Advise on these homes PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

[NR]

We are looking at purchasing a used Doule Wide. We have traveled to over 17 lots this past weekend, talk about frustrating. We found the following:

1998 28x76 4/2 Destiny with Double Fireplace $39,000
1999 28x66 4/2 General $32,900
1998 28x64 3/2 Oakwood - Fireplace - $33,900
1998 28x64 3/2 Skyline - Fireplace - $39,000
1999 28x76 4/2 Oakwood - Fireplace - $39,000
2000 28x56 4/2 Oakwood - $35,900
1999 28x56 3/2 Oakwood - $29,900
and last
2000 28x60 3/2 Grand Manor - Fireplace - reduced to $35,000

They say this includes set up & delivery A/C, 2 sets of steps with handrail & vinyl skirtiing installed. All have stove range, dishwasher and refrigerator and a few bring built in microwaves.

These prices are what they are asking, we haven't made any offers. Some are nicer then others, but we want the best quality for the price.

Any advice PLEASE... I have herad Oakwoods aren't good, what about Destiny's or General's or Grand Manors which I have never heard of.

Thank you!!!

[rmurray]

Boy...you must be in GA...

a 98 Destiny (not Dynasty..two different homes..) IS an Oakwood with a different name..

Oakwood builds homes in all different plants...some are well built others are not...Those built in the Destiny plant in Moultrie GA were the most basic possible..This plant is no longer in existence..

General again is a good CHEAP house..Again one of the most basic in the industry...This home new in a 2004 model would sell for less than 49K..


The only one listed here that could have some quality associated with its brand is Grand Manor...This is the only one mentioned that has 16 inch centers on the interior walls, roof rafters and floor joists (all the others mentioned are on 24 inch centers)...This home was built in a now defunct plant in Thomasville, GA...The company was owned by Champion home builders...They made a point to be similar to Homes Of Merit...just a notch lower in specs and price range..

Having been around the used home business in N Florida and GA for 10 years...I know that recent model homes are all repossessions...few high quality homes ever get repossessed...you probably have not seen many Mascots, Homes of Merits, Jacobsons, Southern Energy, Norris and Hortons...All top quality construction in the SE.....If you are buying recent model used doubles in the SE...It is likely you are buying the most basic quality home sold...

The prices mentioned seem a little high...Not one of these homes should sell for more than $49 new...most would have sold for even less...This is a good sign for the new home business...if basic repos are drawing this high of price...these homes would all have been thousands less just s few months ago..in the height of the repo problem..

[NR]

Thank you for your advice. We are in North Florida, not too far away from GA. These homes are all on used lots. I think they are a bit pricey too. I just don't know what to do. We would buy a decked out Norton or Jacobson, but we have less then $40k to spend, we are buying cash.

What do you think of Nobility Homes? The rep says I can get a brand new 2000 for about $35k. It's a lot model and they are closing out. It brings all appliances, new heat/air, all A/C are in the roof, not the floor, they pull your permits, give you 1yr 100% warranty for $699 you can extend that warranty 5 years. They give 10 yr on the floors, 20 yrs on the roof and 50yrs on the vinyl siding. If we get a used home we get absolutely no warranty. Oh and they use OSB floors R-11 on the walls R-22 on the roof and R-16 basement. I am not too familiar with all these things, trying to do my research.



Would you go with the used 2000 Grand Manor with no warranty at all or go with the 2000 Nobility Lot Model with Warranty??? Do you know how much that Grand Manor would cost brand new?

[rmurray]

You have choices to make....

I was a dealer in Lake City, Florida for 15 years....

You have issues to deal with...40K will hardly get you any new home of quality...Horton has a few specials that could be close...especially if the dealer has a few of the summer specials left..24x70 3 bd 3 bath...should be about 37K...w/ac and best insulation..

The Nobility you mention is similar to some of the others you listed...except the OSB floor is much better...Remember the extended warranties you mentioned are not from the dealer or Nobility..they are from the supplier of the item and hard to collect on...The $669 for the extended warranty is way high...I would skip that...since I am sure it is very limited in coverage...read it and find out...

There are good extended warranties offered on both new AND used homes from good insurance companies..Most cover the big stuff..with some sort of deductible..

You might try this link to get a quote on the Grand Manor

http://manufacturedhomewarranty.com/

Everyones thoughts are different....I for one would rather the best construction I can get...The Grand Manor might be it...but only you can determine what is right for you...by the way..that Grand Manor would have sold for about 55 to 58K new in 2000..

[NR]

Oh WOW... thank you for the quick responce. We are looking in that area lol. We went to so many different places on Hwy 90 last week. A lot of them like Wayne Frier and Ironwood have bad reports in the BBB...
Those used ones I mentioned before are listed at Jerry Corbettes and the Grand Manor is at Buddy Corbettes, both in Live Oak.

So I take it you would NOT own a Nobility???
We figure with $40k there isn't a new one around that we can get so that's why we decided on the used. Thank you for pointing out about the warranty, I actually thought it was a good thing and cheap for $699 for 5 years.

There is a lady (by owner) in the paper also selling a Grand Manor for $35, but that doesn't include delivery. I guess we can go see that one too. Thank you for pointing out that these are good homes... How can we find out what type of insulation they have, since they are used?

We like the eye candy and the fluff, but ultimately it's the construction that's important and since we don't know nothing about Mobile Homes it's so difficult, there for we appreciate all the help and advice we can get.

Thank you so much!!!!!!!!

[Pat]

Have you looked at the used lot on Highway 20 on the west edge of Tallahassee? I haven't been there in the last 6 months, but they had a large number of repos and the prices were between $17 and $19 for singlewides that looked totally unlived in, and between $20 and $25 for double wides. They had a quad which was sold for $39,000. A few weeks later those were gone, but they had lots more. Just a thought.

[rmurray]

Jerry and Bobby Corbett are brothers...I knew them for years...some years they were partners...some years they were competitors...Both pretty good guys..

I hope you went by my other friend"s...Mike Collins...store at C&G Homes...

I had another friend that was the manager of the Nobility store there...His name was Jimmy Vinson...I would suspect he is long gone from Lake City..

If you want to get a moving estimate...you could call my old set up crew..owned by Melvin Sheppard...He is located on Baya Ave...in an Ace hardware store..

Good Luck..