What's Up With Singlewide Pricing???

[WendyCal]

Sheesh! My husband and i have been 'shopping' for a mobile home for about 2 weeks now, and are horrified at the exorbitant prices being asked for Old Stock (over a year on the lot) singlewides. If it wasn't for the fact that we plan to move the home within the next 5 years, we'd be seriously looking at doublewides.

Not only that, but it would appear that if you have the audacity to actually know what you want, and what you want to pay for the home, you can expect to be treated like the scum of the earth. i truly thought that an 80' x 16' home could be found, with some options, for about $32,500. What a joke! They want $42,500 for it ~ about the same price we could buy a nice little (56' x 28') Doublewide! We've been to EVERY Palm Harbor dealer in Austin, TX ~ we've been blatantly lied to, insulted, treated to 'bait and switch' tactics, hung up on, totally forgotten after visiting with a salesperson, and issued ultimatums that until we fork up the $500 deposit, we will not be given a price!

So far, we have not let any of the sales centers file for financing for us ~ i'm so suspicious at this point that i'm virtually certain that whatever amount the lender is willing to finance will amazingly become the cost of the home. Sad, but true.

Our idea had been to find two or three dealers, then play them against each other until we got our best price; however, trying to compare apples to apples, even within the same BRAND, became impossible. As an example, one salesperson wants to charge us $550 for a sliding glass door; another, $450. The plywood floors that we've been told are standard with Palm Harbor? They're adding $900 to the price for them! Other things that are considered 'standard' by one have an additional cost attached to them by the other. And we're talking about the SAME HOME Model!!! Is it just me, or are these folks skimming profit from the Top, Middle AND Bottom of the sale?

Oh, well. Time to fall back and regroup. There are literally HUNDREDS of used homes on the market right now ~ folks that got caught in the current recession here in Austin and are desperate to get out from under ~ and that just might be our best bet for getting into a home at a reasonable price.

Thanks for letting me hog up all this bandwidth, and blow off steam! ; )

WendyCal

[Dan O]

It is sad that good buyers get treated badly.
As far as price the true fact is that a retailer can charge whatever he or she decides is acceptable and needed to make a resonable profit. Different retailers can decide to charge different prices for options or call somthing an option if it came standard or not.
Certainly, as with anything, if the price being asked is way out of line with what you consider resonable, you have other choices. If the retailers you have visited are all in the same price range, and it is higher than you expected you might have to re-think your price expectations.
But, if the retailer and salespersons treat people in a insulting or rude manner they deserve to lose the sale. Or, if they attempt to try something that is underhanded, no matter what the price offered, you should walk away.
Good luck

[David Holmes]

If your in Austin, Texas Take a look at this 2002 DoubleWide.

It just went on the market and will go fast at the asking price, the home is 100% perfect

FOLLOW that link

http://www.mobilehome.net/tx/307165/index.htm

[don]

My wife and I purchased a 28x76 ,3 full baths,4bed home from Palm Harbor off the lot, the home is a 2001 model, it came standard with 3/4" plywood flooring,1/2" taped and textured sheetrock.
The home is extremly well built, but the process with Palm Harbor has been horrific. After 8 months we are almost ready to take occupancy of the home. It has been a challenge, however we only paid 39K for the home this home new retails for around 71K....at least thats the average qoute that we got from Palm Harbor dealers across the nation.

As far as negotiations, we had good credit going in, and a 4K downpay. We went to three differant dealers before finding one that would work with us. Manufactured homes sales are depressed right now, its a buyers market. If the salesman are giving you a hard time, ask to speak to the manager, if they dont satisfy you ask for the name/number of the district manager (their boss).

We finally went with a PH dealer that was 250 miles from us. Get EVERYTHING in writeing. Ask them what a reasonable timeframe is for setup on the home, get that in writeing as well.....we looked for over a year before deciding on a PH...I like the construction.

As Ive said it has been a challengeing process...but we did end up with the home with wanted on the land we wanted...be patient....but FIRM!

I wish you well...please keep us informed.

[jgn]

It is really a unique business and the differences in dealers are truly varied. We have visited over 15 dealers from various manufacturers and the only two who were up front was Solitaire and Palm Harbor. They both gave us the keys to the models and we took our time to look around. Most want to play games, escort you through the models and will not give you a price or a straight answer. Solitaire was the easiest to get an answer from but they also offer the fewest changes. We couldn't even get them to add telephone outlets where we wanted them but as far as quality of construntion and a straight pricing policy they were the best.
Palm Harbor offers a solid home and the options we are looking for. We had no problem getting a detailed quote without a deposit and without a hassle. Both had 2x6 exterior, T&T throughout, 3/4" plywood floors. As far as cost per foot goes, Palm Harbor was around $41 and Solitaire around $31. The PH has a lot more eye candy and you can add on almost anything. Both included setup, A/C, propane water heater and stove/oven, wood burning fire place sliding glass door ($675) but did not include poured footers and utility hook up.

[Marge and Carl]

Having done a lot of research on manufactured housing on the net; we thought we were well prepared to go home shopping. Started at the Palm Harbor factory in Plant City, Fl and were treated like dirt!! When we told them we owned our own land, and preferred to do our own financing package we were told that we probably couldn't afford a Palm Harbor anyway; but we could "feel free" to look.
The set-up there is to funnel you through to a salesman; who then goes into a pre-programmed pitch. When we cut him short and told him we just wanted to look at the homes to see if we even wanted to buy one; and asked for a price list; we were dismissed and insulted. We won't be buying a Palm Harbor and are continuing to look at other models. This is not the way to sell manufactured housing!!!!

[tk]

It's not just Palm Harbor - I went to a Liberty Homes dealer and the sales lady wouldn't let us look in any room but the living room, kitchen, and master bedroom. She was very adament that we not see the other bedrooms or utility room and said it wasn't important. We left and will not use that dealer.

[Dave]

We quit the manufactured game and have decided to site build. I just couldn't go through buying a 30 year investment as if I were buying a used car. We got run around, flucuating base and option pricing, wishy washyness as to what was an option and what was standard, you name it. I somewhat jokingly asked the contractor who is doing our site prep and foundation what he could build the same floor plan in a stick built house for. After a little negotiating and sweat equity, as well as calling in some favors from friends in the insulation, drywall, and flooring business, we're going to be into it for the same money, perhaps less. Financing and appraisal will be more favorable as well.

Dave

[jgn]

Dave:
If you have the time and the friends to help you are making the right move. I have the skill, was a carpenter going through college many eons ago, but not the time to build so will probably go with MH or prefab. Given the option I think everyone would rather have a site built home but just don't want to or can't pay the price and MH is still a resonable alternative. While we have been looking I have run into several sales people who didn't know what they are talking about but have yet to have anyone be rude, treat us badly or any of the things that have happened to others, maybe it is the region. I can somewhat understand not giving a price but do not understand why they can't give at least a guestimate, that house like it sits is xx. The industry needs to change and hopefully it will but as long as everyone calls it mobile homes it will be unable to be accepted as a real house just a trailor by another name. HUD is a true government joke who will never have any positive impact on the industry and the industry needs to police itself into respectability.

[WendyCal]

Thank you ALL, so much, for your posts! i really wasn't expecting any ~ just needed to blow off some steam! lol

And the drama continues...

Called one Palm Harbor dealer and was told that there was NO WAY they (or any OTHER Palm Harbor dealership) could sell a certain home we were looking at for the guestimated price we were given. The saleperson, all in one breath, told us that he could show us the invoice on the house we wanted, which was sitting on his lot, then went on to say that he'd have to call the factory for EXACT pricing. Excuse me?!?

Another Palm Harbor dealer called to say that they had found the house we wanted, but with some additional upgrages, and invited us in to discuss it. My husband went in by himself and was told that just as soon as he forked up a check for $500, the saleperson would tell him the price. i really have to wonder at these folks ~ do THEY put stuff on "lay-away" BEFORE they know the exact price??? Do they just walk into a store and say 'I'll take THAT one,' without knowing the price, nor comparison shopping??? Must be nice to be that overflowing in money... but i can ASSURE them, it's won't be OUR money they're rolling in! lol

The informed purchase of a mobile home is the all-elusive Golden Fleece, it would appear. And what are consumers to do? Every mobile home salesperson seems to have gone to the same training classes ~ not to speak of the fact that, at one time or another, the 'professional salespeople' have worked for EVERY manufacturer serving the area! Palm Harbor seems to be the 'manufacturer' of the salespeople ~ of the 3 or 4 OTHER manufacturers we've been to, EVERY SALESPERSON STARTED OUT WITH PALM HARBOR!

Well, i'll keep you informed as the saga continues.

WendyCal

And David Holmes? We LOVED your gorgeous doublewide home (this is Wendy, of the Kevin and Wendy that came to see you that day!); however, we're truly trying to keep the cost down to something we could pay off in 2 - 3 years, and you have an EXCELLENT price already ~ making you an offer even lower than your asking price would not be fair, in any way, shape or form, especially since the price we want to pay is just barely going to get us a singlewide!