Posted by Wes Johnson I wanted to thank everyone who has given me encouragement and support regarding The Manufactured Home Buyer's Handbook. After much sweat, many revisions and additions it has now shipped! It can be ordered at my website, Amazon, Overstock, the publisher’s website (McFarland & Company), etc. The many people who have suffered through countless problems while struggling with the manufactured housing industry are the reason for its existence – this book is truly is dedicated to you. I am offering some organizations (like Home Owners Against Deficient Dwellings and Manufactured Home Owner Associations) a 10% discount and free shipping for copies they purchase directly through me. This is roughly my cost (I get a twenty percent discount, but still have to pay for mailers and shipping). These would be autographed copies, and this offer is only valid while my initial supply lasts. I want to extend that same offer to the visitor’s of this bulletin board. If you go to my order page ( http://www.manufacturedhomebuyers.com/order%20information.htm ), just follow the instructions, but when you send in your payment put in a note saying where you saw this offer, and subtract $3.50 from the cost. (You must mention where you saw the discount offer or explain you're a member of HADD or MHOA to get the discount!) Once again, thank you all. For those who would like the book but can't afford it, you can save $20 by going to the home page ( http://www.manufacturedhomebuyers.com/ ) and clicking on the Amazon link on the left margin. By applying for an Amazon card, you can get $20 off your first order, which can apply toward The Manufactured Home Buyer's Handbook! You also get free shipping through Amazon. That's the cheapest way I know of to get a copy. If you're like me, money's tight and every penny counts! I also wanted to let folks know the links page ( http://www.manufacturedhomebuyers.com/housing%20links.htm ) now includes many more state’s Manufactured Home Owner Associations. These are great resources for manufactured housing community residents as well as local issues and regulations. Please support these organizations and the work they do. In addition to the consumer links, you can also find links to every major manufactured home company here. Finally, many of you are aware that FEMA is planning to purchase thousands of manufactured homes for Katrina evacuees. Many of you already know what problems may result from this. The Katrina victims may be leaving the frying pan only to fall into the fire! For those who aren’t as familiar with the problems, did you know that 4 out of 5 manufactured home owners find major problems or defects in their new homes according to multiple surveys (Consumer’s Union, Foremost Insurance, AARP)? Most have multiple problems. And while 95% of such homeowners report having a warranty, only about one-third of problems are fixed under those warranties -- the rest were either fixed at homeowner's expense or not at all (according to an AARP survey of all age groups). Do the evacuees have the kind of extra cash available to them to make needed repairs? Furthermore, did you know that most problems (two-thirds of them, in fact) are related to water damage? I’ve had one phone call after another from across the nation describing leaking roofs, water in walls, and accumulating in the “belly-boards” of these homes. Once these homes are so saturated, it is more expensive to repair them to replace them. Wouldn’t it be a slap in the face of the evacuees and the American taxpayer if FEMA and the US government put them in water damaged homes after what they have already suffered through in New Orleans? If you’re as concerned as many of us in this community are, PLEASE write FEMA and your elected officials to let them know your feelings! Neither the evacuees or taxpayers can afford this hasty decision. If you want a suggestion for something to say, here’s what I wrote to Senator Lindsey Graham this AM, “I would like to know what oversight Congress will have, if any, regarding the contract for 2,000 homes which FEMA has awarded to Clayton Homes of Maryville, TN, and over the additional contracts to other manufactured housing companies. I would also like to learn the specific details regarding the bidding process and home specifications. Is this a fait accompli, or is there some hope of rectifying the situation if our government learns it has, albeit with good intentions, acted with haste? In short, I believe the US government is making a terrible mistake which both the evacuees and taxpayers will pay for dearly.” Thank you again and best wishes to all. Wes Here are some I’ve looked up for you: nicol.andrews@dhs.gov Nicol Andrews, Deputy Strategic Director, FEMA Public Affairs president@whitehouse.gov President George Bush vice_president@whitehouse.gov Vice President Richard Cheney
Link: The Manufactured Home Buyer's Handbook
on 10/3/2005, 3:27 pm
209.215.39.41
Hello to all,
PS. You can find an e-mail address to many Congressmen here: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/ 
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