In 1995, the Orlando Sentinel newspaper published an article with the headline “Mobile Homes Fight For Respect.”
The article discussed all the advantages of manufactured housing, from the quality materials used to the lower price point. But it also recognized that the industry has been held back by negative connotations associated with “mobile homes” and even “trailers” as opposed to manufactured housing, the preferred (and more accurate) industry term.
Twenty-three years have passed since that article. Has the situation changed?
If you go on Google (which hadn’t been invented yet when the Sentinel piece was published) and search for manufactured home, more than half the results still use “mobile” in the headline.
Why does it happen? In most cases its just habit. The industry has done its best to rebrand its products, and today there are manufactured homes as beautiful and elegant as any site-built dwelling.
There is even one that is valued at $4 million. It’s located in Malibu and offers stunning views of the Pacific. You’ll find it in the Paradise Cove Mobile Home Park. Yes, “mobile home park.” Apparently even the finest examples of manufactured housing in the country cannot escape that unfortunate word association.
The reason is simple – there are thousands of people still under the impression that manufactured and “mobile” homes are the same thing, and have no interest in a house that can be hooked up to a trailer. They don’t realize that the overwhelming majority of manufactured homes built today are transported to a permanent foundation.
They don’t realize the high standards to which these factory-built structures must adhere, or the warranties on workmanship and components. And they’ll never discover how much money they can save on a home that has all the room, all the features and all the comfort they desire.
It is long past time we moved past the “mobile” designation. We are proud to offer manufactured homes, and once you see them we are confident you’ll be impressed.