The manufactured homes we know today have a long and reputable history that has gone a long way to fill the demands for affordable and attractive housing for many people. The concept actually began in the 1920s when people began using “trailer coaches” for their traveling needs instead of relying on tents when they arrived at a camp ground.

After World War II, Veterans returned home to find a lack of affordable housing and jobs difficult if not impossible to find. The manufactured housing industry found a way to fulfill their needs: building homes that had enough space for an entire family but possessed the mobility for the family to relocate the trailer if necessary for job purposes with a price low enough for almost anyone to afford.

As the 1960s progressed, Americans began to demand more out of manufactured (mobile) homes. They began demanding larger homes that included more conveniences including the new and fancy appliances that were beginning to arrive on the market for modern consumers. This demand created a new kind of trailer home called the mobile home.

Mobile homes were larger and more attractive than their predecessors and met the needs of young homeowners who were in the early stages of making a place in the world. They created a way for even single men and women to experience home ownership. Mobile homes were manufactured during the 60s and early 70s.

In June 1976 Congress passed the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Act. This began a trend initiated by HUD that guarantees all homes from that time forward would be built based upon rigid national standards that are still enforced. This also initiated the end of the terms “trailer home,” “trailer coaches,” or “trailer.”

Even “mobile home” became obsolete since these manufactured homes or no longer mobile except during the transportation to the set up site. The industry has evolved since its beginning to where it is today: being better able to meet the needs and desires of potential homeowners. This even includes the later addition of the modular home which is very difficult to recognize from a stick built home and is often larger and cheaper than a conventional house.