Matthew Silver

Following a 25-year career operating a custom hardwood furnishing business and occasional writing, Matthew Silver has been writing professionally for over a dozen years, six of those for the factory-built housing industry. Otherwise, he may be found performing folk music in the Indianapolis area.

Tuscaloosa County Receives FEMA Homes

Following up on an article we published here May 20, the Tuscaloosa News says eight Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) homes have been delivered to Tuscaloosa County following the devastating tornadoes of April 27, and are being sited at a community outside the city limits.  Over 250 FEMA homes have …

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Home Ownership Costs Hit Seniors Hard

Origination News says as a result of The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) Annual Survey of Senior Costs, since 2000 typical living expenses have increased 73 percent while the Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) has only gone up 31 percent.  Apartment rentals are up 39 percent and home ownership …

Home Ownership Costs Hit Seniors Hard Read More

Housing Prices Continue to Drop

HousingWire reports the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) recorded the largest quarterly drop in house prices since the last quarter of 2008, as prices fell 2.5 percent in Q1 2011 from the previous quarter.  Based on the mortgages of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, house prices fell 5.5 percent over …

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ATCO Awarded a Second Modular Workforce Village

Following up on an article we published here May 18, Benzinga reports ATCO Structures and Logistics (ATCO) has been awarded a second contract for building a modular workforce community on Curtis Island, Queensland, in Australia.  The Gladstone Liquefied Natural Gas (GLNG) project will  have 336 modular housing units, including recreational …

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LLCommunity Residents Want Five Acres Rezoned

The Daily Camera in Boulder, Colorado, says residents of Orchard Grove, a factory-built home community in Boulder, want to change five acres of empty land from medium-density residential to manufactured housing.  The community of 450 residents is included in Boulder’s affordable housing quota.  In 2008 the city rezoned the occupied …

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Sluggish Economy Drops Dow, Housing Stocks Close Mixed

The Dow dropped .20 percent on fears of the slowing U.S. economy and European debt issues to end the day at 12,356.21, while housing stocks closed mixed.  Nobility Homes was up 4.99 percent, Cavco gained 3.53 percent, MSCI was up .17 percent, and Sun Communities moved up .05 percent.  Palm …

Sluggish Economy Drops Dow, Housing Stocks Close Mixed Read More

New Director for Georgia MHA

With 19 years in the industry, Jay Hamilton has become the new executive director of the Georgia Manufactured Housing Association.  In a conversation with MHMSM, he indicated he has held numerous sales positions, first with Champion Homes, and more recently with Fleetwood Homes as Regional Sales Manager until they sold …

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Cordova, Alabama, Mayor Continues to Keep FEMA Homes Out

Following up on a story we published here May 20, The Birmingham News says Cordova, Alabama, Mayor Jack Scott continues to refuse to allow Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) homes to site in his town despite pleas from residents.  Danny Banks’ single section home was destroyed by the tornado April …

Cordova, Alabama, Mayor Continues to Keep FEMA Homes Out Read More

Britco Moves from Private to Public Hands

The Langley Advance reports one of the largest modular and manufactured housing firms in Canada is being sold to Western One Equity Income Fund for $93 million.  Britco, of British Columbia, which supplied the Winter Olympics with the Whistler Village modular units, will become part of a public company that …

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Aftermarket MH Supplier Moving Closer to Market

Business Wire says T.J.T., Inc., is closing its Platteville, Colorado, operation which served manufactured housing plants in a tri-state area with recycled axles, running gear and tires.  Many of the plants have either closed or reduced housing production.  T.J.T., established in 1977, is moving its collection and distribution operation to …

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FEMA Homes Require Installation Effort to Be Habitable

The Birmingham News reports that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved nearly 250 FEMA manufactured homes for refugees of last month’s tornadoes in Alabama, but so far only 35 are occupied.  Before a home can be sited, officials have to make certain the space is suitable, and that …

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Housing Market Continues with Ups and Downs

Bloomberg says that new home sales increased in April to a pace of 323,000 on the year, jumping 7.3 percent from last month, according to the  Commerce Department, which followed February’s count of 278,000, the lowest monthly rate since record-keeping began in1963.  The article attributes the increase to job growth …

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Dow Falls on European Debt News, and Most Housing Stocks Follow

The Dow skidded downwards 1.05 percent as news of Europe’s debt sent it to close at 12,381.26, and most housing stocks closed down as well.  Palm Harbor Homes ended the day up 42.86 percent.  Meanwhile, Cavco was down 4.61 percent, Skyline Corporation lost 3.72 percent, Sun Communities dropped 1.26 percent, …

Dow Falls on European Debt News, and Most Housing Stocks Follow Read More

Commercial Real Estate Markets Improving

HousingWire reports that rents rose in 21 out of 44 markets analyzed from a year earlier, indicating that investors are being dawn to commercial real estate.  Commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) amounted to nine billion dollars the first four months of the year, and expected to hit $40 billion by year’s …

Commercial Real Estate Markets Improving Read More

Modular Housing Growing but Facing Financing Challenges in Australia

Inside Business from Australia reports that there is a shift from modular home building in rural areas to inner urban, now accounting for 40-50 percent of the new modular construction, but lending institutions are skeptical about financing.  Jan Gyrn, managing director for Modscape, says they have experienced 300 percent growth …

Modular Housing Growing but Facing Financing Challenges in Australia Read More

MHI Responds to HUD’s Revisions of Regulations

The Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) responded favorably to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) revision of “Subpart I-Consumer Complaint Handling and Remedial Action.”  MHI welcomes and agrees with many of the alterations made by HUD regarding the inspection, record-keeping and assignment of responsibility for any problems that occur …

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Sixteen New Modular Homes Stand Empty

The Palm Beach Post says the city of West Palm Beach, Florida, spent $3 million in federal stimulus funds to buy 60 lots and build 19 modular  homes in an attempt to revitalize the Coleman Park neighborhood, spending between $105,000 and $230,000 on each home.  The plan was to use …

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Modular Homes Once Again Refuge for Disaster Evacuees

WWLTV reports that the town once called Canadaville, Louisiana because it was built by a Canadian billionaire philanthropist to harbor evacuees of Hurricane Katrina, is now home to refugees from the effects of the rising Mississippi.  The 49 modular homes were part of a five-year plan that was supposed to …

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Lenders Offering Different Incentives to Draw Borrowers

Origination News reports different lenders have creative incentives to help deplete the glut of affordable houses on the market.  Fannie Mae is offering 3.5 percent closing cost assistance for Fannie’s Owned HomePath Property loan as long as the deal is sealed before June 30, 2011.  The borrower must use it …

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Dow Ends the Week Down, as Housing Stocks Fall

The Dow fell .74 percent, anticipating bad news from retailers and the rise of the dollar on continuing news of the Greek debt crisis, closing the week at 12,512.04, 36 points below where it started at the beginning of the week.  Housing stocks all fell or remained even for the …

Dow Ends the Week Down, as Housing Stocks Fall Read More

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