Looking to buy-what brand?

[Jane]

We are looking to trade in our Chandelier 28x80. Are are refinancing and would like to find a higher quality home without spending an arm and a leg. We live in SW Missouri so our choices are limited to the area. I have looked at Southern Energy, believe they are the Southern end of it though the dealer seems to have upgraded them to a higher grade and off course with the custom feature we can do that also. We have Clayton, Designer, Spirit, Solitaire, Southern and others I'm sure in the area. There is a Taylor factory not 15 miles from here. We are just starting to look and would be interested in any suggestions on which would be the best value for the bucks. After reading the forum I am sure glad we don't live in CA!!! I like the looks of the Southern, it seems to be a much higher quality than our Chandelier. We had to be in a hurry buying it and that was a huge mistake. Any comments, tips, etc would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, jane

[Bobby]

We have some friends who bought a Clayton, They live in Indiana all so, These Clayton MH were built in Tenn. They have had many problems with their home, Drain pipes were on the out side of the insulation, Freezing pipes, Drawers fell apart, Doors on cabinets fell apart, Never buy a Southern built home and live in the North ,, The dealer is here in Indiana , -What ever you buy Good Luck

[rmurray]

Whew....This is going to be a very expensive task...You mention a 28x80...which tells me this is a recent year model...You did not mention if you financed it in the first place.....but I assume you did..
If you did it is most likely that you owe thousands...maybe tens of thousands more than you will get from a dealer for resale...
Trading a double section is very expensive in the best of times...Right now there are so many repos..used home prices are depressed...making your home worth even less right now...
About the only viable way to change homes is for you to sell your home where is sits..Then buy another peice of property and start over....
The other possiblity is to budget major upgrades in your current home..You might spend $10,000 or so for all new fixtures, cabinets carpet and the like...but this would be minor next to what you spend if you trade...

[Jane]

murray, where do you live?? Things sound different there than around here. There are deals out there to be made and money is cheap. We have already talked to several about the financing and a few dealers about homes. We are just wondering which ones to steer away from and which ones deserve a good look without selling our souls. Are you a dealer, if so what brands?? I just found out there are Patriot dealers close, and also Four Season and Fleetwood, though have read messages from several disgruntled Fleetwood owners. We used to live in NW KS just 30 miles from a Schult factory, some that worked there said they were built fairly well. Guess we're looking for something that will last, be energy efficient, and not too pricy. It doesn't get too cold here but does get warm in the summer so... Thanks for the input, jane

[Bobby]

Schult, We bought a new Schult, 32x72, This is a great home, How ever we did not receive all the extras that were to be included ,,, It came with a Side by Side Refer, 27 in TV with Satalite Speakers in the ceiling, Huge Microwave, It is very easy to heat, We had a harsh winter this year here in Indiana, I don't think Schult were built as good when Schult owned the Company, Ours is called " The Elation " We had it 2 yrs. And no problems what so ever, The price was unreal, We looked at PalmHarbor, We laughed and ran to the door, We looked at Fleetwood, Ran all so, We have had 3 new MH in 2 yrs, Redman was the 1st. It was ok, 2nd Was a Better built Redman, Never a problem with it either, How ever Champion bought Redman, don't think the quality is as good,, But like I stated no problems these were both single wides, We all ways checked with BBB on line to monitor these homes, did not see any with Schult, Seen several on the others,,,,,
What ever you decide to buy ,,,, Good Luck,,,,,,
Bobby & Theresa in The Land of Taxes Indiana

[rmurray]

I am a dealer in Augusta, GA... www.MelvinWilliams.com
There are many deals out there now...good prices on new homes and interest rates lower than in the last 40 years...

But....trading a double is just as costly everywhere in the country...One thing you must be real careful of is a dealer who might "trade" your home and not pay it off...This can and does happen...especially at times like these where dealers are so desparate for sales...

The fact that you have a Chandelier implies that you now live somewhere in the SE...If so..remember since Oakwood bought Schult..they have taken the name and put it on all sorts of product...The original Schult plants still build a good product from what I can see....but Oakwood put the label on product from Moultrie, GA (now closed), TX and NC...These homes are now where near the original Schult...Remember every brand builds different product in every plant...even if the name is the same...Also remember...almost all plants have changed specs in the last few years trying to survive in this tough market...That means you cannot compare a home from the past to one built now...

The best way to buy is to decide what you want in a home...all things that are important to you...construction features..finish features...Then find a home that fills the bill....You might consider the books sold on this web site as a primer on what is avaiable out there...

[Sandy McLendon]

Jane:

As you look at manufactured homes, remember that every manufacturer has satisfied customers and dissatisfied customers. If you will search the Internet on each manufacturer's name, you will see sites that comment on their product. Some very famous names have some very unhappy customers, and you can learn a lot from reading the customers' comments.

You should, of course, not take any one comment- or even any one site- as complete proof of how well or badly a manufacturer treats its purchasers, but in some cases, a simple search on a manufacturers' name will tell you that you do NOT want to deal with them under any circumstances. There is one famous brand out there that has dozens and dozens of horror stories online.

The fact that you have land might give you one option some folks do not have- if you have substantial equity or own the land outright, you may be able to get a loan that would allow you 'cash in hand' to go looking for a late-model repo. You'll save a bundle over the price of a new home, and may even get some remaining warranty. Tip: do NOT tell a dealer you are going to pay cash until he names a price. Fill out his loan application, let him think he's got a credit customer. When he names a price that you like, whip out your checkbook. He'll probably tell you that his price was based on a credit sale (His low price is often based on the fact that he will take you to the cleaners on the financing). Tell him you'll be happy to call your state's office of consumer affairs- what he's trying to do is illegal. He will have to honour the price he named. The things to be careful about when using this tactic are: 1- Have the home thoroughly checked out before getting down to price, because of 2- Once you use this tactic to get a great price, that guy's never gonna give you any further service. 3- Have someone with you in the office when you whip out the checkbook, because having a witness is what will make the dealer realise he has no choice but to follow the law and honour his price.

[rmurray]

You mentioned "may even get some remaining warranty"....All manufacturers warranties are for the original purchaser only...No manufactured home I am aware of has a tranferable warranty...