There are few turn-offs that are arguably worse to manufactured home owners and residents than that of ‘trailer trash.’  First, it is unjust.  Second, there have been no mobile homes since June 15, 1976.  The ‘trailer house’ era ended roughly 2 decades before then. Its an issue on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border, as the quote from Canadian Al …

There’s an incongruity stirring in most of the U.S. and Canada. Hundreds of millions think of mobile and manufactured homes as housing built for the poor or lower middle class. Really?   Tell that to the celebrities, millionaires, and billionaires who own and love their manufactured and mobile homes.     Don’t get me wrong. Yes, many lower income people …

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 …

“There’s nothing in the middle of the road  but a yellow stripe and roadkill.” – variation of a Texas maxim.   Seeking bipartisanship can be dangerous, as the dark humor noted above reminds readers. But let’s risk finding common ground for the next few minutes.   Affordable homes ought to be a non-partisan or bi-partisan issue.  The topic of this column, properly …

“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 …

America woke up today to division. But perhaps 75 percent (+/-) of the nation’s people could come together on a plan that demonstrably could do the following. Increase the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by some $2 Trillion Annually, without new federal spending. Provide proven, new affordable home ownership opportunities that left and right agree could boost the personal wealth …

The headline is missing two words from the original that was provided to MHLivingNews by Lending Tree (LT), via a news media release. Those missing two words? “In Miami.” While that was accurate, it is equally accurate for the vast majority of the U.S. today, thus our edit of those two words. Let’s see what Lending Tree had to say …

In all 50 states, affordable housing is an issue today. In all 50 states, it is difficult for renters to afford rental housing, based upon a wage of $15 an hour.     According to the National Association of Realtors, the typical renter could own a manufactured home for less than the cost of their rent.     According to …

If you scratch deeply enough, people of good will can find some common ground with others of good will.  There will be disagreements between people.  It has been so, since ‘the fall,’ and is expected to continue that way until time comes to an end. With that principle in mind, we will look in this column at a Cautionary Tale …

A “Happy Days” sitcom actress died in 2017, after she moved to an Indiana manufactured home community. Morin was looking for a place to regroup and start over. She had played the role of Joanie Cunningham in the then popular 1970s TV show.     Every year, there are thousands of Americans who are looking for second, third, or fourth …

People generally don’t buy something that they don’t understand, misunderstand, have concerns about, aren’t motivated to have, or are otherwise unable to buy. Until understanding, interest, desire, opportunity, need, and the means to buy all come together, no purchase is made. There are more details. But in a nutshell, those two sentences above sum up the answer to the headline …

We’ve begun to explore on MHLivingNews the connections between past and present U.S. Presidents and mobile and manufactured homes. A prior article on the topic is linked below. Note these are fact-and-evidence based reports, not partisan ones. Affordable living ought to be a nonpartisan issue, because everyone needs a good place to call home.   U.S. Presidents Carter, Nixon, and …

Fear affects decision-making every day. But often, “F.E.A.R.” is an acronym for “False Evidence Appearing Real.” Our research indicates that the solution to the affordable housing crisis is hiding in plain sight, but fear and prejudice have kept it from being widely embraced. In this analysis, we’ll discuss what experts – including those outside the industry, sources such as the …

“Compared with the unregulated mobile/trailer homes of the past, the manufactured homes built after 1976 have a higher level of safety, durability, and quality, and the small fraction of homes damaged during hurricanes attests to their safety and durability.” –   Scholastica “Gay” D. Cororaton, Certified Business Economist (CBE), National Association of Realtors ® (NAR).   “New design features and multi-section …

ABC News did the following exposé about the host of problems found in the conventional “site-built” housing industry.     The above is one of many such videos.  See another example in a local news video, below.     This isn’t to pick on what D.R. Horton, or any other conventional ‘site-builder.’ Rather, we start with a point that the …