Podcast: Manufactured Housing

Location Cubed

Key Points:

• The goal of manufactured housing is to provide individuals with high-quality homes
• Manufactured housing communities help bridge the labor gap in areas with limited housing options
• Technology advancements add strength, speed and value to manufactured housing

It was time for a little myth busting on Location Cubed when Rob Nowak and Howard Altshuler spoke with Tyler Martin, Assurance Senior Manager at Weaver. There are some misconceptions people think of when they hear the term ‘manufactured housing,’ and Martin was more than happy to separate fact from fiction.

Martin says, “When you say manufactured housing, what a lot of people think of is, you know, the mobile home, the trailer. That’s a different thing; it’s a legacy name. So, one of the big misconceptions is from a quality standpoint that these (manufactured) homes are not built to last, they’re not comfortable, they don’t have the amenities, and that’s starting to change.”

Another misconception Martin says surrounds manufactured housing is exploitative practices. And while some of these communities may have government funding backing them, builders are moving towards the manufactured housing community approach due to myriad factors: rising interest rates, affordability and a general need for housing. These communities open doors for many looking for a home that was previously out of their reach. “Without a doubt, manufactured housing is one of the solutions to our affordable housing and attainable housing problems.”

The technological advancements that increase the quality of today’s manufactured housing mean a re-think of the traditional loan programs for this type of housing needs to occur. Previous concerns were that these homes would not last twenty-five years or more. That is no longer the case.

“Another interesting thing we’re seeing,” Martin says, “is the technology catching up and moving to the next level. 3D printing is one of those. There are a lot of new companies that are popping up. You’ve got homes now that will 3D print in concrete on-site and can lay down all the walls, interior, and exterior on a 2,500 square foot house in less than twenty-four hours.”

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