Advice on mobile home , as an actual permanent home

TheDoc

Hi all,

Looking for some advice and feedback from Mobile Home users.

Myself and my girlfriend have been struggling to get a foothold in the property market for two years now. Unfortunately she is struggling to find work. We have had two apartments to which literally the day before moving in, we have had to pull out due to jobloss or fear of jobloss.

Her friends were struggling a bit with rent, and when they looked at options for an alternative home, they hit up a on mobile homes. From listening to the misses ( who made a visit there over the weekend) it was a really nice place, the couple had done it up to be rather modern and essentially a home rather then a mobile home ( removing all the inbuilt wall stuff) and have been living happy there for 3 months.

This has planted a seed with the misses, and shes pushing for me to seriously consider it. My only experience of mobile homes are obviously for holiday use on the two times I've been in one. But I guess there is obviously the concern that if it was really a goer, surely everoyne would do it.

I've literally no idea, or have any clue about them, to be lived in as a main home for a number of years.

My most pressing concerns are

Broadband availability, if its not UPC and 100mb, I don't look at a property)
Bills and utilises, how are these powered, through a jenny or on the main lines? We've been giving a few phonenumbers of ring, people that are looking to sell up and move on, so their mobile homes are already placed within a park.

It sounds a little "too" good to be true, for the price of essentially buying one. I could literally buy one tomorrow, so I'm just concerned as to why I've never really come accross more people doing it?

Sounds in theory like a good way for couples like ourselves to get our own home, while also being able to put money away to save for a house.

Any advice or feedback greatly appreciated.

im invisible

If you don't like your neighbours, you can always move

handlemaster

i had a holiday stay in one before in France. I thought they were rather flimsey as a permanent home and cold. The insulation would not be for long term stays as far as I know. Also there could be an issue with the lenght of stay that you intend to be there. As far I i'm aware and I stand to be corrected they can only be lived in for a few months of the year. .

the_syco

TheDoc wrote: »

We've been giving a few phonenumbers of ring, people that are looking to sell up and move on, so their mobile homes are already placed within a park.

It sounds a little "too" good to be true, for the price of essentially buying one. I could literally buy one tomorrow, so I'm just concerned as to why I've never really come accross more people doing it?

Does the park allow you to live there? As in; I'd wonder if the park doesn't stop you from living there 24/7 to ensure that... certain people don't move in. Also, I'd wonder what the electricity bill would be like, as you'd be paying the park owner the bills, and he may be adding a percentage on top of it.

Also, "everyone" is probably not doing it, in fear of buying a mobile home, only to find that a week later all your neighbours are a certain people who has different cultural habits such as drinking, stealing, fighting, etc, with anyone who lives near by.

TheDoc

II get what your saying there alright

I guess the only information I have on it is from the couple who are there, outlined they spoke to the park owner who said they'd be the only ones doing this, but he has no major problems, but they may need to look or adjust the annual fee as its not calculated on permanent residence, but they would play it by ear. He has had people there for over a year living as a temporary home while the likes of mortages come through, property development or building etc. And said he'd no problem with that.

Obviously this couple are looking to only do this for a while to get back on their feet, and try save/afford their own home. But they are looking at a min 2 year thing at the moment anyway.

As I said they are there 3 months and seem pretty happy, There was some horrid cold weather through November and December and they didn't seem to indicate it was any sort of issue.

As far as the neighbouring situation goes, I guess it goes down to how much you will tolerate. I wouldn't call it snobbery or anything, but I wouldn't particularly mind about neighbours, unless there was the obvious issues. Someone having a party every now and again wouldn't be a big deal. I've been a northsider all my life, and most recently was nearly moved into Mountjoy Sq. so its not like I'm put off by someone with an accent (I practically have one myself) :P

Lets not beat around the bush. One of my first questions is why the place isnt full of travellers, to which the response was they had raised the same question with the park owner who indicated its private land, and he had some issues when he first opened(a pretty long time ago) but it was resolved pretty quickly with the police removing them. They have had no instance of illegal occupancy since the initial year he was open, and he reserves the right to refuse admission. Seemingly he outlined how he has had no issues of turning people away if he felt they would be disruptive or a nuisance, and has served a few removal notices for uncontrollable teens who use it as a pissup base in the summer.

I dunno, just wanted to put a feeler out there. I'm not mad on the idea myself, I'm not under pressure to move out, and would rather wait for something a bit more standard and normal. I just wanted to see if maybe there was some people who have gone down this route, and get their thoughts.

Financially, it is prety enticing I have to say. My only major concern was ulitities, but the couple who got through the winter said while it was a little bit more then their old house, it was nowhere near what they would have paid had they being in the house.

TheDoc

handlemaster wrote: »

As far I i'm aware and I stand to be corrected they can only be lived in for a few months of the year. .

Is this technical, as in the actually property would not be able to sustain two adults for a year?

Or in terms of having the permission to be in one for the year?

gctest50

Start collecting shipping containers and welding rods

http://www.homedsgn.com/2012/04/05/shipping-container-house-by-studio-ht/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbvB5UPxjO0

handlemaster

TheDoc wrote: »

Is this technical, as in the actually property would not be able to sustain two adults for a year?

Or in terms of having the permission to be in one for the year?

just to do with planning laws / park rules. As I say I stand to be corrected.

longhalloween

TheDoc wrote: »

Is this technical, as in the actually property would not be able to sustain two adults for a year?

Or in terms of having the permission to be in one for the year?

I wouldn't say the cold would be a major factor. You might have to take out the original insulation and use some of a better quality. The floor would have to be insulated too as I presume it's raised. Presumably the windows would have to be changed too.

So long as you both have enough space and aren't tripping over each other and you're both sure there won't be tension living in such confined conditions I'm sure it's doable.

You might have to call UPC about the broadband situation as depending on where the park owner locates you, you could be a good distance from the nearest pole.

flutered

a mate lives in one, he has it on his own site, even tho it is quite an exposed site it never wavered in the strongest gales, he has oil heating installed, it works out at a 5 liter drum a week, he has the leccy line of sight broadband, what he really done to make it better is to build a little house along side it, here he as his washer, drier and cooker, a nice cheap accomadation, methinks, yeah five stars from me.

StillWaters

A lot of the parks have restrictions as to how many weeks you can use your mobile home, but some are open year round. Check out the annual service charge too, they can run into thousands.

Spindle

gctest50 wrote: »

Start collecting shipping containers and welding rods

http://www.homedsgn.com/2012/04/05/shipping-container-house-by-studio-ht/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbvB5UPxjO0

I wonder if you would be able to get permission the build this in Ireland, would be a cool idea, cheap housing!

mikom

TheDoc wrote: »

Hi all,

Looking for some advice and feedback from Mobile Home users.

Don't forget to leave the wheels on.................... Zero property tax.

fasttalkerchat

Are you talking bout a caravan or a prefab?

It was a traditional way of saving to build a home in the past - buy/inherit a site, get a prefab/mobile home and place it on the site. Electricity and water would be run to the site as it was going to be hooked up to the house eventually anyways.

Chip away at building a house and eventually be able to sell on the prefab.

Not sure how the council would view it from a planning point of view today.

handlemaster

mikom wrote: »

Don't forget to leave the wheels on.................... Zero property tax.

aren't the 'wheels off' the property market anyway !!

TheDoc

fasttalkerchat wrote: »

Are you talking bout a caravan or a prefab?

Neither, google mobile home, million and 1 pics

flutered

Deleted User wrote: »

It was a traditional way of saving to build a home in the past - buy/inherit a site, get a prefab/mobile home and place it on the site. Electricity and water would be run to the site as it was going to be hooked up to the house eventually anyways.

Chip away at building a house and eventually be able to sell on the prefab.

Not sure how the council would view it from a planning point of view today.

as long as it has wheels underneath it the council cannot refuse.

fasttalkerchat

There ya go. Rather you than me though!
http://www.gumtree.com/p/flats-houses/bargin-buy-mobile-home-for-sale-must-go-before-new-year/1003600346#gallery-item-full-7

TheDoc

fasttalkerchat wrote: »

There ya go. Rather you than me though!
http://www.gumtree.com/p/flats-houses/bargin-buy-mobile-home-for-sale-must-go-before-new-year/1003600346#gallery-item-full-7

HAHA.

In fairness the ones we were looking at, were probably on par if not better, both space and look wise, then alot of 1 bed apartments we have been looking at.

Anyway I'm trying to cool her off the idea, as smart as it may be financially, there is something about living in a trailer park on me tod that freaks me out.

flutered

op if you do go down the road of getting one, make sure that the deal is the seller delivers.

TheDoc

?

mylittlepony

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TheDoc ?[/HTML]

Delivering the mobile home to you to your chosen site rather than you paying more expenses to get it transported.

John Mason

a friend of mine lived in one for year in the UK. it was great, there was a great community and facilities.

we had some great parties there. they are bigger then some 1-bed apartments i have seen.

actually, a few years ago the girl that used to do my nails, bought one with a ten year lease in (i think) Rush.

she was telling me about the wooden floors they had put in.

zef

There is a nice quiet secluded "trailer Park" there up near JCs in Swords, and a much bigger one in Donabate.
The one in swords is for year around habitation, and has about 12 units.
Used to be one in Swords called Mantua (some parties goin back years!) but afaik it was re-developed.

longhalloween

I think there's a small park near Drogheda. I drive past it every once in a while. Bout 6 mobile homes in a yard outside a small cottage. Residents have hanging baskets and stuff in the yard.

It looks really nice

TheDoc

I'm in Swords myself, this park is the one in Donabate.

The one that was for sale was sold yesterday. Was advertised at 11,500 and went for €7500

zef

Thats pretty cheap if its in good condition. Im originally from Swords too.
Remember viewing one in Mantua back in 1996- and the asking price for a decent 2 bed was 16k then!