How long is too long?

[Patty]

In June my daughter bought a lot in a MH community and purchased a Manufactured Home from our local dealer, and a friend of ours. We were told that the home would be delivered in Sept, which it was, and that it shoud be ready to move into between Thanksgiving and Christmas. About two weeks after we ordered the home we were offered twice what we paid for the land but we didn't want to sell because of our friend and he already had placed the order. The home arrived as expected in late September and the setup was started. Two weeks into the setup process our friend passed away and it has been a nightmare ever since. Weeks went into months and nothing was getting done. We would go and talk to the dealer a couple of times a week and not getting any results. My daughter and my grandkids had moved in with us thinking it was only going to be four or five months and they would have their own home. My daughters loan was approved and was available for the dealer to check out but no one ever questioned the financial end of the agreement. They took so long to do anything on the home to complete the deal that the loan had to be written up three different times because the time limit ran out. By the last week of February she got fed up and rented a house and called it quits on buying the home. We think that waiting since June 25, until the present for this home to be completed is unreasonable. At this time my husband and I want to take over the purchase or get some kind of end to the deal. When we asked the dealer to purchase the land for the price we were offered, he refused and said he would only give us what we paid for it. The hold up on this whole thing is the company they have building the garage, patio awning and cement work. They have continually put off doing the work and they have a conflict of interest with another MH dealer in town for which they are also doing all of their work. We have offered the dealer that we will take over the purchase of the home but we want a 4 to 6 weeks time limit on getting it finished and ready. We plan on selling this as soon as it is completed and the dealer knows this and he also knows that since the MH was orderd that the prices in our area have almost tripled. This dealer now states that he wants us to get and unconditional loan and he wants the money up front. My husband and I are both retired and still owe on our house. We got preapproval for a loan to purchase this home but he says that this is not acceptable. All of these problems have come about because of the dealers problems and not anything we have done. We also offered the dealer to get a total for work that the contractor has done (to date a concrete garage floor), and pay him off and cancel the rest of the work and we will pay him the balance that is due on the home plus the extra but he says that he can't fire the contractor. I would think that there should be some kind of time limit on getting the work done and you should be able to cancel if the job isn't done in a reasonable amount of time. Do we have the right to tell the dealer to take his MH off of our property? Do we have the right to fire the contractor and pay off the dealer and sell the mobile and land. We won't get as much money if it isn't complete but at least this mess would be over and done. We live in Arizona and hope this isn't happening to other people like it is to us. If you have any advice it will be appreciated. Thanks, Patty

[rmurray]

Sounds like the dealer is in financial trouble...Seems contractors want the money up front..probably because of past collection problems...An attorney might be in order...This may end up a blessing in disguise...Do not prepay until the work is done.....

[rmurray]

One more thing to be very careful about...If you pay dealer and he does not pay contractors...They then have the right in every state to put liens on your property..Be sure all contractors are paid....YOU COULD END UP PAYING FOR THAT GARAGE TWICE...