Need Help. Mobile Home

[Camp1]

Yes. Mobile Home. JoAnn, please help.

First of all I have been appraising for 15 years and there is a fairly large concentration of factory built homes in the area which I have plenty of experience, but I have yet to run across this issue before. Prior to calling my client to discuss the issue, I would like to have my ducks in a row.

I received an appraisal order for a private purchase for a regular Credit Union client I have. No FNMA. NO GSE. They regularly do loans for manufactured and on-frame modular homes.

Preliminary research the property to be located in a subdivision of primarily manufactured homes. County Property Records indicate the home to be manufactured. Simple enough.

At arrival to the property I do not see any HUD label at the front of the house. Upon entry, I ask the owner if the siding of the house had been replaced. He though it was original although had only lived in the house for 3 years.

I ask about the Data Plate and he takes me to the electrical panel box where I find what appears to be the Data Plate but with less information. Then I notice a bright yellow sticker which reads: Mobile Home



The Data Plate reads that the home is designed to comply with Federal Mobile Home Construction and Safety Standards, but the date of manufacture is 1984.



To further complicate the issue, the owner tells me that his belief is that the home is an on-frame modular and is insured as a modular home, but there was no stamp or other indication of modular construction within the home. There were no visible exterior HUD labels. There is a brick skirting and no visible access to a crawl space.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

HUD labels are red. I am going to go out on a limb and say that the standard is a UL (underwriters Laboratory) standard and NOT a HUD standard.

So I would report that it is not a HUD approved building or, the HUD stamps are not visible or present. Since it is not secondary market, then you are going to have to ask yourself if this matters to the market and how so. I would also ask the lender if it matters to them. They may have a policy of lending only on HUD approved property.

And how wide is it? If only 8' wide, then its a travel trailer or park model.

 

[Camp1]

HUD labels are red. I am going to go out on a limb and say that the standard is a UL (underwriters Laboratory) standard and NOT a HUD standard.

So I would report that it is not a HUD approved building or, the HUD stamps are not visible or present. Since it is not secondary market, then you are going to have to ask yourself if this matters to the market and how so. I would also ask the lender if it matters to them. They may have a policy of lending only on HUD approved property.

And how wide is it? If only 8' wide, then its a travel trailer or park model.

Thanks for the reply.

The home is 24x48 and the Data Plate does seem to indicate an A/B section as if a manufactured doublewide. The yellow UL sticker was also in the panel box and refers to a HUD label.

I have a call into the lender to see how their underwriting will want to deal with the property. Typically on a manufactured home they require the presence of a data plate and HUD tags or a replacement would have to be ordered. I am just confused as to whether such a "Mobile Home" would even have HUD Labels. If the house were built prior to 1976 it would make more sense to me.

If I proceed with the appraisal after the client gives the go-ahead, then the comparables would be manufactured as it is in a community of manufactured homes and the typical buyer would likely see it as such.

 

[CANative]

Built after June 1976 to the HUD code. By definition this is a Manufactured Home.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

By definition this is a Manufactured Home.

That is the first time I've seen a reference to "Mobile Home" on a HUD manf. home though. What next, "trailer house" ?

 

[CANative]

HUD never had a construction code for Mobile Homes. This one is kind of old and the label verbiage is not exact. So what?

If it was not built to the HUD code then it would be considered an on-frame modular and not be eligible for the GSE's and maybe not even for FHA.

I say there is enough insignia data to call it a Manufactured Home. The OP could make the appraisal subject to verification from IBTS. If necessary the OP (or someone else) could crawl under and look for the serial numbers which should be engraved, stamped or etched on the chassis.

 

[Restrain]

Google search shows the company to be a modular home manufacturer, closed in 2008. That is why the confusing info, not a HUD manufactured home. If you have the steel undercarriage, it is an 'on-frame modular' of which a bunch were built in the 80's.