8 Great Ways to Bring Joy to Your Mobile Home

5 Tips to Bring Joy to Your Space at Home - Platinum Home — A new model home from Platinum Home Builders.

Top Tips for Bringing Joy to Your Mobile Home Space — Here Are A Few We’ve Curated for You!

Blame it on Marie Kondo or the increase in mental health awareness, but ideas for how to bring joy to your mobile home are not only trending, but at the forefront of conversations everywhere. In nearly every industry, and at nearly every dinner table across our country, the conversation of enhancing joy pops up.

So how can you be intentional about bringing joy to your space at home? Here are eight ideas that may be just the type of nudge you need!

1. Get Rid of Excess ‘Stuff’

Rid your home of excess, old clothes to bring joy to your space — Toss out unused clothes and toys.

While small space living may not be for everyone, simplified living should be. Recent studies support the idea that clutter actually can cause or intensify anxiety. This means the simple process of throwing out clothes you no longer wear, food that is expired, and toys your kids no longer play with actually can benefit your health.

2. Bring the Outdoors In

Bringing plants and flowers indoors can add life to your manufactured home. Not only does this increase the natural flow of oxygen — proven to improve mood — but it also adds a pop of color to what otherwise could be a drab space. You can achieve this nature-inspired theme with simple additions manufactured homes like succulents or fresh flowers. Or even go bigger by using natural building materials such as stone and hardwoods.

outdoor in bring joy to your space at home — Let a little nature shine in to bring more joy to your space at home.

3. Let In Natural Light

Natural light is an active mood booster and also can do wonders for opening up and brightening corners of your mobile home. The more open windows, large doors, and open blinds you can incorporate into your mobile home, the greater source of vitamin D you can enjoy for a mental health boost.

4. Pay Attention to Details

While it is important to rid yourself of things that no longer add value to your life — clothes that are too small or books you’ve already read — keeping the small, intricate details are a must. If you have a sentimental attachment to an item you’ve been given, display it. You will feel more happiness when you have those little details out. On display, you can cherish these happy items each day.

5. Add a Personal Touch to Your Front Door

Something simple like updated modern house numbers for the exterior of your manufactured home, or a monogrammed seasonal wreath, for your front entryway can add a sense of appreciation for the space. The joy from something permanent can replace a fleeting or temporary sense that may come with renting a home, for instance.

6. Create an Outdoor Space

There is so much to be said for the benefits of nature on a person’s mental health and wellbeing. A space, no matter the size, that is outdoors can bring hours of happiness. Whether you are more introverted and choose adding a hammock for reading on your back deck, or you are a natural host who might benefit from the addition of a grill for having friends over, these small additions can mean big return for your happiness.

Bring joy to your space at home with healthy treats — Keep healthy treats readily available.

7. Display Healthy Treats

It is proven that people will naturally gravitate to what is most readily available. For this reason, we can benefit most from eating healthy foods when the brightly colored fruits are out. Make them ready to eat in a basket or bowl in a general location like a kitchen island. Likewise, having refrigerated health-filled treats like a veggie tray full of sliced peppers, carrots, broccoli, and cucumbers is great to have stored in a clear container, eye-level in your fridge so it is the first item you see.

8. Enjoy the Moment

For the typical Type-A personality, this single item can feel challenging at first. But it could be a total game-changer in the long run. Allow time to put down the phones, unplug, and recharge. Whether you enjoy a quiet glass of wine and a book, hosting a large gathering, or just watching a movie with family, make the time to live in the moment. This can allow you to concern yourself more with making memories than posting to Instagram.

As an inspiration to spark your creativity, take a look at these beautiful modern mobile homes

An Early Season Look at New Homes — 9 Hot Trends!

Clayton Savannah Hot Home Trends — Clayton Savannah shows The Riverside model at The 2019 Tunica Show with industrial features including distressed wood and corrugated metal. Photo by Annabelle Clark.

Here’s What Homebuyers and Residents Will Want to Know About The Latest Trends in Manufactured Housing

It’s show time!

Just like the fashion industry debuts its new collections at certain times of the year, housing and home building companies use the first few months of the year to attend events where they can show off what’s new and exciting.

As a Lifestylist, one of the most important things I do is to track “what’s hot and what’s not”. And share how these modern mobile home trends will affect consumer lifestyles in the years to come.

Here are nine of our favorite trends that consumers will be looking for when shopping for manufactured and mobile homes. And they’re ones that we are keeping an eye on!

Hot Home Trends Outside In — Clayton Homes showed some wonderful exteriors at the recent Louisville show, including this Heritage model complete with rockers. Photo by Lisa Stewart Photography.

Home Trend 1: Inside Out

There is a favorite saying: You never get a second chance to make a first impression. How your home looks from the outside could convince a buyer to come inside or to keep driving. There is a renewed interest in exterior lighting that is more than a bulb and socket, and with LED lighting becoming so affordable, one small, nondescript lamp by the front door isn’t enough.

Lighting is a great security device and theft deterrent as well, and with the new affordable smart devices, you can turn all of this on and off with an app on your phone. A fun painted door is an easy, inexpensive way to add personality to your home. A great covered porch is the least expensive way to add square footage and entertaining space to your home. Make sure that this space is spacious enough to add some fun rockers or outdoor furniture, but your guests still have room to walk past people enjoying these areas.

Home Trend 2: Small Spaces

Champion Homes had this great private space in a home at The Louisville Show. Photo by Lisa Stewart Photography.

Tiny homes are still very popular, but after living in them full time for a year or two, people realize they may need more space. Builders are using this trend to show how livable a single-section home that is a little bit larger can be, and are doing a great job of adding well-designed spaces that consumers can use. Even in larger houses at the recent Louisville Manufactured Housing Show, builders were showing pantries that are open and large enough to serve from or use as a bar. And smaller rooms that could function as a quiet home office or zen room also were popular.

Home Trends 3: Wallpaper

Site-built housing has revived a trend that we never let go of — wallpaper is back! We are seeing a lot of it in high-end homes, and consumers are using it as a way to get past the beige blues. There was some incredible new wallboard shown. We were mesmerized by this textured, iridescent wallboard in the entry of a Clayton home. The wallboard was so well done it looked three-dimensional.

Hot Home Trends Wall Textures — This wallboard in a Clayton Homes model at Louisville was so realistic we had to touch it to make sure that it wasn’t three-dimensional! Photo by Lisa Stewart Photography.

Home Trends 4: Textures

Wall-to-wall carpeting is a thing of the past. Consumers are embracing solid surfaces to open the floor, with area rugs to add color and texture. Prices have come way down on these as well, and there are indoor/outdoor rugs that are almost indestructible but still have lots of texture and are easy to keep clean.

Home Trends 5: Soothing Colors

Beige, greige (that’s grey-beige, see?) and grey are still the colors that consumers are looking for in the main areas of their homes. However, we are seeing color starting to come back in places we haven’t seen it before. One of the hottest trends at the recent International Builders Show and Kitchen and Bath Shows was kitchen appliances that featured a bold color such as emerald green. Green, turquoise, and coral were the favorite colors, which we are seeing as accent colors.

Home Trends 6: Entertaining Kitchens

Smooth or induction range tops are some of the items that consumers are asking about. Photo by Lisa Stewart Photography.

One of the hottest trends we are seeing right now is that people are going back to their kitchens — not only to enjoy takeout and entertain but to actually cook. Because of this, consumers are no longer willing to settle for “builder basic” appliances that don’t heat or cool evenly and make cooking a chore. Countertop appliances such as a convection oven or InstantPot are finding their way into almost every home. As a result, consumers want to be sure they have a countertop to use these appliances and storage to keep them in.

Higher-end, luxury homes are coming complete with wine storage, food preservation columns, steam convection ovens, and sous-vide. Cooking is becoming fun again and is a hobby as well as a necessity.

Home Trends 7: Industrial Chic

Do It Yourself projects we are seeing on TV are coming into the home, especially pipe shelving and coat racks. It’s a fun way to give an artisan feel to your new home.

Industrial Home Trends Pipe Hooks — The use of pipe gives an industrial feeling and would be a fun DIY project. Photo by Lisa Stewart Photography.

Home Trends 8: Something Old, Something New

White walls and cabinets with dark or black accents with carefully placed pops of color are still very popular. Shiplap-styled wallboards are a great way to incorporate this look into your new home, and lighting and accessories that have that well-loved look continue to grow in popularity.

Home Trends 9: ‘PreFabulous’

The new Clayton Homes ad campaign is indeed changing the way many consumers look at manufactured housing. And it is a gift to all of us. The challenge now is to present our homes with the excitement and professionalism that new buyers expect. Get ready to see a whole new generation of buyers looking at our homes without the baggage of thinking that we sell “mobile homes”, “double-wides” or “trailers”.

Today’s manufactured homes can compete with any other form of housing. It’s exciting to see so many ideas and trends that we’ve seen in site-built homes now being offered to MH buyers.

5 Family Benefits Associated with Small House Living

What are the Biggest Perks for Small House Living?

When a family considers tiny living, they usually are most daunted by the decreased space. However, most learn a long list of life lessons on small house living once they’ve downsized. And, adults can learn much from kids who experience the tiny lifestyle. Here are five big benefits of small house living to increase quality of life for the entire family.

Small house living volunteers — Community service and volunteer opportunities abound if you have the time to prioritize them.

Small House Living Perk #1: Community-Focused

Reducing your housing footprint provides more opportunity to devote to your local community. When decide on this type of home purchase, you have less to pay for and likely will have reduced pressure to work. This can provide more time and allow children to experience the rewards of volunteering, service projects, and community events. Teaching kindness can go a long way.

Small house living girl playing — Get outside and sink your feet into the earth.

Small House Living Perk #2: Teaching Life Skills

Using their ever-broadening imaginations to play outside or inside, kids begin to role play characters. This causes children to enter scenarios where problem solving and social skills are organically taught and learned. Allowing kids to play with wooden pieces of toy food allows for bakery, restaurant, soup kitchen, cafeteria, house, and many more imaginative ideas where each child becomes someone in the imaginary story line. Conflict inevitably arises and they learn each day how to work through things together.

small house living happy girl — More time for adventure will put a smile on your face.

Small House Living Perk #3: Get Outside

When you live as a family inside roughly 100 square feet per person, your house size encourages you to spend more time outdoors. Not only does that provide the natural benefits of vitamin D and “earthing” our toes into the dirt, it also provides the time to garden and focus more on sustainable living. Teaching these skills to children is extremely valuable. For active minds and little bodies, the outdoor interaction encouraged by small house living can be a great new way to look at education.

Family at play small house living — Spend more time together as a family, playing and laughing.

Small House Living Perk #4: Experience-Centered

When real estate decreases, it’s common to decrease the offering of tangible gifts for holidays and birthdays. Most people in small house living environs prefer the gift of intentional time together. This might include a laser tag game, a visit to the local art museum, science center or zoo. These are fun opportunities to make memories as a family and they don’t take up any space at all.

Small House Living Tiny Home — A smaller home means less to do around the house.

Small House Living Perk #5: Reduced Upkeep

Since square footage has been drastically reduced with a tiny home or park model, the cost and time spent with maintenance and upkeep is minimal. This affords you more time to spend together laughing, traveling, and creating memories.

As families adjust to tiny living, they are able to adjust to letting go of tangible things. There’s a greater penchant for the use of imagination. We can make way to be our best selves. And that kind of freedom is what we all seem to be chasing, no matter our age.

New Flood Insurance Law Clarifies Coverage for Homeowners

A Florida Flood Insurance Law Requires Clear Indication of Policies Without Flood Insurance

Last year, Sen. Annette Taddeo, D-Miami, introduced a new flood insurance law that was a Florida Senate version of House Bill 1011. It requires all new homeowner insurance policies to make clear if they do not cover flood damage.

“I met many constituents who had no idea that their hurricane coverage did not include protections when their homes flooded,” Taddeo said.

When Hurricane Michael hit in 2018, it was the third-most intense Atlantic hurricane to make landfall in recorded US history. Many residents were shocked to discover their insurance didn’t cover damage caused by flooding. The new flood insurance law as precipitated by that lack of understanding among homeowners and the propensity for large storms.

On Jan. 1, the Florida Senate passed a law mandating all new homeowner insurance polices make clear if they do not cover flood insurance. With more aware homeowners, better preparation can be to taken avoid damage

Florida new flood insurance law — Residents walk through flooded streets after a hurricane.

Florida Is Prone to Large Storms, Flooding

Boston-based insurer Karen Clark & Company estimates Hurricane Michael caused about $8 billion in insured losses. It includes the privately insured wind and storm surge damage to residential, commercial and industrial properties and automobiles. The figure does not include losses covered by the National Flood Insurance Program.

The Sunshine State has three times the homes at risk of flooding than any other state.

With Hurricane Irma, in 2017, 3.3 million homes sustained damaged. And homeowner flood insurance premiums on the rise again.

Meanwhile, coastal communities may be the most hard hit. Reports indicate the Federal Emergency Management Agency is eyeing a risk-based pricing approach for 2020. This could end subsidies most coastal communities receive on their flood insurance premiums. It may show the actual monetary cost of living in areas drenched from floods, whether from hurricanes or otherwise.

ArcDesign is a residential design and drafting specialist based in Clearwater, Fla.

“The insurance policy clarification is good news for new home buyers,” said Randy Young, CEO of ArcDesign. “However, it does nothing for existing homeowners who have not read the fine print of their extant insurance policies. If not sure, homeowners might want to contact their insurance companies before hurricane season to see if they’re covered.”

New Florida Flood Insurance Law — Damage from flooding can be reduced by elevating the home.

Consider Raising Your Home

Young also suggests elevating a home that sits in a flood zone.

“The best way to safeguard your home against flood damage, and at the same time lower your insurance premiums, is to elevate your house above the flood plain.”

There are many elevation techniques available, making the strategy a consideration for almost any area or situation. In general, the most economic approach to elevating a house is to use as much of the existing foundation as possible. However, a design professional must evaluate the home and the ability of an existing foundation to support the new loads.

What Is The 50 Percent Rule?

For those who have homes in a flood zone, the “50 Percent Rule” applies. The premise is that a building must be elevated and brought into compliance if the repair cost is half or more the value of the structure. This consideration applies to homes that are both in a Special Flood Hazard Area and at a non-compliant elevation.

Homeowners cannot repair the home without lifting it first if a damaged home will cost more than 50 percent of the value of the house.

“In the case of a heavy storm where extensive improvements are necessary, homeowners may be out of their home for years,” Young said. “Not only are the insurance companies slow handling all of the claims, but specialists available to lift homes would also be stretched very thin.

“Elevating the home before a storm hits, in addition to saving money on insurance, would protect their investment and their home,” he said.

How to Sell A Mobile Home Fast

There Are Many Reasons Why You May Need to Sell a Mobile Home Fast – Here’s How to Do It!

Sell a Mobile Home Fast Day Properties — Samera and Jeremy Harvey, mobile home experts of Dayo Properties.

By Jeremy and Samera Harvey, of Dayo Properties

We get it! Selling your mobile home on your own can be a scary thing, especially when you’re looking to sell a mobile home fast and for cash. We’ve worked with hundreds of residents to help them sell their mobile home the fast and easy way, and have learned our share of lessons along the way.

We’ve put together our 5 Quick & Easy Tips to Sell Your Mobile Home, which will help guide you through this process and ensure you have the tools needed to help you sell a mobile home fast.

Sell a Mobile Home Fast MH Community — Highland Estates in Kutztown, Pa. Photo courtesy of UMH Properties.

1. Advertise Your Home Online & Offline

This step is the most important! I can’t tell you how many times we’ve been to property inspections with clients who need to sell their mobile home fast but they don’t even have a sign in the window or any other advertisements online to attract mobile home buyers. To make matters worse, some of them have been trying to sell their mobile home for months! Even doing one of these cheap and easy advertisements can attract buyers FAST, and with very little effort. Below are our top tips to get the most visibility for your home:

Put a Mobile Home “For Sale” sign in the window with your phone number and/or email address. Your neighbors may know someone who is looking to move into the community and this will alert them that your home is for sale.
Post photographs and a detailed description online to sell your mobile home. MHVillage has been a major key to helping us sell our mobile homes fast online. We love that the buyers we get from this site are usually very serious and ready to buy.
Post photos and a description of your home on Facebook Marketplace. Beware, you may be overwhelmed by the response, so be sure you have a few qualification questions in mind to sift through the noise. This will help you find serious buyers.
Inform the park manager that you are selling. Provide flyers with a few pictures of your home, if possible. Many potential mobile home buyers will contact the park office to find out about homes listed in the community. You want to be sure they know your mobile home is for sale.

Read: Comprehensive guide for how to sell a mobile home

Sell A Mobile Home Fast Equity Lifestyles — The interior of a home at The Reserve at Lake Conroe, near Houston in Willis, Texas. Photo courtesy of Equity Lifestyle Properties.

2. Have Your Paperwork Ready

When you’re trying to sell a mobile home for cash, the process can be incredibly fast, so you want to be prepared. If you have an eager buyer with cash in hand, the last thing you want is paperwork holding up the closing. To ensure you sell your mobile home quickly without any hiccups be sure that you’re proactive with attaining the documents needed to expedite your sale. You don’t want to lose a buyer because of things you could’ve taken care of ahead of time in just minutes!

Have A Physical Copy of Your Title In Your Possession. We recommend for security purposes that you wait to notarize the title until you have a buyer in place.
Ensure All Taxes Have Been Paid. You can request a tax clearance letter from your county treasurer’s office to provide proof of payment to your potential buyer. Read up on our guide “All About Mobile Home Taxes”.
Provide The Park Management With A Written Notice. Many times park management may want you to complete a few exterior repairs to your home before they’ll allow you to transfer ownership. So, you will want to verify this before you put the home up for sale.
Have the Mobile Home Bill of Sale, AKA “Mobile Home Sale Contract”. This is very important to ensure you have a record of the sale. When you sell a mobile home fast on contract it helps to protect you and the buyer from legal action.

Sell a Mobile Home Fast Zeman Homes — The Oaks of Rockford in West Michigan is a new 55+ community owned by Zeman Homes.

3. Price Your Home The Right Way

If you need to sell your mobile home fast, pricing your home the right way is key! We’ve seen many beautiful homes sit on the market for months or even years simply because they were priced too high for the community they reside in. Before you set a price, it’s important to do your research and compare mobile home listings in your park and zip code.

Here’s the problem, finding comparables in mobile home parks can be very difficult and time-consuming because each community can have a wide range of sizes, ages, and conditions of homes. This lack of consistency can make it difficult to find a home similar to yours to compare prices. So, just because you have the same year or the same size home as another person in your community, it doesn’t mean that they will be valued the same. Below is our 3 Step Approach to Finding the Market Value of Your Mobile Home:

Ask the park manager what similar homes are selling for in your community
Pull the book value report from MHVillage. This is a great tool to help justify your price with potential buyers.
Check online listing sites like Facebook Marketplace & Craigslist for similar listings in your area. Choose the three most comparable homes and derive a sales price by finding the average valuation or sale price of the comps.

Sell A Mobile Home Fast Interior new home Commodore Homes — The interior of a new home from Commodore Homes, on display at The Louisville Show in 2019.

4. Big Five Repairs Are A Must!

One of our most frequently asked questions is “How much can I sell my mobile home for if my home needs repairs?” Regardless of the price you pick, the majority of buyers in the marketplace want to ensure the “Big Five” repair items are taken care of for their safety and security. In fact, many mobile home buyers will purchase your home even though a few cosmetic repairs are still needed as long as you and the buyer are able to come to terms with a reasonable price. To ensure you sell your home fast, be sure to take care of these key mobile home repair issues before putting your home on the market. See our

Mobile home roofing
Electrical
Sub-flooring
A/C
Plumbing

Sell a mobile home fast new home Adventure Homes — A new home from Adventure Homes, as seen at The Louisville Show in 2019.

5. Bring in the Professionals

Trying to sell a mobile home fast can be overwhelming. This is especially true if you have limited time to prospect potential buyers and schedule showings. Below are professional services available to help you save time while someone else does all of the work required to find your buyer and sell your mobile home.

Mobile Home Broker

Sell a Mobile Home Fast dining room Hamilton Homebuilders — The interior of a new home from Hamilton Homebuilders, as shown at the 2019 Louisville Manufactured Housing Show.

Mobile home brokers will not only help you sell your mobile home fast, but will help you sell your home for the highest amount possible by keeping you in the retail market. A broker’s job is simply to be a bridge between you and your potential buyer, ensuring that they market your home and qualify the buyer as fast & efficiently as possible. Although mobile home brokers come with a fee, they can save you a lot of time and energy. Look to spend between $2,000 and $5,000 as a commission fee to the broker, or even more depending on your location.

Mobile Home Dealer

A mobile home dealer is the fastest solution to finding a mobile home buyer as they specialize in quick mobile home sales. But, the dealer typically will look to buy your home themselves at a substantial discount. We recommend using this option only if you need to sell your home in less than 30 days and you don’t mind taking less than market value for your home.

Realtor

A realtor is similar to a mobile home broker in the sense that he or she will help you sell your mobile home fast. That person also will also charge a commission when they help you find a mobile home buyer. Typical realtor commissions are between 2 and 4 percent in a traditional stick built home. However, the commission can be double or triple the rate for an agent in the mobile home market. If you decide to work with a realtor be sure to vet him or her. Your realtor should have some experience selling mobile homes. And you should feel confident after the initial consultation that this person can sell a mobile home fast.

DeWitt Scholarship Encourages Talent in RV, Manufactured Housing, Self-Storage Industries

DeWitt Scholarship Provides 28 Years of Opportunity

By Jim Hayden

The deadline is near for thousands of dollars in scholarships from the Tim DeWitt HARVEST Education Foundation. Students currently enrolled, or with plans to enroll, at accredited university or colleges during 2019-20 are eligible for the DeWitt scholarship.

Applications are due April 5 for students who plan a career in manufactured housing, recreational vehicle and campground or self-storage industries.

Apply for the DeWitt Scholarship

The DeWitt scholarship goes to students whose career goals might not otherwise lead them to these industries, and will be made to outstanding scholars or students with compelling need.

“The Tim DeWitt HARVEST Education Foundation has encouraged fresh interest and talent in the RV and campground, manufactured housing and self-storage industries,” said Bill Sheffer, executive director of MMH/RVCA and Self-Storage Association of Michigan.

Where and How to Apply

DeWitt Scholarship storage — Students with an interest in the self storage industry can apply for the DeWitt scholarship.

To apply online, visit www.marvac.org, www.michhome.org or www.selfstoragemichigan.org. For more information on how to apply, call Beth Monicatti Blank of All Seasons Communications at (586) 752-6381 or email bmonicattiblank (at) allseasonscommunications.com.

“We encourage all to apply,” said Monicatti Blank of the group that manages the scholarship program.

DeWitt Scholarship Applicants Must Provide:

Filled out and signed scholarship application
School transcripts
A 200-300 word typed essay
Information on financial need
Two letters of reference

Also, the three-page application asks for detail on work and extracurricular activities, as well as career goals.

Last year, 19 college-bound students were recipients of a DeWitt scholarship. The 2018 DeWitt scholarships ranged from $500 to $1,750 each. Since 1991, the foundation has awarded more than $338,000 to 608 students.

Scholarship money is raised through an annual golf outing. This year’s event is set
for June 20 at Timber Ridge Golf Club in East Lansing. More information will be
available at www.michhome.org.

DeWitt Scholarship camping — Students interested in the RV and camping industries also are eligible to apply for the HARVEST Education Foundation Tim DeWitt Scholarship.

More Information on the DeWitt Scholarship

Tim DeWitt is the former director of the MMHRVC, which had represented both RV and manufactured housing in Michigan.

“He served for 39 years and the foundation was renamed in his honor in 2016
when he retired,” said Darren Ing, director of the Michigan Manufactured
Housing Association.

HARVEST Education Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation and receives 100 percent tax-deductible gifts from individuals and corporations. In addition, HARVEST accepts grants from other nonprofit organizations, state and federal agencies.

The nonprofit was created in 1991 by the Michigan Manufactured Housing Association and the Recreation Vehicle and Campground Association. Self-Storage Association of Michigan became involved in 2013.

DeWitt Scholarship MH Pros — Manufactured housing professionals gather and talk at The Louisville Manufactured Housing Show in 2019. At the show, Champion Homes displayed its reintroduced All American Modular brand for the second consecutive year.

About the Industry Associations Affiliated with the DeWitt Scholarship

Michigan Manufactured Housing Association is a nonprofit trade association representing the manufactured and modular housing industry in Michigan. MMHA works to improve the image of manufactured housing by educating consumers, media and government about the quality, affordability, design and beauty of the homes. Additionally, MMHA works to protect the interests of the industry and the owners of manufactured homes.

The Michigan Association of Recreation Vehicles and Campgrounds works to improve the business climate for its members and encourage growth in the RV and private campground industries. Also, it contributes to the quality of Michigan tourism through legislation, education, marketing and public awareness.

Self-Storage Association of Michigan formed in 2007 to respond to the needs of self-storage owners and operators. It works to improve the business climate for its members and encourage growth in all areas of the self-storage industry through legislation, education and marketing.

New Manufactured Home Community Plantation Oaks of Ormond Beach Opens

New Manufactured Home Community Plantations Oaks Ormond Beach — Photos courtesy of Plantation Oaks of Ormond Beach.

Long-Awaited New Manufactured Home Community Announces Ribbon Cutting, Grand Opening April 4-7

New Community Florida — Front Gate at Plantation Oaks of Ormond Beach.

Plantation Oaks of Ormond Beach, a new manufactured home community in Florida, has taken its first wave of residents and has a grand opening with community and home tours set for April 4-7.

Plantation Oaks is the first new manufactured home community to open in Florida in more than 15 years.

“We got our certificate of occupancy, opened the clubhouse and closed our first two home purchases all on the same day in mid January,” said Doug Kamm, sales director for Plantation Oaks of Ormond Beach. “We have three homes occupied now.

“There are 23 homes on site in different stages of readiness. We have nine move-in ready homes, eight floor plans on display and several more floor plans coming in very soon.”

New Community — Front porches, sidewalks, driveways and set back garages.

Where is Plantation Oaks of Ormond Beach?

New Community Beach Road — The natural setting of the beach road from Plantation Oaks of Ormond Beach.

The new manufactured home community is located at 2380 Chretien Drive on the north end of Ormond Beach, which is near the Atlantic Coast about 12 miles north of Daytona Beach. Plantation Oaks sits near the intersection of I-95 and U.S. 1. The community connects to municipal water and sewer. It also is in the final stages of annexation to Ormond Beach.

Plantation Oaks of Ormond Beach is quick and easy 10-minute drive to the water, at both Ormond Beach and Flagler Beach.

“The location is amazing,” Kamm said. “We abut a 12,000-acre nature preserve, which is what separates us from the Atlantic Ocean. All of that is right at the residents’ back door here. And, everyone is assured that area will remain undeveloped.”

Who Can Live in Plantation Oaks of Ormond Beach?

Plantation Oaks of Ormond Beach is a 55+ community, with an emphasis on ease of living and lifestyle amenities. The homes are placed for curb appeal most often associated with design-savvy, site-built residential neighborhoods.

Everyone who buys a home has a long driveway with room for three to six cars. So, there’s no need for street parking even when the homeowner has several visitors.

Meet the Swarts from Ipswich, Mass.

New Community New Home — Gerben and Sandra Swart, new residents at Plantation Oaks of Ormond Beach.

Sandra and Gerben Swart moved from Ipswich, Mass., to Ormond Beach to be in a warmer climate and near friends. Gerben had been a construction superintendent for 30 years.

“We were over there when it was mostly dirt and they were building the clubhouse, and we saw the vision of what Plantation Oaks could be,” Sandra Swart said. “My husband and I were able to go to the factory, and walked through the house before it was complete. We made some changes at that time. I never imagined living in a manufactured home, but my husband has studied everything they’re doing from the windows to the way it’s anchored. We just love the place.”

The Swarts purchased the LaBelle V, a new home from Palm Harbor. They close on the home April 30.

“It’s three bedroom, two bath open concept home. We wanted to get something with room for our family to come down and visit us,” Sandra Swart said. “We’re going to have a lovely fireplace, two living rooms and a dining room.

“There is a lot of space around you and every house has a front and back porch, with a big beautiful garage. And we took an option for a bigger garage because my husband wants to have a wood shop,” she said. “The kitchen is amazing. We moved the island for added space and upgraded the appliances. And It has a phenomenal laundry room, which I’m so excited about after having to go down into an old basement my entire life.”

How Are Homes Situated?

New Community Home — A Palm Harbor home at Plantation Oaks of Ormond Beach.

“These are very large homes sites,” Kamm said. “They’re 65 feet in width or larger and 110 feet in depth or deeper, which is a significant increase from most mobile home communities. Every home has a front porch and front entry, which makes for a very nice uniform look from the street.

“The garage must sit back at least 10 feet from the home,” Kamm added. “And the lots do not back up to other sites. They back up to the woods or a water view.”

Plantation Oaks of Ormond Beach is a land-lease community. Residents purchase and own a home. When they buy a manufactured home, the resident also leases the land beneath the home. Monthly lease payment for homes in the new community are $500-$700, dependent on where and how the home is situated.

New Manufactured Home Community New Home — A New Manufactured Home from Palm Harbor.

New Manufactured Homes from Palm Harbor and Homes of Merit

“Our homes range from 1,200 square feet to nearly 2,500 square feet,” Kamm said. “One unique thing is that all the homes have an attached two-car garage, with a two step entry from the garage to the home.

Each new manufactured home available for purchase within Plantation Oaks comes from either Palm Harbor or Homes of Merit. All homes in the community are multi-section homes. For instance, The Riviera, from Palm Harbor, is more than 1,700 square feet. It has three bedrooms, two baths, a large kitchen, interior sliding barn doors and a walk in the master bedroom.

New Community Amenities — An Olympic size pool at the new community clubhouse.

What Amenities Does Plantation Oaks Have?

When Plantation Oaks is fully occupied it will have 427 homes across 233 acres, which is less than half the density of a great number of manufactured home communities. The homes are affordable in comparison with current market standards.

The developers for Plantation Oaks of Ormond Beach are Parker Mynchenberg and Ronnie Bledsoe.

New Manufactured Home Community Fitness Center — Fitness center at the new Plantation Oaks of Ormond Beach community center.

Mynchenberg is a civil engineer, landscape architect and pool designer. Bledsoe has significant experience as an underground utilities contractor. The two have teamed in development efforts several times, including on Plantation Oaks of Flagler Beach between 1998 and 2004. They sold that community and purchased the Ormond Beach property, waited out the recession and in 2012 worked on re-zoning for manufactured housing.

“We’ve completed a 10,000 square-foot clubhouse with café and large kitchen, as well as community rooms to play cards, exercise and meet friends,” Mynchenberg said. “Out back are covered and screened porches that overlook an Olympic size zero entry pool. It’s ADA accessible, and very good for seniors.”

Also, the new community will boast dog runs and dog parks. Additionally, it will provide tennis and pickle ball courts, shuffleboard, walking and bike trails, boat and RV storage, nearby shopping and entertainment.

How to Do an Annual Insurance Review (and Why You Need One)

Mobile home insurance costs and coverage — Write a list of all valuable possessions, and document where they're covered in each of your policies.

The Value of an Annual Insurance Review

Annual Insurance Review Home Insurance — Get the right amount of home insurance for you.

We can all agree insurance is an important tool available to protect us when life gets tough. We can also agree that insurance plans can be complicated and difficult to understand without an agent or someone who specializes in the industry. Being a responsible adult is challenging, but like death and taxes, it’s another thing we can’t stop from happening. Doing an annual insurance review is one of those tasks that goes undiscussed, but is essential to safeguard your home.

According to U.S. News and World Report, 18 percent of people have documentation for their belongings and only one in five in the United States make an adjustment after a major purchase or going through a dramatic life change. For something so essential to your financial health and protection, that’s not a lot of people.

When you buy a manufactured home, becoming a homeowner statistic doesn’t have to happen. By doing an annual review, you can best protect your finances, home, assets and yourself. Not sure why you need one or where to start? We’ve got some ideas for you.

Get Connected With a Professional Insurance Agent

Nobody knows how to navigate home insurance better than an agent. They are well-versed in insurance jargon, fine print, excessive paperwork, financials and the current state of home ownership trends. So, how do you find the right one for you? There are plenty of agents who are ready to help. Some agents are through a well-known company, while others are independent. By going independent, you have the benefit of being able to compare different quotes and policies, while going through a business provides stability with its procedures. There are places to get a quote for mobile home insurance that allow you to do your research ahead of time.

Look for Gaps in Coverage During Your Annual Insurance Review

Like any home, manufactured home values go up and down. And, with that, you’ll need to look into your home insurance to see if it matches your home value. The housing market changes constantly, and evolves. An annual review will keep you up with those housing trends. For example, if you have not had a review and your home value goes up, or you’ve been remodeling your manufactured home, your insurance will only cover the home’s worth from when it was purchased. If the unthinkable happens, there will be a gap in coverage that could prove costly.

Consider How Your Finances and Assets Have Changed

If your finances have gone up or down in recent years, it’s time for a review. Determine your net worth and compare it with your current insurance policy. As mentioned above, look for gaps. If your yearly income increased, you may not be protected enough in your policy. Likewise, if you’ve had a recent decrease, you may be paying too much for your policy. This doesn’t just include your yearly income, though. Any assets gained or removed should be considered as well. These items might include:

precious jewelry
automobiles
furniture
and financial accounts like savings
bonds
CDs

In fact, a third of Americans don’t even know the value of their possessions. To protect yourself and your belongings, review anything that has changed over time so you can hit that insurance sweet spot.

Annual Insurance Review Calculator — Calculate the value of all of your property, your car and home included, to make sure your insurance coverage matches the value.

Look into bundling your policies

Homeowners insurance isn’t the only option out there. There also is life insurance, health insurance and car insurance. To make life easier, it is common for car insurance to be bundled together with your homeowners insurance. Bundling is not only an easy way to consolidate, streamline and keep track of your policies, but it also helps you save money. People who look into bundling often save five to 25 percent on their insurance plan. Have your agent help you go over your plans and see which ones make the most sense to bundle.

Lindsay Patton-Carson is a writer and content and social media manager based in Philadelphia. As a trained journalist for over a decade, Lindsay has accumulated bylines on publications that include PhillyVoice, One Green Planet, Girlboss, Care2, The Huffington Post and Bust to name a few. Lindsay currently works for PiperWai Natural Deodorant and manages social media platforms for Animal Avengers and Miles for Migraine. She loves animals, pop culture, tweeting nonsense, David Bowie, spending time laughing with her husband and cuddling with her dogs. (On the off chance they’re behaving.)

Community Owners Offer Assistance for Veterans in Need

Veterans Assistance Fund Crocketts check — Barbara and Aaron Crockett hold up a donated check for $3,000 from SECO's Veterans Assistance Fund that helped to pay for a new air conditioning unit at their Florida home.

SECO Offers Financial Assistance for Veterans

A new fund to provide assistance for veterans in need sprouted from a group of small- to midsize community owners in the southeast. The fund’s first recipient is a former Marine who the community owners simply wanted to help breathe a bit better.

The Southeast Community Owners announced the new program during its annual conference last fall. And, at the beginning of the year, the fund awarded Aaron and Barbara Crockett with a much-needed upgrade to their home.

SECO’s Veterans Assistance Fund is designed to give financial assistance for veterans living in mobile home communities.

A New AC and Heat Unit

Veterans Assistance Fund Installer — An installer sets up the new Carrier AC and heating unit that will help control the climate and ease Aaron Crockett’s breathing.

SECO contributed $3,000 toward a new air conditioning and heating unit for the Crocketts’ manufactured home in Wildwood Country Resort in Wildwood, Fla.

The Crocketts’ new AC and heat unit, installed in January, will help Aaron with his breathing problems. Aaron, now 80, served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1956 to 1967. He currently suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema, along with kidney problems. He also has survived bladder cancer.

His breathing problems are at least partially from exposure to jet fuel. Aaron Crocket was a flight engineer and mechanic in the Marines. Aaron’s doctor told him a new, filtered AC unit that steadied the humidity level inside his home would help him breathe.

The Crocketts’ manufactured home, built in the early 1980s, still had the original AC unit and duct work. Replacing it cost about $5,500. Paying the full cost would have been extremely difficult for the couple, and probably would have delayed the project significantly, Barbara said.

“We’re eternally grateful for SECO’s help,” she said. “I don’t know how we would have done this without it.”

How SECO and the Crocketts Connected

Veterans Assistance Fund AC Unit — The old AC unit that came with the Crockett’s mid-1980s home in Wildwood Country Resort.

The Crocketts came to SECO’s attention via Charles Frey, one of the owners of Wildwood Country Resort. Frey knew Aaron was a veteran, and that he and Barbara needed a new AC unit.

When one of his business partners handed him a SECO newsletter and he read about the Veterans Assistance Fund, Frey thought he’d found a great way to help the long-time residents of his park.

“It couldn’t be going to a nicer couple,” Frey said. “The Crocketts are well thought of in this community.”

How the SECO Veterans Assistance Fund Came to Be

David Roden, SECO co-founder and owner of Mountain View Estates in Rossville, Ga., started the Veterans Assistance Fund with Ron Cobb, Dave Jackson, Steve Quick, Blake Hodge, Max Baker, Steve Case, and Maryuri Barberan. The idea came about after Roden encountered a U.S. military veteran who lived in his park. The veteran used an oxygen machine, and had trouble breathing during the heat of summer. He needed help to buy an air conditioner for his living room.

SECO is a nonprofit 501(c)3 that serves the needs of small- and mid-size community owners with its annual conference. More than 400 community owners attended the 2018 conference in Atlanta.

While the catalyst for the program and the initial awardee are both veterans who require climate control upgrades to breathe better, recipients can be considered for a variety of reasons.

Perhaps there’s a need for a handicap-accessible toilet, or a wheelchair ramp, or grab bars. The veteran in need of assistance can apply for funding through the community operator associated with the SECO organization. An executive committee for the Veterans Assistance Fund reviews all applications and comes to consensus on what requests receive funding.

Veterans are required to furnish proof of an honorable discharge from the military. Widows of veterans also qualify for aid, Roden said.

Funds from the SECO website’s Classified Ads section and donations from SECO business and community owners have provided about $3,000 of seed money so far, Roden said.

Veterans Assistance Fund Wildwood — Wildwood Country Resort in Wildwood, Fla.

How to Give or Apply for the Veterans Assistance Fund

Spencer Roane, owner of Pentagon Properties and co-founder of SECO, said the fund “reflects the attitude of small community owners everywhere of helping those who have served our country through military service.”

“We hope that those owners who attend the SECO conference will submit requests to provide any assistance whatsoever to the veteran residents of their communities,” Roane said.

For more information about the Veterans Assistance Fund, send an email to contact (at) secoconference.com. Those interested also can email Maryuri Barberan at maryuri (at) roane.com, or call her at (404) 355-5978.

Roden said he hopes the fund’s first gift will help Aaron Crockett breathe a little easier. SECO’s leadership includes many veterans of the U.S. armed forces. They want to use the fund to help more of their fellow veterans.

Your Top 6 Manufactured and Mobile Home Questions Answered

Q&A on Manufactured and Mobile Home Ownership

MHVillager has done a lot of deep dives into specific mobile and manufactured home questions. For this post, we’ve decided to take a step back and look at a few of the oft-asked questions we hear.

Manufactured and Mobile Home Fleetwood — A new Fleetwood Home from the Sandalwood Series, shown at The Tunica Show in 2018.

1. How much does it cost to buy a manufactured home?

Manufactured and Mobile Home Interior — The interior of a 2018 home from Legacy Homes.

In recent years, according to MHVillage data the average price of a manufactured home hovered around $75,000. The average sales price in September 2018 was $83,600. The average price that month of a new single-wide home was $54,400; a new double-wide home, $105,400. Pre-existing homes can be purchased at a great range of prices. In some markets, homes are available for as little as $2,000. Existing homes can be purchased for about $10,000 in most markets.

2. How many people live in mobile homes?

Over 22 million Americans live in mobile and manufactured homes. Manufactured housing nears 10 percent of all new U.S. homes, up from 7 percent in recent years. It also is the country’s greatest source of unsubsidized affordable housing.

Sunshine manufactured and mobile home — A new home from Sunshine Homes.

3. How can I get a loan for a mobile home?

Buyers looking to get a loan for a mobile home have several options to consider. And the list seems to be growing. There are specific loan types for buyers who have interest in just the home without land, as well as home-on-land purchases, construction-to-permanent loans and other varieties of financing. Also, mobile and manufactured home financing increasingly is being backed by secondary markets, through Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the VA, and USDA.

4. Where can I buy a mobile home?

Legacy Homes Mobile and manufactured homes — The entry of a Legacy Home with roofline dormer.

There are a few different ways you can go about purchasing a mobile home. Through a mobile home dealer, through a mobile home park, or by finding mobile homes for sale by owner through MHVillage’s home searching system.

Before buying a home, to ensure that you’ve found the right one, make sure to read “How to Buy a Mobile Home”

5. How can I extend the life of my mobile home?

Home maintenance for many is a troubling thought. Not all of us are handy with power tools and building materials. However, there are actions that can be taken to extend the life of your mobile home without going beyond your comfort level or breaking your budget.

manufactured and mobile home living room Champion — A new Champion Home at Tunica 2018.

6. Can I rent a mobile home?

MHVillage has some great search tools on our site, where you can sort and filter to only show homes or communities that have rental options available. See how you can easily find a mobile home to rent.

BONUS!: Insurance

One last thought, this one about insurance. Whether you rent or own, risk management, in the form of insurance, is a key component to the financial well-being of all manufactured home residents.