Moving Day ! Finally you get to move into your BRAND NEW Manufactured Home !

Well, it has felt like a forever process. But finally it's here. Move In Day !

You're tired and you can't really remember everything that has happened since you excitedly found your dream home site and made all your selections for your Brand New Manufactured Home.

It took forever for the contractors to get the site ready, it took forever for the house to get delivered to the site and OMG how long can it possibly take to get the home ready once it's on the site?

Answer: as long as it takes. Contractors are so accustomed to buyers who are nervous and want it now that they've developed a thick skin to your discomfort. The same goes for the dealer where your purchased your home.

You know you've been through a lot and can't really remember everything that has happened -- at some point you went into auto pilot mode and just did what everyone told you to do. In the meantime you've been packing boxes and living with the basics in your rental home.

Well the Certificate of Occupancy has been issued by the local County/City Gods and you can move in. You have the KEY ! You're ready.

A word of caution to all of you excited home owners -- your 1 year warranty has now started to tick. If you had a good dealer, the dealer conducted a walk through of the house with you to educate you on the dos, don'ts, gotta dos and made sure that anything that might be wrong and needs fixing is documented and submitted to the manufacturer for repair. If the manufacturer doesn't get things repaired, then the dealer is equally responsible for getting things taken care of for you. Remember, anything that you submit MUST BE IN WRITING. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

When you move into your home, note anything that still hasn't been repaired -- again, it needs to be in writing. You should have received a package of warranty and other information supplied by the manufacturer -- either the dealer will hand it to you or it will be waiting for you in the house. Read it ! Don't for a minute think that everyone is Mr. & Mrs. Nice Guy and will run to your aid at the drop of a hat -- it doesn't work that way in the manufactured home business.

Your home will settle -- it's normal for any home, but with manufactured homes the settling cracks in the walls and ceilings will become a part of life. They will reappear in the same places year after year. It's just a part of owning one of these homes. Get yourself the drywall tape, mud, spray textue and keep the touch up paint that you receive for your home -- you're going to need it.

During your first year, the dealer will probably come in a couple of times to fix those cracks -- after that, it's up to you.

Occassionally, buyers will run into structural problems with a home. It could be a manufacturer's defect or it could be a problem with the foundation. Nobody likes these problems. If you have a structural defect for which the manufacturer is responsible and the manufacturer isn't taking care of it, in California there is an OMBUDSMAN that will take note of your complaint and help you resolve the problem. If it is determined that the contractor messed up on the foundation, then you'll go to the California Contractors State License Board (I hope you used a licensed contractor -- if not, you're in real trouble here.)

Most complaints that I've seen revolve around a homeowners unmet expectations. If you understand the process that you embarked on when you decided to buy your manufactured home, then you'll have a much better experience because you'll know what to expect, how to deal with the players to get what you were promised, and then how to push the right buttons when you need support.

Buying a new home can be a fun and ultimately rewarding experience. Take the time to do your homework, don't take shortcuts and surround yourself with good quality people along the way.

Wishing you many happy years in your Brand New Manufactured Home.