Need advise about getting 1st MH

[Mari]

Hi guys! Hope I'm posting in the right area.
This will be my first experience buying a MH and I'll be looking for a used one probably in North Carolina, Arkansas or Missouri. You see, I'm in Wyoming and I plan to run away from the very cold and long winters and high winds here.
It won't happen until next spring but I'm wondering if you guys could tell me if it would be a good idea to get a realtor to find a MH, what should I be looking for, etc. I've bought a house before (when I was married) and know a house should be inspected prior to purchase but I've never purchased a MH.
I'm thinking about flying out there first to look at them before purchasing one and moving and would like to know what I should be checking for.
Any pointers would be greatly appreciated. Oh! My hopes are to buy it outright to avoid a monthly mortgage payment but it looks like I won't be able to avoid paying for the lot rental fee unless I hit the lottery I don't even play.
Thanks!

[admin]

Here are a few places you can click thru that will help you in your housing decisions.You can gather much of the information you need to start the purchase of your manufactured home at the MANUFACTURED HOME OWNERS NETWORK Fill out the form you will find HERE For a listing of No Cost MH Shoppers Resources. You can learn which brands are for you...key information home shoppers need to make an informed decision...get the latest MH news, books, free offers, industry commentary.
Manufactured Housing Multiple Listing Servicehas emerged as the web's most popular destination for buyers searching for a manufactured home You can get a very good picture of the prices for various homes in your area. The MLS includes listings BY OWNER, BY DEALER, BY BUILDER and BY FINANCE COMPANIES Listings are searchable by city, state, number of bedrooms and baths, manufacturer, year built and price. Each listing also auto-interfaces with Yahoo Maps. When clicked it will auto-generate a map of the location of the home for sale and the surrounding area.
The Complete Buyers Guide to Manufactured Homes and Land - E-Book Edition  is a 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.
The Grissim Ratings Guide to Manufactured Homes Provides at-a-glance listings with key information home shoppers need to make an informed decision. This is the essential buyer’s resource, listing every builder in the U.S., their histories, products, price ranges, construction ratings, need-to-know information and much more. This guide will serve you well as a stand-alone reference for up-to-date information on the companies and the products they build. Plus!, an annotated construction rating chart with 56 criteria you can use to evaluate any home — before you buy. The Ratings’s Guide includes evaluations for All 79 U.S. builders including:
Company background/history
States where sold
Retail price range before tax (price includes transportation & set-up)
Construction rating on a 1-to-10 scale (with 10 being the highest quality)
What distinguishes brand from its competition
Availability of in-house financing and in-house insurance
Warranty structure and length ... AND MUCH MORE

GET MORE DETAILS
"How To Buy A Manufactured-Mobile Home And Save Thousands Of Dollars" is another good place to start and it is available in our book store in both hardbound and e-book editions The author recently combined both of his best selling books, " How To Buy A Manufactured Home And Save Thousands" with his, "Manufactured Home Comparison Guide" into one book. It seemed many readers where interested in both subjects. Now consumers can learn how to save thousands when purchasing a manufactured home along with Randy Eaton's comparison guide, which rates over 50 of the most popular builders in the United States.
If your considering A modular home. Do some independent research. Read the    Modular Home Buyers Guide   You can get it in print or E Book versions
Home buyers MUST take responsibility for their home installation. If you want to enjoy your home for years to come the site prep and installation must be handled properly. Even if you're not planning on doing the work yourself, it is critical that home buyers understand the entire process.
The most effective way I have found to learn about the step by step process involved in properly installing a manufactured home is a great five-part video series with George Porter, the industry's most respected installation specialist. Mr. Porter leads you through a two hour viewing experience that will prepare you for the numerous operations and complexities involved in the installation of the modern manufactured home.
If your reading this and you are about to purchase a manufactured home Don't assume that the retailer or the installer are watching out for your best interests. take this crash study course now Click Here for More Details This will give you an edge when choosing sub-contractors and help you make sure the site preparation and installation is done right and to your expectation.

[ccrumpler]

Mari, as a Realtor and MH park owner in coastal NC, I can offer some information on buying here (it may vary in other areas). Sounds like you're looking for a home on leased land which falls outside a Realtor's domain. Occasionally a Realtor will list a MH on leased land, but then it can't be included in our MLS. Makes shopping for one difficult. We buy used homes for our park sometimes, and our best source has been the on-line advertising and local papers. The new home dealers often have used homes also, repossessions and some already set-up on the lot. For MHs with land, check your areas of interest at Realtor.com. You might be surprised at what you can find.

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Hi, I've been in the manufactured home business for 20 years. I have owned 4 mfg homes myself and I love them. There are some things to look for at the time of purchase. Remember a stock home is just that and the price will tell you. An upgraded home will have options that you will need to pay for on the stock home.Would love to be a buyer's agent. I have speced out many a home. A very important part of the home for your location would be the roof load, because of snow you might need a 40lb or higher roof load, also check your wind zone. The shingles on the roof may need to be upgraded for that. I would get a higher R rating on the insulation as well.
Hope that helps,
marlene