Saw star Betsy Russell recently listed her lavish, custom manufactured home overlooking the Pacific Ocean in ritzy Malibu for just a buck under a cool 2 million. TMZ and other media outlets both raved and ranted. “On top of the nearly $2 million price tag, the HOA fees will run the new owner a whopping $3,565 a month. That’s another $42,780 a year.” The media has little notion of the advantages that millionaires such as Russell, or more millions of owners of more modest means have with modern manufactured homes, including those placed in land lease communities. What sounds like a lot of money for site fees (aka “lot rent”), in many jurisdictions means you have little or no real estate taxes, and may have little or no personal property taxes. This is why the listing agent can correctly boast that it is the most amazing home-with-a-view value under 2 million dollars in Malibu, CA. For those who don’t know that market, another manufactured home sold in the same community for 1.1 million. ManufacturedHomeLivingNews.com will showcase Russell’s manufactured castle as a “featured home” as part of an article which will include 17 photos. Check back for a link here once its posted, or sign up for our popular, free twice weekly emailed news and tips alerts to get the link to that upcoming story. ##

(Image Credit: MLS/Redfin)