Eric Miller, Author at Manufactured and Modular Housing Industry News

Dec 2 2010

MHI, Realtors, Home Builders Urge Action to Save Mortgage Interest Deduction

By Eric Miller / December 2, 2010 December 2, 2010 / Advocacy, Economy, Manufactured and Modular Housing News

With plans to change the Mortgage Interest Deduction (MID) being presented to Congress in hopes of reducing the federal budget deficit, homebuilders, industry and realtor groups are urging the maintenance of the benefit in its full potency. National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) Chairman Bob Jones recently said reducing the benefit …

MHI, Realtors, Home Builders Urge Action to Save Mortgage Interest Deduction Read More

Dec 2 2010

Dow Continues to Rally

By Eric Miller / December 2, 2010 December 2, 2010 / Stocks

Markets continued to rally Thursday with the Dow moving up more than 100 points on new U.S. home sales, and retail sales topped estimates. The Manufactured Housing Composite Value gained half of one percent. Top performers among manufactured housing and related stocks include Drew Industries, up more than four percent; …

Dow Continues to Rally Read More

Dec 2 2010

Strong Rebound in Pending Home Sales

By Eric Miller / December 2, 2010 December 2, 2010 / Economy, Finance

Pending home sales jumped in October, showing a positive uptrend since bottoming in June, according to the National Association of Realtors. The Pending Home Sales Index rose 10.4 percent to 89.3 based on contracts signed in October from 80.9 in September. The index remains 20.5 percent below a surge to …

Strong Rebound in Pending Home Sales Read More

Dec 2 2010

Clayton Charity Event Raises $31,000 for Teachers

By Eric Miller / December 2, 2010 December 2, 2010 / Manufactured Homes

From Tennessee, Blount Today reports that Clayton Homes sponsored a recent fundraiser for the Blount County Education Foundation, raising $31,000. The second annual Clayton Homes Turkey Trot Run for Education was held on Sunday, Nov. 21. Runners, walkers, cheerleaders and “gobblers” in the form of trophies filled the campus of …

Clayton Charity Event Raises $31,000 for Teachers Read More

Dec 2 2010

Drew Industries Declares Special Cash Dividend

By Eric Miller / December 2, 2010 December 2, 2010 / Manufactured and Modular Housing News

Drew Industries, a leading supplier of components for recreational vehicles (RV) and manufactured homes, announced Thursday that its Board of Directors approved a special cash dividend of $1.50 per share of common stock. The dividend is payable on December 28, 2010 to stockholders of record at the close of business …

Drew Industries Declares Special Cash Dividend Read More

Dec 2 2010

Report Indicates Fate of Manufacturing Plants from Potential Merger Unknown

By Eric Miller / December 2, 2010 December 2, 2010 / Business, Manufactured Homes

From Martinsville, Virginia, the Martinsville Bulletin reported on the planned asset purchase of Palm Harbor Homes by Cavco-owned Fleetwood Homes. Martinsville is home to a plant operated by Palm Harbor subsidiary Nationwide. A Palm Harbor company spokesperson told the reporter it’s too early to determine how the Chapter 11 reorganization …

Report Indicates Fate of Manufacturing Plants from Potential Merger Unknown Read More

Dec 2 2010

Freddie Mac Reports Long-Term Mortgage Rates Rise

By Eric Miller / December 2, 2010 December 2, 2010 / Business, Economy

Freddie Mac released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey Thursday, which found that the both fixed- and shorter-term mortgage rates rose this week. This was the third week in a row where fixed-rate mortgage rates were up. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.46 percent with an average …

Freddie Mac Reports Long-Term Mortgage Rates Rise Read More

Dec 2 2010

Palm Harbor Plant in Oregon to Continue Operating

By Eric Miller / December 2, 2010 December 2, 2010 / Manufactured and Modular Housing News, Manufactured Homes

From Oregon, the Gazette Times ran a story indicating struggling Palm Harbor Homes won’t close despite bankruptcy filing. The report indicated a 120-employee plant in Millersburg, Oregon will continue operations as usual. It is one of five Palm Harbor facilities in Oregon. Officials said the filing comes after four years …

Palm Harbor Plant in Oregon to Continue Operating Read More

Dec 1 2010

Stocks Soar into December

By Eric Miller / December 1, 2010 December 1, 2010 / Stocks

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose just shy of 250 points on Wednesday as Goldman Sachs raised their forecast for U.S. economic growth. Manufactured housing and related stocks also closed mostly higher. Universal Forest Products was up nearly five percent, Drew Industries was up 3.6 percent and Cavco rose 2.6 …

Stocks Soar into December Read More

Dec 1 2010

Fed’s Beige Book Finds Improving Economy, Slow Housing Market

By Eric Miller / December 1, 2010 December 1, 2010 / Economy

Reports from the twelve Federal Reserve Districts indicate that the economy continued to improve, on balance, during the reporting period from early/mid-October to mid-November. Manufacturing activity continued to expand in almost all districts. Housing markets remain depressed, however with several Districts reporting further weakening during the past six weeks. Residential …

Fed’s Beige Book Finds Improving Economy, Slow Housing Market Read More

Dec 1 2010

Demand Growing for Tiny Homes

By Eric Miller / December 1, 2010 December 1, 2010 / Manufactured Homes

From California, the San Jose Mercury News ran a story on the tiny house movement thriving despite a general downturn in real estate. The report says a small, but growing number of Americans are buying or building homes that could fit inside many people’s living rooms. Not everyone lives in …

Demand Growing for Tiny Homes Read More

Dec 1 2010

Experts Say Manufactured Homes Not More Prone to Fire

By Eric Miller / December 1, 2010 December 1, 2010 / Manufactured and Modular Housing News, Manufactured Homes

A November 16 article in the Virginian-Pilot carried the headline Fast-moving fires pose special risk in mobile homes. At first sight, this headline would seem another instance where the media unfairly implies negative judgment on the quality and safety of factory-built housing. But the article then quotes fire officials who …

Experts Say Manufactured Homes Not More Prone to Fire Read More

Dec 1 2010

Panelized Homes Help Floridians Save Energy, Withstand Winds

By Eric Miller / December 1, 2010 December 1, 2010 / Factory-Built Homes

The website EcoHomes ran a story this week on panelized concrete homes designed by Sarasota, Florida-based architect Jonathan Parks AIA, and how he has quietly been incorporating green features into the homes. The article noted that one house is oriented to capture and control as much daylight as possible to …

Panelized Homes Help Floridians Save Energy, Withstand Winds Read More

Dec 1 2010

Recycled Glass Used to Create Fire Resistant Homes

By Eric Miller / December 1, 2010 December 1, 2010 / Factory-Built Homes

From Wisconsin comes an item from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on extra-sturdy houses constructed of glass. Simon Parrish, who developed the new construction method, spent about 20 years doing so. Parrish is production director for the Ambiente brand of manufactured housing. The process involves turning waste glass into a fine …

Recycled Glass Used to Create Fire Resistant Homes Read More

Dec 1 2010

Freddie Mac Suspends Evictions

By Eric Miller / December 1, 2010 December 1, 2010 / Economy

Freddie Mac says enjoy the holiday, foreclosures can wait until after January 3. The mortgage giant announced Wednesday it has ordered all evictions involving foreclosed occupied single family and 2-4 unit properties that had Freddie Mac mortgages to be suspended from December 20, 2010 to January 3, 2011. “If the …

Freddie Mac Suspends Evictions Read More

Nov 30 2010

Indiana Department Investigating for SAFE Act Compliance

By Eric Miller / November 30, 2010 November 30, 2010 / Finance, Legal, Legislation, Manufactured Homes

The Indiana Department of Financial Institutions has been performing outreach to manufactured housing retailers and communities in order to insure compliance with the SAFE Act. Mark Bowersox, executive director of the Indiana Manufactured Housing Association (IMHA) told MHMSM.com his organization was previously told by the state that enforcement would be complaint-driven, …

Indiana Department Investigating for SAFE Act Compliance Read More

Nov 30 2010December 1, 2010

Down Down, Palm Harbor Slides with it, Cavco Gains

By Eric Miller / November 30, 2010 December 1, 2010 / Stocks

Remember the debt crisis in Greece that brought down stocks for a while a few months ago? Now it’s a concern a European debt crisis is getting out of control that’s closing the damper on the market. The Dow closed down 46 points Tuesday and global stocks fell to the …

Down Down, Palm Harbor Slides with it, Cavco Gains Read More

Nov 30 2010

Broad-based Declines in Home Prices in the 3rd Quarter of 2010

By Eric Miller / November 30, 2010 November 30, 2010 / Business, Economy, Manufactured and Modular Housing News

While housing prices are still above their spring 2009 lows, the end of the tax incentives and still active foreclosures appear to be weighing down the market. Data through September, 2010, released Tuesday by Standard & Poor’s for its S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, …

Broad-based Declines in Home Prices in the 3rd Quarter of 2010 Read More

Nov 30 2010

RV Sales May Indicate Improving Economy

By Eric Miller / November 30, 2010 November 30, 2010 / Business, Manufactured and Modular Housing News

CNBC ran a story Tuesday on the RV Indicator. Sales of RV’s or recreational vehicles tend to tank first in a tough economy and rebound first in a recovery. RV shipments for 2011 are expected to be up 8.2 percent, a sign that recovery is at hand. Also …

RV Sales May Indicate Improving Economy Read More

Nov 30 2010

Palm Harbor Bankruptcy Makes the Papers

By Eric Miller / November 30, 2010 November 30, 2010 / Business, Manufactured Homes

News of the bankruptcy filing of Palm Harbor Homes made the papers Tuesday. The Dallas Morning News ran the headline Addison’s Palm Harbor Homes Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection. The paper noted Palm Harbor and five of its subsidiaries sought Chapter 11 protection as part of a plan to …

Palm Harbor Bankruptcy Makes the Papers Read More

Eric Miller

MHI, Realtors, Home Builders Urge Action to Save Mortgage Interest Deduction

Dow Continues to Rally

Strong Rebound in Pending Home Sales

Clayton Charity Event Raises $31,000 for Teachers

Drew Industries Declares Special Cash Dividend

Report Indicates Fate of Manufacturing Plants from Potential Merger Unknown

Freddie Mac Reports Long-Term Mortgage Rates Rise

Palm Harbor Plant in Oregon to Continue Operating

Stocks Soar into December

Fed’s Beige Book Finds Improving Economy, Slow Housing Market

Demand Growing for Tiny Homes

Experts Say Manufactured Homes Not More Prone to Fire

Panelized Homes Help Floridians Save Energy, Withstand Winds

Recycled Glass Used to Create Fire Resistant Homes

Freddie Mac Suspends Evictions

Indiana Department Investigating for SAFE Act Compliance

Down Down, Palm Harbor Slides with it, Cavco Gains

Broad-based Declines in Home Prices in the 3rd Quarter of 2010

RV Sales May Indicate Improving Economy

Palm Harbor Bankruptcy Makes the Papers

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