Website Equates Modular with Living Light
Shopping might be good for the economy, but modern times call for adaptability, and adaptable is something that can be hard to be with too much stuff. An item from John Gerzema at psfk.com makes that connection and ties in modular housing. “It took the Great Recession to make pre-fabricated housing a fashion statement,” Gerzema writes. “Today, the American dream is shifting from needing lots of stuff to ‘liquid living’, where the cardinal virtues are nimbleness and adaptability to circumstance.” Gerzema writes about traveling the country for a new book called Spend Shift and finding lots of Americans who equate excessive consumption with undermining their freedom. He indicates sixty-three percent of Americans disagree with the idea that “the more I have, the more I want,” while “two-thirds are happier with a more down-to-basics lifestyle.” The article references Blu Homes, a company bucking the downturn in real estate by offering energy-efficient, low-cost homes built with green materials. Blu Homes is one of fifty companies interviewed for Spend Shift: How the Post-Crisis Values Revolution is Changing the Way We Buy, Sell and Live.
Rooftop Turbine Spins Savings
If you’re looking to cut energy costs, reduce your carbon footprint and make your home more green, you’ll be interested to learn about a new rooftop wind turbine coming on the market. According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, a Canadian-made turbine designed to fit on roofs and help power homes and small businesses will go on sale in December. The Honeywell wind turbine is designed for the roofs of homes and small commercial or agricultural operations. Reg Adams, president of manufacturer WindTronics, told CBC News the turbines will appeal to homeowners who are environmentally conscious, or need emergency backup power. The turbines will be sold at Home Depot and other major retailers across Canada.
Delaware Manufactured Homeowner Association Answers Critics
From Delaware the Cape Gazette reports that the Delaware Manufactured Home Owners Association (DMHOA) finished last year with net income of more than $3,800. The nonprofit organization raised just over $35,000 and spent $31,100. More than $17,000 of the Lewes-based association income in 2009 came from government grants; the organization also raised $8,100 from membership dues and $3,300 from special events. The financial report was sent to the Cape Gazette by attorney Peter Schaeffer on behalf of DMHOA after accusations surfaced concerning the organization’s finances made by Patty Weyl, a resident of Bay City Mobile Home Park near Long Neck.
West Virginia Fund Takes Ownership of FEMA Housing
Website GovMonitor reports that West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin recently announced the award of $500,000 from the Governor’s Contingency Fund to the West Virginia Housing Development Fund to assist in its continued efforts of helping families in Mingo and Wyoming counties recover from previous flooding. The WVHDF is taking ownership of FEMA manufactured homes currently being used as transitional housing for those who were displaced by storms that caused severe flooding in 2009. More than 55 families are currently living in the FEMA-owned manufactured homes. The WVHDF intends to sell the homes to eligible families at an affordable price on the condition they move to a flood-safe site.
Is the Manufactured Housing Industry Feeding the Hand that Bites Us?
This is the question addressed in today’s Industry Voices Guest Blog by Greg McClanahan on www.MHMSM.com. McClanahan responds to Eric Miller’s report on MHI-Pac Mid-Term Election Spending, citing the need for principles rather than positions.
Court Says Californian Can Return Manufactured Home
From Maryville, California the Appeal Democrat reports that in a case involving a home’s access for a disabled resident, a state appellate court has affirmed a Sutter County judge’s order that Feather River Homes of Yuba City must take back a manufactured home valued at almost a quarter-million dollars. According to the report, the buyers signed a contract in 2006 with Feather River Homes to construct the home and 20-foot driveway on a lot in Dell-Wayne Estates. The home was well-valued, but the problem was discovering that half of the driveway was constructed on a neighboring lot.
Sun Communities Reports 2010 Third Quarter Results
Sun Communities, a real estate investment trust that owns and operates manufactured housing and recreational vehicle communities, reported third quarter results Thursday finding revenues up $5.8 million or 3.0 percent to $197.8 million. Home sales increased 32.6 percent, from 811 units to 1,075 units. Also reported, during the third quarter of 2010, revenue-producing sites increased by 76 sites, compared to a decrease of 46 sites during the third quarter of 2009. For the nine months ended September 30, revenue-producing sites increased by 510 sites, compared to an increase of 243 sites for the nine months ended September 30, 2009, an improvement of 267 sites period over period. “We have finished the quarter with a strong gain of 510 occupied sites year-to-date with gains being achieved throughout the portfolio,” said Gary A. Shiffman, Chairman and CEO. “Demand has been increasing as applications to live in Sun’s communities have grown each year with 2010 final estimated results of over 22,000 representing more than double the 10,270 applications in 2006. Growth has also been fueled by the fifth year of increased home sales, which have approximately tripled since 2005. We are experiencing continued positive fundamentals reflected in the fifth consecutive quarter of year-over-year quarterly FFO growth.” A conference call to discuss third quarter operating results will be held on October 28 at 11 A.M. Eastern. To participate, call toll-free 877-941-0843 or visit www.suncommunities.com.
Browsers Beat Apps
Got an app for that? Even if you do, information from eMarketer suggests mobile users may prefer web browsers. The online marketing information site reports mobile users polled by Keynote Systems for Adobe prefer mobile browsers to access virtually all mobile content. Games, music and social media were the only categories in which users would rather use a downloaded app than browse the mobile web.
Markets Move Lower
Stocks moved lower by 12 points on Wall Street today. The manufactured housing composite value moved down nearly two percentage points. With the exception of Universal Forest Products which moved up a third of one percent, manufactured housing and related stocks on our watch list were universally lower. The biggest decliners include Palm Harbor Homes (off nearly two percent), All American Group (off nearly seven percent) and Nobility Homes (off almost nine percent).