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Clayton® & Next Step® Unveil White Paper That Shows Off-Site Built Homes Appreciate As Well As Site-Built Homes

Growing body of research demonstrates off-site built housing can provide wealth building opportunities through appreciation

MARYVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 28, 2022 – Clayton, a national builder of attainable housing, and Next Step, a national nonprofit housing organization, have released an educational white paper highlighting the wealth-building benefits of off-site built housing: Off-Site Built Homes Proven To Appreciate In Value – Providing Equity Building Opportunities & Reshaping Today’s Housing Market. As home buyers navigate a market with low affordable housing inventory, off-site built housing continues to represent a smart and attainable homeownership solution.

Off-site built homes, also known as manufactured, modular or CrossMod® homes, are constructed inside a climate-controlled home building facility and finished on-site, allowing for a quicker, more efficient building process. These homes are uniquely positioned to bridge the affordability gap for entry-level and middle-tier housing and are more affordable for both developers and buyers. When placed on a property with a permanent foundation, these homes have the ability to build wealth over time like site-built homes.

The white paper incorporates statistics from a growing body of research showing off-site built homes regularly appreciate similar to site-built homes, including:

  • A North Carolina family’s Clayton off-site built modular home, increased more than $135,000 in value over seven years ($179,500 to $315,000).
  • Median manufactured home values across the nation increased by an average of 34.58% from 2016 to 2021 — nearly the same as the average increase of 35.44% for single-family homes, according to a 2022 study.
  • Off-site built housing is generally less expensive than traditional home construction methods because of economies of scale and building efficiencies.
  • A 2022 study shows the median value of off-site built homes increased more quickly in over a dozen states than that of traditional site-built homes over the same five-year period. For example, in Rhode Island, Nebraska and Idaho, the median manufactured home values more than doubled - increasing by an average of 110.82%. In those same states, site-built homes’ values appreciated just 57.95% over the same period.
  • An analysis of the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s MH index by a nonprofit research organization indicates the prices of manufactured homes perform similarly to those of site-built properties.

CrossMod homes, the newest category of off-site built housing, present a new evolution for the off-site built home industry. These homes blend off-site construction and on-site features such as drywall interiors, porches and garages to produce an affordable home that can be financed and appraised alongside site-built homes.

“We know many people are getting priced out of today’s housing market. At Clayton, we strive to open doors for more people by bringing homeownership within reach,” said Kevin Clayton, CEO of Clayton. “Owning a home provides individuals and families with more than a place to live – it’s an opportunity to build wealth over the years while earning more value for money spent.”

“Homeownership has been an essential part of the blueprint for wealth building in this country for decades, but current home prices aren’t reflective of what most people can afford,” said Stacey Epperson, President and CEO of Next Step. “If we want to address the homeownership gap for individuals and families, particularly for those living in historically underserved communities, we need to embrace the efficiency, quality, and affordability offered by off-site built homes.”

This is the second educational paper published in partnership with Next Step and Clayton that highlights off-site built housing as a solution to the affordable housing crisis.

You can read the full white paper here: Off-Site Built Homes Proven To Appreciate In Value – Providing Equity Building Opportunities & Reshaping Today’s Housing Market and watch a testimonial video while learning more about the Woody Family story here.

About Clayton
Founded in 1956, Clayton is committed to opening doors to a better life and building happyness® through homeownership. As a diverse builder committed to quality and durability, Clayton offers traditional site-built homes and off-site built housing – including modular homes, manufactured homes, CrossMod® homes, tiny homes, college dormitories, military barracks and apartments. All Clayton Built® homes are proudly designed and constructed in America. In 2021, Clayton built 60,701 homes across the country. Clayton is a Berkshire Hathaway company. For more information, visit claytonhomes.com.

*CrossMod is a trademark of Manufactured Housing Institute.

About Next Step® Network, Inc.
Next Step® Network, Inc. is a national, nonprofit housing intermediary that works to promote expanded use of factory-built housing as a viable solution to address housing affordability. Our organization mobilizes a national network of mission-driven nonprofits, leaders in the manufactured housing industry and lending institutions serving home buyers and homeowners in their communities. Next Step’s system – Manufactured Housing Done Right® – connects responsible financing, comprehensive homebuyer education and delivery of high-quality, ENERGY STAR® manufactured homes at scale, creating a model that brings more value to the homeowners and communities. Learn more at www.nextstepus.org.

Media Contact:
Caitlyn Crosby
[email protected]