What brands of mid-price 5 ers are quality and reliable?

The new ones definitely will have the chemical odors - mine did. But being able to keep the windows open for a week or so definitely helps in that regard.

As you probably know, mold and mildew can be a real problem in the S.E. USA. So keeping a used one closed up while it's For Sale only contributes to that problem. May not be feasible, but shopping for one located in a northern state might be a possibility. Do you have friends that can help you look ?