Welcome to our new June 2012 Featured Articles issue! You will see below writers from the past and many of our regular experts too.
A number of factories are reporting backlogs, as shipments continue to grow. This is good news to all of those in markets or whose businesses are doing what it takes to move ahead.
Please check out our new Grassroots Report, linked below. And if you haven't seen – and shared with your customers and peers – the new MHLivingNews.com site, you owe it to yourself to check it out. The new MHLivingNews.com site is focused on Consumers (B2C), as opposed to this site being focused on Business to Business (B2B).
With no further ado, please check out our 18 Featured Articles, packed with Industry News, Tips and Views you can Use. ©
Featured Articles and Reports for Vol. 3, No. 9, 2012
Alphabetically by Category
COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT & FAIR HOUSING (LEGAL)
• Long Tooth Warren Buffett, Dick Klarchek and Mobile Home Parks
by Michael Branabas
The expression 'long tooth' means someone who is older. Warren Buffett is 81, that qualifies. But does that keep him from being effective or listened to by investors or business men? Hardly. Age has not made Buffett any less effective, if anything, perhaps all that seasoning has made him more effective. No one needs to come to the defense of one of America's – and the world's – richest men. But what about Richard J. “Dick” Klarchek? What about many old mobile home parks from coast to coast? Long tooth as well, and those reviews are decidedly mixed.
• Hooray for May and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Month!
by Nadeen Green, JD
Yes, I know it is June. But by the time I learned that May is MCS Month and was inspired to write this article for MHProNews, it was time for the June article (which I actually am writing in May, even if you are reading it in June). Did you know that May is MCS Month? Probably not. Do you know what MCS is? Probably not. Did you know that MCS can be a disability under the Fair Housing Act? Probably not.
• How Long Does it Take to Create a Budget?
by Chrissy Jackson
Because of all the complexities involved in creating an accurate budget, it requires time to thoroughly research each item, review supporting data, and make a projection for next year. At the very least budget preparation should start 3 – 4 months prior to the beginning of the new fiscal period.
• Overheard in Las Vegas at the MHI Congress
by Joanne Stevens, CCIM
The following are a some of the comments heard or overheard in Las Vegas at the 2012 National Communities Council (NCC) Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) Congress and Expo.
• Five things You can do now to Improve Cash Flow and Property Value
by Joanne Stevens, CCIM
The following are a list of five things that can improve cash flow and increase your property value.
FINANCING
• Protecting Access to Manufactured Housing
by L. A. 'Tony' Kovach
It is a truism to say that financing is the life blood of most any big ticket sales item you can think about, and manufactured housing is no exception. So the effort by national, state and communities organizations to modify Dodd-Frank and the SAFE Act – HR 3849 – or the lobbying efforts of of the CFPB by recently hired SNR Denton are necessary and good. A two legged stool is a balancing act for whomever is sitting on the stool, and what we need are even legs and at least 1 more leg on this stool.
GENERAL MANUFACTURED HOUSING INDUSTRY TOPICS
• What Ails Us in Manufactured Housing
by Eddie Hicks
If I am allowed to say that having been a part of the manufactured housing industry for over 49 years as a retailer, manufacturer, developer, and now as a mortgage broker specializing in LLCommunity financing, it is my humble opinion that there are three primary factors which have seen our industry's substantial reduction in new home sales from the last high water mark in 1998.
• 2011 Top Ten Modular Producers
by L. A. 'Tony' Kovach
BuilderOnline recently reported on 2011's top modular producers. The report was compiled by Hallahan Associates, and there were some interesting facts along with some fascinating observations. Let's take a look.
• The Grassroots Report
by L. A. 'Tony' Kovach
The factory-built housing Grassroots Report is starting to take shape. It is well enough underway for us to share with you and give it some attention. The essence of the idea is a tip of the hat to the Manufactured Home Merchandiser Magazine, of happy memory (sad that so many print pubs like that one, Don Carlson's Automated Builder, MHI's fine Modern Homes or others have vanished from the scene). Let's take a quick look at the ideas behind the Grassroots Report.
MANAGEMENT
• The Five Keys to Turning Your Business Around in a Sluggish Economy
by Tim Connor, CSP
For the better part of three years I have heard from hundreds of people running organizations today – many in factory built housing – that this sluggish economy is driving them up a wall. OK, so we all agree – things are not what they used to be or the way we would like them to be.
MARKETING
• Getting Your House Ready to Sell
by L. A. 'Tony' Kovach
We all get spam, and we all get stuff that we didn't ask for, but I confess that some of those UN-requested messages that hit my inbox become useful to me, and hopefully to you too. Today, I was looking at such a message on a topic of interest to thousands of housing pros, 'Getting your house ready to sell.' It was sent by a realtor, Ellyn Vogin, who I want to acknowledge. Having started in retail in manufactured housing in 1981, and still working with retailers and communities on increasing their sales and profits to this day, one of the key things that is so often overlooked is 'staging' a home. Want to sell more homes? Of course. Let's dive right in, shall we?
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS, MOTIVATION and INSPIRATION
• Are You Achieving Your Potential?
by Tim Connor, CSP
Ask the average person if they are reaching their full potential and I’ll bet the answer would be no most of the time. Ask them if they were to achieve more of their potential if their life would be better in many ways and I’ll be the answer would almost always be yes. So why the disparity?
• Do You Need Some Time Out?
by Tim Connor, CSP
24/7. Go Go Go. Rush Rush Rush. Never enough time to do it all. A plate full of things to do. Multitasking from morning till night. Not taking enough time for yourself and personal development, time out or building relationships? Sound familiar? Guilty? Not sure how you ended up in this rat race? Don’t know how to slow it down or end it? Not sure if it is even worth it given the sacrifices you have made or continue to make? I could go on but you have either stopped reading cause you think I just don’t get it or you are too busy to spend a few minutes on something that might help you or you are willing to take a breather and see if my few words might help you.
• The Greatest Man I Ever Knew
by Greg McClanahan
I am writing this month’s article just before Memorial Day weekend, even though you won't see it until June. I wanted to tell you a few things about my late father that continues to influence the way I live my life and conduct my business activities.
• Don't want to be Average? Be Better Prepared!
by Mike Moore
How can you prepare to be more cheerful, happy and prepare to handle the hassles of a normal day? How can you assure yourself of not being average?
• ZigOn Doing Poorly Until You Learn To Do Better
by Zig Ziglar
Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly. When I was a youngster I got into a number of fist fights on the school grounds. Now fighting was obviously frowned on by all teachers, but in those days kids settled differences between themselves and there was never any thought – regardless of the outcome of the tussle, which in most cases lasted just two or three blows – of getting a knife or a baseball bat, certainly not a gun, to get even with the victor. No, once the scuffle ended it was all over.
SALES
• Sales Keeps the Corporate Engine Running Smoothly
by Tim Connor, CSP
It’s unfortunate today, but many organizations just don’t understand that the single factor that determines your long term success is consistently increasing profitable sales. Yes, manufacturing, R&D, finance, administration, distribution etc. are all important factors. But keep in mind none of these are needed if you are not generating sufficient income and profits/margins to ensure their ultimate necessity in your organization.
• Selling and the Four Agreements.
by Tim Connor, CSP
Before I get started, if you have never read the best selling book, The Four Agreements by M. Ruiz, I urge you to buy it and spend the next few days devouring his very wise counsel. To this day out of all of the books I have read this is still one of my favorites. So what do the four agreements have to do with selling? First the four agreements are;
Take a good 15 minutes a day, so <Innovation – Information – Inspiration for Industry Professionals becomes a reality for you. Adieu.
Post by
L. A. 'Tony' Kovach
www.MHProNews.com
www.MHMarketingSalesManagement.com or www.MHMSM.com
Innovation – Information – Inspiration for Industry Professionals
Office – 815-270-0500
latonyk@gmail.com or tony@mhmsm.com
http://LATonyKovach.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach
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Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right. – Henry Ford
