Wholesale Homes Northwest? Anyone?

[JGarrison]

They have prices listed better then anyone I have found for Karsten and Golden West homes. Anyone heard of them or had any experience with them? Thanks all!

[rmurray]

The marketing process here is similar to another company we have heard a lot of here...

This dealer is quoting those brands FOB the factory where they are built..with no delivery, set-up, underpinning, a/c, foundation, steps and permits..All functions usually included by other dealers..Just the highway freight to your location can easily be 10% of the costs or more..Set-up, foundation, land prep, steps, permits can run tens of thousands of dollars..Plus base prices often do not include options you have seen in model home on other stores....Upgrade options commonly are many thousands of dollars..The point is when comparing prices be sure you compare EXACTLY all the items you need..then see who is better...Most factory service is done by the dealer because factories can be months behind because of the distances.By far most service is related to the set up and NOT covered by the factory..My point is it is far better to deal with a local dealer because of local codes and service after the sale...

[David Oxhandler]

I agree with Mr. Murray... beware of the lowest price.Professional contractors who subcontract out various phases of the big building projects that they manage will tell you to NEVER take the lowest bid.  They Always get a minimum four or five price bids.  Most of the bidders will be very close to each other, as they are bidding to supply the same materials and labor.  The bidder that is way above the rest of the pack is usually grabbing for an excess profit... the one that is way below the rest is the most dangerous because he is usually not including the same items.. He has either overlooked a significant part of the project and so will not be able to afford to complete it, or he is planning on adding a bunch of extra items that he is not including in his bid once he has the contract.Continue to shop around for a fair price from a local dealer... consider downloading the Grissim Buyers Guild to manufactured Homes and Land.  The tuition of  $19.95 is well worth the higher education ... Grissim's Guides have taught thousands of MH Shoppers just how the manufactured home industry operates. It will show you how to find a dealer worthy of your trust and how to make the right home selection. You can Download the E-Book Edition  and be reading or even printing your copy in a matter of just a few minuets.

[JGarrison]

Thank you for the advice! I have spent a little time at my local dealer, they have a Oakwood home there that my wife fell in love with. They are wanting to unload the home there on the lot and have marked it down quite a bit. After doing some research on Oakwood though I have found they don't have a very good history.

I guess I will need to find out if this home was built by Oakwood before they went bankrupt, or if this is a newer built home with the Oakwood floorplan.

[rmurray]

You are right to be wary. Clayton Homes bought all the Oakwood assets from the court. I doubt that CLayton would warranty older Oakwoods...If you continue with this model, inspect the home very carefully and have iron clad agreements with the dealer about warranty on the home...Do remember that you will NOT be able to get matching parts IE: cabinet doors, interior doors, shingles, outside siding and wall coverings.. I still think you should deal with a local (within 50 miles) dealer if you can...Invest in the book mentioned above..Good Luck