First, a dealer who refuses to put a heat pump in such a mild area is nuts and not looking out for your best interest. We're in a considerably colder area. All electric homes with a good heat pump have the lowest overall utility bill, next comes dual fuel with gas backup.

We've sold both brands for 15+ years. Both are excellent. Personally most of the techs tend to want Rheem for their own homes and families homes and push it to customers.

Thanks for your response baldloonie (love that name!!!). Anyway, the reasoning was that because the house is not "Tight", and there would be air intrusion, the unit would run all of the time on emergency, if the temp got below 40 degrees.
Any ideas as to why there is so much varience in the price???? The Trane guy did a Manual J load calc, the other did not.
Any help would be appreciated.

You should take some of the cost & put it into tightning up your old home (antibellum?? sounds like it w/8' windows!)
A blower door test & several cases of caulk would be an investment in your home that would pay off in comfort & lower utility costs. Insulation in those balloon framed walls would also help..of course in the attic also once work is completed there. (and please no recessed lights!!
or at least air tight insulation contact recessed lights)

Install is the key for any install of hvac. Ductleakage is very expensive and the time & materials that it takes to do it properly is minimal...or should be for the hvac company.

We use heat pumps here in south La all the time and diagnostic (blower door & duct testing) to seal homes before sizing units.

Best of luck to you.
(howdy baldloonie...good to see ya!)

Energy rater la - Thanks for the response. One reason we are just now putting a central unit is because we have been trying to put insulation and energy efficient windows in over the past few years. We have insulated under the house, some in the attic and have just replaced the windows with low e glass windows (although they are not double pane) The windows have been tightly caulked and sealed. In addition, an attic fan has been installed to pull hot air out of the attic. I think we have decided to install the heat pump anyway. It appears that most people hear would agree.