If you are in the market for a new home but are concerned about the cost of building from scratch--and the time it takes to build a house--you may want to investigate manufactured houses. For several reasons, manufactured homes are an appealing alternative.

Thanks to the economies of scale and factory manufacturing, prices are considerably lower than material and labor prices for similarly sized conventional houses. And, of course, the time it takes to build a new home is dramatically abbreviated because manufactured homes are available almost "off the shelf." As you might imagine, manufactured homes are available in an almost endless variety of sizes, styles, and floor plans.

In this section of HomeTips, you will find in-depth information about pre-cut homes, panelized homes, modular homes, and mobile homes—from how to plan and buy one to moving and installing it.