What Is a Double Wide? Understanding Your Mobile Home Options

With real estate prices continuing to climb across the country, people are beginning to turn to alternative housing options. Manufactured homes are one of the primary options buyers consider.

People often confuse the terms “manufactured home” and “mobile home.” The main contrast between the two is the date they were built. A home built before June 15, 1976, is considered a mobile home. One built after this date is considered a manufactured home.

There are different types of manufactured home sizes available, and buyers often choose between a double-wide vs single. So, what is a double-wide? Let’s break down the key information you need to know.

What Is a Double-Wide Manufactured Home?

Also known as a multi-section home, a double-wide manufactured home is one with a floor plan that joins two separate sections together.

They typically range from less than 1,000 square feet to over 2,000 square feet in size. When relocating these units, they are split into two sections and then joined together at their destination. This makes them remarkably easy to transport, considering their size.

What Is a Single-Wide?

In contrast to a double-wide manufactured home, a single-wide home consists only of one section. Many are under 1,000 square feet in size. Due to its narrow floor plan, there aren’t many options for different layouts.

Double-Wide Home Benefits

Still on the fence about buying a manufactured home? There are certain benefits that could sway your decision. Let’s explore them below.

You’ll Have Plenty of Room

With the extra space that double-wide homes provide, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to make the most of this housing option. To clarify, many double-wide homes have enough room for offices, making them a great option for remote workers.

The extra room can prevent your living space from feeling claustrophobic, something that people often experience in a single-wide home. The last thing you want is to feel trapped in the place you live.

No Shortage of Flexibility

There’s no shortage of floor plan options for double-wide manufactured homes. This level of flexibility allows you to customize their layout to meet your needs. It’s also possible to relocate this property, so you don’t need to worry about selling it if you choose to move somewhere else.

There are many communities dedicated to manufactured homes across the country. These are often in prime locations with amazing views.

Structural Reliability

Since manufactured homes are built in factories, their construction is standardized. You won’t have to worry about quality issues with your home’s structural components.

If you choose to have a manufactured home built, you also won’t need to worry about weather-related delays. When building conventional homes, periods of inclement weather can extend the project’s timeline by weeks or even months. This can be highly inconvenient, especially if you plan on selling an existing property before you move into your new home.

Surprisingly Comfortable Living Space

People often assume that living in a manufactured home will be substantially different than living in a regular house. While not everything is identical, the experience isn’t as dissimilar as you might expect. Other than a lack of yard space, manufactured homes don’t have many limitations.

Couples and small families will have plenty of personal space in locations like these. There’s no need to worry about feeling uncomfortable. Just be sure to tour the property before you purchase it so you can envision your lifestyle.

Environmental Friendliness

Since the manufactured home building process is so efficient, fewer materials are wasted. This is in stark contrast to conventional homebuilding, which often results in large amounts of materials ending up in landfills. If you’re looking for a way to minimize your carbon footprint, manufactured homes are the perfect choice.

Affordability

This is an attribute you simply cannot overlook. Manufactured homes are substantially cheaper than conventional housing options. They create opportunities for those who simply can’t afford single-family homes in their area.

In many cases, you can save hundreds of thousands of dollars when buying a manufactured home. This makes them a great option for starter homes.

Their affordability can also help you build your real estate portfolio. For instance, you could likely purchase two or three manufactured homes for the same price as one single-family home. In this scenario, you can quickly establish multiple sources of passive income.

Finding the Right Home For You

Finding the right manufactured home is very similar to finding a conventional house. You’ll need to search through your local market for suitable options thoroughly.

Keep in mind that listing prices are determined by the seller themselves and are unregulated. So, don’t feel discouraged if you find an amazing property that’s well outside of your budget. The seller may have overpriced the home, meaning you might find something similar for far less money.

Working with a professional can help you streamline your search. They have tools and resources to help narrow down your choices and find the best options.

When searching for someone to work with, look into their past reputation. This will provide insight into what you can expect.

Make sure they have experience in transactions like these. If they typically sell large single-family homes, for example, you may not get the best results.

Never neglect to schedule inspections. The last thing you want is to purchase a home that’s in much worse condition than you initially believed.

You should also use websites dedicated to manufactured homes. This helps you cut through the clutter and view properties relevant to your needs. They allow you to filter your searches by various criteria, including price, location, square footage, etc.

Take Advantage of Manufactured Homes

Manufactured homes can prove to be amazing locations to live, and they offer buyers more flexibility than conventional houses. Just be sure to keep the answer to “what is a double-wide” in mind. As long as you do your due diligence, you’ll find your dream home soon enough.

Finding available homes doesn’t have to be difficult or tedious. We’re proud to offer a directory that streamlines this process.

We update our listings daily, so you never know what you’ll find! You can check out this article to get started with your manufactured home search.