Trailer homes or mobile homes come in all shapes and sizes. Some are meant to be moved around (hence the word trailer) while others like modular homes are just stay in one place. Modular homes are simply prefabricated homes that can be built really easily and much more cheaply than conventional homes. Trailer homes are similar but can be moved around more.

There are two major sizes for trailer homes: single-wide and double-wides. Single-wides are eighteen feet or less in width and 90 feet or less in length and can be towed to their site as a single unit. Double-wides are twenty feet or more wide and are 90 feet in length or less and are towed to their site in two parts and then put together on site. Then there are even big homes that can be built, though they rarely are. This does not happen a lot and only under expensive circumstances.

While homes like modular homes aren’t often moved, trailer home owners often “trade”, or sell their home to a dealer in the form of the reduction of the purchase of a new home. Sometimes when people move, they transport their home with them as it could be cheaper than buying a new trailer home. These “used” homes are either re-sold to new owners, or to park owners who use them as inexpensive rental units.

The trailer home form of housing goes back to the early years of cars and motorized highway travel. It was derived from the travel trailer, a small unit with wheels attached, that were often used for camping. Larger units intended to be used as dwellings for several months or more in one location came to be known as house trailers.

In the beginning, these homes were initially marketed primarily to people whose lifestyle required them to be on the move. However, in the 1950s, the homes began to be marketed as an inexpensive form of housing designed to be set up and left in a location for long periods of time. During the 60s and 70s, the homes were made even longer and wider, which made them more likely to be kept in one location and not moved around. They became less mobile and more like regular homes. Nowadays, when a factory-built home is moved to a location, it is usually kept there. Mobility of trailer homes as greatly decreased over the years and very few real “trailer” homes exist.

Many people who could not afford a traditional homes or did not want to commit to spending a large sum of money on housing began to see trailer homes as a great alternative. The units were often marketed as an alternative to apartment rental.

However, financing for manufactured homes can be very difficult to arrange. Most banks won’t finance manufactured homes if there is no land included. But there are many companies that specialize in financing just mobile and trailer homes and can meet the needs of owners that don’t have land. The United States Department of Agriculture has rural development guaranteed loan and direct loan programs for low-income individuals living in small towns and rural areas.

Trailer homes have a long and unique history- they are not simply homes for the poor. While they are not for everybody, they offer a lot of benefits to people around the country and are something that should be considered by people looking for an inexpensive home.

1. Check crawl space venting, and look for evidence of mildew, rot, rust, etc. under the unit - especially in exposed, retrofitted plumbing, electrical and duct work. These are costly things to fix.

2. Are the supply and waste piping adequately insulated, and heated for winter conditions? Is any exposed?

3. Is there adequate combustion air for a standard gas or oil furnace? Most of the furnaces we observe are standard gas or oil, forced-air, down-flow style. The make-up (combustion) air source is usually from under the trailer, excepting newer installations of direct-vent furnaces.Is there adequate ductwork? In some mobile homes the original configuration provided for supply and return air only at the furnace closet door. Much of the retrofit ducting is flex-duct, and may be damaged or deteriorated under the unit. Everything under the unit is also susceptible to rodents so you need to make sure everything is sealed properly.

4. In cold-weather regions, uninsulated oil tanks (outdoors) are subject to condensation and rust, especially at their bottoms. You need to make sure your tank is insulated properly.

5. Depending on the soils under the trailer, the unit may heave and shift under heavy frost conditions, unless the pilings are mounted below frost level.

6. Many units are insulated with Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation (UFFI). This might, or might not be a consideration – depending upon history and attitudes in your local area. Polyurethane foam and other insulation are sometimes mistakenly identified as UFFI.

7. Mobiles are generally quite air-tight and (in cold-weather regions) retained moisture will cause excessive condensation on windows, especially metal-framed and/or single-pane units. Many mobile home in colder areas are re-fitted with wooden or vinyl, double-pane windows.

8. Older mobiles had 50 or 60 amp electric capacity, and newer models most often have 100 amps. However, depending on the mobile home park, they may be connected to a pole-mounted shut-off, of less than 100 amps.

9. In many mobile home parks, water and sewage are private or communal – not municipal. It is important to know how your sewage is managed, who is responsible and who pays for maintenance and repairs to private or communal systems.

10. Beware of owner-installed porches and additions. These demand diligent inspection. There is frequently wood-earth contact, and poor ventilation underneath – and frequently unorthodox framing methods. The porch roof-to-wall flashings are frequently substandard and problematic.

If you think about these things before you purchase your home, you’ll be in a much better situation!