Manufactured Home vs Modular Home

[mapweb2000]

I am trying to buy a home that the appraiser says is manufactured, however the owner says it's modular. The bank will not approve the loan with an affidavit of affixture or the original green title. The house is located in Michigan. The Secretary of State office has no record of a title and the state LARA has no record of affitxture. The house was noted as modular by the local village assessor and taxes have been paid on it since day one. I can provide photos of the floor joists and the lack of metal chassis, but I am told that is not a determining factor. I have also learned there could be a tag under the kitchen sink if it's modular, but have not been able to check for one.

Can someone please help clarify the type of home? Has anyone seen a home that has no title and no proof of affixture?

Thank you!
Michael

From the data plate:
Manufacturer: Patriot Homes, Inc
Date of Manufacture: 8-21-86
HUD No 077828/077829
Manufacturer's Serial Number and Model Unit: 839 EM 52-48x28 PAT.IND. 1040 A/B

Data Plate



HUD Tag 1



HUD Tag 2

 

[DWiley]

Manufactured homes are certified to have been built in accordance with the HUD code. Modular homes must comply with local building codes.

In my experience, tax records are not a reliable indicator, though that can vary by locale.

 

[RSW]

If it has a HUD tag it is a manufactured home. It is says "HUD" anywhere on the exterior tag it is a manufactured home.

 

[EddieB]

HUD tags and numbers would indicate that this is a manufactured home built to HUD specifications and not modular. DWiley is correct that modular homes are built to local codes and not HUD.

Curious about your joists. Modular can be built on steel chassis which is considered a hybrid. Most usually called an on-frame modular. I’ve never seen a HUD home on wood joists.

But I haven't seen everything

 

[Stantheman]

A modular home come in pieces, like a Lyndell Cedar home. A manufactured home has the HUD Tags and the Data Plate on the inside. It was brought to the spot on a trailer, the towing tongue was removed, it's supposed to be strapped down in the crawlspace. The documents you are showing look like a manufactured home, although looking at the Patriot site they sell both.

 

[BRCJR]

Contact Patriot Homes in Elkhart, IN and provide the information you posted. They will be able to answer definitively, I would think.

 

[TerryRohrer]

What you have provided identifies a manufactured home. As Danny noted, taxing jurisdictions are not reliable. Where I am, they used to make an effort to identify manufactured homes as manufactured homes. Very recently, they are all being identified as average quality site-built homes. Makes the value jump and tax receipts follow that trend! Crooked, but it has happened.

 

[glenn walker]

Its a manufactured home

 

[mapweb2000]

Contact Patriot Homes in Elkhart, IN and provide the information you posted. They will be able to answer definitively, I would think.

Thank you. Unfortunately, they are out of business.

 

[mapweb2000]

Thank you. I needed your expert opinions for confirmation. I understand that HUD tags = manufactured home. I will have to accept that.

What threw me off was the lack of steel chassis underneath. no steel i-beam down the middle, no piers supporting it. individual plumbing runs, duct work in the basement as well as water heater and furnace in the basement.

For those that are curios, attached is the basement / floor structure view.