Mobile home purchase

I've never seen mobile homes for sale on STX but you might try researching florida vendors on the internet. It would probably cost a pretty penny to ship one here but it could be done. My question is...why invite tornadoes by living in a mobile home?

Or hurricanes. I've been told that pretty much all the mobile and pre-fab home builders on the island blew away after Hugo.

What about the mobile homes across from the hospital?

A friend wants to ground one on a slab (like the Hovensa homes) on the south side until she finishes her home and use it for a guest house. Thanks for your replies.

i have often wondered why there were not more on island as the cost is cheaper than regular houses on the mainland and some are very nice

Hovensa might be a good place to inquire. I'm certain that they were disposing of the homes in the trailer park a while back. Could be a good deal there. In related news, someone mentioned to me the other day that renovations were being made to some homes in the upscale housing sections. If true, I wonder why?

I have seen them for sale from time to time.
I think that after Hurricane Marilyn some were brought in by FEMA to use as temporary housing/offices.
You might inquire there and see if they know or could lead you in a proper direction.
They'd be pretty old and need considerable work by this time, if they have any leftover.
Or post an ad on Craig's List, Island Trader, etc.

i have often wondered why there were not more on island as the cost is cheaper than regular houses on the mainland and some are very nice

I would imagine hurricanes would be the primary reason you don't see prefab or mobile homes on the islands. I saw a few mobile homes on St. Thomas back in the early 70's that were brought over from Miami, but they got blown away after Hugo. They at least got 15 years out of them though. Also I think maintenance would be a killer on one of those with the cheap materials used to construct them. You would definitely need to stay up on the pest control since they would be termite magnates.

Not to mention "air-conditioning" costs to keep cool in a metal box during summer months!

Are they all made or metal?

In most areas you would need to build a cistern and septic system so using one during construction as a home might work .

i dont think the materials are the same as what most people picture as a trailer from the 70's. Most trailers these days look like real homes. there are hurricanes and tornadoes in the states and there are still trailers so i dont think that is a real deterrent

On St. Croix, I've seen people build a small "guest house" to Iive in while their full sized home is being completed. I don't know, but small concrete block houses go up very quickly, and I would think much quicker and less expensive than shipping a mobile home from the states (if that's what has to be done). Add to the fact that the mobile home most likely would not be able to be hooked up to VI Water (making a cistern necessary) and it makes more sense to me. Plus you can rent the guest house to a tenant once the main home is completed. I've seen quite a few homes like this around the CV/Prosperity area, one was built just last year.

speee1dy, you are right that there are more "solid" mobile homes built these days, but I can tell you from the hurricane that hit the area we live in now in FL in 2004, most of the mobile home communities were destroyed down to the ground, including the newer ones. And they are under mandatory evacuation much sooner than the concrete frame houses. Most people have insurance for complete replacement in the event of a storm.

Hovensa might be a good place to inquire. I'm certain that they were disposing of the homes in the trailer park a while back. Could be a good deal there. In related news, someone mentioned to me the other day that renovations were being made to some homes in the upscale housing sections. If true, I wonder why?

Hovensa does not have any mobile homes.

Thanks CruzanIron...I was thinking of those temporary looking houses in the area they called the camp.

I don't imagine "mobile homes" per se would be legal here because of their inability to withstand hurricane force winds. After the two major hurricanes, temporary homes (frame, not metal) were brought in and once their use was over many were sold to residents who converted them into stable homes on firm foundations. One I pass regularly is right on the Smith Bay Road before the Coki turnoff. The owners did a really nice job renovating it, changing out the windows and adding nice touches to turn it into a neat and safe little home.

Thanks CruzanIron...I was thinking of those temporary looking houses in the area they called the camp.

There is no 'camp' either.

there were what looked like mobile homes near hovensa.

juliekay, you are correct. homstead before andrew had a lot, now not as many. still not sure even though they have to meet newer standards as does the vi, how sturdy all those homes going in in the homestead area are

http://www.force-10.com/

Came across this on Craig's List. They look nice.
http://virgin.craigslist.org/for/4406770020.html

Came across this on Craig's List. They look nice.
http://virgin.craigslist.org/for/4406770020.html

That ad looks a little dodgy to me. All of those photos are lifted from other sites on the internet of other homes - some not even mobile homes. Where are the pictures of their products?

I have a friend in Austin, Texas who converts shipping containers into homes. The three biggest obstacles to overcome for a shipping container in a warm/wet climate are: 1) Rust (obvious); 2) insulation; and 3) Heating/Cooling.

In warm climates the inside of a shipping container gets hot very rapidly. The cost of insulating the container properly to regulate a cooler temperature sometimes offsets any savings by using a container vs. a manufactured home. Most people who choose a container are attracted by the "recycled" aspect, not low costs, because ultimately the cost is not that low for a comfortable home.

I would warn anyone following that link to use an abundance of caution - they even advertise "hurricane approved" - my radar says no. The materials alone (at least what they show in the photos) outweigh the advertised selling price. If anyone follows up on it please post what you find out. Lots of scams or rip-offs on Cragislist.

Edited to add:

One of the photos is from the architect-designed Westcliff Pavilion home in Johannesburg, S. Africa:

http://livingsteel.org/case-study/westcliff-pavilion (scroll down)

Try buying THAT for $41,999...:@)

Another one is a manufactured metal model home from Palm Harbor, a national manufactured home builder:

http://buildwithpalmharbor.com

SCAM.

looks good

The three biggest obstacles to overcome for a shipping container in a warm/wet climate are: 1) Rust (obvious); 2) insulation; and 3) Heating/Cooling..

There's a business center comprising offices and several retail stores at the bottom of Cassis Hill on St Thomas which was built entirely from shipping containers. It's been there for years and withstood the ravages of Marilyn with no problem.

The three biggest obstacles to overcome for a shipping container in a warm/wet climate are: 1) Rust (obvious); 2) insulation; and 3) Heating/Cooling..

There's a business center comprising offices and several retail stores at the bottom of Cassis Hill on St Thomas which was built entirely from shipping containers. It's been there for years and withstood the ravages of Marilyn with no problem.

Which doesn't negate the obstacles - they just implemented solutions that worked for building that center where it worked for business and retail purposes. I'm definitely pro-recycling shipping containers into buildings. If you're considering converting one into a home, be informed.