Is it illegal in the state of new Hampshire to list manufactured home as single family home?

Submitted by NecessaryMistake9754 t3_10lvumg in newhampshire

I saw a lot of the listings in southern new Hampshire recently listed manufactured home on its own hand as single family home. Obviously, a manufactured home is a depreciation asset like a car and it usually won't last that long due to the quality and it will need to be scraped eventually like a car. Since a lot of buyers might not be able to tell the difference between a ranch and a manufactured home on a concrete foundation, they might unknowly paid premium to something that mostly like doesn't worth it. So my question is: is it illegal for realtors to list a manufactured home as a single family home in the state of new Hampshire?

As an example: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/109-Danville-Road-Hampstead-NH-03826/86803182_zpid/

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daveisok t1_j5zaw09 wrote

No. Manufactured Homes are real estate in NH. In MA, they are more like a car or other good that is transferred via Bill of Sale and not a Deed.

It is considered a depreciation asset because often they reside in a park and owners do not own the land they sit on, meaning the value of the home only goes down while the value of the land may rise with the homeowner seeing no benefit.

If the land is deeded along with the home there is no reason to think of it as something that will depreciate.

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last1stding t1_j5zhh2w wrote

Take a look at this. This is a development in Manchester you don't own the land this house has went up in value. I agree with your reasoning about land value. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/8-Crosswood-Way-Manchester-NH-03102/125862801_zpid/

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GreatGrandaddyPurp t1_j63wkgo wrote

To be fair the same thing happened to used cars but they're still a depreciating asset in normal market conditions.

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NecessaryMistake9754 OP t1_j5zouno wrote

How do you know they don’t own the land? Does it say it in the listing?

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redditthrower888999 t1_j5zr5pb wrote

Go to the assessors webpage. Valuation will list land value and building value. In this case it only lists the building. It does not list anything under land. The above house is listed as a condo.

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UncleRicosWig t1_j61hab2 wrote

Listed as a condo, I’d assume you don’t own the land.

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NecessaryMistake9754 OP t1_j5zrgjv wrote

Shouldn't that be disclosed in the listing that it is land leased? Wow it's crazy that's blatant lie. A condo and a land leased house is very different

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redditthrower888999 t1_j5ztyvm wrote

When you see a listing that looks like a house but the listing says it's a condo, that pretty much says you don't own the land.

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last1stding t1_j5zzi3h wrote

The development is right up the street from me. I watched them being built. They sold like hot cakes. I talked to some of the owners.

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NecessaryMistake9754 OP t1_j5zb9xg wrote

Even if it is on its own land, manufactured home on average only lasts 30 years. You would have to buy a new manufactured home after 30 years. This is exactly the definition of a depreciating asset.

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daveisok t1_j5zcjmj wrote

I would venture to guess that there isn’t too much of a difference between the lifespan of a standard new ranch home compared to a new manufactured home. It’s all up to the care and upkeep of the owner.

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SheenPSU t1_j655507 wrote

That house says it was built in 1948 tho. Seems more like a ranch to me over a 75 yo manufactured home

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Danadroid t1_j5zbt14 wrote

That example is definitely misleading. Looks like it could be a new construction manufactured home 100% but then you see this in the construction details:

Condition

New construction: No

Year built: 1948

Looking at more of the photos, maybe it's not a manufactured home at all though. Just some fancy updates.

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fncw t1_j5zi44r wrote

I agree. It looks like a to-the-studs rebuild. The floor plan does not resemble a doublewide (there's no dividing wall). The porch has 1940s style beadboard paneling. Forced hot water heating.

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SheenPSU t1_j652gin wrote

Looks like a ranch that was a flip to me

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Azr431 t1_j5zmk3m wrote

That's not a manufactured home

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ShortUSA t1_j60x0sx wrote

A mobile home and homes using those same off-site building practices are a depreciating asset that requires different financing, etc.

On the other hand, a modular home, built off-site, but using the same techniques as a standard home: wood studs, drywall, standard plumbing practices, etc, then brought onsite is in some ways better than a home built onsite. It can be financed in the same way, and it is not a depreciating asset. The link to a house in the OP appears to be a link to a module home, not a mobile home or its ilk.

Currently, some very high end, large houses are modular homes. The one in the OP is a very simple, small modular home. Every 5 years or so that goes by the modular homes get nicer and nicer and better built.

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FTheOldWest t1_j5zezl3 wrote

This isn't a mobile home. The original MLS listing form this year is a ranch. Looking at this new listing they clearly bought it and flipped it.

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ShortUSA t1_j60xwvc wrote

I think people are confusing manufactured homes with modular homes. Manufactured homes include mobile homes, and some of similar construction, but the wheels are only "on" for transport to the site.

Modular homes are built to the same standards and international, state and local codes as homes built on-site. Modular homes are built off-site and financed and depreciate just like a traditionally built on-site home. I have never owned a modular home, but would not hesitate to buy one. I would certainly use modular construction to build a new home. Even a very large, fancy new home.

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wetsockssuckass t1_j636lln wrote

Well said!

“mobile” and “manufactured/modular“ homes are build to different building codes. Like you said a “mobile” home is shipped on a steel frame but never comes off that frame once to its destination, it just has skirting to cover the frame.

Modular/manufactured homes are built to the same standards as stick built homes using the IRC building codes. The factory’s actually have inspections that could t as the inspection done in the field. They are built exactly the same as a home done in the field, just in sections, within a factory and then pieced together in the field.

Mobile homes are built to HUD standards and are no where as rugged as a regular home.

There are a lot of misnomers around modular construction, it’s literally built just like a home in the field, just with a roof over it the entire time and then pieced together at the job side in a few days.

I bet most people would be surprised at how complex of a home can be done as a modular. Also, I am starting to see more modular used in Multifamily construction (apartments/mixed used const)

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redditthrower888999 t1_j5zlf4v wrote

That's not a mobile home. That looks like a ranch and the assessors office says it is as well: 1.00 STORY FRAME RANCH YEAR BUILT: 1948

Likely was a vacation home built on blocks back in the day.

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jacobrbrahm t1_j5zmcd8 wrote

Yeah, that’s just a ranch it’s not manufactured. Quickest way to differentiate is as a general rule, ranches have a clear concrete foundation and a basement and manufactured will have neither of those.

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NecessaryMistake9754 OP t1_j5zmvfn wrote

I recently came across one that has a concrete foundation and basement. It is listed as a single family home, but then when I asked the realtor she told me only manufactured home lenders would work because it is actually a home modified from manufactured home. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/32-Lisa-Avenue-Raymond-NH-03077/86789789_zpid

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jacobrbrahm t1_j5zonf5 wrote

If that’s manufactured it’s news to everyone because the town has it listed as a traditional single family home too. I also said as a general rule, not as a 100% sure fire way to differentiate.

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NecessaryMistake9754 OP t1_j5zpa02 wrote

I just wonder all the mobile homes turned into single family home, how long they are going to last and also if they have properly insulation for the cold weather, and also whether the electrical wiring are done properly. A lot of fixes are only domestic (which is the least expensive things to fix) and they didn't fix the expensive stuff

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YouAreHardtoImagine t1_j5zsamb wrote

Is it a full basement all the way or just under the addition? This one seems obvious to me. The skirting and single door on the side, the back roof line. Also 5 beds and 1 bath? Ooof.

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redditthrower888999 t1_j5zt198 wrote

I wonder if this was initially a mobile home, then additions were built onto it which includes the larger part of the home with the basement.

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apd56 t1_j63tdew wrote

Definitely, if you look at the first floor floor plan that narrow section off the back looks to be a mobile home and then a stick framed 2 story addition was built onto the end with a full basement

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ProlapsedMasshole t1_j5zxhgt wrote

This is why people shouldn't waive due diligence or inspections if they don't know what they are doing.

Also (not necessarily with these examples) a new manufactured modular home can be preferable to a stick built home.

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YouAreHardtoImagine t1_j5zmbtk wrote

The property has a chunk of land, basement, and existing utilities. Decent location. That house fits, technically, but I’d hard pass it.

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PirateLunaFox2121 t1_j605o4j wrote

Most mortgage lender won’t even finance a manufactured home on its own land buyer beware.

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ZimofZord t1_j618p47 wrote

It was built in 1948 seems fine?

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MesaVerde87 t1_j5zgxfi wrote

I would imagine it to be illegal.

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