My husband and I are looking for a new place to live. We've decided we want to buy, this time, and that we're going to buy a mobile home - most likely one already in a park¹. Another option is to buy a used one and move it to a park²

I've had some questions about mobile home parks in general³. I'd been asked something offsite, but had had to go, so I couldn't remember the questions, and had to ask what the questions were. 'Possibly to do with dimensions of plot of land you would get with the homes, and what the actual parks are like - are they green and spacious, with flowers and wildlife mingling amongst the mobile homes with room for juggling or football outside, or are they tarmac covered car parks with trailers stuck on them?' This is what I was reminded that the questions were. Anyway (this is going to sound like I'm avoiding the issue but...) it depends on the park, really. We're avoiding the trailer parks, that cater more to people who aren't planning on staying. Each of the parks we're looking at gives at least a small yard to each, but some give more than others. None of them have wildlife⁴

The Green Place We Looked At 22.3.02

• Double wide
• 2 bedroom, 2 bath
• Washer, dryer, dishwasher, disposal, stove top, oven, broiler(?), fridge, swamp cooler
• Asking $17,950 (owner financing)
• Travel Lodge Mobile Home Park

OK, so those are the bare facts. What do I think of it? Well, this is the first place we looked at - I got off work an hour early, just so we could look (I can't really do that again easily!). I tend to get a bit enthusiastic about the first place we look at whenever we move, so... Anyway, it's a good sized place - has a big screened-in patio. The location sucks, though⁵... And while the master bedroom is a good size, the second bedroom is a bit small, and you have to go through it to get to the patio. No problem when we have our first child⁷, but once that child gets bigger, and/or we have another, I can see it becoming a problem. I like the layout of the kitchen, but there's not really any dining area, though there is a very nice built-in china cabinet (lots of storage throughout the place, really) I liked it when I saw it...

The Big Blue Box (23.3.02)

• Double wide
• 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
• Washer, dryer, stove, oven, microwave, fridge, A/C, dishwasher, disposal
• Asking $32,500
• Cordovan Mobile Home Park

This was the one that neither Tom or I liked. Basically a big box with four doors, no patio, didn't like how the kitchen was laid out, tiny plot⁸. After all, this isn't going to be like an apartment, where we're going to be moving soon anyway and this one was manufactured in 1965, although it has been extensively refurbished. Just... No. Let the people who saw it just before we did take it, if they want it.

The Grey Place We Looked At 23.3.02

• Single wide with pop-out
• 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
• Washer, dryer, stove, oven, fridge, A/C
• Asking $17,000
• Bradshaw Mobile Home Park

This one looks a lot nicer. And it's in a much better location⁹. Tom thinks it's quite a bit smaller, but I don't think there's all that much difference in size. The big bedroom might be about the same size, but the smaller bedroom is much bigger than the one in the green one. It doesn't have the big screened-in patio, nor a second bathroom. The lot it sits on is bigger, though, and there are two storage sheds. The washer and dryer are outside, in a box-type thing the current owners built (we were shown around by them - they are still living there). Couldn't tell if there was a garbage disposal, as there were dishes in the sink. No dishwasher, but that's not a problem. Only 1 bathroom. A small sun-room type thing. I like this one the best of all I've seen so far¹⁰

Green One We Saw The Outside Of On 24.3.02

• Double wide
• 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
• Haven't been inside yet, so don't know the appliances...
• Asking $46,500¹¹
• Bradshaw Mobile Home Park

We were driving through the Bradshaw Park again¹² and saw a new 'For Sale' sign. The owner was home, but she had just put the place on the market the day before (the sign must have gone up after we were there earlier) and she wasn't ready to show it yet. Tom and I both love this place, and we haven't even seen the inside yet! The place is huge, and has a big yard. The price is a bit higher than we are looking at, really, but, as I pointed out, where are you going to find a three bedroom house for this price, even if it were falling down¹³? Hopefully, I'll have more details on this one later.

Tan Place We Saw On 26.3.02

• Single wide
• 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
• Fridge, stove, oven, dishwasher, disposal, swamp cooler
• Asking $12,000
• Cordovan Mobile Home Park

This place would be perfect for a single person. It's tiny! Very cute, though... just not big enough. The second bedroom would make a good computer room, but not much of a bedroom. The 'big' bedroom is pretty small, too.

So, what has been decided? Watch for House Hunting 2 for the answer!

Amy Pawloski

04.04.02 Front Page

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