Ballad

The Ballad is one of the newest Tempo Series manufactured homes available through The Home Boys, and it was designed to replace one of the most familiar floor plans in the lineup: the Freebird. For buyers who liked the size and basic concept of the Freebird but wanted a more open kitchen, better flow, and updated exterior features, the Ballad brings that same practical 3-bedroom, 2-bath layout into a cleaner, more modern version.

This home is approximately 1,387 square feet and keeps the same general footprint that made the Freebird popular. The biggest change is the kitchen and pantry layout. By moving the refrigerator and pantry cabinet out of the middle of the room and placing them against the wall, the Ballad creates a much more open dining, kitchen, and living area. The home feels larger than its square footage because the main living space is no longer visually divided.

For buyers looking for a manufactured home under 1,500 square feet with an open-concept layout, island kitchen, Energy Star construction, and practical bedroom sizes, the Ballad is a strong new option in the Tempo Series.

A New Version of a Popular Floor Plan

The Freebird was already a well-known Tempo Series home, but the Ballad improves the layout in one of the places buyers notice most: the kitchen. In the older version, the refrigerator and pantry cabinet sat in a location that separated the dining room from the kitchen and living room. In the Ballad, that area has been opened up.

That single layout change makes the home feel more spacious and easier to live in. The dining room feels wider, the kitchen feels less boxed in, and the living room connects more naturally to the rest of the home. For families who cook, entertain, or want a better everyday traffic flow, this new arrangement makes a real difference.

The Ballad still keeps the practical size and efficient footprint of the Freebird, but it feels more open, brighter, and more current.

Tempo Series Exterior Features

The Ballad includes the standard exterior features that make the Tempo Series stand out from more basic manufactured home lines. All Tempo Series homes come with a 16-foot flush gable, decorative 8-inch columns with accent color, low-E argon-filled vinyl windows, and smart panel vertical grain siding.

One of the newer upgrades in the Tempo Series is the addition of full 16-inch smart panel vented soffits around the home, including both the sidewalls and end walls. The fascia is now 8-inch cement board, which is designed to better handle weather exposure, moisture, and long-term durability in Northwest conditions.

The roof is a 30-year architectural-grade roof with drip edge. The home also includes hose bibs, exterior GFI outlets, decorative coach lights at exterior doors, and a belly band trim detail that helps cover the transition where skirting meets the home.

These exterior details help the Ballad feel more finished, more durable, and more site-ready once the home is placed on a customer’s property.

Energy Star Construction Comes Standard

The Ballad is built as an Energy Star home, which is standard across Clayton homes, the Tempo Series, Golden West homes, and the other new homes The Home Boys sells. Energy efficiency is a major part of long-term affordability, especially for buyers in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and other areas with real winter weather.

This home includes R21 insulation in the walls, R33 insulation in the floor, and R40 insulation in the ceiling. It also includes low-E argon-filled vinyl windows, efficient lighting, and mechanical systems designed to work with modern heating and cooling equipment.

The home shown in the video also includes an example of a modern inverter-style heat pump installation. These newer heat pumps are quieter, more efficient, and better suited for cold-weather performance than older systems. They do not have the same loud on/off cycling that many people associate with older heat pump units.

For buyers who care about long-term heating and cooling costs, the Ballad offers a practical balance between affordability, comfort, and energy efficiency.

E-Built Ready With Hybrid Water Heater

The Ballad shown in the video was built as an eBuilt home. One of the key benefits of eBuilt construction is that it prepares the home for solar and higher-efficiency systems. The electrical panel is PV ready, and the home includes space for future AC or heat pump equipment.

The home also includes a Rheem hybrid water heater. Compared to a standard electric water heater, a hybrid water heater can help reduce energy use and improve recovery performance. This is one of the biggest upgrades when moving from standard Energy Star construction into an eBuilt-ready package.

Combined with the Carrier SmartComfort furnace, Ecobee thermostat, and heat pump-ready wiring, the Ballad is set up for buyers who want a more efficient manufactured home that can work with future energy upgrades.

Open Kitchen, Dining, and Living Room

The heart of the Ballad is its open-concept main living area. The updated kitchen layout makes the whole home feel bigger. The refrigerator and pantry cabinet have been moved to the wall, giving the dining room and kitchen a more open connection.

The kitchen includes an island with an outlet, Samsung appliances, a standard hood fan, and the option to upgrade to a stainless steel microwave hood. The microwave hood upgrade is a small-cost option that adds both function and a cleaner finished look over the range.

This home also includes the larger side-by-side refrigerator with ice and water in the door. For families, this is a practical upgrade that makes the kitchen more functional every day.

The island gives buyers extra prep space, extra storage, and a natural place for kids, family, or guests to sit while someone is cooking. Compared to smaller Tempo Series homes without an island, the Ballad has a stronger kitchen-centered layout.

New Cabinet and Color Options

The Ballad introduces updated cabinet choices in the Tempo Series. In the display model, the kitchen uses white upper cabinets with Sunny Valley brown lower cabinets. This two-tone cabinet look gives the kitchen more contrast and a more custom feel.

Other available cabinet colors include Onyx and Club Gray. The Onyx cabinet option can be used in most areas of the home, although it is not available in the bathrooms. Buyers can combine cabinet colors in the kitchen and pantry area without an added charge, which gives the home more design flexibility while still staying within the Tempo Series price structure.

The countertops continue to come in two marble-look options: a lighter white option and a darker option. These finishes give buyers a simple but attractive design palette without making the ordering process overly complicated.

Better Lighting and Practical Outlets

Lighting is one of the common questions buyers ask when walking through manufactured homes. The Ballad addresses that with multiple LED can lights throughout the living room, dining room, and kitchen. The home shown in the video includes four LED can lights in the living room, one in the dining room, and several more in the kitchen.

The Ballad also includes plenty of outlets throughout the home, including an outlet on the island. This matters for real everyday use. Buyers need places to plug in small appliances, chargers, lamps, kitchen tools, and entertainment equipment.

The Tempo Series also includes upgraded black pendant lights in the kitchen area, giving the home a more modern look.

Utility Room and Mechanical Area

The Ballad includes a practical utility room with space for a washer and dryer. Standard utility shelving is included, and buyers can also choose cabinet options above the washer and dryer. Those cabinets can match or contrast with the kitchen cabinet colors.

The home includes a 200-amp electrical service, whole-house ventilation, and mechanical systems designed for energy-efficient performance. The ventilation system is important because these homes are built tight for efficiency and need proper air movement to keep fresh air circulating through the home.

The Ecobee thermostat is also standard in the Tempo Series and is ready to control a heat pump or air conditioning system. It can be used with an app, but it is also simple enough to control directly on the wall.

8-Foot Ceilings Standard, 9-Foot Ceilings Available

The Ballad comes standard with 8-foot ceilings, but buyers can now order 9-foot ceilings in the Tempo Series. In the video, the 9-foot ceiling option is described as a $2,760 upgrade on double-wide homes.

This is one of the most impactful upgrades available. Moving from 8-foot to 9-foot ceilings changes the way the home feels immediately. Rooms feel taller, brighter, and more open. For buyers who want a manufactured home that feels less compressed and more site-built, 9-foot ceilings are one of the best upgrades to consider.

The Ballad already feels more open because of the kitchen redesign. Adding 9-foot ceilings can make that open feel even stronger.

Secondary Bedrooms and Guest Bathroom

The Ballad is a 3-bedroom, 2-bath home. The two secondary bedrooms are located on the guest side of the home and are similar in size. Both rooms include windows, outlets on every wall, closets with wire shelving, and the option for 2-inch faux wood blinds.

The guest bathroom includes a porcelain sink, single-handle faucet, fiberglass tub/shower, LED lighting, and a simple, clean layout. The finishes are practical and easy to maintain, which fits the purpose of the Tempo Series.

For families, guests, or buyers who need a home office, the secondary bedroom layout is straightforward and useful.

Primary Bedroom and Walk-In Closet

The primary bedroom is located at the opposite end of the home and offers a comfortable amount of space. The display setup includes a queen bed with nightstands on both sides, but the room is large enough to fit a king bed if needed.

The primary bedroom includes two windows, LED lighting, 2-inch faux wood blinds, and standard wire-and-brace for a ceiling fan. The living room also comes standard with wire-and-brace for a ceiling fan, and buyers can add that option to secondary bedrooms or other rooms for a small additional cost.

The primary bedroom also includes a good-sized walk-in closet, giving buyers more storage than many smaller manufactured home floor plans.

Upgraded Primary Bathroom With Palisade Shower

One of the standout features in this Ballad display home is the upgraded Palisade shower in the primary bathroom. This shower has a marble tile look but uses resin panels instead of grout. That means buyers get a higher-end visual style without the maintenance of traditional tile grout.

The Palisade shower is larger than a standard fiberglass shower, with more usable space inside and a lower step-in design. It also includes a rain shower head as part of the upgrade. In the video, this option is listed as a $1,500 upgrade.

The primary bathroom also includes dual porcelain sinks, single-handle faucets, framed mirrors, LED lighting, a toilet area, and an additional closet with wire shelving. Compared to the older layout, this added closet gives the bathroom more useful storage.

Updated Trim and Interior Details

The Ballad also includes updated interior trim details. The base trim is now taller, with a more modern square-edge look. Door and window trim has also been updated to a fuller 2.5-inch profile. These details may seem small, but they help the home feel more finished and current.

Combined with the cabinet options, pendant lighting, LED can lights, and updated kitchen layout, the Ballad feels like a more modern version of the Freebird while keeping the same practical size category.

Ballad vs. Here Comes the Sun

The Ballad is larger and more open than the Here Comes the Sun, another popular Tempo Series home. Here Comes the Sun is a smaller 3-bedroom, 2-bath floor plan with a different layout and no island kitchen.

The Ballad gives buyers more open space, a bigger kitchen feel, larger bedrooms, and the working space of an island. For buyers who cook often, entertain, or want a more central kitchen layout, the Ballad may feel more comfortable.

Here Comes the Sun can still be a great fit for buyers who want a smaller home, but the Ballad gives a stronger open-concept experience.

Ballad vs. My Girl

The Ballad is also close in size to My Girl, one of the most popular Tempo Series homes under 1,500 square feet. My Girl is approximately 1,343 square feet, while the Ballad is approximately 1,387 square feet.

The Ballad is a 27x52 home, while My Girl is a 24x56 home. Depending on the buyer’s property, one footprint may fit better than the other. My Girl includes a family room at one end of the home, which helps it feel larger in a different way. The Ballad focuses more on the open kitchen, dining, and living room connection.

For buyers comparing homes under 1,500 square feet, these are two important Tempo Series layouts to walk through in person.

Who Is the Ballad Best For?

The Ballad is a strong fit for buyers who want a 3-bedroom, 2-bath manufactured home that feels open without being too large. It works well for families, couples, retirees, and buyers who want a practical home with a more modern kitchen layout.

It is especially useful for buyers who liked the Freebird but wanted a better kitchen and dining flow. The island, open dining area, pantry relocation, upgraded lighting, and modern cabinet choices make the Ballad feel more current and more livable.

This home is also a good option for buyers who want the flexibility of the Tempo Series, including cabinet color choices, 9-foot ceiling availability, eBuilt readiness, efficient mechanical systems, and upgraded bathroom options.

See the Ballad at The Home Boys

The Home Boys keeps a large selection of decorated display homes so buyers can walk through different floor plans, compare layouts, and feel the difference between homes before making a decision. The Spokane Valley location has 18 display homes, the Pasco location is expanding to around 12 display homes, and a new Montana location in Arlee is also planned with additional models.

The Ballad is a great example of why walking through homes matters. On paper, it may look similar to the Freebird, but inside, the open kitchen and dining redesign changes the feel of the entire home.

For buyers shopping for a manufactured home under 1,500 square feet with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, Energy Star construction, an island kitchen, modern cabinet options, and a more open main living area, the Ballad is worth seeing in person.

Visit The Home Boys to walk through the Ballad, compare it with other Tempo Series homes, and find the floor plan that fits your family, property, and budget.