Puna real estate sales drop, modular homes option?

[MattKarma]

....usually not a tree in sight....

[MattKarma]

...landscaping a big *fail* also...

[Royall]

I would never live in a mobile (manufactured as I was corrected by the sale person ) home again. I live in one for over 10 years and the thing was a nightmare to maintain, remodel, (nothing was standard sizes) and to keep weather tight. Yes, some of the upper end models were a little bit better but WHICH ones do you think would end up in Hawai'i? Only the cheapest ones. With our Eastside environment and the known lack of maintenance of the average local family, we would end up with many people walking away from them before the thing was ever paid off. As far as high humidity in other parts of the USA where mobiles are, they have relatively a lower humidity in the winter months to get the structure a chance dry out its bones. Here it is year round and even worse in the winter/rainy months. About the only appreciation would be from the land its self. I was lucky to sell mine for a profit because of all the upgrades and maintenance put into it. I'm very glad we don't have them here.

[oink]

I've llived in them in the past and would again but only in a high end manufactured home. They would without a doubt be better thansome of the shacks I've seen in Puna. Humidity does have an effect in high humidity areas. Sometimes they have to be refloored, which is generally done with plywood. Eventually many are stripped of their metal skin for scrap and the remainder junked. Still, better than shacks for many years. They generally do not appreciate in value but depreciate more like a car. I interestingly, in Fl a real estate agent can't sell a mobile home unless it is sold with land it is affixed to.

Edit to add that in my experience particle board hold up in the humid Fl environment as well as it does as it's also, along with the humidity, too dang hot to do without the AC, which does a lot towards keeping it dry.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[ironyak]

Any thoughts on why / how all mobile housing was amended into the county building codes? Other Hawaii counties do not have this amendment so looking for perspective on or knowledge of why we do.

[snorkle]

The "Mini House" movement that is becoming very popular on the mainland shouldn't be confused with preconceived notions of "Mobile Homes".

The new Mini's can be constructed out of high quality materials and differ from conventional homes mainly in size. It is this smaller size that makes them mobile. They may or may not have wheels attached.

I personally don't feel the need for a wheeled home here, but appreciate the ability to truck one on to a lot and have a turnkey place in a few days, rather than months.

Their small size also prices them proportionally to conventional homes, and they can be added onto as a family grows simply by adding another unit(s).

Picture this;
A quality constructed, locally built home; but small enough (studio/1BR) to be trucked to your property.

Flex powered with solar/propane/small generator.

Composting toilet.

Just add catchment, and State required Gray-water tank.

Turnkey in a couple of days, expandable, and well under $50,000.



Well, there's nothing like that here, you say?

Hmmmmmmmm...............Opportunity?

[kalakoa]

Any thoughts on why / how all mobile housing was amended into the county building codes?

Probably because County couldn't do anything about hippies living in schoolbuses, since the bus was technically a "vehicle" and not a "building".

[jrw]

Probably the same reason why public transit cant go to the airport.

jrw

[kalakoa]

Probably the same reason why public transit cant go to the airport.

Yes: someone's business interest needed its protections carved out, and the needs of business are always more important, because they provide jobs.

That the jobs don't pay enough to afford a stick-built home (or a taxi ride to the airport) is not their concern.

[JohnDW]

I knew I was living on the flank of the world's most active volcano, so I designed my home to come apart is sections. The floor plan is your basic T-House bungalow. It has around 960 sq. ft. of interior space and a little over 1,000 sq. ft of lani. The light weight scissor trusses come apart at ridge by way of bridle iron. The rear of the house separates along two bearing walls and again down the middle of the bathroom. Axels attach by way of shackle bolts through the joists and main beam. To change locations I have to rebuild the sheer walls, install septic and viola. It's a major operation but it was designed with relocation in mind..

Un Mojado Sin Licencia