How to Haggle for the Price of a Manufactured Home
Manufactured or prefabricated homes are produced relatively quickly and cheaply in large numbers. These homes are typically sold on lots, not significantly different than the way in which a car dealership operates. Purchased homes are then relocated to the purchaser's land and hooked up to utilities such as sewer and electric. Because of the relative low-cost with which these homes are produced and the arguably lower quality of these homes, manufactured homes tend to sell for less than traditional homes. An effective negotiator or haggler can use this fact to help reduce the price even further if they use the right techniques.
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Instructions
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Do your research. The biggest mistake in entering any negotiation is to go into the negotiation without having done your homework. If you are hoping to haggle on the price of a manufactured home, an important first step is to research the selling price of manufactured homes. This research should be specifically tailored to your situation. Research the price of similarly sized homes of comparable quality from the particular seller you are negotiating with. Research the cost of comparable traditional houses in the area. When comparing the cost of traditional homes, keep in mind that those homes come with real estate, which is generally not the case with manufactured homes. Additionally, the mobile nature of manufactured homes makes the cost of such homes in other areas relevant, whereas this would not necessarily be the case for traditional homes where real estate is an important factor in the cost of a home.
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Figure out your BATNA. BATNA is an acronym for Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement. This is your walk-away point. After you've researched comparable homes, you will have a better idea of what your options are. What is the best alternative for you if a negotiation with the seller of the particular home you're looking at falls through? That is your BATNA. Knowing you have another option will give you the confidence you need to be assertive and persistent in your negotiation.
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Know when to walk away. Many house hunters "fall in love" with a particular home and will do just about anything to make a deal to get it. Don't fall into this trap. You have a BATNA, which means you objectively recognize that, unless you can buy the home for a particular price, you have better options. If you can't get the seller down to your walk-away price, walk away. There are better deals out there, and, if you have done your research, you know where to find those better deals.
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