What Are Similarities/Differences Between Single-Family Homes & Mobile Homes?

Size

• Single-family homes tend to be larger than mobile homes, although many owners add on to their existing mobile homes or even merge two separate mobile homes into a single home. Most single-wide mobile homes are designed for just a few people, while single-family homes range in size and can even span multiple stories. Mobile homes are always single-story homes.

Construction

• Single-family homes are usually built on-site at their designated locations, while mobile homes are manufactured at a mobile home facility and placed at their designated sites. Modular homes are quickly becoming a common choice for single-family homes, and these are also manufactured off-site and later transferred. The primary difference between a modular home and a mobile home is that a mobile home is designed to be moved several times and includes a trailer hookup, while a modular home should be placed at its intended location, put on a permanent foundation and remain there.

Durability

• Mobile homes generally are considered to be less durable and long-lasting than single-family homes because of their mobility. While single-family homes are built on their lasting foundation, mobile homes generally do not have a permanent foundation, or the foundation is added later.

Location

• Single-family homes can exist anywhere from the countryside to the suburbs of a bustling city. Manufactured homes, however, tend to be either in mobile home parks or the countryside. Most mobile homeowners do not own the land they live on and instead rent the space in a mobile home park, while single-family homeowners generally own both the home and the land they live on.

Cost

• Mobile homes are almost always less costly than permanent single-family homes. You can get financing for a mobile home and, similar to a single-family home loan, you can make a down payment on your home and set up a monthly payment plan with a bank or directly with the park you're renting land from.