How happy are you with your mobile homes?

[sabrina]

hi salsta,
i posted a few messages on the new home owner's forum that may? be helpful...at least i hope so. they are authored by sabrina. three sites i found very helpful have been
manhousingfoundation.com
starenergy.gov
consumersunion.org
and this site (both current and new owner's forums) is the very best!
i also recommend just starting at the top and reading, reading, reading. i have learned so much and that's made all the difference for me.
i too have researched custom, stick built, log, etc., and have proven to myself that the highest quality manufactured homes (usually built to ubc instead of hud) far outstrip everything else for quality, durability, flexibility of design and costs.
i"ll keep you in my prayers as you already have a truck load of "luck" from the other readers!
sabrina

[billy]

The home I bought has perimeter foundation,2x4 interior studs,2x6 ext,3/4" toungue and grove plywood flooring,2x8 floor joist and rafters,full OSB wrap,1/2 sheetrock throughout...its extremly solid in every aspect,its a 2002 model,I paid 65K base price (2170 sq ft) dollar for dollar,much more value for the money than stick built,I had it sat on 2.5 acres of land....couldnt be happier with it.

[Frankie]

We've been in our home for 6 months now and although there were a few minor problems (which I'm sure would be the same in buying a stick built home) we love it!!!!!!!!. We have our own land and the home is set on a slab foundation. The dealer we bought from has been the most wonderful people to work with. If we've had to call for any reason they've been courteous and very prompt to take care of the situation. For anyone living in the southern Indiana area if your looking for a manufactured home to purchase, I would be glad to refer you to this particuliar dealer.

Frankie

[Linda Martin]

Hello - I am thinking about purchasing my 1st home but I would have to have it in a park because I don't own my own land - I see people in the park having trouble selling there homes not because no one is interesting in purchasing but because they are having a hard time finding financing or because of some other reason - but now that I see that because you have a home in a park instead of private land - that would lower your chances of selling your home again. Give me some advice please.

[jgn]

Linda:

Don't buy in a park! The vast majority of complaints about losing money and not being able to sell their homes are ones in a park. Three things are for certain if you place a home in a park, unless you are in Calif. Your land rent will go up and you can't take the deduction, you will have trouble selling the home if you ever decide to and you will take a major hit when you sell it. Find some land, a lot or something and place your home on it. You might have to pay a little more but you will get better interest rates, you can deduct the taxes paid and you will have something to sell when you decide to. I would rent an apartment before I would buy in a park.

[Joan]

Hi there...

Linda, you are absolutely correct, about buying a MH in a park. We have lived in our MH for six years now, in the Midwest, and I cannot BEGIN to say what a mistake it has been. NEVER BUY IN A PARK!!! We should have done our homework, and asked more questions. Our "maintenance fee," has gone UP, UP, and UP, every year. You have NO control over that because there is also no association you could go to to express your displeasure, and for the park owner, "the sky is the limit!!" Our MH is quite large, 18,000 sq.ft., and is a Shamrock. It's now ten years old, and is on a large corner lot (that we don't own) of course. The fear many of us have is that there are rumors that the owner will finally sell to a corporation. If that happens, then of course you have no way to control any of the monetary demands. People buy MH's for different reasons of course, and we sold a beautiful new townhome to purchase the MH so we would have more space for grandchildren to visit. Well, we are now in the talking stage of selling the house, in FEAR, that if what we hear is true, we would like to get out while the getting is good. We absolutely LOVE OUR HOME, but it's just in the wrong place. I know, we'll take a big loss, because we will never re-coup all we put into it, and that of course limits our purchase field, when we do sell it! Again, NEVER BUY A MANIFACTURED HOME IN A PARK!!!!!! They do NOT appreciate, and you have a terrible time selling them......

[rmurray]

There is no question...if you live in an area where there is any property for private placement of manufactured homes..you should buy a lot and finance it with the home...The FHA has a finance plan just for this at very good rates right now..

A couple of thing will happen...You rates will be lower on the home..6.5% vs 12%....plus the property will be yours...no rent increases in the future..The principle and interest payment will be fixed..there will be no unpleasent surprises...

Check available property in your area...any good dealer will help you through the process...

[Albert Lee]

I buy mortgage/ trust deeds and and have found no one buys without the land.
If you are going to buy a manufactured home wait until you get some land.

[Linda Martin]

Hello all - I don't live in an area where they just have land for sale as such in other places - I live in the Washington, DC area, actually Maryland and land is very very expensive up here - so is rent and buying a house - seems impossible. I saw 1 acre of land for 50,000 in one of those homes magazines that seems high compared to what I have seen in North & South Carolina - I know it is because where we live, but gosh.

[sabrina]

hi linda,
me too. two weeks ago, i looked at 1/3 of an acre, not level, in a severely depressed neighborhood in sw colorado (where i live) and it sold just yesterday for $65k. but gosh is right!

am still looking. have you tried realtor.com or fsbo.com or the "nickel ads" in your area? these have been helpful as comparisons for me. i have pretty much resigned myself to having to move out of my county and maybe to another state entirely.

please keep us posted. you are in my prayers.
sabrina