Staunton, VA, July 15, 2010. It’s a rare breed these days: a newly-established manufactured home community. In the foothills of Western Virginia the town of Staunton is home to just that. More than ten years in the making, Augusta Woods opened in March.
Augusta Woods is the pride of Jeanie Jones and Raymond Eavers, who see it as an opportunity to provide affordable housing in a serene and healthy environment. With some 18 homes placed, both young couples and retirees have moved in and begun to call it home. The path to the new community wasn’t without its trials and tribulations, however. Gaining a permanent easement to the 120-acre property involved many years in negotiation and court. The land was already zoned for a manufactured home park, but as Jeanie Jones, general manager of Augusta Woods explains it, access to the property involved crossing a CSX rail lines. Though the road was already used to provide access to two existing homes, the railroad informed the couple it could not be used to access the manufactured home park. After a few years in court fighting CSX, Jones says, the battle began to appear unwinnable and they proceeded with plans to find alternative access to the land.
From there, the process involved state approvals, purchasing wetlands, building a retaining wall (all at considerable expense), and then turning the finished roadway back over to the state. “We built the road, we paid for everything, then had to give it back to the State of Virginia,” Jones says. Following that was a process of obtaining approvals from Augusta County, Virginia and finally establishing an office for planning spaces for 240 lots. Just feet from the finish line, Augusta County asked for the access road to be three feet wider.
“We had to dig up all the curbing, widen the road and replace all the curbing and sidewalks to satisfy the county,” Jones continues. After some additional delays because of weather, in March of this year the couple was able to start placing homes. Since then, 18 homes have been placed in Augusta Woods. Manufactured by Clayton, Schultz and Fleetwood, the homes are purchased directly from the producers. Jones, who spent 23 years working in the mortgage industry, says many of the properties are being financed in-house. Three couples have paid cash for their homes. “I just closed a loan this morning,” Jones says. “It’s not something I’m new to.” Still, she says, financing is difficult to come by and permission from the county will be sought to sell parcels of land. That, she says, will make all the difference when it comes to getting financing.
“Lots of people have wanted to buy, but have been unable to get financing,” according to Jones. “I hope we get some help. It’s extremely hard to get financing without land.” Her goal is to fill the park in a span of five years.
Resident Sandy Craven found her home through an ad in a classified newspaper. She recalls picking up the ad and being unable to fit it back onto the rack, so she brought it home. Recently relocated from Florida, Craven says she spent some time looking at site-built houses, and narrowed it down to two, but neither was quite right. Size was a major concern; but to her surprise, the 2300-square-foot Keystone model by Clayton Oxford was plenty. “There’s no way I would ever change my mind,” Craven says. “I love it here.” Craven also says the lot rent isn’t an issue either; even with that added, the payments now are less than they were in either of her last two homes. “It’s affordable living for young couples,” Jones says “These homes are beautiful and this community is serene. It’s a benefit to young couples who can’t afford a $250,000 home; they can find one here for less than $100,000. It’s also a benefit to older people who don’t want to take care of their property.”
Augusta Woods incorporates two playgrounds with parking, picnic shelters, two basketball courts and soccer field, streetlights, school bus shelter and a parking lot for community guests. The homes themselves range from three to four bedrooms, some homes with a footprint of more than 2,000 square feet, but all selling under $100,000. The 240-acre property will eventually provide spaces for that many homes.
