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.

Manufacturing Sector Grows for Twentieth Straight Month

Yahoo!Finance says that although manufacturing grew for the 20th straight month, it cooled off slightly in March compared to February.  According to the Labor Department, 17,000 manufacturing jobs were added last month, part of the 216,000 overall jobs added in March.  Factory employment has accounted for 200,000 jobs in the …

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MHARR Chooses John Bostick as New Head

The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) issued a press release announcing that John Bostick has been elected at their annual meeting in Tunica, Mississippi, to serve as chairman of the association.  The president of Sunshine Homes of Red Bay, Alabama, he has been a board member since 1994, …

MHARR Chooses John Bostick as New Head Read More

MH Inspection, Licensing Fees in Ohio No Longer Jurisdictional

The News and Sentinel says Washington County, Ohio, has higher rates for the annual inspection and licensing fees for manufactured housing than adjoining Athens County.  Because of a new state law, third-party inspectors can operate anywhere in the state.  The Washington County Building Department in Marietta said it will lower …

MH Inspection, Licensing Fees in Ohio No Longer Jurisdictional Read More

Seniors Get Modular Units in British Columbia

The Bulletin in Kimberley, British Columbia (BC), Canada, reports that six more modular housing units for seniors are coming to the Valley View Lodge to join the 35 units already occupied.   Part of a $33 million project by the Mark Creek Lions Housing Society to provide housing for the …

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HUD’s New Commissioner Moves Over from FHA

HousingWire reports that Bob Ryan, chief risk officer at the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), has been picked as the acting commissioner of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  Outgoing commissioner David Stevens, who had appointed Ryan into the newly created position of risk officer in 2009, will head …

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Dow Closes with Ups and Downs at Month’s End

The Dow closed slightly down .25 percent to end the month at 12,319.73.  Housing stocks closed up or even at month’s end.  Nobility Homes was up 3.56 percent, Cavco closed up .78 percent and Skyline Corp. was up .60 percent.  Deer Valley remained flat.  The Manufactured Housing Composite ended the …

Dow Closes with Ups and Downs at Month’s End Read More

Mortgage Interest Deduction to Stay

HousingWire says Rep. Barney Frank (D.-Mass.) announced that the mortgage interest deduction (MID) is safe despite President Obama’s proposal to cut itemized deductions 30 percent, including the MID. Interest on a mortgage under $1 million for couples and under $500 thousand for singles can be fully deducted from tax returns.  …

Mortgage Interest Deduction to Stay Read More

Optimist in Small Town Hopes to Keep His MH Business Afloat

The Sequim Gazette in Washington reports that housing professionals in Sequim have declined in numbers as the economy has declined and credit has tightened.  Even people who could put 50 percent down were unable to get financing.  The owner of Heritage Homes of Sequim, Don Nelsen, has been selling manufactured …

Optimist in Small Town Hopes to Keep His MH Business Afloat Read More

Philippines Company Adding Another 200 Modular Unit Building

Sun Star Cebu reports from the Philippines that Primary Homes, Inc., is breaking ground for La Guardia Flats 2 (LGF2), its second set of 200 modular units.  Usable as either one or two bedroom condos, the development is minutes away from the Asiatown cybergate corridor, a major IT neighborhood in …

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Fifth MH Community Cooperative Forms in Minnesota

Fridley Patch reports Resident Owned Communities (ROC) USA partnered with the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency (MHFA) and Northcountry Cooperative Foundation (NCF) to help Park Plaza Cooperative become the fifth cooperative manufactured home community in the state.  Located just north of Minneapolis in Fridley, the community’s previous owner said he is …

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HUD Seizes Control of Housing Authority Rife with Fraud

Citing financial shortfalls over the last three years, and lack of leadership since last October, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) seized control of the Housing Authority of the City of Lafayette (HACL), Louisiana.  An independent audit between 2007 and 2009 turned up several negative findings that …

HUD Seizes Control of Housing Authority Rife with Fraud Read More

IBISWorld Forecasts More Doom and Gloom for Manufactured Housing

National Public Radio reports that IBISWorld research indicates that manufactured housing dealers lost $4,538,000 in 2010, which reflects a decline of 73.7 percent in the decade since 2000.  It suggests part of the problem resulted from the housing bubble when people were buying conventional homes, but it also says the …

IBISWorld Forecasts More Doom and Gloom for Manufactured Housing Read More

New Fed and FDIC Rules to Evaluate Executive Risk

HousingWire reports the Federal Reserve has proposed a rule to tie the risks that heads of financial institutions take to their compensation packages.  The rule applies to institutions with one billion or more in assets, and is also part of the Dodd-Frank Act.  Lawmakers wanted to examine executives who put …

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SAFE Act Becomes Law in Maine April 1

According to Maine’s Morning Sentinel, the SAFE (Secure and Fair Enforcement) Act for Mortgage and Licensing of 2008 will take effect April 1, requiring loan originators to have state licenses.  The state’s Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection (BCCP) says they have received 1,550 applications, but there are 18,000 loan officers …

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New Modular Home Owner Becomes Modular Design Consultant

The Narragansett Patch reports that Marilyn and Nick Tassielli were so dismayed by problems encountered with their stick-built home in Avon, Connecticut, they looked for options.  Nearing retirement in 1993, they researched modular home-builder Connecticut Valley Homes.  Upon realizing the quality of construction involved, they designed their own and moved …

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HS Students Honored for Building Modular Home

Dagger News Service from Harford County, Maryland, says students at Harford Technical High School are receiving early training in the modular home industry.  After building a home in their construction program, the students received additional training from the Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits (DILP) sufficient to pass state proficiency …

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Iowa Senate Bill 252 Voted Down

SourceMedia Group News reports from Iowa that Senate bill 252 has been defeated 23-25.  This bill was designed to protect manufactured homeowners from predatory lenders, and give residents rights equivalent to those of apartment dwellers.  But according to Joe Kelly, Exec. VP of the Iowa Manufactured Housing Association (IMHA), it …

Iowa Senate Bill 252 Voted Down Read More

Dow Closes Up, Housing Stocks Mixed

The Dow gained on positive news in the communications and retail markets, gaining 81.13 points to end at 12,279.01.  Nobility Homes gained 5.76 percent.  But Cavco lost 1.18 percent and Skyline Corp. lost 1.00 percent.  The Manufactured Housing Composite was down .61 percent, but managed to stay above the 1200 …

Dow Closes Up, Housing Stocks Mixed Read More

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