Is a mobile home boom brewing? Twenty-three U.S. states saw online searches for mobile homes increase 50% or more from May to September compared to the same period a year ago, according to a new analysis of Google Trends data from Point2Homes. The popularity of mobile homes—or also referred to as manufactured homes—is increasing as some home shoppers search for affordability and their own space in the pandemic.
Mobile home searches online increased more than 80% in Connecticut, New Mexico, Virginia, and Texas, the study shows.
As home prices increase for single-family homes, some buyers may be looking for a way to still own a home but at a lower cost. The typical monthly housing payment for manufactured homes is $505 for owners—which includes the loan payment, lot rental, utilities, insurance, and property taxes—and $670 for renters, which includes rent and utilities. For comparison, the typical monthly house payment for a single-family owner is more than double that at $1,168, according to research from the Urban Institute.
“Mobile home interest and demand is not a new trend or is it solely pandemic-fueled,” says Karen Condor, a real estate professional and home insurance expert with USInsuranceAgents.com. “It has been growing for at least a few years now, and will continue to do so, for several reasons tied to the population boom and the scarcity of resources.”
Condor says that aging baby boomers are transforming mobile parks into retirement communities. Also, mobile homes take less time to build and have seen major upgrades over the years in security features, energy efficiency, and designs, Candor adds.
Point2Homes’ data shows that the greatest percent change from May to September year-over-year in mobile home searches for sale occurred in the following areas:
- Connecticut: 85%
- New Mexico: 83%
- Texas: 83%
- Virginia: 83%
- Delaware: 60%
- Nebraska: 60%
- Utah: 53%
- Nevada: 52%
- Vermont: 51%
Source: “Mobile Home Boom: 23 U.S. States See Searches Increase 50% and Over,” Point2Homes.com (Dec. 7, 2020)
