The postandcourier reports from Ladson, South Carolina, Equity Homes salesman Allen Croft recalls in 1997 the company sold 986 new homes, but changed its business model as sales declined and now sells only refurbished homes. Although the majority of the firm’s homes come from auctions, 37 percent are from individual sellers. With prices from $15,000 to $65,000, they sell 18 a month, and are considerably lower than either a comparably-sized site-built or a new manufactured home. Croft says, “We are 31 percent higher (in sales) than last year, and that was the best in three years.” Noting manufactured homes accounted for 18.2 percent of residences in South Carolina, the highest of any state in the country, Croft says Equity offers 25-30 models of manufactured homes, as opposed to a handful offered by a dealer selling new models. MHProNews has learned Equity also installs manufactured homes for others in this area just north of Charleston.
