Which is worse: an apartment or a trailer park?

[sandorski]

Are we talking Rentals? What's the difference between an Apartment and High Rise Condo? In large cities practically everyone lives if High Rise Condos and they are far preferable to Trailer Parks.

 

[skyking]

apples and oranges. The high rise condo is far away from any trailer park.

 

[sdifox]

Are we talking Rentals? What's the difference between an Apartment and High Rise Condo? In large cities practically everyone lives if High Rise Condos and they are far preferable to Trailer Parks.

You rent apartment, you own condos. At least that was the original definition. Now not so much.

 

[BxgJ]

If I had to pick between the two, I'd take a trailer. At least it's something I own, I can make changes to it, I have somewhat of a yard. (though often you don't really own the property) while an apartment is basically a slight upgrade from living in your parents' basement. On the other hand some of the nicer apartments do have a nice view and there's a certain "coolness" factor to being in a high rise. But I imagine that gets old fast enough when you realize you can't even put a hole in a wall to run cabling or can't fix basic electrical stuff, etc.

It's crazy how expensive trailers are though! I always figured one perk is that they are cheaper than a house but I see some go for like 100k sometimes. Most of them are at least 50k. So while it is cheaper than a house, it's not by a very big magnitude.

One of the nice things of "trailer trash" places is that if people are actually allowed to leave cars on blocks on their front lawns and stuff and nobody bats an eye, then it means you have more freedom to do whatever you want without some bylaw officer giving you trouble. You can probably put up a wind turbine, garden, solar panels etc... whatever and people probably won't bother you for it.

That is the one thing that pisses me off is ridiculous bylaws that dictate what you can/can't do on your own property, or simply the fact that you don't even truly own your property. Being able to own land+mineral rights (most land does not actually come with mineral rights, if you find gold you can't keep it) and have control over it should be a right. As a person or even a business if I want to build a big garage or a warehouse or front lawn garden etc I should be able to do so without getting hassle for it or having to go through tons of red tape like permits etc. My city is now requiring to get a permit to erect temporary car shelters. This kind of red tape is ridiculous.

Well the bolded is the problem, at least around here. I have seen people buy land, then spend 80k+ to buy a mobile home to put on it. Yeah, they can be nice if you spend enough. But in the same area I've seen brick homes with land go for not much more at all. Maybe building a house new would cost even more, I haven't priced that. So while these aren't 'trailer parks', it seems to make more sense just to go for an actual house.

As for actual trailer parks and apartments, well, I've seen (though not lived in) some really horrible ones of each. Some here have mentioned junk. Hate to tell ya but that's one of the least of your worries in the really bad ones. Open septics are probably the worst thing, parts of yards that are overgrown and have standing water year round. Can be a bit of a hazard for people like utility workers....

 

[Mai72]

Don't know why many Americans have such an issue with living in an apartment. 99% of the world lives in apartments. Visit Asia, Europe and South America and you'll notice that most people live in apartments. I like the flexibility of living in an apartment. I can tell my landlord to f*** themselves and leave at the end of my lease. I have money so finding a place to stay is never an issue. Home ownership is Ok, but you're stuck at one location. Plus, why should I have to pay school taxes since I HAVE NO CHILDREN! That alone is ridiculous.

I know a guy who lives in a trailer with his gf. It suits him just find. It's a very cheap way to live. You buy the trailer, find a trailer park and settle in. He pays about $3500 a year in fees. That's it. He's able to save money because the cost of living is so cheap.

It all comes down to preference.

 

[BxgJ]

Don't know why many Americans have such an issue with living in an apartment. 99% of the world lives in apartments. Visit Asia, Europe and South America and you'll notice that most people live in apartments. I like the flexibility of living in an apartment. I can tell my landlord to f*** themselves and leave at the end of my lease. I have money so finding a place to stay is never an issue. Home ownership is Ok, but you're stuck at one location. Plus, why should I have to pay school taxes since I HAVE NO CHILDREN! That alone is ridiculous.

I know a guy who lives in a trailer with his gf. It suits him just find. It's a very cheap way to live. You buy the trailer, find a trailer park and settle in. He says about $3500 a year for fees. That's it. He's able to save money because the cost of living is so cheap.

It all comes down to preference.

Hate to tell ya, but you are paying 'school taxes' regardless. The owner of the property pays them and it's part of your rent.

 

[IronWing]

Don't know why many Americans have such an issue with living in an apartment.

Reason #1) Landlords
Reason #2) Neighbors

 

[Mai72]

Reason #1) Landlords
Reason #2) Neighbors

LOLZ! That was great.

 

[sandorski]

You rent apartment, you own condos. At least that was the original definition. Now not so much.

Ya, but other than that they are essentially the same. Although, I suppose, many Condos are more Upscale.

 

[HeXen]

This is where income and cost of living quarters makes a huge difference. A poor community yields the same problems regardless of what you live in. Put a trailer, apt or house in a nice neighborhood and it's obviously going to be better in most cases than any of those in a poor one as far as property values, crime...etc.

 

[zinfamous]

Hipsters and young, comfortable early-retirees (extreme savers) are moving into trailer parks with their tiny houses.

So expect a sea-shift in demographics of your typical trailer park in the next decade+ (well, small town/suburb trailer parks within a large metro area, obviously. Lizard Lick, NC, is still going to be a shithole)

 

[zinfamous]

Reason #1) Landlords
Reason #2) Neighbors

See

Eye

El

El

My Land. Lord.

 

[Pardus]

I live in a huge apartment complex, the person across the hall is a heavy chain smoker, hallway stinks all the time, the person downstairs has a dog that never stops barking. Some trailer parks look like shit, but there is a nice one nearby that doesn't have that white trash look. You be surprised how nice some of them can look. Both have their advantages and disadvantages I'm really considering moving to a trailer park soon. Best advice is to check out both and decide for yourself.

 

[OverVolt]

Mobile homes are financed differently than real houses, so FWIW I'm sure that has an affect on the stigma because its people without money throwing away money on interest.

If you own one outright though... I kinda like them. My grandma retired in a trailer and I have good memories from there when I visited. Hell I actually think that whole side of my family grew up in trailers.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Some of the newer ones are practically houses. There's one that popped up on FB (probably because I read this thread) for sale in my area that is like 70k, but it was something like 800sqft and basically looked like a small house.

I could almost manage to live in one really if I had to, one downside is no basement though some people have dug basements for theirs. I think a lot of them are not really "trailers" anymore, but rather just small houses. Ex: still have a proper foundation and such.

 

[who?]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrDXzR04mF0

 

[John Connor]

Given the option, I'd take a triple wide trailer. Thank you very much.

 

[Exterous]

Like others have said it can really depend on area. I've seen some terrible trailer parks and have lived in some terrible apartments. That said the trailer gets the slight edge due to lack of shared walls

Don't know why many Americans have such an issue with living in an apartment.

My experience was tainted by terrible upstairs neighbors and the long convoluted process the apartment complex owners had to go through to get them evicted despite late payments of rent, fights, loud parties, multiple police visits etc.

 

[clamum]

Apartments have less of a stigma but to get one you don't really need much money at all, maybe less than a trailer?

Are you being srs? I think $1,000/month doesn't fit "don't really need much money at all" but maybe you're a high roller and rolls his blunts with $100 bills. And that price is only in little Ann Arbor, MI. Sure, they're nice apartments, but that's a good amount of money around here. Heck, my $700/month apartment I don't consider "cheap" either.

Now when I lived in the U.P. and paid $150/month for a 2 bedroom apartment (split the $300 rent w/ a roommate), that I considered "cheap."

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Are you being srs? I think $1,000/month doesn't fit "don't really need much money at all" but maybe you're a high roller and rolls his blunts with $100 bills. And that price is only in little Ann Arbor, MI. Sure, they're nice apartments, but that's a good amount of money around here.

My last apartment 30 minutes from Boston was $1180 per month 850 square feet. My home that is 1 mile away mortgage, property tax and insurance is $1400 per month. Admittedly apartment had free heat but that is only around $450 per year.
Assuming you can put a deposit down and you have reasonable expectations of what you can afford owning is better 99% of the time.

Ps I have always but once been that asshole on the top floor making all the noise. I always but once rented the top floor.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Don't know why many Americans have such an issue with living in an apartment. 99% of the world lives in apartments. Visit Asia, Europe and South America and you'll notice that most people live in apartments. I like the flexibility of living in an apartment. I can tell my landlord to f*** themselves and leave at the end of my lease. I have money so finding a place to stay is never an issue. Home ownership is Ok, but you're stuck at one location. Plus, why should I have to pay school taxes since I HAVE NO CHILDREN! That alone is ridiculous.

I know a guy who lives in a trailer with his gf. It suits him just find. It's a very cheap way to live. You buy the trailer, find a trailer park and settle in. He pays about $3500 a year in fees. That's it. He's able to save money because the cost of living is so cheap.

It all comes down to preference.

Because we still have plenty of land in America and we don't have as generous of retirement plans as some other places.
Why do you need to be so mobile your entire life? You do know you can sell houses and buy a new one at a new location right?
As mentioned earlier you pay school taxes no matter if you rent or buy, renting just has the taxes built into the rent.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

Lizard Lick, NC, is still going to be a shithole)

There is not a trailer park there. The closest is Oak Grove. I'd live there, looks nice.

 

[Midwayman]

Residents being equal, I'd rather live in a trailer. Really don't like the dense living and shared walls of apartment life.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

There is not a trailer park there. The closest is Oak Grove. I'd live there, looks nice.

The first one on the left is very similar to the one I looked at about 25 years ago, small well kept with a small covered parking area. Same narrowish road too. I really should have bought it.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Without a doubt , gated communities with HOA's are the worst .