Housing

[gja1000]

This is just my personal opinion - but I would never take out anything more than a 15 year loan on a mobile home. Why? It won't last too much longer than 15 years, it certainly won't last 40 years - they are just not that well made. Also, with the cold weather that you have, I would not want to be in a mobile home. At least in the U.S., they are not nearly as well insulated as regular homes, so the cost to heat it will be much higher!

My opinion is that since you want to travel, and if you buy the home, you will have to give up or drastically scale back your travel plans, and you may come to hate that mobile home because that is all you can do - make the mortgage/rent payments.

I agree the housing prices are insane there! That is just awful - regular persons cannot afford a home!!! I could not afford a $250,000 mortgage and I make pretty good money as a college professor. I would continue to rent, even though you are "throwing your money away" - but you are not really, you have a nice place to live.

I would be too scared of the mobile home de-valuing - even though the area is growing - at some point the mobile home is going to decrease in value because they are not built to last forever.

I really understand your wanting your own home - everyone does, but in certain instances, it is just not possible. I think Judy just bought her first home - I bet she'll have some great advice for you too.

Good luck, Lindsay!