Sometimes when you say the word mini home, people will respond by saying something along the lines of, “Oh, you mean a mobile home?” or they’ll say something about trailers. Mini homes and trailers are not mini homes, at least not anymore. Mini home designs and technology have changed a huge amount in the past 20 years. Despite the fact that modern mini homes are built to the exact same building codes as traditional homes, and hold their value so well that you can get a 25-year mortgage to buy one, there’s still some stigma attached to owning one because people don’t know what they are.
In this blog post we want to address some common myths about mini homes, and explain why modern mini homes are such a great option for buyers looking to move into a high-quality home of their very own.
Myth: Mini homes are built exactly the same as mobile homes or trailers.
Fact: This was true many years ago when mobile homes were coined as trailers because they were built on a steel chassis with wheels and a hitch. Mini homes today are all built on kiln-dried lumber framing and have to meet the same building code standards as any other form of home in Canada.
Myth: A bank won’t mortgage a mini home.
Fact: Nowadays, banks offer 25-year mortgages on mini homes, just like they do on other types of home purchases. It is true that historically this was an issue because mobile homes back in the day were built to their own set of standards and did not need to conform with the National Building Code. Because of this, mobile homes were not perceived to hold value, which is not the case with modern mini homes. We all know that banks don’t like to take risks, so if they can see that mini homes keep their value and mortgage them, that says a lot about their quality!
Myth: You’ll never be able to sell a mini home if you want to move.
Fact: Mini homes hold their value and certain land lease communities are especially desirable to buyers. For this reason, buying a mini home can be a great first step on the property ladder. If you’re downsizing, you can be assured that should life take you in a different direction, you’re not going to be stuck after buying a new mini home. In fact, with property prices ever increasing a mini home has become an excellent investment and used mini homes are selling very fast indeed.
Myth: Land lease communities are just for families/ retirees etc.
Fact: You’ll find folks from every walk of life living in land lease communities across the HRM, from young urban professionals and single people to families, to retirees and everything in between. The truth is that communities across the HRM are great places to live, retire, raise a family, and enjoy all the benefits of home ownership with a few added perks too (such as gorgeous playgrounds for your children to play in, or backing on to woodland trails). Mini home communities can provide a great deal of support, and neighbours in mini home communities look out for each other.
Myth: The insides of mini homes will never look like a “real home.”
Fact: Historically, mini homes needed batten strips along the seam of every sheet of gyprock, so there was a noticeable line every four feet along the wall. This was necessary to keep everything in place when the homes were transported from the factory to their final location. New mini homes are fully crack-filled and have smooth drywall finishes throughout – with no more batten strips. The insides of mini homes are modern and interesting – you can even get cathedral ceilings – and the layouts maximize space in some really interesting ways. New mini homes have luxurious modern kitchens with islands and walk-in pantries (depending on the model chosen), stunning bathrooms, and layouts that work for whoever is living there.
Myth: Mini homes are hard to heat.
Fact: In the past, mini homes weren’t built with the same thickness in the walls so there was less room for insulation. They were drafty because they weren’t built to be airtight like modern mini homes are, so you’d feel the cold coming in around windows and doors. Today’s homes are extremely well insulated, and windows low-e argon gas double pane vinyl windows so they are very energy efficient, keeping the heat in during the winter months and out when it gets warm in the summer.
Interested in learning why a new Kent mini home could be your best move? Contact one of our home consultants who’ll happily answer any questions and help you to get into the mini home of your dreams.
