The truth has been hiding in plain sight for years. But politics, the revolving door, and other factors have kept Americans – living in one of the wealthiest nation per capita on planet Earth – out of the top 40 countries in the world in terms of the percentage rate for personal home ownership.   How did that relatively low …

The data found below from the Zillow Group comes from their 2016 and 2018 research surveys of home buyer desires and actual purchases. By showing both sets of data, MHLivingNews readers will get a sense of the trends.   Properly understood, the Zillow data reveals, among other details, what people believe they wanted vs. what they in fact purchased. Before …

For several years in our Inside MH Road Show series of videos, MHLivingNews interviewed politicos, experts, but also homeowners of various builders of manufactured homes. Those video interviews are real people, who own actual homes and were not paid for their comments. We’ve learned over the years that manufactured homeowners gladly tell their stories, because they want to be part …

“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 …

Superficially, manufactured housing is an easy to understand product, service, and industry. It costs far more to build a house on site – so-called ‘stick building’ – then it does to build one in a factory and was permanently installed on a buyers preferred home site. It costs more to build apartments than it does a manufactured home community. The …

It is important to get a balanced view of anything that involves a major decision. Here on MHLivingNews, we’ve done a mix of stories for years, spotlighting the good, the bad, and the misunderstood about all kinds of housing, including those homes built in a factory.    How do you tell the difference between a proverbial ‘white hat’ company and …

Preface: it must be kept in mind that every business and profession have good, bad, and meh examples of that occupation.  Research by third-parties suggest that millions love their pre-HUD Code mobile home or post June 15, 1976 manufactured home.  University and academic studies by nonprofits have praised manufactured homes for decades. That said, there are clear-cut examples of ‘white …

Songs can often capture ideas and emotions in poetic and transformative ways. Ballads by definition are songs that tell a story. The ballad that Gretchen Peters wrote that was performed by Martina McBride blends a range of symbols that brilliantly captures the story of an abused woman, as told through the eyes of her daughter. For the next few minutes, let’s …

Californian Robert ‘Bob’ Van Cleef is involved in manufactured home resident advocacy. Bob and his wife sold their home and moved into a manufactured home. They enjoy their manufactured home, but were unpleasantly surprised by certain developments in their community.  That’s when Bob stepped up to volunteer as community leader.    He is active with the Golden State Manufactured-Home Owners …

Kurt Kelley, JD, is the publisher of the Manufactured Housing Review (MHR), as the below reflects in his quarterly’s “Publisher’s Message.” For the 2019 Quarter 1 issue, his message read in part as follows.   “…We also [in this issue] address Senator Elizabeth Warren’s attempt to gather private information from Manufactured Home Community owners. New things surprise us each day, …

We’ve done several serious reports in the last year or so that look deeper behind the often dark curtain to understand why manufactured homes – along with the mobile homes and trailer houses that preceded them – are so misunderstood.   Today will be a bit different. 43 years ago, today is the official “birth” of HUD Code manufactured homes. …

Let’s note from the top that what follows is rooted in reality but will be framed as an exploration of a hypothetical scenario that could redistribute wealth without resorting to socialism or new laws.  It could be done via a specific use of existing antitrust and RICO laws.   Let’s further note that while huge businesses may seem to offer …

Every year, there are hundreds of tornadoes in the United States.  Several dozen people in all kinds of housing die as a result of those storms annually.  There are statistical indications that more die in ‘mobile and manufactured homes.’ But is there more to that claim then meets the eye?  An on-the-record statement by a National Weather Service (NWS) expert …

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 …

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 …