*This post is part of a sponsored partnership with Clayton.
I recently had the opportunity to visit my local home center in Joplin, MO. While there, I also got to tour one of the most beautiful homes, The Sumner. Here is a look at the wonderful experience I had while getting a better understanding of the Clayton® home buying process.
Purchasing a home is one of the biggest dreams for many families. When buying a home, there can be many decisions and deadlines, choices to make and agreements to sign. When I recently met with Nathan at my local home center, in Joplin, Missouri, I immediately felt welcomed. We began to discuss all the options that were available for homeowners pursuing the American dream of home ownership.
Who is Clayton?
Founded in 1956, Clayton Homes is a national home builder that builds and sells homes. It uses both on-site and off-site construction to build a variety of homes. Site built homes are built on site where the home will be located and off-site built (prefab) homes, including modular and manufactured homes, are built inside a building facility.
Clayton has more than 365 retail home centers across the United States where their prefab homes are sold. Homes are constructed in a climate-controlled home building facility using a production line method and once complete, the are transported by truck in sections to the final home location.
Clayton uses quality, durable, brand-name materials. Constructed indoors, homes avoid water damage and weather delays. As the average price of new site-built homes approaches $400,000, according to the US Census Bureau, the more affordable option for many may be a prefab home without land with an average cost of nearly $79,000, according to the US Census Bureau. Clayton believes home ownership should be attainable for everyone.
How Can Visiting a Home Center Help in Choosing a Home
Visiting your local Clayton home center can be beneficial in many ways. As I sat and visited with Nathan, my local home center manager, I was able to learn a lot about the various homes that Clayton offers. The home center consultants are very knowledgeable and want to help you choose the home that best meets the needs of you or your family.
As I sat and visited with Nathan, I was able to ask questions about the Clayton home buying process. One of the most interesting things that I learned is that Clayton can help with purchasing land for a home. So, if you are interested in purchasing a home, but don’t have land, that is a process they can help with. Talk to your local home center representative to find out more about land availability options.
Clayton Home Buying Process
While I was visiting with Nathan, I learned that many of the homes can be customized to fit each home buyer’s needs whether it be the size of the home, the layout or details like the color and style of the cabinets, or even paint colors. There are also features in the home that can be upgraded such as patio doors, appliances, farmhouse sinks, faucets and countertops.
Home option availability can vary by region depending on the home building facility where the home is built, but on average, homes can range from 700 to over 2,000 square feet in size. When it comes to customizing a Clayton home there are many options. Homes also come in a wide array of styles and floor plans. A home center consultant will be sure to help you find the home that meets your needs.
By visiting one of your local Clayton home centers you will be available to view multiple homes in one location. You can see firsthand the quality of workmanship and discuss with the home center consultant what customization options are available for each home.
How Clayton Home Can Help with the Home Buying Process
Clayton home consultants are able to walk you step by step through the process of getting a home set up. Not only can they help you find the home of your dreams, but they can also help you arrange to have the land prepared. From helping you find contractors to hook up water and sewer lines as well as electric service to helping you obtain the necessary permits, your home consultant will be there. Clayton homes can also be put on a foundation with several options available.
When choosing to work with a Clayton home consultant, you are choosing to work with someone who walks with you through every step of the home buying process. From choosing your home and walking you through the home buying process. Clayton is committed to helping each family purchase the home of their dreams and offers a wonderful tool called the new home buyers checklist as well as an option to create a Claytons favorite account.
When you create a Clayton Favorites account you can create inspiration boards. The boards will store all your favorite features and photos. You can browse homes near you and begin to narrow down your options to specific home models. I happen to love open layouts, a lot of natural light, and neutral and dark industrial tones that are a rustic farmhouse style. So, the Sumner was my choice of home to tour.
The Sumner Prefabricated Home
The Sumner is a spacious 1,800 square foot home with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. However, it is also available to customize to a larger size if needed as well as other customizations. When you visit with a local home center consultant, they will help step you through all the available options.
Some of my favorite features were the rustic ceiling beams, large kitchen with woodgrain kitchen island, farmhouse style kitchen sink, the industrial style lighting, walk-in shower and the large walk-in closets.
The kitchen in the Sumner is filled with a lot of natural light that comes in through the three large windows over the kitchen sink area. It features white cabinets with soft close doors and an island for gathering around as well as space for extra kitchen storage. The combination of the metal, white, black and wood tones creates the ultimate rustic industrial farmhouse kitchen that is a dream to create delicious meals for the family in.
The bathroom in the Sumner was simply stunning. It is a large bathroom with a walk-in shower that has neutral, rustic colored tile and a large showerhead. The walk-in master closet is in the bathroom with a door that separates it from the bathroom area. This has always been a feature that I have wanted in my own home.
The rustic industrial style of the Sumner is breathtaking. There was so much natural light and the large open concept of the home allows the entire family to be together whether it is for cooking in the kitchen, watching movies or having a game night. The open floor plan also makes this home the perfect home for entertaining.
Clayton builds homes to fit the needs of almost any family, whether you are a first-time home buyer, need more space or if you are ready to down-size. I would encourage anyone looking for a home to schedule an appointment with your local home center. Take the time to sit and express your needs and wants to your home center consultant who can help you find the home that most suits you and your family’s needs.
Clayton strives to make home ownership as easy and stress-free as possible. Each home center consultant can aid you through every step from finding a home to having it completely set-up. Visit your local home center today to find the home of your dreams!
You should point out that while the base price might be as low as $79,000, the final closing cost can be as much as upwards of $130,00 WITHOUT the inclusion of land. If having Clayton manage the whole build, there are the costs of clearing of the site, the bring-in and setting of the home itself, additional cost for upgraded decking vs the standard 6’ deck provided, septic system, HVAC install, rock or gravel additional to original estimates, top soil, etc. Just to name a few! MANY hidden costs. As well, expect the potential of a six month to a year of waiting… waiting in weather, waiting in finish work, waiting on inspections, etc. I know this from experience, but still love my Clayton manufactured home placed on our lake property.
Yes, but the people we talked to were very upfront about the extra costs and such. They got right down to business, all while being polite and patient.