I want to live in a trailer

[sub92loyill]

I'm going to graduate soon and begin my full time job in the DC area. Buying a trailer (or "manufactured home") seems to me like a good invesment. At the very least, it sounds better than living in an apartment for the next 5 years and having nothing to sell when I choose to leave.

Has anyone done something similar? I'd like to know at least a little bit about the loans, mortgage, and investment I will need to make to actually have this work out in my favor.

Thanks

 

[astrodudepsu]

in the DC area huh? where exactly would you put this trailer?

 

[Ghostrider02gt]

are you talking about those "green" trailers? The frieght containers and what not?

 

[Cobra-O]

No chance of picking up a small house instead? Don't know the area at all, but if you can pick up a "fixer-upper" house for similar money, no doubt do that. Homes grow in value, trailers decline in value. In this market, it seems like a house is almost a sure bet.

Are you talking about putting the trailer on land that you own, or joining an established "park"? Again, land will grow in value, you don't re-coop any of the costs of renting a spot in a trailer park.

 

[Joe50]

Trailers drop in value so quickly. It's like owning a car that you sleep in.

If you do end up buying one, don't buy a brand new one.

 

[ff500]

There is a trailer park in the City of Boston, its actually in one of the nicer parts of the City right on the Charles River.

 

[sub92loyill]

in the DC area huh? where exactly would you put this trailer?

Dc area trailer park - Google Maps

?

I would like to pick up a small house if possible, but a small house can mean upwards of $100k. Trailers that I've seen were around $50k, some wayyy less.

Even more ridiculous - I may have the opportunity to pick up a construction trailer for near free. I'm wondering if it's possible to plop it on a piece of land in a park somewhere, fit it out, and sell it.

I realize trailers decrease in value, but I do plan on buying a POS, living like the cheap bastard I am, and fixing it to retain as much value as possible (or make a profit).

I'd like to be in and out in 5 years.

 

[RAPTOR5V]

trailer trash!!

 

[astrodudepsu]

Dc area trailer park - Google Maps

?

I would like to pick up a small house if possible, but a small house can mean upwards of $100k. Trailers that I've seen were around $50k, some wayyy less.

Even more ridiculous - I may have the opportunity to pick up a construction trailer for near free. I'm wondering if it's possible to plop it on a piece of land in a park somewhere, fit it out, and sell it.

I realize trailers decrease in value, but I do plan on buying a POS, living like the cheap bastard I am, and fixing it to retain as much value as possible (or make a profit).

I'd like to be in and out in 5 years.

I can tell you RIGHT NOW, you don't want to live in any of those places. Unless you are used to living in the ghetto (I'm not too familiar with Boston).

 

[SCcobra4me]

trailer trash!!

GO FOR IT!!! Me and the wife always joke that if we didn't have kids, we wouldn't mind it. But if you think of rent and such, a trailer might not be a bad move. Find a nice one for $20-30k, why the f$%k not!! You know it's temporary and you'd probably save money.

But from my neck of the woods, you buy the trailer but rent the lot that it's on, don't know exact details but it'd be worth looking into. Not to mention, some of those damn things are nice inside, just get yourself a double wide and you're set. :rockon:

 

[spazzyfry123]

I say find a foreclosed home in the area and buy it on the super cheap and turn around and sell it in 5 years or so for way more than you've got in it.:rolling:

But with that said, my grandparents have some land in Alabama that they put a double wide on...And I got to say that it is one hell of a nice trailer!

 

[RAPTOR5V]

1. trailer trash

Derogatory description for person who seems well-suited to residential life in a mobile home park and is distinguished by poor hygiene, foul language, slovenly or slutty clothing, driving a Camaro, and general ignorance. Recreations include drinking malt liquor in lawn chairs under tattered R.V. awning and teenage pregnancy. Close synonymn for poor white trash. Can also be used as literal term for personal effects strewn by tornado when ripping though mobile home park

bwhahahahahah

 

[sub92loyill]

1. trailer trash

Derogatory description for person who seems well-suited to residential life in a mobile home park and is distinguished by poor hygiene, foul language, slovenly or slutty clothing, driving a Camaro, and general ignorance. Recreations include drinking malt liquor in lawn chairs under tattered R.V. awning and teenage pregnancy. Close synonymn for poor white trash. Can also be used as literal term for personal effects strewn by tornado when ripping though mobile home park

bwhahahahahah

Haha I like it.

My definitions is more like - 22 yr old college grad who in 5 years will be $20k wealthier and have much better credit than everyone he graduated with in a similar job position.

Woo!

 

[gt90_hatch]

I would go for it there no house but they are making them better and better i looked at them and might still get on the one i was looking at was 90000 but it was loaded and 2300 square foot.

 

[fa110ut]

Whether it makes financial sense or not, I guess it boils down whether you want the stigma of living in a trailer or not?

IMO, apartment > trailer. And I'd much rather take a girl home to an apartment instead of a trailer. =P

 

[txyaloo]

Trailers drop in value so quickly. It's like owning a car that you sleep in.

If you do end up buying one, don't buy a brand new one.

+1 - they take a huge depreciation hit. They are definitely not an investment property. Also, many buyers in this area won't even consider land with a trailer on it.

If you really want to do this, buy an RV and find an RV park that allows full timers. While RVs do depreciate, they have a different set of buyers on the secondary market. Plus, there isn't the same stigma attached to living full time in one.

 

[bossvt]

I spent a couple of summers (college days) staying in a trailer while working a summer job. It's really not such a bad existence.

 

[Niks97cobra]

I've lived in one, its so bad. I prefer my apartment though.

 

[Stavesacre21]

I'd do an apartment if I were in your position...and if you MUST own something, do a small house. trailers lose value at an astonishingly fast pace and never feels like your living in anything short of a tuna can. Not to mention, you gotta have a covered garage for that car :beer:

 

[PSUCOBRA96]

so you buy a trailer and in five years when the market is better and housing prices are back up and you end up spending what you saved plus more on a house worth less than what you could purchase now, by the way you can sell a home in few years at a profit, your not profiting off a trailer

also I have lived most of my entire life just North of D.C. in Montgomery County and the places you googled are not nice places at all...there is your one warning