Modular Home Review l Clayton Studio

Couple Surprised by Possibilities of Clayton Homes

Man and woman stand together smiling with modular home exterior and East Tennessee mountains in the background.

Do you know about the style, affordability and customization options you’ll find with today’s manufactured homes? Check out the Taylor’s story of how they changed their preconceived ideas and found the home of their dreams.

Bonny and Alec Taylor were moving to just outside of Greeneville, TN, when they started searching for a new home. Originally from Baltimore, they were excited to kick off their marriage in a place they both loved and where Alec’s family had deep roots.

A trip that called them home.

Tan manufactured home nestled into East Tennessee landscape with lush green grass, a pond and mountains in the background.

While on their honeymoon in 2013, they drove through the mountains of the Southeast and were stunned by the beauty of the area. After driving through the nearby mountain town of Gatlinburg and then Greeneville, they knew that East Tennessee is where they wanted to call home. And with Alec’s ties to the area, it already felt like home to them.

“I was aware of the area through my family. My grandparents were in the area and my parents grew up in this area,” said Alec. “I guess it’s in my family’s blood. They’ve been here since the late 1700s and something drew me back - the peace and quiet of the mountains.”

An unplanned visit to the home center.

Customer Testimonial Bonny and Alec Taylor 022

Once they made the decision to move to East Tennessee, they started looking for a real estate agent and searching for homes. While driving one day to look at homes, they decided to pull into Clayton Homes of Rogersville. They were welcomed by home consultant Harold Keller.

“He came out and greeted us and was very kind and laid back,” Bonny said. “We took a look around and just couldn’t get over it.”

Bonny and Alec walked around the lot to look at the available models and received more information from their home consultant.

“I never knew manufactured homes could be like this, you know?” said Bonny. “So, we took a look around and just couldn’t get over it.”

The Taylors left the lot to go grab lunch and meet with real estate agents about other homes. However, after looking at other homes and comparing prices and what was available, they came back to Clayton to purchase the home model they had chosen, the Treyburn.

Farmhouse living room with stone fireplace with a TV hanging over the fireplace, brown sofa and loveseat set and a blue and white rug with large open windows.

Are you sure this is a manufactured home?

“I was not expecting what I saw. I was completely blown away,” said Bonny.

Bonny even admitted to debating about whether or not the homes they were touring were manufactured homes with their home consultant. However, Harold explained the differences between mobile, manufactured and modular homes.

“I was totally wrong and so glad I was wrong. And I was shocked,” said Alec. “I knew what her thoughts were. And, you know, I definitely had a preconceived notion of what a manufactured home was.”

They were looking for a 4 bedroom home, and when Harold showed them the Treyburn, they knew they had found their home. Alec is the cook in the family, so the open layout of the kitchen with all of the cabinets and the range hood was important to him. He loved the amount of prep space the home had, complete with enough storage for his favorite pots and pans - and everything he needs to make his famous spaghetti.

Farmhouse kitchen with white subway tile, white cabinets with black hardware, marble countertops, stainless steel appliances and white range hood.

In addition, the fourth bedroom makes a great place for Alec to set up his home office. They use one bedroom for their granddaughter when she comes to visit and the additional one is used as a guest room for any of their kids.

The Taylors were shocked at the customizations they were able to make to their home as well, including flipping their floor plan and choosing from a selection of flooring options. And if you ask Bonny about her favorite room, she will tell you it’s her walk-in closet with her glamorous vanity setup.

Enjoying their home and more.

Woman and man sit on couch together with their gray fluffy cat walking on the coffee table in front of them.

Alec and Bonny enjoy sitting in their open living room to watch their favorite movies together, listen to music and relax in front of their fireplace. Their property features a small pond that makes for a serene escape, and their view of the fields and mountains are the perfect picture to enjoy while sipping their morning coffee.

From celebrating their one-year wedding anniversary by eating their frozen wedding cake to hosting a family Thanksgiving with their kids they have already started to make great memories in their home.

“We had a big Thanksgiving finally with most of the kids here last year. It was special because of 2020, with everyone back,” said Bonny.

And their story doesn’t end here. Bonny’s passion for off-site built housing led her on an unexpected journey - stay tuned to learn what she is doing to help other families achieve homeownership!

Couple Surprised by Possibilities of Clayton Homes

A trip that called them home.

An unplanned visit to the home center.

Are you sure this is a manufactured home?

Enjoying their home and more.

Are you ready to find your dream home?