Modular Home Investments
(An excerpt from 69
Ways To Make Money In Real Estate)
By Steve Gillman - 2005
Why modular home investments? Because you can make for good
profits in the right areas. The downside? One major drawback
(for some) is that these can be hard deals to finance. You may
need a lot of cash.
Contrary to the common perception, modular homes are not just
a step up from mobile homes. The new ones are usually built to
higher standards than many regular stick-built houses. They have
six-inch walls and lots of insulation. Once they are on a foundation,
they often qualify for regular home financing, as opposed to
mobiles, which you'll always pay a higher interest rate on.
Modulars are cheaper than site-built wood-framed homes, making
them a good choice for many home buyers, but what about investors?
It depends how you use them. If they are already attached to
a lot, you can just treat them like any residential property
- as long as they are truly modular homes, and not classified
as double-wide mobile homes. The latter are harder to finance,
and you'll pay higher interest.
The most profitable strategy may be to start with land and
put a modular on it. In many areas, a modular home on an acre
of land might sell for $140,000, and yet the cost of the land
and the necessary improvements plus the modular may be
under $100,000. There is a great opportunity in those areas where
this is true.
A Modular Home Investment Example
Let's suppose you've been watching sales of homes around the
city where you live. Now and then you see a modular sell, usually
on an acre or two of land, because many subdivisions won't allow
them. They seem to be consistently selling for around $135,000
or so if they have at least three bedrooms and two baths.
You find several suitable pieces of property in the area selling
for $29,000 to $35,000. You can buy a 3-bedroom, 2-bath modular
new for $64,000. The modular salesman tells you what you need
to do to prepare a lot. Now you need to investigate the other
costs.
The well drilling company which has been most active in the
area tells you that the wells are shallow in the area where two
of the properties are. They can put in a well and pump for $3,800.
The soils is sandy, so you can get a septic system installed
for just $4,700. A power pole will cost $1,500, an asphalt driveway
$2,800, and the foundation $3,200. Setting up the home and making
the hook-ups is included in the purchase price. Closing costs
and two months of holding costs will run about $3,000.
You are interested in the most expensive lot, the one that
is $35,000. It has the nicest location, and it is in the area
where it is cheaper to have a well put it.
Adding up all costs, you get a figure of $118,000. You think
you'll get more for the property, but you make a safe projection
of $132,000. After $8,000 in commission and other closing costs,
you would be left with a profit of only $6,000. That is not very
motivating.
Fortunately, you have other plans. You have enough cash to
start the project, and a home equity line of credit (on your
own home), so you can finish it without getting a mortgage on
it. You make an offer on the property of $32,000 which is accepted.
Then you arrange for the well, septic system, and power pole
to be installed. While this is going on, you start shopping for
a repossessed modular.
You've seen repossessed modulars advertised in the paper for
as little as $30,000. You let some dealers know you are interested
in a "repo," and a month later you get a call. A dealer
has an almost new 3-bedroom, 2-bath modular that he will sell
for $49,000. You agree.
You spend $15,000 less on the home as originally projected,
and you bought the lot for $3,000 less as well. You do $2,000
in landscaping that you didn't include in your original figures.
You have an extra $1,000 in holding costs because it took longer
than originally projected to complete the project, and the other
costs are $2,000 higher than anticipated.
Because you did the landscaping and paid for the better lot,
the home sells for $138,000. Your total costs were just $113,000.
Your total profit is $25,000. That is enough to make investing
in modular homes interesting.
|
If you found this useful or interesting, please share:
|
