Manufactured Home - Consumer's Guide

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By an act of Congress in 1974, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) was designated as the government agency to oversee the Federal Manufactured Housing Program. The area within HUD responsible for the oversight function is the Office of Regulatory Affairs and Manufactured Housing, Office of Manufactured Housing. Most States have a State Administrative Agency (SAA) that administers the HUD program in that State. A listing of the SAAs can be found in the homeowner's manual that is provided with each new home.

Answer: A manufactured home (formerly known as a mobile home) is built to the Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (HUD Code) and displays a red certification label on the exterior of each transportable section. Manufactured homes are built in the controlled environment of a manufacturing plant and are transported in one or more sections on a permanent chassis.

Question: May the Retailer Make Alterations to a New Home?

Answer: Retailers may make alterations, but must carefully ensure that the change complies with the HUD Code. If an alteration does not comply with the HUD Code, the home cannot be sold or offered for sale. If you have a question about an alteration to your home, contact the home manufacturer, the SAA, or HUD for assistance. An alteration is defined as the replacement, addition, modification, or removal of any equipment or installation, after sale by a manufacturer to a retailer, but prior to sale by the retailer to a purchaser, that may affect the construction; fire safety; occupancy; or plumbing, heating, or electrical systems.

Question: Am I Permitted to Relocate My Home to Another Site or Even Another State?

Answer: Yes, when a home is going to be relocated , it is crucial to check with the appropriate authorities having jurisdiction regarding transportation of manufactured homes and applicable zoning regulations regarding placement of the home. There are State laws that regulate the weight, size, running gear, and width of homes being transported on State highways. Also, the data plate zone maps located in the home indicate the zones for which the home was constructed. A manufactured home should never be placed in a more restrictive wind, thermal, or roof load zone than that for which it was built.

Question: What Are My Options for Financing the Purchase of a Manufactured Home?

Answer: There are many alternatives for financing your home, including a growing number of lending institutions that are providing conventional and government-insured financing plans for prospective owners. The most common method of financing a manufactured home is through a retail installment contract, available through your retailer. Some lending institutions that offer conventional, long-term real estate mortgages may require the homes to be placed on approved foundations. Manufactured homes are eligible for government-insured loans offered by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), the Veterans Administration (VA), and the Rural Housing Services (RHS) under the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

For additional assistance, you may wish to contact HUD's Housing Counseling Clearinghouse. HUD-approved housing counseling agencies provide housing counseling to renters, first-time buyers, and homeowners. Homeowners with problems that could result in default of their mortgage or foreclosure on their property need to contact a HUD-approved housing counseling agency immediately. HUD's Housing Counseling Clearinghouse operates a toll-free 24-hour-a-day automated voice response system that provides referrals to local housing counseling agencies, at (800) 569-4287. Referrals are also available to Spanish-speaking consumers.