Fred Bostick made an interesting business decision in 1971. He was disturbed by the closing of a Commodore owned plant in his neighborhood, so he bought it hoping to save jobs and make money when his current business was in its slower season. Why is this interesting? His existing business was pet food! The company was successful but would see a bit of a slump in the summer season; just when manufactured homes were selling best. This way there was profit being made one place or the other all year long. As a gimmick, a bag of dog food was placed under the kitchen sink of each new home, a tradition that continues to this day. Still a small, efficient company, Fred’s son, John, is now at the helm of Sunshine Homes. They deliver with their own trucks and even have their own warranty crew that boasts a 30 day response time for repairs.
Modular Home Book Resources Popular Buying Guides for Modular Homebuyers
When trying to select a modular home the first place to start is at the factory level. Knowing which factories deliver to your area is the first step in understanding your options. The second and most important step is determining how the factories compare to each other in the areas of: Quality Construction, Design/Style, Appraised Value and Price.
The manufactured housing industry has made some serious improvements in recent years regarding quality construction and residential appeal. With modern day technology and assembly line techniques, the industry is overcoming the misconception that manufactured homes are poorly built and don’t measure up to stick-built homes.
Knowing your financing options is the first step to securing a good deal. We have spoken with hundreds of modular home lenders and Mr. Eaton the author has gone through the process himself. Learn from his insight and you can avoid some common mistakes people make when financing their home.
On average 80% of homebuyers pay too much for their modular home. Not surprising with all the choices one must make from negotiating with your builder to purchasing property and site-improvements. This resource will reveal important negotiating secrets and dealer profit margins that will give you an edge when negotiating with your builder.
Most modular home builders have display models for potential home buyers to walk through. These models are professionally decorated to impress buyers with elaborate decorations, elegant furniture and dazzling floorplans. Aesthetics are important but would you purchase a modular home based on looks and compromise structural integrity? Don’t be fooled by appearances and miss what really matters; “Quality Construction.”
Factory Built Homes In the 1960s, the mobile home industry made an evolutionary split. One branch evolved into recreational vehicles RVs to the point where the house now tows the car. The other branch evolved into manufactured homes, 95 percent of which now become permanent dwellings once they are transported from the factory to the site. Factory built housing is also popular in many countries around the world.
Modular Construction Facts Advocates of modular homes have long maintained that the building system produces structures that are far stronger than conventional site built homes. For example, the modual sections are well built to withstand the stresses of highway travel, containing up to 30 percent more building materials than a comparable traditional site built home.
Nebraska Factory Built Home Most factory built homes are constructed entirely within a controlled climate. Construction continues year round and assembly line workers don’t need to be skilled carpenters and are paid about half of what on site contractors are normally paid. Many of the laborers working in the systems built housing industry have steady jobs with benefits and can afford to buy the products they make.
