Manufactured Home Thoughts...
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2003 2:20 pm
Hello,
I am new to this board, although I spend alot of time on other MH boards and websites reading as much as I can about all aspects of the industry. I just got done reading on your First Time Buyers board about how people are being treated by MH companies while looking to purchase a new home.
I find it almost INCOMPREHENSIBLE that, during a time when you can pick up a re-poed late-model MH for 50 cents on the dollar (or less) from Conseco, MH companies still let their salespeople act as if a potential customer is nothing more than some white-trash fool who is lucky to be granted an "audience" with their Royal Highnesses, the Sales Staff. Do these people not watch the industry news and learn from the mistakes of others, like Oakwood?!? Do they really think they can get away with charging people $40k-$50k for a single-wide, wasting customer's time by giving them the run around on even basic info like price, construction features and warranty? Even used-car salesmen are more upfront than these charletons!
I subscribe to the industry publications and I see how the new manufactured homes are finally are starting to look like a quality, residential-looking product. A product I would not only like to be involved with on an investment level, but as a home-owner as well.
Then I hear crap like this. That said, I am half-serious in asking these next questions:
1) Since there seems to be such a lack of honest, upfront MH companies making sturdy, quality-built MH's that actually show and list construction materials and methods on their websites, for a total dollar price, (not that monthly payment b.s.), does anyone know what it would take to start a MH company of your own, that could actually emphasize quality traits?
2) Would registering in my state as a mobile home dealer enable me to bypass the retail sales b.s. and deal directly with the MH company of my choice?
Good luck to everyone-it's a jungle out there!
Pat Sears
I am new to this board, although I spend alot of time on other MH boards and websites reading as much as I can about all aspects of the industry. I just got done reading on your First Time Buyers board about how people are being treated by MH companies while looking to purchase a new home.
I find it almost INCOMPREHENSIBLE that, during a time when you can pick up a re-poed late-model MH for 50 cents on the dollar (or less) from Conseco, MH companies still let their salespeople act as if a potential customer is nothing more than some white-trash fool who is lucky to be granted an "audience" with their Royal Highnesses, the Sales Staff. Do these people not watch the industry news and learn from the mistakes of others, like Oakwood?!? Do they really think they can get away with charging people $40k-$50k for a single-wide, wasting customer's time by giving them the run around on even basic info like price, construction features and warranty? Even used-car salesmen are more upfront than these charletons!
I subscribe to the industry publications and I see how the new manufactured homes are finally are starting to look like a quality, residential-looking product. A product I would not only like to be involved with on an investment level, but as a home-owner as well.
Then I hear crap like this. That said, I am half-serious in asking these next questions:
1) Since there seems to be such a lack of honest, upfront MH companies making sturdy, quality-built MH's that actually show and list construction materials and methods on their websites, for a total dollar price, (not that monthly payment b.s.), does anyone know what it would take to start a MH company of your own, that could actually emphasize quality traits?
2) Would registering in my state as a mobile home dealer enable me to bypass the retail sales b.s. and deal directly with the MH company of my choice?
Good luck to everyone-it's a jungle out there!
Pat Sears