There are times when industry veterans understandably ask us one or more elements of the following, given the:
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U.S./Mexico border crisis,
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the “recession,”
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the FEDs pumping dollars into the system to keep stocks and the economy going,
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Ferguson – MO,
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China, Russia, ISIS and radical Isalmists,
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drug wars,
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the war on coal,
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DC gridlock,
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an ever more imperial presidency,
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ObamaCare,
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stagnant jobs,
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mega-multi-national corporations moving offshore to avoid U.S. corporate taxes,
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regulatory over-reach,
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huge deficits and debts
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and many more such U.S. domestic or foreign issues,
how do we possibly think little old manufactured housing can get its act together in such a tough regulatory, political and economic environment and thrive once more?
Interesting questions (there are many more like those, spanning the political spectrum) indeed. Touching on only one of these now, is the recent report that if you take Texas job creation out of the total U.S. jobs picture, the nation is still net losing jobs. Ouch!
MH Solutions?
While we are happy that MH is on a 4 year growth in shipments, those who say that shipments are still far too low, here on the Masthead, we concur. We as an industry should and can do much better. So let’s point to interviews with billionaires Sam Zell or Jim Clayton for powerful insights on issues, like those in the bullets above.
Revisiting what we published – linked above – from Sam Zell last year, you’ll see his concerns about the dollar were correct. We are seeing a new basket of currencies taking shape from international economic rivals. These threaten the dollar’s reserve currency status. The threats to the ‘property line’ and other issues Zell raised also continue.
But what did ELS Chairman Zell say? Didn’t the chairman of the largest MHC operation in the world strongly suggest that once you understand MH, there is no reason to lose confidence?! Didn’t Chairman Zell also indicate that you can position MH and factory home building well, regardless of what’s happening in the economy?
As they say in WI, youbetcha.
Still credit from video interview produced by
ManufacturedHomes.com.
Click link below or photo above to see the video.
Jim Clayton Videos
We have reasons to feel good about virtually every collaborative video we’ve done this year. That said, please pardon me for drawing your attention anew to the two Jim Clayton video interviews, because of the many golden nuggets shared by a sharecropper’s son who grew to be the most successful retailer, lender and builder in the MH Industry. We routinely take our own advice. I’ve personally watched and listened to Jim’s powerful insights many times.
Want solutions to grow and get past the current sales levels? Please take the notepad out – paper or digital – watch and listen to Jim Clayton while making notes. Imagine you’re in a graduate level seminar, because you’ll not likely get this much quality insights from a legend as we brought you, thanks to his gracious willingness to share time and experiences.
Note that while Clayton Bank’s Chairman sounds off with numerous concerns, such as regulatory over-reach, Jim also has strong confidence in the future of MH. Like Sam Zell, both continue to invest in MH!
I’m betting on MH’s future along with them, how about you?
The interviews we share are packed with insights that every independent, every mega company and all in between ought to dial into! IMHO, Jim expressed his concerns for the nation and free enterprise, the political landscape, etc.. But he did so with a tone suggesting there is a way to deal with these issues. Quiting is the only option off the table.
There are also profitable ways for MH to benefit from these issues.
Tim Williams, 21st Mortgage
21st Mortgage CEO, Tim Williams, raised the image of the industry’s members as a fraternity. This is more than just a nice phrase!
At the end of the day, that is precisely what we need to be thinking about, how to forge a renewed collegiality. Big, small or in between, we have more that unities us than ought to divide us.
It takes time for people to dial into and embrace that change in mindset. But is it happening? Slowly…perhaps, but we think, yes. It is and can accelerate.
More New MH Home Shows
Among the comments that came in this week was one suggesting that manufactured housing ought not do any more home shows. Such public displays, that industry veteran who wrote me suggested, burns into the minds of the public the images of a house on wheels. Okay, let’s look at that thought.
We are huge believers in showing digitally (online) showcasing our industry at its best, with articles, videos, graphics, photos, etc.. We and other forward thinking sponsors put our time, talent and treasure where our mouths are on that topic. So you’d think I might agree with the ‘lets drop the home shows’ notion? Not at all.
While some may buy a home from online articles, photos or videos, most have to see what they want first-hand. They need to touch, feel and experience it in person. That requires either a trip to an MHC, a MH retailer or a MH home show.
Thousands came out in the rain and cool weather to see modern manufactured homes
at the Eastern Ohio Manufactured Home Show.
We applauded then and now the efforts of Tim Williams and the Ohio Manufactured Homes Association and their sponsors for their home show. We need more home shows done correctly, not less. We applauded what Nancy Geer and the NY Housing Association did with their Factory Built House on the Hill.
We should also not expect perfection out of the first or even second such efforts; human nature being what it is, getting the logistics and feedback worked out usually takes some time. Yes, it also takes money, to refine details making such efforts yield the maximum profits. That’s just business reality!
So we applaud Ken Anderson and the AZ MH Association for their plans to do a home show in 2015, and for Steve Lefler/Modular Lifestyles, Mike Sullivan at Newport Pacific and Sheila Dey at the WMA for their “off the grid” Quest home at the California State Capitol this week. We’ll bring you more details on these – and other such efforts – that give public officials and the home buying prospects of tomorrow a chance to see our homes anew.
Yes, homes at MH shows must be properly displayed and promoted. The Tiny House Movement is a reminder that we in MH have a communication problem and an education issue (internal and external). Tiny Houses are often on wheels, are ‘trendy’ and they have their own TV series, for goodness sakes!
Does anyone who knows the facts, is objective and goal oriented think that MH can’t do as well or better?
About our popular Daily Business News report on HUD and Regulatory Over-reach:
This article linked below has quickly jumped into the top 1% of all of the 7500 plus pages accessed on MHProNews.com so far this month. Pros go where the subjects interest them, and this one obviously does.
HUD Code Manufactured Home Producers Want Regulatory Fairness and Stronger Congressional Oversight
Among the messages in after the Daily Business News report was published:
“This sounds a little “over-the-top”, but certainly has some substance. I spoke with one of the third-party inspection firms last week, and they are probably as concerned as manufacturers, as opposed to co-conspirators looking for increased fees. You might want to make contact with them to get their perspective…It’s also probably true that the new regulations have a greater impact on the most affordable segments of HUD-code production, and less on the higher-end…”
Let me stress that every comment we’ve quoted, we used the respective industry pros own words, editing out in a pair of instances minor ‘tells’ as to the writer’s identities, which they certainly did not want revealed. These … edits removed some word(s), did not change the meaning of what was quoted.
Among the more robust replies:
“Well done and the inside practical scoop!” “Bulls-eye!” Or “Go, Tony, Go!” Or “You are becoming the voice of the industry.”
FYI, we reached out again to HUD for an on-the-record comment, we’ll let you know what takes place once Pam Danner is back in the office.
That said, let me thank all while politely modifying the ‘you are becoming the voice’ comment above. YOU – our readers, writers and supporters – YOU are the voice of manufactured housing!YOU are an MH ambassador! Mine is another face in the crowd, we are proud to give YOU or others a popular digital place to sound off and make a difference!
Let’s close with the following. While epiphanies or 9/11 type events occur that cause huge overnight shifts, most of the time, change is a process.
One of my favorite industry’s pros, that very few know, but whom I respect and learn from a lot, is a fellow who keeps sharing Jim Collins success tips. He urges me to keep pushing at the flywheel. In turn, let me encourage you and your colleagues to do the same. Because the big picture – properly understood and responded to – makes our picture look not perfect, but quite hopeful. Our opportunities are many.
We are better working together. That’s the thinking of a growing number of MH Pros, how about you? ##
