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.

MHI Hosts Legislative Meeting in Washington, D.C.

The Winter Meeting and Legislative Congress of the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) will be held at the Capitol Hilton Sunday, March 13, through Tuesday, March 15.  Estimates on attendance reported to MHMSM.com range from 60-85 industry members.  The agenda includes members of Congress and HUD who deal with manufactured housing, …

MHI Hosts Legislative Meeting in Washington, D.C. Read More

MHARR Blames HUD for Industry Downfall

11 update says manufactured home production was down 12.89 percent over January of last year. The report says HUD is directly responsible for the precipitous drop of HUD Code manufactured houses from 374,000 in 1998 to under 50,000 last year. It says the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Title 1 program …

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Dow Closes Down Slightly Amid Oil and Earthquake Concerns

The Dow lost one half a percentage point to end the week at 12044.40.  Housing stocks closed mostly up, with Deer Valley soaring to 285.19 percent up, after losing 74.04 percent Thursday.   Skyline Corp. gained .95 percent, Cavco was up .24 percent, and Nobility Homes lost .62 percent.  The Manufactured …

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Disabled Vietnam Vet Receives New Clayton Home

As reported in Azle News Online, Retired Major General Leroy Sisco is president of the non-profit Military Warriors Support Foundation, an organization that helps disabled veterans receive job counseling, scholarships, and other supportive services.  He and Jim Thomason of the Fort Worth Air Power Council, another organization dedicated to helping …

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House Ends ELHP, White House Threatens Veto

HousingWire.com reports the House of Representatives voted to end the Emergency Homeowner Loan Program (EHLP) that was set to take applications beginning in the spring.  EHLP, created under the Dodd-Frank Act, would provide up to $50,000 in interest-free loans for mortgage payments to unemployed homeowners for up to 24 months.  …

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NAHB Sees Burgeoning of Multifamily Building

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) says there is pent-up demand for apartment rental units.  Although there is new construction, the ongoing credit crunch is making it difficult for developers to meet the demand, which could lead to higher rents.  The report cites the Multifamily Vacancy Index (MVI), which …

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Maine Modular Housing Show Next Month

The Lewiston Sun Journal of Maine reports the Maine Modular Housing Show will be held in Oxford Hills April 15-17.  Scott Stone of Schiavi Homes in Oxford says he’s having a pretty good winter despite the downturn in the overall housing market.  Last year he says he saw a lot …

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SC Town Continues with Modular Home Plan

Islandpacket.com says the small town of Bluffton, South Carolina, just west of Hilton Head, is moving forward with plans to build six modular homes to respond to the area’s affordable housing needs.  The town has a $727,000 federal Neighborhood Stabilization Grant plus $150,000 from the Lowcountry Council of Governments.  Habitat …

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FHA Commissioner Stevens to Step Down at HUD

The Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) reports that after leading efforts to put the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) back on more stable footing, as well as overseeing and managing the Office of Manufactured Housing, FHA Commissioner Dave Stevens will be leaving his position at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban …

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Foreclosures Record Largest Drop Ever, but….

CNNMoney reports that the largest drop in year-to-year foreclosures ever saw the rate fall 27 percent from last year, and 14 percent from a month earlier.  RealtyTrac says, however, it may be a false positive in that the harsh winter may have prevented filings from being issued and notices going …

Foreclosures Record Largest Drop Ever, but…. Read More

Mortgage Rates Hold Steady as Unemployment Falls

HousingWire.com reports that according to Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey, the average 30-year fixed-mortgage rate (FMR) was up just one basis point to 4.88 percent for the week ending March 10.  Rates broke five percent for the first time this year one month ago. Fifteen year FRMs remained at …

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Response to Charges of Political Favoritism in Wisconsin

In a follow-up conversation with MHMSM.com, Wisconsin Housing Alliance (WHA) Executive Director Ross Kinzler responded to The Wausau Daily Herald report on the manufactured housing tax break, noting a definite example of double taxation.  “The provision in the state budget to exempt manufactured homes shipped out of state has nothing …

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Did Wausau Homes’ Support of Gov. Walker Elicit Tax Break?

The Wausau Daily Herald reports Wisconsin’s Democratic Party has leveled charges at Gov. Scott Walker that his eliminating sales and other taxes on manufactured housing built in the state but sold beyond the border is politically motivated.  Wausau Homes’ owners donated a total of $25,000 to Walker’s campaign over a …

Did Wausau Homes’ Support of Gov. Walker Elicit Tax Break? Read More

Risks and Remedies for Chinese Drywall

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has scheduled a media teleconference March 16 concerning technical guidance in dealing with possible problems from new Chinese drywall.  The event will be hosted by Barry Rutenberg, First Chairman, NAHB, Katherine Cahill, Global Product Risk Practice Leader, with Marsh Risk Consulting, and Dr. …

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President Obama Threatens to Veto Bills to Kill Foreclosure Programs

HousingWire.com notes that on the heels of a bill passed by the House Financial Services Committee to end two programs aimed at foreclosure prevention, President Obama said he would veto both measures.  As reported here last week, the Republican-dominated Congress wants to end the Short Refi program, which assists underwater …

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NAHB Wants Credit Loosened to Spur Home Building

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) told the Senate Banking Committee that Congress needs to take action to restore the availability of credit to home buyers and builders.  NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe said, “Without access to credit, the residential construction industry will lose more small businesses and experience …

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Flipping Foreclosed Homes May Add to Blight

According to HousingWire.com, a new study by researchers at the Federal Bank of Cleveland says speculators who buy distressed housing in blighted urban centers may be doing more harm than good.  Thomas Fitzpatrick and O. Emre Ergungor report if buyers do not buy through the banking system, liens, back taxes …

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Three-story Modular Home Rises in Tight Urban Setting

BostonSF reports residents of a Boston neighborhood are witnessing the first ever three-story modular home being put together in their area.  Westchester Modular Homes of Greater Boston (WMHGB) supervised the assembly of the six-module unit.  The 3,360-square-foot home sits on a lot only 20 square feet larger, and will feature …

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