Gilbert Escobar, general manager of Manufactured Housing Consultants in Corpus Christi, says customers are attracted to the high quality of today’s manufactured homes. Photo by Jane Kathleen Gregorio
Affordability, quality, versatility, and financing options are just a few of the many benefits of a manufactured home in the Corpus Christi area.
“In the past, manufactured homes may have had a stigma of depreciating cost, but today’s prefab homes are being built with higher standards of quality,” said Gilbert Escobar, general manager of Manufactured Housing Consultants in Corpus Christi. “Manufactured housing has become increasingly popular thanks to millennials and the tiny house movement, and they offer a solution against the rising cost and shortage of real estate.”
Industry growth and an increase in the oil and gas business in the Coastal Bend have created a deficit of affordable real estate property.
“We have many companies and construction projects bringing in more people up and down the Gulf Coast from Sinton to Ingleside,” Escobar said. “It’s been getting harder to find housing, and real estate prices are rising.”
An independent dealer, Manufactured Housing Consultants offers a diverse mix of homes along with 21 different financing programs. Lending options focus on helping the credit-challenged, those with small budgets or fixed incomes, retirees, and families that need a two- or three-bedroom house but can no longer afford the high rents of today’s market.
This year, Manufactured Housing Consultants is offering bundled land and home packages to save customers the time and hassle of finding property for their new manufactured home. The company’s stock includes everything from tiny homes to high-end, luxury homes with fireplaces, home theaters, chef kitchens, and large baths.
“We could take a 2,500-square-foot home with all the luxury amenities, for example, and find a five-acre tract of land for it so the customer has ample space for a barn, storage, pool, or even livestock,” Escobar said.
One recent bundle sold for less than $200,000 with an affordable payment plan.
“We help families get into beautiful homes at a lower cost so they can enjoy nicer things and not be stuck with a $4,000-a-month mortgage payment,” Escobar said. “Tiny homes are a big sell. This movement is here to stay.”
Because the company works with a large group of manufacturers, it can sell at a lower cost.
“We’re neither owned by a manufacturer or by a bank,” Escobar continued. “We look for the best financing and the right lending institutions to help the customer qualify.”
Customers are attracted to the high quality of today’s manufactured homes. Whether tiny or luxury, the houses sold by Manufactured Housing Consultants are built for comfort and strength. In the Coastal Bend, they are build to meet windstorm standards.
When the company sets up a home for a client, Escobar and his staff are strict about meeting HUD requirements and making sure customers are satisfied.
“We finish it up with trims and cosmetics,” Escobar said. “Our manufactured homes are structured so well they can absorb the toll of moving and vibrations. More than anything, our company and staff want to keep our clients happy after the fact. We want customers to feel at peace when they wake up to their dream home and feel good about their monthly payments.”
Manufactured Housing Consultants also has three locations in San Antonio as well as locations in Laredo and New Braunfels.
Since launching its Corpus Christi branch in April 2017, the company has seen a significant growth in sales and has attained numerous tops sales awards, the most recent given by Clayton Homes for Top Retailer in 2018.
Escobar attributes these gains to a changing market, flexible home lending policies, and a reliable sales team that exceeds customer expectations.
“Our main objective is to provide solutions,” Escobar said. “We provide solutions to issues customers are not comfortable dealing with, from buying land to turning on water and electricity. We give customers the answers, so all they have to do is turn the key and move in.”
Manufactured Housing Consultants is located at 1814 North Padre Island Drive in Corpus Christi. For more information, call (361) 299-6096 or visit mobilehomescorpuschristi.com.
