Once upon a time there were two friends – Jack and Jim – who went to a car dealership. They each sat down with a salesperson and made a deal for the same kind of car.

Jack settled on a price and the salesperson told him to come back in a week to pick up the car. However, later that week, the salesperson called Jack and said “I’m sorry, there’s been a delay, your car will take another two days”. Jack was disappointed but acknowledged that these things happen. As he hangs up the phone, he hears a noise in the driveway. He walks outside and there is Jim, sitting in his new car, smiling proudly.

Surprised, Jack asked how he was able to get the car so quickly. Jim told him that it was finished quickly and it was customized. And, when they compared prices, Jack discovered that Jim’s car cost significantly less than his own.

If you were in this situation, how would you feel? You’d be legitimately upset and no one would begrudge you if you called up the salesperson and gave him a piece of your mind. Everyone wants a good deal, and if they find out that someone is getting a better deal, they understandably want it, too.

Well, my friends, you are getting ripped off. If you bought a home that was built brand new – “stick built” as we call it in the industry – you were hosed. It’s not that the contractor set out to purposely rip you off. It’s just that they have the traditional way of conducting business and it’s inherently inefficient and expensive and those costs get passed on to you.

There is a better way. If you are considering buying a new home, you have choices beyond what you might initially have considered.

Modular homes look just like any other home you might see when you’re driving down the street, but they have some fundamental differences. They can be customized; they cost less to build and they cost less to live in; they are built faster; they are better on the environment; and they come with a 10 year warranty. In other words, if you own a stick built house now, you’ve had the same experience as Jack: you had the regular experience while a custom modular homeowner got the far better deal.

The advantages of modular homes over conventional stick built homes are tremendous. If you are considering buying or building, make sure you know all of your options to avoid paying more for a lesser home.