Market research company for the manufactured housing industry, JLT & Associates, after studying the Michigan manufactured home market from 2000 to 2014, has determined that occupancy rates for the 315 all age communities in the state has stabilized at 74 percent as of Feb. 2014, after a steady decline from 94.3 percent in 2000. Nationally, the average for all age communities is 82 percent, according to digitaljournal.com. Average occupancy rates for 55+ communities rose one percent to an average of 81.3 percent as of Feb. 2014, following a steady decline from 95.4 percent in Feb. 2000. The national average occupancy for 55+ communities hit 92 percent in Nov. 2013.

Encompassing 107,528 homesites, the survey reports average adjusted rents stagnated during the post recession years, but in all age communities rose 1.6 percent as of Feb., the largest increase since 2009. Meanwhile, the average adjusted rent among 55+ communities rose 3.1 percent, the biggest jump since 2007, MHProNews.com has learned, higher than the national increase of 2.4 percent as of 2013. ##

(Photo credit: thinkstock.com–manufactured home community)