Videos and Special Reports

The need for affordable housing is serious.  Former President Jimmy Carter has publicly commented on the crisis recently. From that same era, Presidents Richard M. Nixon and Gerald Ford spoke favorably about mobile homes as much needed affordable living. The HUD Code for manufactured homes went into effect on June 15, 1976. The homes built before that date that look …

Curbed, The Verge and their sponsor – the Ford Motor Company – all understand that factory-built homes are widely misunderstood. But they believe the homes of the future will come from a factory.  Why?  Crank phones with land lines evolved into “bag phones,” later more compact cell phones, and now smart phones that are more tech filled than a laptop 10 …

The scores of Elvis impersonators one can find are the only reminders needed that he is still seen as the ‘King of Rock and Roll’ today, as he was by millions in years gone by.   When you are a star, it seems surprising to people that someone with money and fame would pick a mobile home for their personal …

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 …

Holidays and memorials exist for many reasons. Reflection and recreation are among them.   The 4th of July is known as Independence Day in the USA. Why? What does it mean to be independent? What did America’s founders want to be free from? These are worthy questions for reflection and discussion on any day, including holidays. Political, and economic freedom …

Nia Peeples explains in this video how her husband nudged her into considering a manufactured home near the beach. “The thing that surprised me the most about how I responded to moving in to such a small place is not that I loved it; the thing that surprised me was that we would always have people in our house, and …

We are asking the question, where are you headed this summer? But almost the same question could be asked about any season of the year.   Where are you heading in life? What do these questions have to do with quality affordable new home living? A Lot. And it’s so simple. The less you spend on your housing, the more …

It’s National Home Ownership Month, and today we’ll celebrate it by sharing some videos that includes a sneak peak into a 27 story custom hybrid palace, that is home to one of the world’s richest men.   The private residence known as Antilia, was built by tycoon Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani for his family of four. Wikipedia says “Ambani is an Indian business …

Let’s begin with what will be to some a surprising point. Not everyone is ready for homeownership. Renting is useful for some, in specific circumstances, at least for a given period of time. That said, as a rule-of-thumb, anytime someone can own a home, it is wise to do so. Why? Because whether you rent the house or are buying …

A recent Washington Post (WP, the Post, or WaPo) report about a recent protest made it clear that manufactured housing is an important part of the solution to the growing affordable housing crisis in the USA. Here is part of what the WP report said. “The average price of a “stick-built” home in January was $382,700, according to the Census …

“Lucy and Desi” were TV and movie stars from the 1950s and 1960s.  The U.S. was rapidly changing in the post-World War II era. The Korean conflict came and went too, so veterans and millions of others were clamoring for affordable housing.   The nation was mobile, and millions were willing to move to get a better job. Those cute …

Pamela Anderson choice of manufactured home living gave a new meaning to the term, “upwardly mobile.”   Anderson is one of several “rich, famous and frugal” celebrities, millionaires or billionaires who have at various times in their lives opted for a manufactured home. Paradise Cove has attracted several stars over the years.  The locale has included Matthew McConaughey, Minnie Driver, …

The Up for Growth National Coalition just published a new report that says the affordable housing crisis is more serious than many realize, and is growing. While their estimates differ, they come to a similar conclusion as the National Association of Realtors (NAR) Lawrence Yun did. Yun says there is an 8.3 million housing unit shortage. The new Up for …