On the CBS Sunday Morning show segment May 18, the commentator -Mark Straussman – interviews a man standing in a manufactured housing community (MHC) in Santa Fe, New Mexico, who refutes the stigma often attached to residents, saying, “That is totally unfair, these are really good people, hard-working people you would …
The jump in multifamily housing starts for April of 39.6 percent is the fastest pace for this housing sector since Jan. 2006, and helped propel total housing starts to 1.07 million units, a 13.2 percent increase over March, according to figures released by the Department of Housing and Urban Development …
Regarding Freddie Mac’s decision to begin purchasing and securitizing manufactured housing community (MHC) loans as MHProNews.com posted here May 1, 2014, costar.com reports these will be commercial loans made to the community owners. David Brickman, Freddie Mac Multifamily executive vice president, said, “Manufactured housing communities are an affordable housing option …
Following a story MHProNews.com posted May 6, 2014 regarding a proposal to replace pre- HUD-Code homes in Bluffton, South Carolina with new affordable modular models, islandpacket.com supports the project but with reservations. Noting the city got in over its financial head with a $1.2 million previous plan that replaced dilapidated …
A veteran of the manufactured housing industry for over 40 years, Gary Abbate has passed away, according to Ken Anderson of the Arizona Housing Association (AHA). After joining the Redman Homes sales team in 1970 in Texas, he served as sales manager for Redman first in Florida from 1987-1996, and …
Kevin Kelly, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder and developer from Wilmington, Del., today issued the following statement following the Senate Banking Committee’s passage of the Housing Finance Reform and Taxpayer Protection Act, legislation sponsored by Chairman Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) and Ranking Member …
Chairman of National Association of Home Builders Comments on Senate Measure Read More
An industry leader and pioneering producer of manufactured homes since 1965, James L. Newman, Sr. of Bryan, Ohio passed away after a brief illness May 13 at age 75. He founded Manufactured Housing Enterprises (now MHE,Inc.) in 1965 with the motto of ‘Building Dreams One Home At A Time’ and …
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI) reports lower median prices and steady mortgage rates contributed to higher housing affordability in Q1 2014, rising from 64.7 percent of homes sold in Q4 2013 that were affordable to families earning the median income of $63,900, to …
Housing Affordability Rises Slightly in First Quarter 2014 Read More
The Anson County Board of Commissioners in North Carolina has unanimously approved a conditional use permit to allow Davis Family Homes to locate a manufactured and modular home sales center in Peachland, in south central NC. Currently zoned R-20 residential, the variance will allow a change to HI, heavy industrial, …
Property Rezoned for Manufactured, Modular Home Sales Read More
The Whitefish (Montana) City-County Planning Board, unable to conduct business last month because a quorum was not achieved, will consider a conditional-use permit request from the Whitefish Christian Academy to install four modular classrooms, MHProNews has learned. A growing student population will utilize the units until a permanent facility is …
Following a story MHProNews posted April 29, 2014 regarding postponement of the mark up of the housing finance reform bill by the Senate Banking Committee, nationalmortgagenews.com reports the bipartisan legislation by Senators Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) will be voted on by the committee on Thursday, May 15. …
Writing in nationalmortgagenews.com, Brad Finklestein refutes the notion advanced by opponents that affordable housing caused the mortgage crisis. Borrowers in all income groups ran into problems, although those of more modest means got hit the hardest and likely have had a harder time recovering. But as MHProNews understands, the bottom …
The Wisconsin State Legislature pushed thru sales tax breaks for three specific industries, according to the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau, as reported by beloitdailynews.com. One of them is the Wisconsin modular homes manufacturing industry, which will realize a savings totaling about $980,000 per year, MHProNews.com has learned. Without the tax …
Sales Tax Removed from Wisconsin Produced Modular Homes Read More
The ReHome Oregon project has sited the first of what may be dozens of new manufactured homes (MH) to replace dilapidated, failing homes in Curry County where 604 of 3,876 MH are in poor condition. Recognizing the importance of social networking among the residents of the homes, officials did not …
Oregon Replacing Old Manufactured Homes with New Ones Read More
The Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) informs MHProNews.com the House Financial Services Committee adopted, by voice vote, the Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act (H.R. 1779). Although the measure will not be formally approved until a recorded vote is taken, which is expected to occur the week of May 19th, the …
House Financial Services Committee Voice Votes “Yes” to H.R. 1779 Read More
RealtyTrac reports for the first three months of 2014, 43 percent of all home sales were cash deals, up 19 percent from a year ago, and the highest level since the analysis company began tracking cash sales in early 2011. Cash buyers are more attractive to sellers due to quicker …
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reports their most recent single-family 55+ Housing Market Index (HMI) is up the first quarter of 2014 to 50, the highest Q1 reading since the survey of builders’ confidence began in 2008. It is also the tenth consecutive quarter of year over year …
Writing in the Opinionator section of The New York Times, Andrea Levere says 18 million people with an average median income of $30,000 live in factory-built housing, making it the largest source of unsubsidized affordable housing in the U. S. Although over 70 percent own their own homes, most who …
New York Measure Seeks Financing Parity for MH and Site-built Read More
Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen is optimistic about the U. S. economy as a whole, but expresses caution about the housing market, noting it has been a key part of the recovery since 2011 but has fallen short this year, according to CNNMoney.com. Noting that warmer weather may not be …
Federal Reserve’s Janet Yellen Concerned about Housing Market Read More
Mike Taylor of Pacific Manufactured Homes in Beaumont, California says the mix of those buying manufactured homes is shifting from first-time buyers to vacation or second-home buyers and to people downsizing who may be looking to retire. The California Manufactured Housing Institute (CMHI) reports 70 percent of the sales are …
