Alternatives to Mobile Homes

The benefits of having a home that you can just plunk down on a piece of property are many. Some homes of this type appeal to people who have bought a piece of property but can't afford to build a home on it, or would just prefer a small premade residence. If you buy a large piece of property that you'd like to build on later, you might opt for some kind of housing that is either temporary or could serve as a guest house or rental later on.

In the olden days, it used to be that if you were looking for a semi-portable type of home, you were pretty much stuck with the descendants of the original single-wide trailer home or a generic travel trailer. While it is true that the trailer home, or mobile home, has come a long way in the years since they first started there are some interesting alternatives available now.

If you are looking to purchase a pre-made home that you're going to keep in place so that it doesn't need to be portable then you have a few more options than if you require a portable home. Homes that can be moved may be built on a trailer frame or trucked to your location, as long as it has road access. A home on a trailer frame can just be parked at the location but a pre-built structure will likely require some sort of foundation for it to sit it on.

Available pre-made homes can range from the modern pre-fabricated home that is assembled on your lot to homes made out of shipping containers and just placed on your lot. Some of the pre-fab homes available are beautifully designed modern structures, having evolved exponentially over the years into fabulous examples of modern design. Likewise, the recent trend to recycling used shipping containers has resulted in some amazing new designs in ready-built housing. Take a look online to see what is available near you.

For a more portable alternative, there are a few companies that produce small custom pre-made homes built on trailer frames. These homes range from 65 square feet to about 130 square feet. These homes are beautifully crafted small homes, full of rustic charm and personality.

Many of these pre-made options are a good choice to put on an undeveloped lot because they are designed specifically to be used off-grid. Many have the option of composting toilets, grey water recycling, and solar panels. Having an off-grid designed home can save you the additional costs of hooking up for electricity and sewer or septic.

Consider your needs and your expectations; if you're planning on building on your property later on, then be sure to consider placement as well so that your smaller structure doesn't take the best spot on the property if you don't plan on moving it. Check out the zoning in your area to see what's allowed, some areas will not allow you to put up a very small footprint building on an undeveloped lot. For the best results for your situation, research your options online and talk to local real estate agents.