Why is there so little competition in the manufactured home lending market? While there are several interlocking factors, one of the simplest points to make is that the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not doing the robust lending in the manufactured home market as they are doing for conventional housing. What follows is a step-by-step explanation based …

Facts matter. The true meaning of words matters too. The relationship between cause-and-effect matters. As MHLivingNews and our MHProNews sister site has each previously reported, Peter Buffett, Warren Buffett’s own son, has exposed significant problems with the so-called “philanthro-feudalism” industry. Prior to Peter’s revelations, the award winning documentary Poverty Inc, outlined numbers of problems tied to so-called charity or poverty …

Even though tens of millions of Americans understandably believe that “the system is rigged,” the case can be made that the system is more rigged than most realize. The response from the Office of General Counsel at the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to this writer and MHLivingNews publisher L. A. “Tony” Kovach is an example of that which will …

To understand the importance of the cautionary comments from award-winning attorney Marty Lavin to Mobile and Manufactured Home Living News (MHLivingNews), it is useful to understand some basics that influence all forms of conventional and manufactured homes. Access to lending plays an important role in all resale home valuations. The law of supply and demand, along with proper support by …

Creating a top 25 list of topics and reports being accessed on industry leader Manufactured Home Living News (MHLivingNews) can be a time saver. That is what this report will provide. Think of this as an index to the reports that readers like you decided are the top 25 on MHLivingNews. Additionally, following this list, there will be a similar …

Before launching into this news, analysis, and critique – in fairness to the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) – they describe themselves like this. “The Manufactured Housing Institute is the only national trade organization representing all segments of the factory-built housing industry.” At times, MHI has also said that they represent “all segments of manufactured housing.” They elaborate by saying that “MHI members …

How do you know you have found the Rodney Dangerfield of affordable housing? Simple. It is when your kind of housing does not get its proper respect.     One recent example of that improper respect is when a local news channel – sincerely trying to give manufactured homes a complement – can not seem to keep their video camera …

Prior to getting into the most recent column by Mark Weiss, J.D., president and CEO of the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR), a few words of introduction will prove valuable. MHARR has no PAC or political action committee. They don’t endorse candidates. As an attorney, as with all good lawyers, they are taught to look at the details …

MHLivingNews has previously reported that the upward pressure monthly fees on homesites needs an influx of new homesites to mitigate that lack of supply. This publication has also reported that more competitive financing would make a difference for numbers of current and potential affordable housing seekers and manufactured home owners. The following is based on what is found on the …

“Superficiality is the curse of the modern world.” – Matthew Kelly, author and business consultant, per Quote Fancy.   Per some informed sources, the COVID19 pandemic is going to accelerate the need for more affordable housing. Thus, this topic may be timelier than ever before. But before diving into it, Matthew Kelly has an apt point. If someone skips the details, …

  “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 …

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” – Abraham Lincoln.   Preface before addressing the headline issues: Steve McDonald reminds us in the intriguing lyrics from the title song of Sons of Somerled that there’s been times when the sword is mightier than pen. Today, sometimes money seems to outweigh pen and sword, although …

The following are the comments as prepared for the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) virtual listening session scheduled for Wednesday 12.11.2019.    — FHFA Listening Session Comments by L. A. ‘Tony’ Kovach, Publisher of MHLivingNews.com, MHProNews.com, Award-Winning Manufactured Home Industry Expert and Consultant (LATonyKovach.com and http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach)   Speakers addressed the Washington, D.C. Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Duty to Serve …

Preface. This article will first outline a five-point plan for affordable housing and manufactured home living recovery. Then, it will give some specific examples of why this plan makes more sense than others that are being discussed. Interlaced with that will be facts, evidence and specific examples of how the battle for affordable housing has been weaponized by some powerful …

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 …