“In general, the figures suggest that manufactured homes have seen price [appreciation] trends broadly similar to those of other homes.” – August 23, 2018 news release by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), page 24 of the federal document linked further below as a free download.    “I will never make a disparaging remark about a manufactured home. It …

“Facts are stubborn things.” – Mark Weiss, J.D., President and CEO of the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR).   Near the epicenter of what could become a cosmic clash in the year 2020 are events that have their origin approaching 2 decades ago. Much more recently, Congressional Representative Maxine Waters (CA-D) signed a letter with some of her …

Complex problems cited in the headline can be simplified by making this specific point. Affordable housing and income or wealth inequality are in several ways related issues. Home ownership is the most common form of wealth building in America. There are already good laws ‘on the books’ that make more affordable housing available. There are also good laws that make …

Let’s begin with what many will want to know every day, not just Veteran’s Day. Yes, you can buy a manufactured home with a VA – Veterans Administration – loan with as little as zero down payment. Millions who have a DD214 could qualify.     That said, veterans by definition are individuals who have or still do serve their …

Yesterday was Halloween, which makes today All Saints Day. In years gone by, it was customary in several Christian countries to ‘dress up’ in costumes that were supposed to remind someone of a specific saintly person. Halloween is a contraction that means “All Hallow’s (i.e.: holy, saintly) Eve” – the night before All Saint Day. Just writing those facts – …

First, the good news. Then, we’ll follow the good news up with what’s problematic. This will be systematic: quotes, facts, and eye-opening insights. “People live better when they have less financial stress,” Lindsey Bostick said. “They can do more of what they really want to do with their lives when they pay less for their home.” She explained that, “I …

Rent control is a hot topic in the U.S. as well as in Canada. It is an issue for those in apartments or other forms of rental housing, as well as numbers living in manufactured home land lease communities. The CBC News video below spells out the challenge in multifamily housing, north of the border. It will help tee up …

What follows below is a letter to the editor of MHLivingNews from a community resident-leader. It is worth mentioning that this person has lived and owned in conventional housing before moving into a manufactured home in a land-lease community. He loves his manufactured home, as he has said on his own blog. He enjoys the community, neighbors, and lifestyle. But …

There is no date on the article, but it appeared in a Google search on a topic that is relevant to the manufactured home industry and its current doldrums. Based upon its contents, it would appear to be less than 2 years old.   The reason that this a good look at this article is important to current owners of …

“Credit is the lifeblood of housing.” – Eric Belsky, then with Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.   “Pay more attention to what people do than what they say.” – Marty Lavin, JD, prior finance and GSE consultant, manufactured home lending, years of experience in manufactured home retail and land lease. Lavin is a Manufactured Housing Instiute (MHI) award winner …

“Follow the Money.” – a maxim used by journalists and investigators.   “Sometimes the best place to hide is in plain sight.” – axiomatic expression used by numerous authors.   ‘One should separate wheat from chaff.’ – Per Dictionary, to separate wheat from chaff means sort the valuable from the worthless, as in ‘I hope we’ll get a preview of …

Imagine for the new few minutes that you are a detective trying to solve a mystery. Detectives look for clues and examine evidence. Investigators ought to be objective. Like a doctor seeking the cause for an ailment, there are tests, results, facts, and reason that should to be the drivers for solving any puzzle.   Investigators ask questions, such as …

Foreward.  Susan M. Wachter, writing as Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) said, “Most new homes in the United States are site-built to State and local codes, but an increasing number are “manufactured homes,” designed and constructed to meet the requirements of the preemptive Federal Manufactured Home Construction and …

Preface. Mistakes happen. People can learn from them, or not. Mature adults should ideally not allow themselves to be defined by errors – because everyone has their share of mistakes and ignorance. Rather, people of all ages and backgrounds are better defined by their behavior after an error has been uncovered.   How is a mistake addressed? Is it swept …

“We as an independent manufactured home producer’s association have often worked successfully with resident groups, on issues of mutual interest. We don’t deal with community related issues directly. I believe that people of good will may agree or disagree on details, and still have mutual respect. Let me express my sincere condolences to those touched by the loss of Ed …