Homes of Merit vs. Mascot - Hey, Mr. Murray

What do you want to know about manufactured homes? The worlds greatest collection of expert advice on buying, installing, maintaining and repairing manufactured homes.



Post Reply
Mrs X

Homes of Merit vs. Mascot - Hey, Mr. Murray

Post by Mrs X » Sun Feb 16, 2003 6:38 pm

How does Mascot Homes compare to Homes of Merit, Mr. Murray? I know you sell HOM, but will ask anyway.

I just got back from Columbia, SC where I looked at several Mascot models (modular homes). They are very, very nice, however, the ones I liked the best were out of my price range.

My sister went with me and she had never been in a newer manufactured home, but BOY, WAS SHE SURPRISED! She had tried to discourage me from going the manufactured route, but she's a believer now!

We drove right through Augusta, but unfortunately did not have time to stop in at Mr. Murray's dealership. Too bad, because I'd love to put a face with all these witty comments. And I plum forgot that HOM makes modular homes too!

On another note, we stopped by another lot (Atlantic Homes outlet) about 30 miles west of Columbia, SC where they were selling 2-story modular homes that were absolutely UNBELIEVABLE! I mean, NOBODY would ever believe these were not site-built. They had a 3000 square foot, 2-story model that looked like a plantation house and had a porch upstairs and downstairs. I felt like I was entering the Taj Mahal! The foyer was two stories high and the place was just magnificent. Price? $157,900!!!!

There was also a Cape Cod model and a Victorian-style house. I just can't understand why people aren't STANDING IN LINE to buy these things!!!!!. The same house built on site would be DOUBLE the money. This place also had photographs of actual homes they've place for customers and they were all so beautiful that - again - I just can't understand WHY people are still buying stick-built houses. This industry needs to get a good PR agency to push these houses.

My sister is certainly convinced - she just fell in love with the bathrooms and kitchens in these houses (manufactured AND modular homes). She had no idea that these are no longer "trailers."

I wish I was already retired because I'd go to work for one of these places and make a killing - - - these houses sell themselves!

Well, now that I've provided that free ad campaign, Mr. Murray, what's the answer to my question?

Carol

Re: Homes of Merit vs. Mascot - Hey, Mr. Murray

Post by Carol » Sun Feb 16, 2003 8:12 pm

Mrs. X,

You raised a very good point about the PR on MH. Many MH dealers (and others) still have a trailer mentality about MH. So glad to see you and Mr. Murray educating folks.

In my humble opinion, I believe it would help if the manufacturers would hire interior design professionals to address the home furnishings for their websites and brochure photographs. This would help the MH image. Most of the photographs I have seen look a little tacky. (Although, the homes in GA that you described sound beautiful.)

I moved to this State 3 years ago and bought what I thought was a beautiful ranch house. A few months after moving in I learned that it was a doublewide. Once I got over that shock, (I had never heard of a doublewide before and spent a few sleepless nights worrying about it splitting open down the center) I realized that this is a wonderful, well built house. I am now moving to another state and buying another MH. After what I have learned about contractors vs. MH, I would not have a site-built home.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Mrs X

Re: Homes of Merit vs. Mascot - Hey, Mr. Murray

Post by Mrs X » Mon Feb 17, 2003 5:05 am

Thanks for sharing YOUR experience. I'm surprised the real estate agent you bought your beautiful ranch from didn't let you know that it was a double-wide, but it's a good thing he/she didn't or you wouldn't have considered it - right?

rmurray

Re: Homes of Merit vs. Mascot - Hey, Mr. Murray

Post by rmurray » Mon Feb 17, 2003 8:10 am

For many years we handled both Mascot and HOM ....When high end sales slumped..we moved away from Mascot because they are over priced in comparison to HOM and do not build big houses at affordable prices...At the time..a Mascot Quad home (about 2600 sq feet inside with additional portches sold for about 135K)...a 3000 sq foot HOM with equal construction and equipment sold for about 106K....
Candidly...we also quit them because of the store in Columbia...They are owned by Mascot and will undersell the independnet dealers daily...It caused lots of dealers to leave them...So you see...there were 2 reasons...

Carol

Re: Homes of Merit vs. Mascot - Hey, Mr. Murray

Post by Carol » Mon Feb 17, 2003 9:30 am

Mrs. X,
You are right. The way I found out was someone in the MH industry said "you have a doublewide." I said "what is a doublewide?" They said, "You know, a doublewide trailer." I said, "No, I have a house." They asked if I had a beam all the way down the center. (I had to go look.) When I answered affirmatively, they said "that is a doublewide trailer." It was the word "trailer" that was so upsetting. Many people in the MH industry still use the term "doublewide." I think that needs to change. Sometimes I live in a "trailer" - sometimes I live in a "house." It depends on who I am talking to. That is crazy! I wonder why does this discrepancy persists?

Mrs X

Re: Homes of Merit vs. Mascot - Hey, Mr. Murray

Post by Mrs X » Mon Feb 17, 2003 5:19 pm

Two questions: How much could I buy a Homes of Merit modular for - at around 1600 to 1800 square feet - and Question 2 - does your dealership work in conjunction with real estate agents who will go out and find an affordable piece of land for your customers? (Fleetwood/Mascot does this, as does Palm Harbor manufactured homes) If so, are they confined to the Augusta area or will they look all over?

Mrs X

Re: Trailer/Double-wide/House

Post by Mrs X » Mon Feb 17, 2003 5:36 pm

Carol, I think it's a snob thing - one of those tactics some people use to put down other people in order to feel superior. I have a neighbor who does this - she'll say, "have you looked at any more trailers lately?" even though I've corrected her several times and explained that these "trailers" are much bigger, nicer, and better-built than these tract houses we're in. Last summer, she had to replace her siding, and her roof (the house is only 12 years old). Her air conditioner is on its last coil and yet she can't understand that stick-built doesn't automatically equate to "BETTER". I've learned to avoid people like her - except that when I finally get my 2000 square foot "trailer" with a huge kitchen, cavernous bathroom, lots of windows, great insulation, etc. etc. etc. - I'll invite her over just to GLOAT! I might even say "Boy, am I glad to be out of that cramped little house I was in. I just don't know how I STOOD that little crackerbox! Oh, have you had to make any more costly repairs? I HOPE not, 'cause you'll NEVER get your money out of it if you try to sell it."

(Who said women are the "gentler" sex?)

Threnody

Re: Trailer/Double-wide/House

Post by Threnody » Wed Feb 19, 2003 10:47 am

I think Horton picked up on interior design for their Boss home (drool, pant pant), but there's still a LOT to be desired for the mid-to-low end homes. The curtains in my powerhouse were HORRENDOUS and most of them are unfortunately still hanging because I haven't closed on the @#$&#* house yet. The SECOND I leave the lawyer's office I am headed for JC Penneys.

The horton dealership is about 2 minutes from my mom's house. Yeah, they're nice, but pricey enough that I know some of those homes have been sitting there for YEARS. If I had known you were coming to Columbia, I would have directed you to the Adrian dealer on Hwy1 going into west columbia (Columbia Manufactured Housing Center). Those are some super nice homes. I wish I had gone to that place outside of Aiken, but I was reluctant to because of their location. Every time we go to atlanta I drive by and drool. See for yourself on the website http://www.atlanticcoasthomes.com/

Remember the standard "Trailer" comeback: Um, my house cannot be towed behind a car, nor does it have wheels. I have NO problems pointing this out to people. Also, two homes have gone up for sale in my subdivision and sold within weeks- so where's that no possibility of resale?

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 32 guests