The Manufactured Housing Forums

Hi all,
I've been learning a lot by through these forums and liking the idea of a MH more and more, except the "dealing with salespeople" part. Does anyone have any referrals to reputable retailers in the central Indiana region? Thanks in advance.

John T.

Sales people by definition try to sell you... whatever. This is not unique to shopping for a MH. Do your research PRIOR to shopping so you know what your want and understand what constitutes quality. Set your goals and then shop them.An educated shopper is a power buyer. Read everything you can and ask the questions and learn the answers before you hit the street. We have a number of books you can order or even download in our book store that can help.
A Complete Buyers Guide to Manufactured Homes and Land - E-Book Edition Purchasing any new home is a complex process that presents a big challenge even to the smartest of home shoppers. Veteran author and journalist John Grissim learned this when he and his wife purchased their first manufactured home. His discoveries inspired him to research and write this comprehensive buyer's guide. John has become a well-respected new voice for the consumer. In an unusual move, the MHI invited John to present a workshop at its 2003 Expo in Las Vegas, called "Our industry through an outsider's eyes" in which he delivered a hard hitting, no-nonsense view. Written by a consumer for consumers, this no-nonsense, highly readable guide explains just how the manufactured home industry operates, exposes its secrets, and teaches you how to find a dealer worthy of your trust, how to make the right home selection, how to accurately determine the fair price of a home. Exhaustively researched, with extensive input from both industry insiders and consumer advocates, this guide contains much information that retailers, even the good guys, don't want you to know. DOWNLOAD NOW!
How To Buy A Manufactured Home And Save Thousands Of Dollars, E-Book Version This book, by Randy Eaton, will show you how to negotiate the best price possible by taking you through a step-by-step process that works every time. What about site preparation costs? This is another area where people spend thousands of dollars without even knowing it. By understanding this process with helpful illustrations and simple formulas you can avoid unnecessary site preparation costs. Get the facts before you buy and save time and money. Are you interested in quality construction? This book goes into detail about construction methods and how to avoid paying for a poorly built manufactured home. Randy Eaton now offers his best selling guide for the manufactured home buyer PLUS the Manufactured Home Comparison Guide, the only e-published comparison study of various brands of manufactured homes...together at a seriously discounted price.. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Modular Home Buyers Guide E Book Considering A Modular Home? Learn How to Save Thousands Before you Buy. Plus Receive the Author's Top Picks of Modular Home Builders in North America What are the advantages of choosing a modular home over a site-built home? Which modular home builders in the U.S. offer quality homes at reasonable prices? Do modular homes appreciate at the same rate as site-built homes? Can I negotiate a price? What is a fair profit? Questions like these and many others are being asked by thousands of homebuyers across North America each year. Get the facts about modular and panelized homes before you buy. Save time and money with confidence and peace of mind. DOWNLOAD NOW!

Thanks David.
I've read one book and LOTS of stuff online and have a basic grasp of the situation, but I'm not, and never will be, a wheeler-dealer type. When I'm ready to go shopping I'll probably be able to run rings around any salesperson in terms of construction knowledge, and be aware of most tricks s/he is trying to pull, but I'll hate every minute of it.
Rather than trying to beat some salesperson at a "game" that s/he probably enjoys and practices on a daily basis, it would be nice to get a referral to one of the rare breed of salespeople that is also a decent human being so I can avoid most of that garbage.
Maybe I'm too much an optimist, but it seems that if happy, satisfied customers pass around names of good, conscientious salespeople, then new customers like me can go to a dealership and go right to the sales manager and say "I'd like so-and-so to help me rather than this blood-sucking-scum-that's-trying-to-drag-me-to-his/her cubicle-to-establish-what-kind-of-payments-I-can-afford". We can help the good people make their quotas and keep them there for the next new buyer.
Anyway, maybe there's not enough traffic on this forum for that, at least not IN traffic, but it seems like it could work in CA, TX, or FL. Just a thought.

John T.

John, I agree with you one hundred percent. I can vouch for the fact that it is possible to find good, honest reliable dealers that are a pleasure to work with, make the process as painless as possible, and shoulder most of the burden (or at least attempt to) of this incredibly stressful process. But it may take a while to find them! I wish I could help you with the Indiana area, but I can't. But we did eventually find an excellent dealership in AZ to deal with, and are so happy we did. You're right, in my opinion, even with all the knowledge, savvy and sophistication, it simply isn't worth trying to get the "blood-sucking scum" to do what you want. Because the truth is, if they don't want to, they simply won't. They'll just throw every obstacle they can think of in your path, or even worse, will simply ignore you. The first dealer we dealt with simply stopped returning phone calls and emails once they realized they couldn't persuade us to buy what they wanted us to buy. We ended up going to a dealer 4 hours away from where we live. It created a lot more work for us, but it was well worth it. No more stalling, no more double-talk, no more "no, we can't". Instead we get, "yes we can" and "we'll make it work".
Keep looking, keep shopping, and don't settle. You'll be glad in the end.

Tanya,
Thanks for the words of understanding, commiseration, and encouragement. Even though you dan't help directly, it's nice to know that others feel the same way and have been successful in buying a home the way I'd like to do it.

John