the inner coastal regions of the Atlantic and Gulf states, zone 3 is for the southern tip of Florida and the outer coastal regions of the Atlantic and Gulf states. Zone 2 and 3 homes are built to more stringent wind and uplift requirements than zone 1. All of Hawaii and the costal regions of Alaska are zone 3.

The other different structual zone is Roof load and there are 3 roof load zones, most of the continental US is south zone 20 psf, parts of the northeast , parts of the upper midwest and the Rocky Mountain states are middle zone 30 psf and the upper most section of Maine and all of Alaska is north zone 40 psf.Hawaii is south zone.]]></description>
      <category>First Time Home Buyers Forum</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?3,80156,80160#msg-80160</guid>
      <pubDate>Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:56:01 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[First Time Home Buyers Forum] Re: Questions about manufactured homes</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?3,80156,80159#msg-80159</link>
      <author>RockingK</author>
      <description><![CDATA[Yes, manufactured homes are constructed differently depending on what region they are to be installed in.  For example a home manufactured for a coastal areas must have a higher wind zone rating were a home manufacture for a northern climate has snow load requirements and freeze line line requirements.  Each state also has there own licensing board for Manufactured Home, Retailers and Installers - please check with your local licensing board before hiring and installer to set your home.]]></description>
      <category>First Time Home Buyers Forum</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?3,80156,80159#msg-80159</guid>
      <pubDate>Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:06:35 -0500</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>[First Time Home Buyers Forum] Re: Questions about manufactured homes</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?3,80156,80158#msg-80158</link>
      <author>raaaain</author>
      <description><![CDATA[I am in Michigan though and we don't have hurricanes. Do they make manufactured homes differently in different areas?]]></description>
      <category>First Time Home Buyers Forum</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?3,80156,80158#msg-80158</guid>
      <pubDate>Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:22:30 -0500</pubDate>
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    <item>
      <title>[First Time Home Buyers Forum] Re: Questions about manufactured homes</title>
      <link>http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?3,80156,80157#msg-80157</link>
      <author>David Oxhandler</author>
      <description><![CDATA[The newer the manufactured home the better it was built.  The code has been updated over and over again since it first instituted in 1978. Today there is no difference in the construction and the ability of a manufactured home or new site built home to withstand winds. The modern manufactured home here in Florida will stand up to 130 MPH winds.  

After Hurricane Andrew I spent some time working in South Florida.  We did see a lot of damaged homes, both site built and manufactured.  In the areas that were ripped by tornados we saw steel and concrete commercial buildings that were crumbled while the old mobile home set up behind it was left untouched.  Any structure that takes a direct hit by a tornado will sustain serious damage.

Below is a reprint of an article from the Florida MH Association that should answer your questions

&quot;Many Americans have been victimized by an outdated conception of manufactured homes—one which has been perpetuated in the news media, and reinforced by the reporting of disasters such as Florida's six-week-long siege of hurricanes in 2004. During this period, a number of erroneous &quot;facts&quot; were spread either by rumor or reporting. In many cases, the news media, rather than searching out the truth, simply passed on the same kind of rumors one hears waiting in line at supermarkets.

For instance, CNN meteorologist Chad Meyers, reporting during the aftermath of Hurricane Charley, told a nationwide audience that &quot;National Guard guys this morning said there are stacks of bodies in that mobile home park in Punta Gorda.&quot; Such rumors were rife in the aftermath of Charley. One Punta Gorda resident was quoted by the media as saying &quot;Six hundred people are missing from trailer parks and the bodies are being stored in freezer trucks!&quot;

But passing along rumors is not responsible reporting. IN FACT, according to state officials, in all of Florida, 16 people died as a result of this deadly storm. Only two of these fatalities were related to manufactured homes, and those deaths occured when the residents of a decades-old mobile home ignored an evacuation order.

It was not just the news media which attacked the manufactured home industry in the wake of Charley. Commentators such as fiction writer Carl Hiassen also pur forward much misinformation. Writing in the Miami Herald on August 22, 2004, Hiassen said &quot;There is no such thing as a safe [manufactured] home.&quot;

IN FACT, manufactured homes held up well, even when compared to site-built homes. That this was be the case should not really surprise anyone: since 1999, manufactured homes have been built and installed to standards tougher than any but the most recent codes for site-built structures. As required by the federal code, all manufactured homes sold in Florida's coastal counties since 1994 are engineered to withstand sustained winds of 110 mph and 3-second gusts of 130 to 150 mph.

IN FACT, the State Bureau of Mobile Home and RV Construction surveyed 11,800 manufactured homes among 77 parks in seven counties, including hard-hit Charlotte and DeSoto. Of the manufactured homes installed according to Rule 15-C—the most stringent tie-down regulation in the country—the Bureau could not find a single home that had been moved from its foundation. And RADCO, an independent engineering firm, revealed that manufactured homes produced and installed in accordance with the current Federal Standards successfully withstood the effects of Hurricane Charley.

And in the end, responsible reporting did win out: after touring the area, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush was quoted by the media as saying, &quot;the new construction standards for manufactured homes are working.&quot; Such news organizations as Fox News, CNN, and the Associated Press were finally forced to admit that homes built to the new codes didn't budge an inch in the 145 mph winds recorded at Punta Gorda.

Despite the public misperception and media misinformation, the FACT is that modern manufactured homes, intelligently engineered and well-built, are fully the equal of other building types when it comes to safety and security.&quot;


1. Wall Studs: Exterior wall studs are 16&quot; on center of either 2&quot; x 6&quot; or 2&quot; x 4&quot; utilizing high grade lumber.*

2. Roof Trusses: Double roof trusses--three feet from each roof end. Upgrades in both wood size and quality or by using larger truss connector plates and more web members.*

3. Floor Joists: Sturdy 2&quot; x 6&quot; or 2&quot; x 8&quot; floor joists are crafted into every home for additional load requirements.

4. Wall Sheathing: Structural wall sheathing is 3/8-inch thick rated &quot;sheathing&quot; or equivalent, increasing both strength and acoustical properties.*

5. Window Headers: Headers above windows and passage doors insure solid construction, as does this double header.

6. Multiple Headers: Headers above windows and passage doors insure solid construction, as does this double header.

7. Sliding Door Headers: Headers above sliding glass doors add to the structural strength of your home, as does this multiple header and stud treatment.

8. Roof Sheathing: Fastened every 4 or 6 inches on center, depending on where it is located on the roof.

9. Shingle Underlayment: Lap joints and the entire perimeter of the roof are cemented.

10. Fiberglass Shingles: Three-tab fiberglass roof shingles are used for longer-lasting beauty.* 
11. Attic Insulation: Batt or blown insulation throughout the entire attic makes cooling and heating less expensive.

12. Wall Insulation: Keeps fuel bills low with money-saving wall insulation on every side.

13. Column Uplift Straps: The center of the home has been strengthened 50%-100% against uplift forces by adding more piers and anchoring devices.

14. Lag Bolts for Strength: Flooring to frame strength is secured with more lag bolts, and the number of anchor straps have been significantly increased.

*These specifications illustrate various ways some manufacturers meet the new requirements. 

THERE'S AN ADVANTAGE to factory-constructed homes over site-built homes: precision. The result is a strong, durable, quality-crafted home with easy-care exterior materials. Factory-constructed manufactured homes are built to a tough Federal code. These homes are crafted to rigid standards of fit and finish by skilled workers using all the finest materials, brand-name fixtures appliances.

Solid construction materials and techniques are coupled with many options and floor plans to meet your individual living needs. Huge closets and cabinet space, cathedral ceilings and contemporary kitchens...all the features combine to create the warmth you will love to call home. It's no wonder the value of your factory-built home performs the same as a site-built home in the marketplace.

SOME FACTS

• Every factory-constructed manufactured home sold in Florida not only matches the strength of site-built homes, but actually exceeds them by as much as 25%.

• Factory-built homes manufactured and sold in Florida meet criteria based on the highest wind safety standard of them all, known as ASCE 7-88. Site-built homes must conform only to state or local requirements for strength and wind-resistance.

• The design and construction of all Florida manufactured homes are monitored through HUD and their agent, Housing and Building Technology (HBT), and by the State Bureau of Manufactured Housing Construction, insuring the highest quality and safety standards. You don't get this assurance with any site-built homes.

Lifted from http://www.builtstronger.com/]]></description>
      <category>First Time Home Buyers Forum</category>
      <guid isPermaLink="true">http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?3,80156,80157#msg-80157</guid>
      <pubDate>Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:35:31 -0500</pubDate>
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