Overwhelmed and where to start???

[Khris]

Okay, I'm 28y/o never owned anything in my life housing wise. I moved from San Diego to Prescott Valley, AZ. and am looking to buy in Pauldin, a little north of Prescott and Chino Valley. I've been into a couple different local MH dealers and they all claim to be the best and the others stink. I've done searches on here and read about every different brand on the market. I'm not moving into a "community" so brand restriction isn't an issue. I'm looking in an area where the only rules are 2 acre minimum lots. Water will be well and sewer will be septic. I'm heading to the book store tonight to check out "buying a manufactured home" by Kevin Burnside and "How to but a manufactured home & save thousands" by Randy Eaton.

Where do I start??? I've heard that plywood flooring is a must? What else do I need to ask? What is common on a poorly constructed MH? What is the minimum that I want?

I plan on living in this house for 5 years minimum and if all is good with my job, lifestyle and the house the time could be indefinate.

I'm looking for a price range of around $115K setup ready to move into. I've seen a local Cavco lot with a NICE looking triple wide that is right in that range with well estimates.

Any info for someone feeling overwhelmed would be great!!!

I'm also actually looking at a 1800sp' Cavco that was built in '98 on 3 acres. The inside is really nice, new carpet and paint. Nice floor plan. Really about the only thing it's lacking that I've seen in the new ones is the built in entertainment centers. Any advice???

Thanks,
Khris

[GW]

The books you referenced answer your questions and go way beyond - highly recommended. The price range you are looking at seems doable, maybe a little low. I just did a 2800 sq. ft. Palm Harbor on 3.5 acres in S. Nevada, and I am coming in at about 150K for the home and lot development, not including my land or garage. Of course, your mileage may vary...

You might also want to look at Palm Harbor - you are not too far from their factory, and their dealership in Chino Valley is reportedly very good.

Good luck!

[rmurray]

Check out the book store here..Do not over look John Grissom's book..it is excellent...Eatons has been a good seller for some time and has recently been updated..The other book you mentioned is a little old..Much has changed in the industry in the last 3 or 4 years..Books older than that will not be very useful...

You have started well...Educated buyers are happy buyers....Search the archives of these discussion boards....There is a wealth on info stored here...

[David Oxhandler]

The MH Book Store also has these titles now in E-book Format These E-Books are viewable using Adobe Acrobat. . The download time will vary depending on the speed of your Internet connection. Within a few minutes from now (or less) you can have your book saved to your computer and be reading it on your screen. If you enjoy reading from paper, you can print all or parts of the book for your personal use.
Here are a few details about each of our three most popular downloads -
A Complete Buyers Guide to Manufactured Homes and Land - E-Book Edition Purchasing any new home is a complex process that presents a big challenge even to the smartest of home shoppers. Veteran author and journalist John Grissim learned this when he and his wife purchased their first manufactured home. His discoveries inspired him to research and write this comprehensive buyer's guide. John has become a well-respected new voice for the consumer. In an unusual move, the MHI invited John to present a workshop at its 2003 Expo in Las Vegas, called "Our industry through an outsider's eyes" in which he delivered a hard hitting, no-nonsense view. Written by a consumer for consumers, this no-nonsense, highly readable guide explains just how the manufactured home industry operates, exposes its secrets, and teaches you how to find a dealer worthy of your trust, how to make the right home selection, how to accurately determine the fair price of a home. Exhaustively researched, with extensive input from both industry insiders and consumer advocates, this guide contains much information that retailers, even the good guys, don't want you to know. DOWNLOAD NOW!
How To Buy A Manufactured Home And Save Thousands Of Dollars, E-Book Version This book, by Randy Eaton, will show you how to negotiate the best price possible by taking you through a step-by-step process that works every time. What about site preparation costs? This is another area where people spend thousands of dollars without even knowing it. By understanding this process with helpful illustrations and simple formulas you can avoid unnecessary site preparation costs. Get the facts before you buy and save time and money. Are you interested in quality construction? This book goes into detail about construction methods and how to avoid paying for a poorly built manufactured home. Randy Eaton now offers his best selling guide for the manufactured home buyer PLUS the Manufactured Home Comparison Guide, the only e-published comparison study of various brands of manufactured homes...together at a seriously discounted price.. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Modular Home Buyers Guide E Book Considering A Modular Home? Learn How to Save Thousands Before you Buy. Plus Receive the Author's Top Picks of Modular Home Builders in North America What are the advantages of choosing a modular home over a site-built home? Which modular home builders in the U.S. offer quality homes at reasonable prices? Do modular homes appreciate at the same rate as site-built homes? Can I negotiate a price? What is a fair profit? Questions like these and many others are being asked by thousands of homebuyers across North America each year. Get the facts about modular and panelized homes before you buy. Save time and money with confidence and peace of mind. DOWNLOAD NOW!

[Khris]

I swung by the Palm Harbor dealer last night and the sales guy I talked to was the first one that didn't seem like he was pushing to make the sale. He talked and hit upon many of the things that I've searched for and read about on this forum yesterday. He also didn't necessarily talk bad about the competition. I told him that I'd looked at a couple other Cavcos and unlike other dealers he didn't just say, those are crap. He just told me what palm harbor did different then others and why he thinks they're the best on the market. I didn't get a chance to make it into town last night to look for books but I'll try to get something picked up this weekend.

Thanks for the reading advice. I'll probably see if I can find a printed version this weekend and if not I'll down load them next week.

[jgn]

If a dealer can't sell up his home instead of selling down the competition I would not go back. Always take into account that the dealer is just as important as the builder because they are th ones setting the home and taking care of any problems which there will be some. Most PH locations are company owned so they can't blame the the factory for any problems which to me is a big advantage plus they build a nice home. Karsten is another quality product that has a plant in New Mexico, be sure to visit the plant regardless of which home you choose. As far as flooring, plywood and OSB are both good but I would stay away from particleboard regardless of the name (novadeck, cresdeck, etc).
Good luck with your hunt and take the time necessary to make the right purchase.

[David Oxhandler]

Khris -

No need to go into town... The print versions are ALL available for purchase online at The MH Book Store

[David]

Hello, I guess I will put my 2 cents worth in.
Please check out Palm Harbor and go to the factory and find out how Palm Harbor has its own set up crews and how all the others contract out the set up.

[Good neighbor]

I don't know if the statement about PH having its own set-up crews is accurate. In my area (S. Nevada), the Palm Harbor factory-owned dealer uses a subcontracted set-up company. But Palm Harbor does do all warranty service with factory technicians, who are very responsive, knowledgeable and do high-quality work.

[Khris]

The sales guy here did say it was actual Palm Harbor guys that do the setup...