Solitaire or Palm Harbor?

[nathan]

I have been living in my stick built home for 6 years the home itself is close to 20 years old. I am sick of the poor quility of materials that were used to make this home. I have seen some of the new homes being put up around town by KB homes having the same quility as mine. Living in South Texas most construction workers are from Mexico which are paid roughly 8-10 bucks an hour. So when KB homes or other custom builders hire contractors to do jobs the only one making an money is the contractor not the person doing the actual work. This holds true no matter the price of the home. So I have been looking at MH. I was not impressed with Clayton built homes. However I dd see Solitaire and Palm Harbor. Both had really nice homes. I was not able to get a price on the Solitaire yet. If I go PH I liked the 76H2 model. Which is 4 bedroom/3 bath. I will be placing the home on land out in the country. One reason I was considering MH was the cost of a custom built home. However, the PH dealer quoted me $87,500 not including land this includes roughly $7,000 in opitions. I feel that this is to expensive for a MH. The same in a custom built home is about $90,000-115,00 depending on the foundation. Can anyone tell me the following: who is the better maker, what is the dealer markup on MH, how much room is their on price neg., ect. Its not that I don't want to pay for a good however I fear that the resale value will sink like a rock. I see in the newpaper MH of all brands that are 2-3 yr old being sold for 1/3-2/4 their orginial value. When I was at PH it felt like I was buying a car. I know from buying a car their are large mark-ups that affect resale value.

[Kimmy]

Nathan,
I just ordered a 76H2 model, it is constructed with 2x6 walls ext, and 2x4 int. 1/2" sheetrock throughout. 3/4" plywood subfloors, full OSB wrap. I looked at many manufacturers, and decided on the PH. As far as I have seen PH has the best quality construction. Mine is being built at the Siler City NC plant...not all PH are built the same at each plant.

The base price of my unit was 68K, this includes all appliances. Tile flooring/backsplash in the kitchen/mudroom, and foyer entrance.I have no idea what the mark-up on the homes are. I would imagine like everything else in the industry that varies a great deal.

As far as appreciation....the manufactured home will appreciate at the same rate other homes in the area appreciate at. Appreciation is all a matter of location.

Thus far I have had a terrific experiance with PH...my salesman has been extremly helpful, and informative.

I wish you well.

[Mrs X]

I was recently told that Clark Howard - the nationally syndicated talk show host/writer/consumer advocate - has praised manufactured housing to the skies. According to the person who told me this, Clark stated that M-H's are built BETTER than today's stick-built homes and that they're a great value, that he couldn't understand why anybody would NOT want to buy one. Either he or somebody else has stated that manufactured housing is the future!

That was very reassuring to me because Clark Howard really knows his stuff!

Of course, some manufacturers are better than others, just like any other product.

Hope this helps.

[rmurray]

A couple thoughts...
You said " I see in the newpaper MH of all brands that are 2-3 yr old being sold for 1/3-2/4 their orginial value."....When have you ever seen an add for a stick built home without the land selling for this MUCH?...Even when sold separate of the land your return on investment is much better on the manufactured home....

Appreciation is a function of the total package..When affixed to the land..the package will do as good as any home on the same land..

You have not mentioned the size of the PH...but I would guess that it is at least 2200 sq. feet...That would be only $ 40/ sq foot for a quality home...I doubt "custom" builders are building for $ 40 to $ 45/ sq/ ft. in yours or any area...I would suspect you are comparing this PH with a much smaller stick built home...And by your own admission...a much lower quality home...Compare apples to apples..square foot to square foot...construction feature to construction feature..

You asked.."who is the better maker"...This is in the eye of the beholder..These homes have completely different specs, features and floor plans..Only you can decide what you want and what you need..

You asked..."what is the dealer markup on MH, how much room is their on price neg"....Dealers do make a profit...but the industry is very competitive in TX and there would not be much room for negotiations..(+/- a few thousand at best)..The only way to know for sure is to decide on the model that you want...spec it out exactly as you wish...then shop two or three competing dealers with the same product...If you can find a locally owned independent dealer handling the PH product you might find some savings..Smaller independents do have lower overhead and sometimes pass the savings on to customers..

Good Luck

[Bobby]

They all have problems of some kind, Some Sooner and some later-
We have a 32 x76 Schult-We have been it for over 1 year, As to date no problems and we did not pay any 60,000 for it,, It has the same up grades as your PH, Skyline, Ours came with intertainment center w/ 27 in tv. Security system, Motion Lights, We like it very well,,,, Good Luck --------

[Nancy]

Nathan,

Do your homework before buying a manufactured home. I bought a Solitaire home 28x84 two years ago and I had great luck with the home. 2x6 construction, tape and textured thru out, plywood floors, gridwork in the floors and ceilings, plywood wrapped over the exterior walls than hardboard siding over it, giving the home a solid exterior siding. Thus PalmHarbor could never match too. Also did you know that KB home used to manufacture manufactured homes in the southwest by the name of Kaufman and Broad Homes and got out of that business and now is a realestate developer. Good luck.

[rmurray]

Actually Kaufman and Broad was nationwide...and went very close to broke...Direct price competition nearly killed them...They sold out to Wicks Lumber...who promptly did go broke...
Much higher profits in the stick built business...Less direct competition..

[Marie]

Murray,

I am trying to get information for my mother-in-law. She has found a manufactured home that she wants to buy. She intends to put the manufactured home on land that she is leasing from her brother. In the event that she would want or need to sell it, what would be the depreciation of a home that needs to be moved?

[Marie]

Murray,

I am trying to get information for my mother-in-law. She has found a manufactured home that she wants to buy. She intends to put the manufactured home on land that she is leasing from her brother. In the event that she would want or need to sell it, what would be the depreciation of a home that needs to be moved? Any information you can provide would be helpful.


Thanks a lot!

[Marie]

Murray,

I am trying to get information for my mother-in-law. She has found a manufactured home that she wants to buy. She intends to put the manufactured home on land that she is leasing from her brother. In the event that she would want or need to sell it, what would be the depreciation of a home that needs to be moved? Any information you can provide would be helpful.


Thanks a lot!


Marie