Manufactured Housing Enterprises-Bryan Ohio

[mberry]

Hello,
My wife and I plan to buy a manufactured home this summer. The possible choices are mind-boggling and confusing.
We are looking at several Manufactured Housing Enterprises (MHE) homes being sold by Midwest Manufactured Homes in Frazeysburg Ohio. They are advertised as the "Elite" series of homes.
A concern we have is that the prices Midwest is advertising seem very low when comparing these Elites to similar size homes from other manufacturers. I've always been taught that if something seems too good to be true then it probably is.
Does anyone have any experience with the MHE homes, or has anyone purchased from Midwest? We would really appreciate any feedback, since we are looking to buy in the next couple of months. We would like to hear any comments regarding MHE or Midwest, either positive OR negative.
Thanks
Mike Berry
Logan Ohio

[mobekat]

Midwest Homes does some ify sales practices such as not including all the options that you see in their display model, not including needed items such as steps, set-up delivery. They can be very misleading. I went to all the dealers around Ohio before my wife and I purchaed our new home and we feel we got the best deal at a place called High touch homes in Greenwich Oh. We love our new home and the guys there were great to deal with.

[David Oxhandler]

When you are making any large investment you need to do what is called "due diligence". Purchasing a home is a huge endeavor, and buyers need to be more educated than ever. This needs to start before the shopping process.

Mortgage rates are at 50-year lows. Home prices are affordable again for thousands of families. Nobody knows how long this will last. Today's market is a rare buying opportunity for working families with stable incomes and good credit.

Anyone shopping for a home should have the cash on hand or financing arraigned prior to shopping. Ask a reputable lender to pre-qualify you for a mortgage. A mortgage pre-qualification letter can make you a stronger home shopper since sellers won't have to worry about whether you can qualify for a mortgage. If you have good credit you can often get a better deal by NOT letting the dealer also act as your loan broker.

Once you know how much money you can borrow and have an estimate of your closing costs, you'll know the price range you can afford. You might already have a home in mind. Learn every thing you can about the builder and dealer.

If you are looking at new homes read The Grissim Buyer's Guide to Manufactured Homes and Land and get descriptions of the entire spectrum of what manufactured housing has to offer, from gorgeous high end dwellings indistinguishable from site-built homes to bare bones single section housing, from The Grissim Ratings Guide to Manufactured Homes

If your in the market for a pre-owned home download How to Get a Good Deal on a Mobile Home

Manufactured Housing Enterprises is Ohio’s largest home builder. They have been building homes since 1965. Contact the MHE Sales Department (800-821-0220 Extension 200). Ask if you can take a tour of the factory.

If you can get a tour it will be an experience you will always remember. Seeing the construction process first hand will give you a much better idea of exactly what you are buying. Ask the builder for the locations for all of their dealers in your part of the country. You can often find huge savings by comparative shopping in the town or county next to yours.

The Builder will have to work with you through a licensed dealer. You want to avoid predatory dealers and finance companies. Ask the builder which dealers have the home you are most interested in and about the process of custom ordering exactly the home you want.

You also should not be afraid to ask about each dealers experience and reputation. Ask the sales department at the factory, the Better Business Bureau, and every person you know that lives in a manufactured home.

Do your homework before you put your money down. The Grissim Guide is a comprehensive resource guide for consumers that explains just how the manufactured home industry operates, how to find a dealer worthy of your trust, how to make the right home selection, and, as important, how to be informed, empowered, and swindle-proof.

[Celtlund]

Take David's advice and get and read Grissim's books before you go house hunting. Also get pre qualified. We did that and have no regrets either with the home we bought or the dealership.