One question our home center consultants often get asked is “How long does it take to build a manufactured home?” Well, it depends on a variety of factors. Because of our efficient construction process, it may only take the home building facility a few days to actually build your home. However, the facility may also have other home orders it’s in the process of completing before it’s able to build your home.

The amount of home orders can also vary based on the building facility’s location or the demand during a certain time of year. And if your home has any customization options or upgrades, like a fireplace or different bathroom layout, this could potentially add to the time it takes to build the home as well.

Another frequently asked question is “How long does it take to move into my home?” Steps like financing, finding land for your home, making sure the home site is prepared and more all can affect your actual move-in date. And, of course, you have to pack up all your furniture and belongings, too. Your local home center can help answer your specific questions about how long different parts of the home buying process typically take. And to help you get started, take a look at these seven ways to help you get into your home faster.

1. Budgeting for Your New Home

Establish a realistic budget before you start seriously looking at homes. You can determine what you can reasonably afford by creating a list of your current monthly expenses. These monthly expenses can range from utilities, food, loan payments and medical expenses to food, travel entertainment and charitable donations, depending on your specific situation. Comparing your monthly expenses to your monthly income can help you estimate the income you have available for housing and a price range for your new home.

2. Research Homes and Financing Options

While you’re thinking about which Clayton home models and features you’re interested in based on your wants and needs, make sure you understand all your financing options before you continue your home buying journey. You can talk to friends and relatives about options they have chosen and do research to find lenders who can provide you with quality financing at competitive rates. Then, choose and talk to a few lenders who can clearly explain all the different kinds of home loan options available to you.

3. Get Preapproved, Not Just Prequalified

Many lenders may be able to help you get prequalified for a mortgage even before you visit your local home center. A prequalification typically includes talking with your chosen lender and potentially reviewing your credit score. And if you’re able to get prequalified, you may also want to look into obtaining a preapproval from a lender of your choice, which can help you close more quickly on a home.

A preapproval from the lender provides that lender’s estimate of what loan amount you are approved for, although it does not necessarily eliminate all loan underwriting concerns that will still need to be addressed before you are fully approved.

4. Communicate with Your Lender

Make sure you communicate clearly and openly with your chosen lender so they can answer any questions you may have, and make sure they have everything they need, like different types of documentation. The lender you select to finance your home purchase is in control of and responsible for the processing of your home loan application, not the home center you’re working with.

5. Have Financial Documents Ready to Go

Ask your chosen lender for a list of items, such as financial documents and records, that you may need to provide to them and then gather those items. This may include things like several years of taxes, bank statements and proof of employment and income. This will help prevent delays that could occur if you have to search for these documents.

6. Make Sure Your Home Site is Prepared

The terrain, climate and regional or local regulations for where your home will be can determine what steps need to be taken at your home site before your home can be delivered and set up before you move in. Your home consultant can help you understand what land improvement options or site preparation tasks you may need to consider and help you find contractors for those tasks. Examples of land preparation and improvements could include clearing trees and foliage, grading the land for proper water drainage, building a driveway or installing a septic system, as well as hooking up water and electricity. Staying on track with the work that’s needed will help make sure your home site is ready to go once your home is built.

7. Consider a Move-in Ready Home

One option you may want to consider if you’re looking to move as soon as possible is buying a manufactured or modular home that’s already built and at a home center near you, especially if you already have land or a community lot for your home. You may also be interested in a move-in ready home that's already been placed on land. In that case, you can head to our Find a Home page and use the "Move-in Ready" filter on the top right to see move-in ready homes that are available near you.

Following these tips can help you save time during your home buying journey, so you can move in more quickly and get started on making your new house into the home of your dreams. And for even more helpful info, you can check out the home buying section of our Studio blog for details on everything from how to use your MyHome account to what comes standard in every new Clayton home.