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We knew we wanted to share James Hodges’ story around some national holiday. Independence Day – the 4th of July holiday period – seems like a perfect fit! James has a terrific home, as you’ll see in the second video on this page. It a ‘residential style’ manufactured home, meaning if we didn’t tell you it was built in a factory, you’d likely have no clue inside or outside that it wasn’t built the same as any other house.
One of the many big differences, of course, is the big-time money the couple saved by buying a new manufactured home vs. a conventional house that might be decades older. James will tell you in his own words that they’ve got a quality lifestyle too.
As you see above, we thought a little 4th of July singing by Lee Greenwood would make a nice compliment to the interview with Vietnam Vet James Hodges. Our videographer, Charlie Drake, decided to edit into the video below some singing in the open and close of the interview with James. Make sure you catch that second, closing song that James does!
It has been ten years since the couple bought their residential style manufactured home, located in the New Durham Estates South section of their multi-phase community. When their furnace recently stopped working one cold day (it can happen to a 10 year old furnace), hear what James tells us on camera what the owner of the community – Gary Fath – did to get their heat back on track.
Westville, Indiana is rated as one of the safest places in the state. You may recall comments shared in an earlier interview we did on an Inside MH Road Show video with Westville’s city council woman, Regina Ruddell. Regina explained how her husband, a now retired police chief, had “checked out” New Durham Estates. He found it was even safer living there than other Westville neighborhoods.
At about the time James bought his home, yours truly was living and working in another manufactured home land-lease community, 2 states away. Good manufactured home communities (MHC) do a background check, with the idea that people with any serious criminal offenses get screened out. That’s why they are often safer. The MHC I managed and lived in did background checks too. Our neighborhood was safer – per the local police department’s records – than the quarter-million dollar duplex neighborhood across the street from our MHC. That MHC I was in, like New Durham Estates, had great new homes from 1/3 of that conventional construction housing cost, to some pre-owned MHs that where less than 1/10th of that price.
Moral of the story? Looking for a good lifestyle for less? Check out manufactured homes and MH Community living. James will point out in his video that manufactured home community living offers some great, positive suprises. Listen to what this Marine says about his home and community.
If you or someone you care about is shopping for a new home, suggest that they check out the good manufactured home retailers or MH Communities in your area. If you happen to live or are moving to Northwest Indiana, stop by and talk to the good folks at New Durham Estates, and kindly say hi for me! We are so pleased at the time we spent with the management and residents there. You’ll quickly understand why their MH sales are growing.
Oh! By the way! For those of you who aren’t Marines and/or who don’t know Latin, Semper Fi is their slogan, and it means, “Always Faithful.” ##
Some other Inside MH Road Show Video Interviews with residents in New Durham Estates.
Tyson Blattner, Purdue UNC graduate student, talks about why he opted for manufactured home living.
Sue Midgett, who has lived in pre-HUD Code ‘mobile homes,’ town houses and now in a manufactured home (to understand the difference beween a trailer house, a mobile home and a modern manufactured home, please click here. There are differences! They favor today’s manufactured home. ;-).
Fisherman Dave Cavinder, another one-of-a-kind-gent, what a hoot to listen to him tell his story! ##
