How to Improve the Resale Value of Your Mobile Home

The idea that mobile homes, commonly known as manufactured homes, depreciate like cars is no longer valid. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a mobile home built to the right standards can last between 30 to 55 years, depending on how well it’s maintained.

Although the lifespan of a mobile home can’t be as high as that of a stick-built home, it still offers you decent and affordable housing. You can even decide to sell your mobile home for your own reasons, such as upgrading to another manufactured home, investing, retiring to another location, etc.

But the big question is, how can you improve your mobile home resale value? 

In this article, we’ll discuss tips on how to increase the resale value of your mobile home. Let’s get started.

1. Stay On Top of Maintenance

One of the secrets to increasing the value and lifespan of a mobile home is staying on top of maintenance. Make a habit of inspecting your home regularly to identify repair needs as soon as they arise. The sooner you address the repairs, the lower the impact on your house. Repaint your home often to reduce ugly sites of chipped paint. When repainting, avoid going for fancy colors, settle for neutral colors because different home buyers have varying tastes and preferences.

Check your home flooring. It should be clean and well-kept. You can even replace the flooring material if need be. Also, ensure all appliances within your homes, such as furnaces and fans, are working. Don’t forget to care for your doors and windows. They should be stable, well-maintained, and in perfect working condition.

You can do most of these repairs and maintenance using simple DIY methods that use typical home care items. Typically, appraisers consider the state of your mobile home when determining its price. So, if your home is in a spick-and-span condition, it’s likely to attract a higher price.

2. Winterization if in a Cold Climate

If you live in a cold region, winters can be harsh on your mobile home. And if you haven’t winterized your home efficiently, you may incur huge electricity and heating bills. So, one way to increase your mobile home resale value and its life span if you live in the cold states is winterization. Winterization involves safeguarding your home against the harsh effects of the prevailing cold temperatures.

No one wants to buy a home that will be uninhabitable during the cold season. So, tweaking your home to suit all weather conditions can increase its resale value. You can achieve this through window and door insulation, exterior insulation, furnace maintenance, metal roof protection, etc. You can find more information on winterization here.

3. Energy Efficiency Upgrade

A few efficient energy upgrades can be the difference between low and high mobile home resale value. According to the US Department of Energy, some efficient energy upgrades for mobile homes include adding insulation in your home, installing energy-efficient doors and windows, installing insulated skirting, and applying weatherstripping and caulk to mention a few.

All mobile home energy upgrades must comply with the HUD Code or the laid down Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards instead of the standard local building codes.

4. Skirting and Siding

Most mobile homeowners often overlook the skirting and siding of their homes. Despite being on the underside of your manufactured home, they play a vital role in pushing your home’s value upwards.

Replacing old skirting and siding can magically improve the appearance of your mobile home. It’s advisable to replace old regular skirting with insulated skirting that efficiently regulates the temperature under your house. Besides helping with insulation, replacing old skirting and siding reduces moisture-related problems and prevents pest infestation.

5. Roof Maintenance

The condition of your home’s roof affects its energy efficiency, curb appeal, and general property value. Deferred roof maintenance causes water damage that can lower the lifespan and resale value of your mobile home.

So, ensure you replace old and worn-out roofs. If possible, replace them with modern insulated roofs that offer energy-efficient roofing advantages. Install gutters and rain run-offs to reduce leaks and water damage to your valuable home.

You can also make your mobile a little different from the regular manufactured homes by adding a twist to its roofing aspect. You can give it a stick-built home roofing appearance by adding a pitched roof.

Pitched roofing adds a unique touch of glamour to your home and may help increase its resale value.

6. Upgrade Appliances

Consider upgrading your mobile home’s appliances to increase its resale value. This may involve replacing existing appliances with modern energy-efficient models. And because getting new home appliances is an expensive undertaking, you can sell your old ones to offset the expenses.

Having modern appliances in your mobile home increases its resale value because they promise short-term and long-term benefits to potential buyers. Some of the appliances you should upgrade include refrigerators, ceiling fans, air purifiers, washing machines, etc.

However, don’t be extravagant. You can consult an appraiser for tips on which appliances need an upgrade to increase your home’s value.

7. Interior Cleaning

Maintaining clean home interiors can also go a long way in increasing your mobile home value. No one wants a dirty, filthy-looking home. Therefore, you should ensure your home’s interiors, including the kitchen and bathrooms, are clean and well-maintained.

Your carpets, rugs, and mats should also be clean and good-looking. Also, ensure your mobile home is well-ventilated to maintain a fresh and inviting smell. When it comes to interior décor, go for items with neutral colors.

8. Upgrade Your Home Curb Appeal

Make your home’s exterior and outdoor surroundings neat to attract a higher value. Repaint your home’s exterior and ensure the doors, windows, and other details are pleasing to the eyes. When repainting, don’t go all fancy; keep everything simple using neutral modern colors.

It’s also important to do a little landscaping; it can be something as basic as trimming hedges, planting flowers, or setting up a vegetable garden to add a touch of beauty to the surrounding environment.

Wrapping It Up

Don’t feel overwhelmed about increasing your mobile home’s resale value. The tips discussed above can help you attract a high resale value. However, you should remember that prevailing property market conditions are also likely to affect your mobile home’s value. 

But all other factors remaining constant, regular maintenance, and a few upgrades in your mobile home are all you need to increase its lifespan and attract a higher value. 

Get started with the upgrades today and begin your journey to increasing your mobile home’s lifespan and value.