Not Washington DC, but Everett, Washington, 25 miles north of Seattle. In addition to the one in Knoxville, TN, the three new models should now be in:
Sacramento, CA
Everett, WA
Albuquerque, NM (At the Karsten factory location)
In Washington, according to an article in the county’s online news source, HERE, some drivers just passing by the Clayton i-house model are screeching on their brakes.
Another article about the model in Everett:
Is ihouse a model for modern modular?
by Aubrey Cohen of the SeattlePI.com
The model in Everett is the 2-bedroom core, with one bedroom flex w/roofdeck. I suspect it is the model they will be using in the other locations as well.
Readers! Please write in to comment on impressions upon seeing the model, in Everett or elsewhere.
I don’t know what dealers will do with the many people who see it from the road, and stop in to see it. I can't see them making people set up appointments, but who knows. Usually, manufactured home dealers are only too glad to let you tour the homes any time during their regular business hours.
When I tour the home in Albuquerque later this week, or early next week, I’ll try to get their policy straightened out on drop-ins vs. appointment only.
The first article mentions that there will be a model home in eight locations. This HAS to be pending initial interest in the home. I can see them having only the one model in New Mexico, for sure, but they’ll have to get one in Phoenix, and more locations in California, Texas, and the South as well.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Another short Fox News i-house video
This is an older video, a short tour of the i-house, where a Realtor extols the beauty of moving hard-to-sell pieces of property by putting i-houses on them, or something like that. She loves $green$, and the i-house, and so does Kevin Clayton! (Click on arrow square in lower right for full screen view.)
While I'm posting this video, because I had to delete one of my earlier posts (the one with the poll, which is now in a separate link), I'd like to repeat this reminder about doing the Clayton virtual tour (to be distinguished from the new video) in FULL screen size. The way to do that is, after starting it up, click twice on the screen. Then you have to start it again by RIGHT clicking on the screen, select SHOW TOOLBAR, to get the navigation menu at the bottom. (Move your cursor to the bottom for that to appear.) Then click on the arrow to start the video. Hit the "Esc" key to exit full view. This method does not work on the new video though.
While I'm posting this video, because I had to delete one of my earlier posts (the one with the poll, which is now in a separate link), I'd like to repeat this reminder about doing the Clayton virtual tour (to be distinguished from the new video) in FULL screen size. The way to do that is, after starting it up, click twice on the screen. Then you have to start it again by RIGHT clicking on the screen, select SHOW TOOLBAR, to get the navigation menu at the bottom. (Move your cursor to the bottom for that to appear.) Then click on the arrow to start the video. Hit the "Esc" key to exit full view. This method does not work on the new video though.
When touring the i-house model...
According to my SURVEY, many of you have never been to a dealer of manufactured homes. When going to see the i-house, I have a few suggestions.
If you are seriously considering a purchase of this home, especially if you have a long distance to travel to see the model, ask many questions of the salespeople at Clayton headquarters by phone, in advance of making your trip. Write down their answers.
It is not that the local dealer will not know enough about the home, but it is a new model, and if you have some more unusual questions, you may as well ask them of the people in Knoxville.
Look at some of the other homes on the lot for comparison, including the least expensive, homes about the same price, and ones that cost more. If the lot where the i-house is displayed has some lower end homes, you will notice the thinner walls, cheaper looking windows and fixtures, seamed paneling instead of drywall, and lower ceiling on single-wide homes.
The tour of the i-house will probably begin with a salesperson. It will allow you to ask questions. Spend some time in the house alone, to get a feel of the space. The salespeople know everyone needs to do this.
If you are nearby, come back on a different day, at a different time, to take a second or third look at the house if you want. It is a big decision and thinking it over and seeing it again can often help you feel more certain.
When viewing a home on a lot, visualize what it would be like on your property, the solar orientation, the views out the windows. This is one thing that makes the experience different from buying a house already on land. The dealer in Albuquerque has several homes set up about 60 feet from the interstate, so people driving by can see them. (The i-house won’t be there until June 15th.) Most dealers locate a lot in a high traffic area where their homes can be seen by passers by.
Having a front porch just feet from a highway would be the ultimate nightmare for me, and it can be distracting having the noise, so take time, relax, and visualize the way the home would be on your property.
Your first instincts are important, when entering a house, but also, this is a modern house and give yourself a few minutes to take in all that is new.
If you are seriously considering a purchase of this home, especially if you have a long distance to travel to see the model, ask many questions of the salespeople at Clayton headquarters by phone, in advance of making your trip. Write down their answers.
It is not that the local dealer will not know enough about the home, but it is a new model, and if you have some more unusual questions, you may as well ask them of the people in Knoxville.
Look at some of the other homes on the lot for comparison, including the least expensive, homes about the same price, and ones that cost more. If the lot where the i-house is displayed has some lower end homes, you will notice the thinner walls, cheaper looking windows and fixtures, seamed paneling instead of drywall, and lower ceiling on single-wide homes.
The tour of the i-house will probably begin with a salesperson. It will allow you to ask questions. Spend some time in the house alone, to get a feel of the space. The salespeople know everyone needs to do this.
If you are nearby, come back on a different day, at a different time, to take a second or third look at the house if you want. It is a big decision and thinking it over and seeing it again can often help you feel more certain.
When viewing a home on a lot, visualize what it would be like on your property, the solar orientation, the views out the windows. This is one thing that makes the experience different from buying a house already on land. The dealer in Albuquerque has several homes set up about 60 feet from the interstate, so people driving by can see them. (The i-house won’t be there until June 15th.) Most dealers locate a lot in a high traffic area where their homes can be seen by passers by.
Having a front porch just feet from a highway would be the ultimate nightmare for me, and it can be distracting having the noise, so take time, relax, and visualize the way the home would be on your property.
Your first instincts are important, when entering a house, but also, this is a modern house and give yourself a few minutes to take in all that is new.