MHMSM.com presents Factory Built Housing Industry News at Noon with Erin Patla.
Coming up – Manufactured Home Sales Rise
But first…these stories:
8,300 hazard alert radios available to needy Hoosiers
Journal Gazette
INDIANAPOLIS. The Indiana Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday it has partnered with local emergency management agencies to distribute more than 8,300 all-hazards alert radios to at-risk Hoosiers.
“All-hazards alert radios are one of the best early-warning tools available,” agency Executive Director Joe Wainscott said. “Where funds permit, we hope to continue partnering with local emergency management agencies to provide additional radios to Hoosiers who might not otherwise be able to afford them.”
The radios have been divided among the counties and delivered to each county emergency management agency for distribution. In most counties, emergency management agencies are coordinating distribution with local community service organizations or more localized government entities to target, among others, residents of the thousands of manufactured homes in Indiana.
The state’s homeland security agency encourages all-hazards alert radio purchases for Hoosiers who can afford them. They sell for about $30 or $40 online and at many retail outlets.
All-hazards alert radios broadcast more than 60 emergency alerts such as hazardous weather and local area warnings, including up-to-date weather information broadcast directly by the National Weather Service. In the event of a power outage or an evacuation, the radios have backup battery power.
IN MARKET NEWS: Meritage Homes has filed its Quarterly Report for the period ended June 30, 2010. Meritage Homes Corp. has a market cap of $553.1 million; its shares were traded at around $17.24. Total home closing revenue was $291.4 million and $492.0 million for the three and six months ended June 30, increasing 32.2 percent and 9.0 percent from the same periods last year. The company reports it generated net income of $4.2 million and $6.8 million for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30 as compared to loss of $(73.6) and $(92.0) million for the same periods in 2009.
U.S. stocks rose as stronger-than-estimated growth in American service industries and private payrolls gave support to the notion that economic growth would continue. The manufactured housing composite went up .99 Wednesday and top performers included Skyline Homes and Cavco, although most manufactured housing stocks remained little-changed from Tuesday’s close. In contrast, residential construction composites were down modestly Wednesday. NVR and Sun Communities experienced moderate stock price declines Wednesday.
The Dow closed up 44 points to 10,680.
Dick Ernst Discusses Progress Made at Elkart, MHI Summer Meeting in
Part One Of Our Exclusive Interview
MH Industry InFocus Reporter Eric Miller, joined by MHMSM.com Publisher ‘Tony’ Kovach, spoke with industry consultant and once interim-president of MHI, Dick Ernst. The conversation produced some perceptive insights into some of the most pressing issues in the manufactured housing industry today. Ernst shared his view with MHMSM.com that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are using their conservatorship as an excuse not to serve the manufactured housing industry as mandated by Congress.
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Be sure to read Part One of the InFocus interview with Dick Ernst today at MHMSM.com/eric-miller/Ernst-interview
“Up next, Manufactured Home Sales Rise”
But first, this podcast of News at Noon is sponsored in part by: MHMSM.com/solutions.
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Manufactured Home Sales Rise
Elise Preston
NewsChannel 10
AMARILLO, TX. In light of a tight economy, more local families are choosing to buy manufactured homes.
Manufactured home sales have boosted dramatically in our area. Some companies tell us in the last 6 months…their sales have gone up by nearly a quarter. While these home sales may be up, traditional home sales in our area are slow. Agents aren’t sure if it’s a sign of a good or bad economy. The majority of their customers are looking to downsize and spend less money for the same amount of space.
“We have a lot of blended families, who have yours, mine, and ours children. They need a lot of bedrooms, but they can’t afford that in the site-built homes. So, they choose manufactured housing and our financing is very low right now; it’s a good buy for large families particularly.” said Claudia Harris, of Harris Custom Homes.
According to sellers, manufactured homes will go for about one third of a traditional home price.
In the last two years, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development has raised the standards of the already-made homes.
They do urge manufactured homeowners to report any construction and safety mishaps.
“On behalf of Production and IT Manager Bob Stovall, Editor L.A. ‘Tony’ Kovach, Associate Editor Catherine Frenzel, INdustry in Focus reporter Eric Miller, and the entire MHMSM.com writing and support team, this is Erin Patla. G’day!”