If you’re interested in living in a manufactured home community, or researching what it would be like, you may be wondering if it is different than being in any other neighborhood. The good news is that finding, buying, and living in a home in a manufactured home community is very similar to living in a stick built home. In fact, there are even some extra benefits including a range of amenities and community events that you might not find if you lived somewhere else.
Understanding how manufactured home communities works can be broken out into two sections: purchasing or renting a home and living in a community.
BUYING, RENTING, AND MOVING INTO A MANUFACTURED HOME
The first step to understanding how manufactured home communities works is to learn about the buying and renting process. When you’re ready to move into a manufactured home in a community, the process isn’t any different than buying or renting any other home.
If you are buying a home, you’ll be able to shop different options and figure out which home is the best fit for you. After choosing the home you want to purchase, you are able to apply for a loan. This loan will be for the purchase of the home itself and you’ll be able to rent the land it is on.
Once the loan is approved, you can complete and fill out the paperwork. At YES! Communities we also include Community Living Guidelines. We want to make our communities a great place to live and these guidelines make sure that you can enjoy living in your home and being a part of the community. After the dotted lines are signed and you’ve had a chance to review the Community Living Guidelines, it’s time to move in!
To learn more about buying a manufactured home, check out our guide covering how to buy a home from start to finish.
If you are renting a home, instead of applying for a loan you’ll fill out a renters application. Once approved you can sign the lease and move in.
As a homeowner or renter you’ll also want to get insurance to protect your home and valuables in the case of an emergency. Home or renters insurance is a small cost each month relative to the amount of coverage and peace of mind it can provide.
That covers the process of buying your home, moving in, and getting squared away with insurance. Now, it’s time to enjoy the benefits of your community!
MANUFACTURED HOME COMMUNITY FEATURES
Once you’re settled into your home you’ll be able to enjoy the amenities our manufactured home communities provide. Unlike standard residential neighborhoods where each homeowner privately owns their lot and there may be no community areas, manufactured home communities are quite different.
As we mentioned before the land your home is on is rented, allowing us to offer a wide range of amenities to all homeowners. If the land were privately owned by each homeowner, it would be harder to establish parks and other communal areas that everyone can enjoy throughout the neighborhood.
Each resort style community has different amenities and community features, but you’ll typically find a community center, a playground for the kids, and a swimming pool. In our Find Your Home tool that allows you to search for homes in the area you want to live, you can filter your search with 37 different amenities! These range from fitness centers and soccer fields to picnic areas and business centers.
Our communities also offer fun events year round that are perfect for you and your family. This includes holiday parties and after school programs, as well as pool parties in the summertime.
ADVANTAGES OF MANUFACTURED HOME COMMUNITIES
As you can see, living in a manufactured home community works similarly to buying a stick built home in another neighborhood. But where there are differences is what counts. In a manufactured home community you’ll find amenities that you wouldn’t have otherwise and community events bring you closer to your neighbors while providing fun activities for you and your family.
Learn more about YES! Communities or start searching for your future home (and check out our list of amenities!).