High-Value Upgrades For Your Mobile Home Fixer Upper | Room By Room

Buying and selling a mobile home fixer upper can be an extremely profitable venture. For some, there is nothing better than the challenge and excitement of renovating a downtrodden home.

But where should you start?

In this article, we are going to walk you through a room-by-room guide of high-value upgrades for your mobile home fixer upper.

Guide to renovating a mobile home

Before we get to the actual upgrades, here is a shortened timeline for updating a manufactured house.

• Research: A fantastic place to start is to look up different ideas for remodeling rooms. Find out more about possible upgrades that can increase a home’s value.
• Vision boarding: Now it’s on to brainstorming. You can create a vision board or mindmap to come up with an idea of what you want to do.
• Budget: Working out a budget is crucial with any fixer-upper. This is a case of spending money to earn money. But you need to find a balance to make sure that your profit outweighs the expenses.
• Planning: To keep yourself accountable, work out a plan of actions. As this is a business venture, you want to be as professional as possible so that you can be as effective as possible.
• Get to work: But don’t get stuck in the planning phase. When all your preparation is done, it’s time to start with the process.

After all of this, you can move onto the next stage. This will probably start planning how you are going to put it on the market.

Kitchen

For many people, the kitchen is the heart of their home. It is where we all come together to create beautiful dishes to share.

It’s no wonder that this is one of the principal rooms that buyers look at. They want it to look modern, clean and big enough for their needs.

There are several features you can address in a mobile home fixer upper to achieve this.

Cabinets and counters

A core part of any kitchen is its cabinets and counters. It is your primary workspace and storage space in the room. Therefore, this can be an essential part of your renovation.

If they aren’t in bad shape, you can sand them down and repaint them.

But if they are damaged (perhaps by mold) you might want to replace them altogether. Nowadays, rustic looking wood cabinets are definitely in.

If the kitchen is lacking in storage space you definitely want to add more, You can put in racks, cupboards or wall brackets. Ask yourself how many people are going to live in the house and how much crockery they will need. In this case, more is more.

Appliances

Another step that you can take to remodel the kitchen is to replace all of the hardware and appliances.

Buying a new stove, fridge, etc. will immediately increase the value of the mobile home. Look for new and high-quality models. You can make this even more effective by focusing on getting energy efficient devices.

When it comes to the hardware (door handles, hinges, etc.), choose durable pieces with a modern look.

Lighting

A kitchen should be well lit. This will make the room look cleaner and creates a much more pleasant cooking environment.

You don’t want the space to look dark and dingy. Install several lighting fixtures and place them to light up all the counters.

Living room

Another central place in any house is its living room. This is the place where families spend the majority of their time together. But it’s also an essential place for entertaining guests.

Here are some ideas for updating the living room:

• Paint: For paneling that is in relatively good condition you can repaint it. It involves several steps, starting with sanding the panels. This is a low-cost solution for updating the room. In general, neutral colors are more effective if you want to sell a house.
• Paneling: In case the home is several years old by the time you buy it, you should consider installing new siding. After a decade or so it will probably have been damaged enough to warrant this.
• Trim: Either paint the trim the same color of the walls or a color that contrasts it. White is often ideal.
• Fixtures: Great fixtures to install are some shelves on which things can be displayed. You can do this quite cheaply and quickly.
• Floors: Living rooms are one of those spaces that often come with a carpet. However, wood floors are currently in style. Consider taking out any mats and replace them with hardwood or laminate.

Remember, if it is a combined room, you want the decor in the two spaces to complement each other.

Optional: Centerpiece

An excellent trick to renovating a living room is to add a “wow” factor. This will help the space stand out. You can choose something that is purely decorative, like an art piece. Otherwise, you can install something useful such as a fireplace.

A permanent feature like a fireplace can increase the value of your home. And it can help sell your home in the end. It will be much more memorable and more appealing.

Dining room

Not all mobile homes have a dining room. And if they do, it’s often combined. So count yourself lucky if you found one with a separate dining area.

Many buyers looking for manufactured homes won’t expect to find a dining room. That’s why it can really work to your advantage and make your house stand out if you have one.

Divider

If there is dining space in the house, it is probably combined with other rooms like the kitchen or living room. To create the illusion of more rooms or space consider putting in some room dividers.

Be clever by using an installation that can double up as storage like a bookcase or sideboard. For a temporary or budget solution, you can go with screen style dividers.

If you do it well, it should add value to space. Here are some beautiful options to consider.

No space, no problem

Don’t worry if there isn’t any space for a dining room. There are still solutions for you.

A pro tip is to install high counters in the kitchen. They should be high enough for bar stools to fit underneath. It will double up as a worktop as well as a place to eat while saving space. This is an excellent idea for single-wides.

If the home has a spacious living room, you can also set out space here for dining. You could even place the bar counter installation here if the kitchen is too small.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms usually come in high on people’s list of concerns for a house. They are looking for a place to relax and refresh themselves.

Repairs

Fixer upper homes often have plumbing issues. This is a major turnoff for many buyers.

So the first thing you should tackle is any repairs. You’ll need to fix leaky pipes or completely replace them. This is one of the surest ways to increase the worth of the property.

Bathtub and shower

What can make a bathroom stand out? We’ve all fallen in love with the tub or shower in the house. They can make or break the whole room and how you experience it.

But stained, dirty or cracked fittings are a real downer.

That is why a crucial part of your remodel could be to install a new bath or shower. It should entice you to get in. This may be a costly investment. But it can really give back.

Other fixtures

Besides a bath or shower, you may need to install a new sink. Or even a toilet.

A pro tip is to use some natural finishes like wood for the cabinets and so on. Natural elements like bamboo, pebbles, etc. are trendy and add a spa-like touch.

Flooring

An essential step in upgrading a bathroom is to put in new floors. They can often become damaged and stained by water. If this is the case, install tile flooring or water-resistant vinyl.

Stone-like textures and colors work well here too.

Bedrooms

Bedrooms form part of the critical spaces in any home. Potential buyers are looking for an area that they can feel comfortable in.

Take a look at these features that you can upgrade:

• Carpets: Properly clean any carpets. If they are soiled or damaged beyond repair, make sure to replace them. Broaden your pool of interested buyers by installing laminate or wood floors. This is especially appealing to pet owners.
• Storage: It can be a massive hassle not to have enough storage space for your clothes. You can increase the worth of your home by installing and expanding any closets in the rooms.
• Blank canvas: One potential strategy can be to create a space that people feel they can personalize as they wish.

Extra room

Now and again you will find a mobile home with an extra room that doesn’t have a clear purpose. When you are flipping property, it can help to give this space a goal. You want people to be able to imagine the possibilities of the house.

Have fun with this room! Think out of the box.

The following are some possibilities for rooms to add:

• Entertainment room: Games and entertainment rooms are always trendy. They are the ideal place to chill and have fun together. To transform a space into an entertainment room, paint it in colorful shades and put up some thick curtains for some movie night magic. Install plenty of power sockets as well.
• Laundry room: What can possibly make a tedious task like doing laundry better? Creating a dedicated place, of course! Install a washer and dryer and put in some nifty storage spaces. The addition of extras like a rack to hang clothes can take it a cut above.
• Extra bedroom: Most people are looking for a home with at least two or more bedrooms. If the house is short on these why not add another bedroom?
• Living room: Most mobile homes seem to have a combined living room. This can make it cramped and insignificant. So if there is an extra room, dedicate it to a living space. The other area can then potentially become a full dining room.
• Study: More and more people are working from home. But there is always the question of where to set up a workplace. A dedicated study can seriously increase the value of the property.

Each of these options can significantly increase the value of a mobile home. That is why it can be such a brilliant project for a fixer-upper.

Exterior

So far we have looked at the interior in details. However, you probably need to work on the outside of the home as well.

Walls

Weather and time can really take its toll on the siding of a mobile home. If necessary sand off the panels and paint the mover. Neutral colors are a safe choice to go with.

Porch

Porches and terraces can be beautiful additions to a manufactured house. They can significantly increase a home’s value. But for this to be the case, the deck or porch needs to be in good condition.

Check the condition of the wood and make sure nothing is rotting. Sand the whole thing off and treat it with varnish or oil.

Landscaping

Will you sell the mobile home with the lot on which its parker? If your answer is yes, you need to work in the garden as well.

The primary goal of this is to work on the curb appeal of the house. Possible buyers should see the potential of the property from the start before they even walk in the door.

Here are aspects that you can work on:

• Clean up any flower beds. Pull out weed and make sure there isn’t excessive debris.
• You can neaten the borders. Line up some stones or use gravel.
• Plant new flowers or bushes in any empty spots.
• Take care of the lawn.
• Prune any bushes or trees that have dead leaves or branches.

You want it to look tidy and cared for.

Added value

Renovating a mobile home fixer upper is all about adding value to the property. You want to get as much as you can out of the sale. As you can see, one of the best ways to this is by installing strategic upgrades in the house.

Once all your renovations are done, you are probably ready to sell. But wait a second before jumping the gun. Did you know that mobile home value changes throughout the year? It’s all about timing. For more helpful information you can also take a look at our article on how to get the best deal for your home from a mobile home buyer.