What is better

[Guest]

A home with 4 br and 2bth at about 2000 sq at over $180k or a manufactured home cemented to the ground like a house with 4br 2 bath at 2774 sq feet and costs $160k, and will with stand a cat 3??

[BEER980]

Get that cat3 protection in writing and make sure they will replace at current cost. Is the site built home block or wood? That must be some manufactured home. Is the square footage living area or total area? I am having one built right now that is 1900 square feet but has a total of 3000 square feet. Does both prices include the lot? Is the location part of the cost difference? How about school districts and proximity to a FD?

[Guest]

Get that cat3 protection in writing and make sure they will replace at current cost. Is the site built home block or wood? That must be some manufactured home. Is the square footage living area or total area? I am having one built right now that is 1900 square feet but has a total of 3000 square feet. Does both prices include the lot? Is the location part of the cost difference? How about school districts and proximity to a FD?

total living space is 2774 not including the land space, and it is pretty close to FD and schools. The price does not include price total for everything is about 150-160k

[Brent]

Get that cat3 protection in writing and make sure they will replace at current cost. Is the site built home block or wood? That must be some manufactured home. Is the square footage living area or total area? I am having one built right now that is 1900 square feet but has a total of 3000 square feet. Does both prices include the lot? Is the location part of the cost difference? How about school districts and proximity to a FD?

I agree.

[BEER980]

As long as the living total is correct. Many builders will advertise a home as 2500 square feet and when you look at the plan that includes the porches & patios and some will even include the garage into the total. Just make sure everything is on the same page when you are comparing. The closer to a FD you are the lower your insurance will be. Some are fine with a prefabbed home but it is not for me. I have made changes to ours from the original. I am going with extra tech stuff that you may not be thinking about. High speed wired network throughout the whole house. Six zone/source whole house music system and wall lcd pads to control it. Built in BBQ on the back porch that runs on the propane line that supplies the gas fireplace. Whole house automatic generator for hurricane season also from that propane line. I will be able to see who is at the front door or control the music from my pocket pc while outside on the patio. Think ahead of what you might need down the road.

[azskyman]

Fixed homes tend to appreciate more...but not everywhere. In the right location, you can earn some equity on choice #2, also.

I prefer the security of a permanent home when it comes to weather safety too. I can't imagine standing in the window of my inlaw's doublewide and watching a violent thunderstorm roll on in.

My vote is for less square footage on that basis alone.

[depotoo]

just make sure it's not a centex home.

[Brent]

Fixed homes tend to appreciate more...but not everywhere. In the right location, you can earn some equity on choice #2, also.

I prefer the security of a permanent home when it comes to weather safety too. I can't imagine standing in the window of my inlaw's doublewide and watching a violent thunderstorm roll on in.

I would be somewhere else.

[Terry]

Getting the Cat3 guarantee in writing doesn't matter when you are blown away.

[alicia-w]

i would not buy a manufactured home. they use a lot of chemically treated products.