The Manufactured Housing Forums

I have been reading many different posts from people about Palm Harbor and the overall feeling that I get is that they are good quality and a good value. I am looking to buy a home, along with my fiancee in the Orlando area, and yesterday a very close friend who just bought a site-built home with 1300 sq ft for $105k called and explained to me that she spoke to someone who thought that manufactured homes were not a good value because in the long run, its more expensive. She said that you have to pay taxes on the home and on the land. Is that true? She also said that the water and sewage and the electricty isn't included like it is with a site built...which I understand, but the overall cost of the MH is cheaper anyway. And she said that they depreciate in value...close to 40%. I don't neccesarily want to live a long time in this home...someday we will have a family and probably outgrow it, but for now, we are leaning towards it. But I don't want to be in a position that in possibly 5 years, we owe more on the houe than it is worth. I sent my concerns to the Palm Harbor guy who has not yet replied, but I don't want him to sugar coat everything for me.

I guess my question is, in the longrun, are MH a good value? Will I owe more than it's worth?

Any help is greatly appreciated. I am going to see the Palm Harbor guy next week and I am so overwhelmed by everything. I am so afraid that it will be all fluffed up and looking pretty, but I will be stuck with it in the end.

You have not mentioned where you intend to put this home...sounds like on your own property since you are mentioning the water..sewerage and electric improvements......

If so..you friend is almost right...If you resell your double section manufactured home to be moved off the property in a few years there will be substantial loss..(not all depreciation because the cost of moving complicates the figures)...BUT...your friend will do MUCH worse when she sells her home to be moved off the property...as a matter of fact she would do SOOOOOO bad..I doubt she would ever try it..When sold as a home (land and all)..manufactured homes will react to the local market conditions JUST like any other type of home on the same property..So if you compare selling her home..and yours in the same terms..they will react the same if the locations are equally desireable...Yours could do much better if the location is more desireable...or visa versa..So..your friend is WRONG when considered equally..

Taxes....If you own the property the home is on (even if you owe money)..you can have your home included in the deed for finance and tax purposes in Florida..this means you will have a tax bill just like she does that includes the property, improvements and the home...At the same millage rate she pays...Your friend is both right and wrong...you will only get 1 bill...but just like her your will be taxed both on the home and the land...

If you are planning on putting your home in a rental community..you could be in luck...Although in many place in the country rental park resales are slow now....Florida quality communities are the shining star of the industry and doing very well...As long as the home does not have to be moved..the community is very desirable and you are in it 5 years..you should do ok...AND..taxes are FAR less in Florida in this case..

My guess is that you are looking at something more than 1300 sq foot home...5 years..your time frame is not a short time...on average all homes are resold with in 5 years..manufactured homes are no different than others...In the mean time comfort..pride..family..saftey concerns are the goal of housing...Just the Energy-Miser program that Palm Harbor has will save you thousands in energy costs over your friends bills...Did your friend get a 5 year warranty..I doubt it..The list goes on and on..

Doubts are a common feeling all home buyers have when buying...Friends will never admit they might have made a mistake themselves...they will always justify their own actions...this is natural...You are smart to come here and get unbiased oppinions..Good Luck...Do the patriotic thing...help the ecomomy...GO FOR IT..

Rmurray has given you some very good advice, I would just like to address the "water, sewer, and electricty" issue. A new MH and new site built home are exactly the same in respects to those utilities. When first built, both have to have them installed. When buying a used site built or MH, both will have them assuming they have not been moved to a sells lot.

Hi Becky.. I'm kind of in the same boat...I am from the Orlando area also and the community I like is where you own your own land and at first all they allowed was Skylines and Horton homes. Now they allow Palm Harbor and Homes of Merit.
Mr. Murray is right on with his advice. If you own the land and the home it is like a regular site built home in regards to taxes and I feel that you would be able to sell it a lot easier if it is on it's own land..Just my own thoughts there.
Which Palm Harbor dealer are you with? I'm planning a visit this weekend to the one on 50 (Colonial Drive) It is the closed to me..Keep us posted...

Not to throw a wrench into your thinking...Palm Harbor has just introduced a new line of "affordable" modulars that were the rave of the most recent manufactured housing show....This is very new and the dealer might not have complete information on the product...but the web site is up and running...

Now...get more confused..

http://www.discoverycustomhomes.com

Ask the dealer when you go this weekend..

Thanks so much for your imput. I showed it to my finacee and neither of us have any reservations about it. The Palm Harbor guy wrote me back and he said that once it is put onto your own property, it is considered a "real" home tax wise and property wise. And Duane, I am going to the one in Lakeland because that is where the guy who we are dealing with is.

i've seen the discovery homes, at a home show and at a dealer's lot. they are really really nice. but we did not consider them affordable for us.......one of them with a garage was 130,000.00.

Sounds exciting Becky...Be sure to keep all of us updated. I'm going this Sunday to see what they have..I've been to the PH plant which is quite a place in itself. Just seeing how they are built boggles the mind.
Mr. Murray I checked out that website and those modulars look beautiful. How are they in pricing compared to thier manufactured homes? I know the Palm Harbor Village in Plant City Florida has them. It might be worth the ride over there to check them out. I know your big on HOM but how do you feel they compare with PH?

In Florida you are very lucky...PH builds a great house...better built than some of the HOM models..remember HOM builds more than one line of homes and all are not the same construction specs..The best HOMs are some of the best in the industry..

Both have 5 yr factory warranty...but..HOM has $100 deductible after the first year...I think..ask your sales rep..PH's deductible is only $50 after the first year..

Another good feature I think is nationwide..PH factory techs come to the site and do all the final finish of the set..this means you are likely to get a great trim job that matches the rest of the home perfectly...

Customer satisfaction is truly a corporate culture at PH...You will have a 180 point walk through with your sales rep..You will be encouraged to list even the most minor issues..Factory techs will handle all your service...After 6 months you will be called by a survey firm asking about your satisfaction..Good comments are hoped for...but managers..service techs..salepersons are all paid on your responses...Favorable they get a bonus..unfavorable they lose money...The company makes it to their interest to be sure your are a happy camper..

Check them out..

i have set up some of the discovery homes by palm harbor, just finished one in savannah. the home is designed to accept a garage right off and also the models shown on web page can have extra rooms added for more bedrooms. the one basic home can use 12 different exterior finishes so they all dont look alike. the finishes are a mix of country and city. well thought out. but as some pointed out above , the electric , and all other utilities are paid for in a site built , just hidden in price. the 130,000 price above was a turnkey job. the main difference in the orlando area between a regular palm harbor and the discovery would be the roof trusses, roof trusses have a little different design . and with the discovery it will be a site built , for taxes, mortgages , etc. but the plant city palm harbor homes are ones that are just as good. and the site built in the orlando area for 105,000 was either an older home , or one in a cookie cutter subdivision. bet it wont have 2x6 outside walls , etc. check it close compared to palm harbor and discovery. rmurry , dont know if we have met , for the last two years i have set for the palm tree close to you. are you still where you were or retired?