What you need to know when shopping for a home.

What is the Real Cost?

You want to get a complete price of the home in order to compare actual pricing. When a sales person says the price includes transportation and set up find out what their setup really includes. Ask if it include sales tax, skirting, piers and pads, foundation, stairs, close up of the home, how many miles does the transportation cover etc...).  Other things you need to consider are building permits, air conditioner or evaporative cooler(most if not all manufactured/modular home come with a furnace but not cooling), site preparation and cost to get utilities to your lot if they are not already there.

Some retailers require you to put up a deposit to get a full price quote, and in some instances they do not have to return your deposit if you decide to purchase the home from a different company.

Make sure your sales agent is willing to sit down and answer all of your questions.

Is your sales agent willing to help you put together a full cost breakdown? You do not want to go over your construction budget.

The key is to compare apples to apples, make sure the homes you are comparing have similar standard and optional features.