Modular

[uncle sam]

Would a seller, or their realtor be required to tell the buyer that the house was modular? Has ansi ever made a statement as per stick-built vs. modular?

 

[Deleted member 128537]

There is nothing in the disclosure documents in WI that a property has to be disclosed as a modular home. That may differ from state to state. Some modular homes are very difficult to tell when you walk in. I use to own a modular home business. When I had people walk into my model home they couldn't believe it was modular. I let them look at the home I now live before I tell them. All that people do when they walk into my house is at first blush say, "What a nice house." Having said that in our MLS realtors have to disclose if it is modular or not. But most realtors don't have a clue regarding the difference between modular and manufactured. In fact I know some appraisers that are clueless. Plus I'll bet that many modulars are mistaken for frame houses. I can remember walking into many modular homes asking, "Is this modular?" It wasn't until I went down stairs or looked in the crawl space that I could tell where the marriage walls joined together. But if those are covered up it would be really hard to tell with certainty on some homes. Not sure what ansi would have to say. The fact is modulars are built to the same building codes as on-site frame homes. So I think it is up to the local building code more than ANSI. But not sure.

 

[Noreen]

If I'm not mistaken, they are NOT considered in a "manufactured" home category.

 

[Tim Hicks (Texas)]

Some areas have modular homes on steel frames exactly like a HUD code manufactured home, but modular home construction and labeling. These are most similar to manufactured homes and are not eligible for all financing. Just saying...

 

[Jo Ann Meyer Stratton]

http://www.workingre.com/manufactured-or-modular-home/

On frame modulars are no longer eligible for Freddie Mac either. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae will not buy a loan on a moved manufactured home, FHA has not insured a loan for a moved manufactured home for many years.

http://www.ibts.org/services/servic.../modular-home-state-certification-labels.html

 

[Pam Wyant]

Our MLS has a separate choice under type/style for modular versus manufactured, versus mobile, versus ranch, etc. So, while they should be disclosing it, I have often seen even manufactured homes simply listed under ranch. It does seem to be getting better the last few years. As far as I know other than the fact the data might be construed misleading if not properly disclosed in the MLS, I don't think the seller has any obligation to state whether the property is modular.

 

[CANative]

I once asked an agent why she listed MHs as regular houses in a development where MH's were common. She said because people would not want to go out and see them if they knew in advance.

 

[VolcanoLvr]

I know many RE Agents don't know the legal, technical and manufacturing difference between Manufactured, Modular, On-frame Modular and site built housing........and miss-report the actual characteristic of the home.

But for gosh sake, why do appraisers also fall into that trap?

Frankly, if you don't know the legal, technical and manufacturing differences, you should confine yourself to appraising only site-built homes ..... assuming of course you actually know what those are and don't confuse them with the others.

 

[Meandering]

We have modulars that are not on metal frames, and are considered similar to stick built. They are easier to identify with marriage joints, and flip up roof supports. They are not HUD homes, no data plates. The MLS no longer differentiates them from stick built homes.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

Has ansi ever made a statement as per stick-built vs. modular?

Not that I know of.

I once asked an agent why she listed MHs as regular houses in a development where MH's were common. She said because people would not want to go out and see them if they knew in advance

My nephew took some people to look at such a listing and they were furious. They had explicitly indicated that they were NOT interested in ANY MH. He lost their business and eat another agents butt over it. I'm sure it didn't matter. "More traffic" ...

Yep... a lot of people cannot tell a MH from modular or stick... But personally, I have see homes that are "factory built" sections that I would not classify as modular. Wall and floor sections are built and they used a crane to set in place. They even had electrical cleverly built into sections and were roofed like conventional houses. There is no metal frame and no recognizable marriage walls. I can think of two nearby that I would defy anyone to identify as not being stick built on location.