Relocatable Homes Australia » Articles

About Relocatable Homes

John — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:13:25 +0000

Relocatable homes are extremely popular in areas where labour and building services are either too expensive or are not available at all. Relocatable homes started out as place for people to stay in remote and secluded areas where work sites were set up. Today they are sophisticated and sometimes indistinguishable from on-site built homes.

What are Relocatable Homes?

Relocated homes are also known as prefabricated homes, which are manufactured or assembled in factories and are then transferred to the house plot. These homes were earlier marketed as mobile homes that could be transferred around and so was a requirement of people on the move. An example of a mobile home is a trailer which is usually attached to the back of the car or truck. Over the years these houses started becoming larger and were made to be set up in one place permanently on a masonry foundation.

Stereotypes

Relocatable homes are unfortunately a target of stereotypes, like they are cheap and trailer park homes, which is not true anymore. They have become an easy and convenient option for people who want a prefabricated home and don’t want to go through the hassle of building a home from scratch. This has caused quite a negative impact on transportable homes, like the fact that their value depreciates quicker than site built homes; they are thus not used as viable collateral for housing mortgages and also have a higher rate on interest. This has resulted in it being compared more to a motor vehicle loan than to a home mortgage loan.

As they are sometimes wrongly compared to trailer parks, many zoning committees have too many restrictions on relocatable home on particular sites. They have restrictions on the number of houses allowed to even what colour the exterior walls should be. Some zoning commissions don’t even allow single wide homes anymore.

Positive Changes

Things are changing in the field of manufactured homes with new developments and innovations resulting in classier and more durable relocatable homes. Today these homes have to be taken to the site by way of a flat bed in the case of a modular home or on axles in the case of certain modular homes and manufactured homes. They are then permanently set up on a concrete bed. The roof of the house in transported separately, which makes the manufactured home look no different than a site built home. This has also resulted in the reducing of the depreciation value and subsequently even the interest rates have reduced, too.

Looking for relocatable homes? Your answer lies with Tropical Cabins Pty. Ltd. For more information, please check out their website at http://www.tropicalcabins.com.au.

By: Ian Adams

About the Author:

Ian Adams has been in the business of the building of relocatable homes and structures for a long time now. He loves his work and likes to educate more and more people about the same through his articles.

Put Mum Out in the Backyard But Comfortably in Granny Flats

John — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:23:40 +0000

Face it, a major challenge for baby boomers today is how to balance aging parents’ need for greater care with the desire to preserve their independence. For a variety of reasons, it is not always possible to move parents into a growing family’s home and assisted living facilities are very pricey. Why not take a page from the UK and consider Granny Flats?

Sometimes referred to as a relocatable home, this living option is basically a pre-fabricated small cottage or cabin that will easily fit in many backyards. The “Willow” is a single bedroom cottage that can sleep as many as four. It has a kitchen with cook top and oven, a bathroom and comfortably sized living and dining areas.

A slightly larger option is also available with the same size bathroom and bedroom as the “Willow” but featuring a more roomy living area and balcony/deck. The “Willow” starts at $49K and its slightly larger sister is about $56K.

Granny Flats are available both in pre-fabricated and kit forms. Smaller cabins like the “Willow” are usually pre-fabricated. Larger units with two or more bedrooms are generally kits. All options can be modified to accommodate wheelchair access. Customization to fit specific needs is also available.

Quoted costs include the complete living unit ready for move-in, with full kitchen, windows and bath ready for use. The price does not include necessary governmental permits, soil testing and transportation costs. An electrician and plumber will be needed for hook-ups. Generally all of these can be accomplished in the $5 to $10k range.

Remember that Granny Flats aren’t just for elderly relatives. The largest cabin is basically a small home with two or more bedrooms. These units could be the perfect size for a vacation home at the lake or in the mountains.

By: N Baulch

About the Author:

Neil baulch says the good points of granny flats are plenty of when you need that spare living area. Look at our online page at granny flat and Accommodation units for extra details.

How to Make Properties Go Positive

John — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:38:39 +0000

Many investors will agree that cash flow is the secret to successful investing. Whether it is a property or business, the key to success is to have a strong grip on your cash flow situation. Interest rate increases, like the ones we have recently experienced, can significantly eat into the cash flow. Many people think that one needs to amass great sums of money to build wealth, but building a strong inflow of cash can also bring about financial freedom without having piles of cash.

The trick is not to focus on all the debt, but to build your strategies around cash flow. It is highly evident that many investors don’t know what to do in order to generate positive cash flow from an investment property. By asking yourself “How do I make money from an investment property I already own?” you will come to the conclusion that you need to generate more income or you need to reduce your expenses on that particular property.

How to Reduce Expenses on a Property

* Your biggest expense will be the monthly instalment that you have to pay the Bank. By extending the Bond over a longer period (like 30 years), you will reduce your monthly instalment. Don’t focus on the extra interest that you have to repay, it is the tenant that repay’s it for you.

* Negotiate a better interest rate with your bank. Normally when you extend the bond period to 30 years they are more than willing to drop the rate. In the process, negotiate a discount with the lawyer (up to 20% is normal, some investors get no less than 30%).

* Do your own management on your rental properties. It is a simple exercise of monitoring your bank account to see that the money has been deposited. Especially if you only starting out with a few properties. Once you have a strong, positive cash flow and enough properties, consider using an agent.

How to Increase Income on a Property

* The easiest is to have a rental escalation clause in your lease Contract. Normal escalations are 8 – 10% p.a.

* Consider converting a storeroom or double garage into a granny flat. Having more than one tenant on one property can generate substantial cash flow.

* Considering adding a granny flat if possible. It can be FAR cheaper than buying a new small flat.

* See if you can subdivide the land. Either to sell the divided part or to build a second unit on.

* Have you ever bothered to ask your tenant what he would like? A second carport or security gate can generate more income.

* Look at the security of the property. Can you add more security to increase the rent (e.g. burglar bars, alarms, etc)? If you don’t know, ask the tenant if such additions would add value.

* You can change the nature of the property? Rezone farming land for residential use or changing residential to business rights can be most rewarding.

* By adding additional businesses to you student housing like a Laundromat facility, games room with coin operated pool tables or put vending machines that sell sodas or sweets you can generate additional income. This will also make your property more appealing in comparison with the one next door.

* Convert a 4 bed 2 bath house into two 2 bed apartments. Not only will it generate more income but you reduce your risk as well.

By combining some of these ideas can easily make you property go positive. Also take note of what to look for when you buy your next property. The more space you have, the more options to consider. Each property has unique opportunities like extra space, additional buildings or it might be the ideal location. It is your job as an investor to identify the opportunities that others don’t see. Use your imagination to see with your mind and not only with your eye’s. In the mean time, with all the interest rate increases, exercise your imagination on your current property investments.

By: Karen Wheller

About the Author:

As a property investor and real estate agent in South Africa, Karen Wheller is actively engaged in helping local and foreign investors find property investments and beginning investors climb the property investment ladder through education and sharing of knowledge. Karen Wheller is a co-founder of Property Axis and Property Investor Network.

Granny Flats and the Cost Advantages

John — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 17:35:03 +0000

ats and the Cost Advantages

Granny Flats make a great extra area for relative units or a place for your teenager. The best thing is that it has several advantages over other buildings. One major reason why they are so popular is there low cost construction. But granny flats still can have great quality.

The cost of a granny flat stays low because of several reasons. The main reason for keeping the cost down is that they are constructed in a factory. A mass production of the frames saves a lot of expense on materials and labor. The frame and other components can be cut to size in the factory. The workers are all located in one location which will cut down on travel cost and workers will be able to help each other out when needed.

The possibilities of having theft at the building site would be highly reduced. So the replacement cost and time savings would be an advantage to keep the price low.

Granny flats can be constructed relatively fast, giving it an edge over other construction techniques. Granny flats usually have a simple construction keeping the cost down as well.

Delivery cost can be lower as well. Since the granny flats components are constructed off site all the components can be delivered at once. One trip of course is cheaper than multiple trips.

A few costs to keep in mind is the sub-contractors you may have to hire to put the kit granny flat together. Also, you may need to have someone to hook up the electric and plumbing. Some builders you will not have to worry about this.

Although you may have a few extra costs here and there you will probably find that this is a great way to get a granny flat. Next step is to find a builder to work with.

By: John Smith

About the Author:

Low cost Granny Flats or
transportable homes sydney go here now http://www.cheapaffordablehousing.com.au

How to Make Properties Cash Flow Positive

John — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:07:16 +0000

With increase in interest rates and tightening credit from lenders, investors must start to look at how to make more money from their current investment properties. Optimizing the portfolio has never been more important than in the current economic climate.

Many investors will agree that cash flow is the secret to successful investing. Whether it is a property or business, the key to success is to have a strong grip on your cash flow situation. Interest rate increases, like the ones we have recently experienced, can significantly eat into the cash flow. Many people think that one needs to amass great sums of money to build wealth, but building a strong inflow of cash can also bring about financial freedom without having piles of cash.

The trick is not to focus on all the debt, but to build your strategies around cash flow. It is highly evident that many investors don’t know what to do in order to generate positive cash flow from an investment property. By asking yourself “How do I make money from an investment property I already own?” you will come to the conclusion that you need to generate more income or you need to reduce your expenses on that particular property.

How to Reduce Expenses on a Property

* Your biggest expense will be the monthly instalment that you have to pay the Bank. By extending the Bond over a longer period (like 30 years), you will reduce your monthly instalment. Don’t focus on the extra interest that you have to repay, it is the tenant that repay’s it for you.

* Negotiate a better interest rate with your bank. Normally when you extend the bond period to 30 years they are more than willing to drop the rate. In the process, negotiate a discount with the lawyer (up to 20% is normal, some investors get no less than 30%).

* Do your own management on your rental properties. It is a simple exercise of monitoring your bank account to see that the money has been deposited. Especially if you only starting out with a few properties. Once you have a strong, positive cash flow and enough properties, consider using an agent.

How to Increase Income on a Property

* The easiest is to have a rental escalation clause in your lease Contract. Normal escalations are 8 – 10% p.a.

* Consider converting a storeroom or double garage into a granny flat. Having more than one tenant on one property can generate substantial cash flow.

* Considering adding a granny flat if possible. It can be FAR cheaper than buying a new small flat.

* See if you can subdivide the land. Either to sell the divided part or to build a second unit on.

* Have you ever bothered to ask your tenant what he would like? A second carport or security gate can generate more income.

* Look at the security of the property. Can you add more security to increase the rent (e.g. burglar bars, alarms, etc)? If you don’t know, ask the tenant if such additions would add value.

* You can change the nature of the property? Rezone farming land for residential use or changing residential to business rights can be most rewarding.

* By adding additional businesses to you student housing like a Laundromat facility, games room with coin operated pool tables or put vending machines that sell sodas or sweets you can generate additional income. This will also make your property more appealing in comparison with the one next door.

* Convert a 4 bed 2 bath house into two 2 bed apartments. Not only will it generate more income but you reduce your risk as well.

By combining some of these ideas can easily make you property go positive. Also take note of what to look for when you buy your next property. The more space you have, the more options to consider. Each property has unique opportunities like extra space, additional buildings or it might be the ideal location. It is your job as an investor to identify the opportunities that others don’t see. Use your imagination to see with your mind and not only with your eye’s. In the mean time, with all the interest rate increases, exercise your imagination on your current property investments.

By: Karen Wheller

About the Author:

Ten Bits of Great Granny’s Unbeatable Advice

John — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:13:55 +0000

Sometimes the old-time wisdom is the best. I have come up with a list of advice that has been passed down from generation to generation. Some of it is still applicable today and some is just fun to remember. I hope you will enjoy these bits of wisdom from the past. And who knows, you may find some real pearls of wisdom you can apply in your life today.

Have you run out of baking powder? Here’s how to make your own. Use two level teaspoon of cream of tartar to one teaspoon baking soda. This is the equivalent of four teaspoons of tartrate baking powder. This is the kind of baking powder normally found in the kitchen.

When your recipe calls for melted butter, be sure you melt the butter before measuring. If the recipe calls for butter, melted, measure the butter then melt it. It does make a difference, especially in baking.

When you take a cake from the oven, place it for a very few minutes on a cloth that has been dipped in and wrung out of cold water, This will allow your cake to turn out of the pan in perfect condition.

If your soft custard separates when you remove it from the heat, beat it hard for five minutes with an old-fashion egg beater.

When cooking pancakes, dip the spoon in milk or water and the batter will drop off the spoon easily.

Sewing tip: Tape a large flat magnet to your sewing table. As you remove pins, drop them onto the magnet. (Careful–do not get the magnet too close to the motor.)

To keep your ashtrays clean, wax the inside so the ashes won’t stick. Simply wipe ashtray with a clean tissue or papertowel. (I hope you don’t have ashtrays and smokers in your house–my husband has COPD caused from years of smoking. Believe me, it is not something you want to take a chance on.)

Varnished wallpaper that is grease splattered can be washed with a solution of one tablespoon of ammonia to a pailful of warm soapy water.

To freshen the color of your window blinds, brush with linseed oil.

When cleaning windows, add a little vinegar to the water. You will be surprised at the brillliant polish it produces.

Thanks Granny, for the advice!

By: Grandma Linda

About the Author:

Grandma Linda seems to enjoy remembering the past, now that she is a senior citizen herself. For more of her writings and her collection of vintage recipes, please visit her blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

The Advantages of Granny Flats

John — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 01:43:40 +0000

ever wondered exactly what “granny flats ” are? It\’s a small, private home that sits on the same property as a larger home. There are great benefits to renting or buying one. Is a granny flat right for you?

A granny flat is a dwelling unit that can be in the form of an upstairs apartment, a garage apartment, or a carriage house. This living unit, or small apartment, has its own entrance and they are growing in numbers and popularity.

The main advantage to having of these dwellings, from the homeowner\’s view point, is the potential for bringing in extra income from renting out the unit. Some homeowners view the additional space as a great way to create a living place for their teenage family members to hang out, or even for their elderly parents to live. The granny flat also makes a great guest house due do its privacy.

If you have aging parents, moving them into a granny flat on your property has great advantages. By having your parents living on your property, you will be able to check in with them on a regular basis to see how they are getting along. Since the granny flat living unit is a separate from the main home, your elderly parents will still have a place of their own with a kitchen, bath, living space, and bedroom.

Another great advantage of granny flats is that the energy bills will be substantially lower in this smaller living space. Many elderly couples find that they must move out from their large, spacious homes as they often find it difficult to maintain a big house and property.

Living in a granny flat can be the perfect answer for single people, young couples, or aging grandparents due to their features and pricing.

By: N Baulch

About the Author:

Here in Aus. and also Britain, the phrase granny flat is readily grasped but in the USA, the phrase mother-in-law house (accessory suite) is much more accepted.
However, the benefits of granny flats are several whereupon you require that additional accomodation suite. Follow the link to Neil Baulch’s content at Low cost granny flats for extra specifics.

Know the Difference between On-Site/Modular and Relocatable Homes

John — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:26:38 +0000

There are two basic categories: on-site built homes, which include houses, buildings, flats and apartment complexes, etc, and the other category is the manufactured house category, which includes modular homes, relocatable homes and mobile homes, like trailers. This article deals with difference between onsite homes, modular homes and relocatable homes so there is no confusion and you are better informed.

Modular Homes:

Modular homes are a part of manufactured housing. Modular homes are like manufactured homes, but there is a slight difference that sets them apart. Modular homes are also what you call factory homes as they are built piece by piece in a controlled environment in a factory and all the parts are then transferred to the site. Some features of a modular home:

• Modular homes are always built to comply with all the state, district and regional building codes. Even though they are built in a different state, they will be made in accordance with the final destination’s building compliances.

• Modular homes are made part by part in a factory set up.

• Modular homes are transported by a flat bed on a truck. The parts are then transferred to the site where they will be put together by the local contractors and are generally lifted by a crane and are placed on a masonry foundation.

• The modular home is always checked by the local building inspector, who clears it if all building codes are complied with and he thinks it has been built and put together correctly.

• Modular homes should have the capability to last as long as an on-site built house.

• Sometimes modular homes turn out to be less expensive per square foot than on-site built homes.

• Modular homes generally appreciate in value over time.

On-Site Homes:

On-site homes are those that are built on the build site from scratch with the help of professional builders and contractors. Some features:

• They are built on site with the help of contractors and builders.

• On-site homes are always built in accordance with all the state, district and regional building codes.

• A correctly and well built home only appreciates in value if it is taken care of well and also the location of the house plays a key role.

• On-site homes are also called “stick built” houses.

Relocatable Homes:

Relocatable homes are a part of the manufactured housing brand. They are also called factory built homes, like modular homes. Some key features:

• Manufactured house parts are built in a factory.

• They were earlier referred to as mobile homes or trailer homes, but that is not so today, as they are vastly differen.

• Relocatable homes comply with the Federal building codes, that is, the HUD (Housing and Urban Development) codes rather than the state, district or regional codes.

• Relocatable homes are built on non removable steel chassis and some are not placed on a permanent foundation, making their refinancing a little difficult.

• Parts are transported on their own wheels or axels.

• Relocatable homes generally depreciate in value.

• They are usually less expensive than modular and on-site homes.

• Building inspectors are not required to approve the building, but do approve the work done locally, like electricity or plumbing work.

After learning about relocatable homes, if you are interested in buying one, then you could consider contacting Tropical Cabins Pty Ltd. For more information, please click here: http://www.tropicalcabins.com.au

By: Ian Adams

About the Author: