What the Property Brothers Say You Should Know Before Buying a Mobile Home

In an episode of "Chasing the West," a young couple searching for an affordable ranch turned to Jonathan and Drew Scott for help. The twin brothers, known for HGTV shows such as "Forever Home," "Celebrity IOU," and "Brother vs. Brother," showed them a small ranch with a move-in-ready mobile home that seemed appealing because it did not need immediate work. Still, there were several important things the couple should understand about manufactured homes before making a purchase. As Jonathan explained on HGTV via YouTube, one of the biggest differences is that mobile homes are not built to the same standard as a custom home.

Mobile homes, also known as manufactured homes, are prefabricated structures built on a chassis and transported to a site. Although they can be relocated, they are usually set in place permanently. These homes became widely used after World War II as a lower-cost option for veterans and their families. They can cost less than half as much to build as a traditional house, and they must now comply with the Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards. Even so, Jonathan Scott noted that mobile homes have long carried a reputation for being lower quality than stick-built houses. Homes made before the federal standards were introduced in the 1970s were often criticized for problems such as leaking roofs, faulty wiring, and poor insulation.

Is a mobile home still worth buying?

One major factor to weigh before buying a mobile home is its age. The 1976 standards did not automatically mean every home was well constructed. In fact, another wave of substandard homes was built in the late 1980s, which led to further updates in 1994 and later. Older homes, especially those built before 1995, often face issues such as air leaks, weak heating, and deteriorating foundations. As the Property Brothers pointed out, many of the problems in older mobile homes come down to construction quality. Another issue is that in some mobile home communities, owners do not own the land beneath their home and must pay monthly rent. That should be considered along with location and condition when planning to sell.

Even with those drawbacks, manufactured housing remains one of the most important sources of affordable homes in the United States, and mobile homes are gradually shedding some of the stigma attached to them. Newer manufactured homes are better built, more energy efficient, and able to withstand natural disasters just as well as site-built houses. Even so, some people still view them as unattractive or unwelcome in certain neighborhoods. That reputation is unfortunate, Jonathan Scott said, because manufactured homes can offer a practical answer to a real housing need.