Fall Cleanup Checklist for Your Manufactured Home

Fall cleanup is on our mind as the weather is getting colder and leaves are starting to turn. These are simple cleanup tasks for your home and lot that will make for an easier spring next year. (And for more great tips, check out Five Things for Under $100 That Extend the Life of Your Mobile Home.) In addition, if you have your home for sale, these are great ways to keep up the curb appeal.

Wash and put away yard furniture

garden furniture in snow — Furniture left in the snow like this can rust. Protect it with a cover or by bringing it indoors.

Fall cleanup should start with putting away outdoor furniture. If you have porch furniture, outdoor chairs or tables, get them ready for storage. Be sure and wash them first — you’ll be glad you did next spring! Cushions should be stored in something airtight to prevent creatures from making homes in them.

If you don’t have space to store in a shed or under a carport, many companies make patio furniture covers, which can help prolong the life of your furniture. If you have a tall shed, items like chairs can be hung from hooks so they don’t take up as much space.

Clean up and cover or store grills

Unless you are planning to grill your Thanksgiving turkey, this is also a great time to clean and store your grill. Clean racks and grease trays before you do — otherwise animals like squirrels and mice will find them. You don’t want to find a mouse nest when you open your grill next summer!

Empty out summer flower pots and put away yard ornaments

You might have some fall mums out on the porch, but keep in mind that when flower pots fill with water and freeze, they easily crack. This can destroy that beautiful planter. Clean up all those flowers that are past their season. Pots not being used should be emptied and stored. This is also a good time to store any seasonal yard decor.

Final mow of the season for your mobile home lot

As the weather cools, the grass will stop growing. Now is the time to do a final mow and trim, if you do your own yardwork. Make sure your yard equipment is ready for the long, quiet months ahead.

Plant spring blooming bulbs

Now is a great time to plant bulbs for spring and summer, like tulips, hyacinths, and crocus. These sunny flowers will bring a smile to your face when you drive into your community next year. Make sure to clean up all shovels and trowels. You don’t want them to rust over the winter.

Mulch planting beds

You can get a jump on spring weeds by mulching in the fall. Mulch the planting beds in your lot to make spring weed cleanup even easier. Mulch will also protect those bulbs you just planted.

Sweep or wash porches and decks

Because fall is a wet season and mud and dirt can accumulate on porches and decks attached to your manufactured home. Before you store your garden hose for the season, you might want to give everything a good wash.

Clean out gutters

gutter clean up — Even if you have gutter guards, you should check to make sure they are still functioning.

Leaves and debris accumulate in home gutters this time of year. This can cause melting snow and ice to back up and damage your roof. First, clean out gutters along the edges of the roof, then run water from your hose down the downspouts to look for clogs.

Put away hose

Once you have all the fall cleaning complete, it is time to empty the garden hose and store it. Otherwise, water in the hose can freeze and damage it.

Check shed and outdoor structures

Recently, we posted an article on How to Repair a Shed. That article has a ton of great tips on how to clean up and repair that structure. With the weather getting colder, many small creatures like to move into sheds, garages and storage areas. Make sure to read our tips on things you can do to prevent critters from moving in.

Thinking about selling your mobile home?

While many people think of spring as home-selling season, fall and winter can be a great time to find a home buyer. As we move into the snowy season, check out this article in the Villager on Winter Sales – Tips for Selling Your Home in the Winter.

‘Yes’ on Florida Amendment 2 Would Retain Tax Cap

Manufactured Housing Industry Educates Consumers on Potential Impact of Florida’s Amendment 2 — Taxation on Non-Homestead Properties

Concerns are mounting that a crowded ballot and two high-profile state campaigns may mean Florida’s Amendment 2 gets overlooked.

“I’m not hearing people talk about it as much as I would like,” said Jim Ayotte, executive director of the Florida Manufactured Housing Association.

Why Does Amendment 2 Matter for Florida Manufactured Home Owners and Residents?

Amendment 2 provides a 10 percent cap on annual property tax increases for non-homestead properties.

Potential high tax increases, if Amendment 2 fails, would not only increase operating expenses for the community, but would impact homeowners directly in situations where manufactured home property taxes are a pass-on expense.

“Manufactured home owners living in land-lease communities would be harmed the most,” Ayotte said. “Property taxes are usually a pass-on expense. The owner gets the tax bill, they’re responsible for the common areas and they bill the rest of the amount by the number of occupied lots. That means homeowners’ expenses stand to go up significantly.

“The homeowners and residents definitely would bear the brunt of this,” he said.

Details on Amendment 2

Florida’s Amendment 2 has been in place for a decade. It protects non-homestead properties from the possibility of a sudden spike on the property tax bill. A yes-vote on 2 would be a “status quo vote”. It keeps things the same. However, a no-vote would drive change that could cost homeowners and residents much more each year.

Amendment 2 requires approval of 60 percent of voters to pass. This is true for all amendments to the Florida State Constitution.

Ballot Summary on Amendment 2 from Florida TaxWatch

“Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to permanently retain provisions currently in effect, which limit property tax assessment increases on specified non-homestead real property, except for school district taxes, to 10 percent each year. If approved, the amendment removes the scheduled repeal of such provisions in 2019 and shall take effect January 1, 2019.”

Florida TaxWatch recommends a “Yes Vote” on the amendment.

What Else is on Florida’s Nov. 6 Ballot?

There are a pair of heated races, one for governor and one for the U.S. Senate. Given that, ballot initiatives may be overlooked when races for public office garner most of the attention.

Also, two initiatives use similar language. As noted, Amendment 2 concerns non-homestead properties. Amendment 1 concerns homestead properties, roughly defined as a primary residence.

“There are 12 ballot initiatives on Nov. 6, and we’re really worried about ballot fatigue,” Ayotte said. “It’s very confusing, and the concern is that the majority will vote no on everything.”

Additionally, there is a limit to the number of constitutional amendments that can appear on the ballot. This leads to initiatives with little or nothing to do with each other in a single amendment. For example, Amendment 9 seeks to ban offshore drilling and vaping in an enclosed business.

“Like I said,” Ayotte stated. “It’s very confusing.”

More information on voting in Florida is available through Quick Facts on the Florida Division of Elections Page, where there are links to voter registration resources, County Supervisor contacts for local ballots and all 12 ballot initiatives in English and Spanish.

Virginia Beach Couple Narrowly Escapes Final Blow from Hurricane Michael

Hurricane Michael Survivor David Stough — David Stough collects whatever belongings he can after his home was destroyed by a tree blown over in the final push from Hurricane Michael.

Couple’s 1973 Skyline Mobile Home Smashed by Tree – Friends, Relatives Launch Campaign to Assist

*See Storm Roundup at Bottom of Blog Post

In the early morning hours of Oct. 12, with the remnants of Hurricane Michael still pummeling southeast Virginia, David Stough walked into the kitchen of his manufactured home. As soon as he turned on the light, a tree crashed through the roof. The tree fell right in front of him, throwing him back into the living room and up against the television.

“Three more steps and I would have been underneath the tree,” David said. “I would have died that night.”

Miraculously, he was unhurt. But the home he shared with his wife Nightstar Stough is demolished.

“My wife walked in and asked what happened. I said, ‘We just lost our kitchen’,” he told MHVillager in a phone interview. “I’ve never been through anything like this in my life. I’ve been in motorcycle accidents, but never something like this.”

The Stoughs Put A Lot of Love Into Their Mobile Home

David and Nightstar had lived in the mobile home, a 1973 Skyline, for 18 years. The two married in the backyard, located on a lot in Colony Mobile Home Park in Virginia Beach, Va.

After the tree fell, David and Nightstar managed to extricate themselves and their two dogs from their wrecked home, with help from the local fire department. They spent the rest of the morning with David’s nephew.

It wasn’t their first storm, or their first falling tree, David said, but their house had always emerged intact. Until Hurricane Michael.

“The thing that sucks about it is my middle name is Michael,” David said with a chuckle. “But our angel Michael was there to pull me out. We’re both Christians. We go to church on Sunday.”

David, who has a background in construction, had put a lot of work into the 1973 Skyline, including redoing all the plumbing. He was planning to further remodel it before the tree hit. Unfortunately, there was no insurance on the home.

Hurricane Michael topples tree on Virginia Beach mobile home — David Stough surveys the damage at his Virginia Beach home.

Couple Displaced and Wanting to Go Home Again

As of Oct. 17, the Stoughs were living in a hotel in Virginia Beach. With help from the Red Cross and David’s sister, Denise Weaver, they can afford to stay at the hotel through most of October. After that, they’ll need to move somewhere else.

Their community, Colony Mobile Home Park, wants to keep them around. The Stoughs were planning to return to the park that day to look at another home.

“Colony is trying to move us into another place,” David said. “They’ve been a blessing. I’ve lived in the park for 25 years, long enough to feel like family to them.”

GoFundMe Pages Dedicated to Help The Stoughs

If the park manages to find them an unoccupied home, it will probably need work. David can do all kinds of home repair, but what he and his wife really need right now is money.

He said the best way to help is through a GoFundMe donation. The Stoughs currently have two GoFundMe pages, one set up by a local friend, Tonya Clark, the other by Weaver, who lives in Tennessee.

It is not financial pressure alone that’s pushing David and Nightstar to find a permanent abode. After just a few days living in a hotel, David was ready to move on. He wants a permanent place to live, a feeling of stability — a new normal.

“I just want to go home, man,” David said. “I just want to go home.”

Hurricane Michael Relief Efforts — Two members of a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue team walk through heavily damaged neighborhoods in Florida after Hurricane Michael. Photo courtesy of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Storm Roundup in the Aftermath of Hurricanes Michael and Florence

“Hurricane Michael made landfall around 1:45 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, October 10, 2018 near Mexico Beach, Florida, as a strong Category 4 hurricane, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 155 mph and a minimum central pressure of 919 millibar. Based on these intensity measures, Michael is considered the fourth most-powerful hurricane to hit the United States, behind the Labor Day Hurricane (1935), Hurricane Camille (1969) and Hurricane Andrew (1992), and the most powerful storm to impact the Florida Panhandle in recorded history. Moreover, as the storm remained at Category 3 intensity as it crossed into Georgia and continued to deliver tropical force winds and significant rainfall as it moved into the Carolinas and up the Eastern seaboard, Michael caused wind damage, triggered flooding and resulted in deaths in a number of states, including those still recovering from Hurricane Florence.”

— Structural Extreme Event Reconnaissance Network: Hurricane Michael Preliminary Virtual Assessment Team Report

Florida

The hurricane primarily was a Panhandle issue in Florida, and a lot of it was the Gulf Coast out to Panama City.

Massive evacuations saved untold numbers of lives. In the 38-page report offered by the Structural Extreme Event Reconnaissance Network, a collaborative effort among 10 universities, there was one mention of mobile homes, regarding part of the evacuation criteria near the center of the storm. There were no mentions of manufactured housing, signaling the more recent structures with enhanced tie-down standards are dramatically improving health and safety for residents and homeowners.

“We have many members from Panama City, both retailers and communities,” said Florida Manufactured Housing Association Executive Director Jim Ayotte. “There were retailers that had significant damage. A Clayton retailer had a few homes that were irreparable, and they demoed and removed those homes. Prestige Homes had one home blow over on its roof.”

Homes on retail lots have blocks at the wheels to prevent rolling. However, retailers do not tie down homes.

“And then there was a community that had damage to the office, but the homes all fared well,” Ayotte said.

Ayotte said he is taking a team to the field the week of Oct. 22 to further investigate the effects of Hurricane Michael on manufactured housing.

“What we know right now is that a lot of homes near the beach were were heavily damaged, along with much else near the beach, and they were older mobile homes,” Ayotte said.

Twenty-two fatalities are on record in Florida as of late last week. Meanwhile, search and recover efforts remain underway.

North Carolina

Brad Lovin, executive director of the North Carolina Manufactured and Modular Homebuilders Association, said North Carolina was hit hard again, just a few weeks after about a million people were evacuated prior to massive flooding from Hurricane Florence.

“We were still moving mud and getting people back in from the last storm,” Lovin said.

Massive flooding remains a problem in North Carolina. Yet, 60 mph winds felled a tree on a car and killed the driver.

The greatest amount of flooding occurred in the southern portion of the state, in the area of Whiteville and Lumberton where the Lumber River twice rose to historic levels in a month.

The federal and state governments have approved more than $1 billion in storm recovery funding to more than 20 counties in North Carolina, where 600,000 were without electrical power and 500 residents remained in shelters.

Virginia

Randy Grumbine, executive director for the Virginia Manufactured and Modular Housing Association, said he was unaware of any specific storm events directly impacting manufactured homes in his state.

“Unfortunately, five lives were lost in Virginia attributed to Michael. Three were swept away by swift water, one was a fireman killed on-scene responding to an accident caused by severe weather,” he said.

The fifth fatality in Virginia remains under investigation.

FEMA response teams are working to help feed and house all survivors of Hurricanes Florence and Michael.

Editor’s Note: State officials from Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina are encouraged to provide updates for our continued coverage of storm and recovery details.

3 Manufactured Home Communities in Texas You Should Check Out!

Looking to Move to Texas?

MHVillage has more than 60,000 communities advertising on our website. So, if you are looking to relocate to a community, why wouldn’t you start with us? When it comes to Manufactured Home Communities in Texas there are 2,519 communities on MHVillage to choose. Here are three of the top communities to get you started:

Oak Ranch

This all-ages community offers some great amenities while still close to the city of Austin!

“Oak Ranch is a mobile and manufactured home community located in Southeast Austin, TX. Peaceful, tree-lined streets and friendly neighbors are a hallmark of this gated community. Proximity to the #1 ranked city of Austin, a warm climate, and affordability all lend themselves to a high-quality lifestyle… Your new neighborhood includes community amenities like an activity and fitness center, beach-entry pool, and a picnic table oasis. The kids will have fun too at their very own playground. This community is the perfect place or even to simply unwind at the poolside. This is living at it’s very best! This community is only 15 minutes to downtown Austin.”

-LIFESTYLE SALES, LLC

Stone Bridge

This community promises affordable luxury Manufactured Home Living in San Antonio, Texas.

“Stonebridge provides affordable, easy living in the heart of Central Texas. Residents feel right at home with our community’s comfortable country club lifestyle. A welcoming community, professional customer service staff, and an ideal location are only a few of the many benefits to keep in mind when considering making Stonebridge your home. As a valued member of our family of residents, you can enjoy numerous on-site amenities and community features.

Stonebridge is situated within the Northside ISD, and just beyond your front doorstep, you can enjoy easy access to Highway 471. Imagine living just minutes from Lake Medina, SeaWorld and Downtown San Antonio, all of which offers access to a host of wonderful shopping, fine dining, and entertainment venues. As a part of this unique community living experience, you can discover the perfect blend of small-town charm with urban conveniences right around the corner.”

-Sun Communities, Inc

Victoria Palms Resort

This retirement resort community in Donna, TX offers a great option for you to spend your later years in life.

“Victoria Palms Resort is a premier 55+ retirement mobile home community and RV resort with a lot to offer. The beautiful banquet room, spacious clubhouse, and scenic picnic area with sweeping views of the Rio Grande Valley, all provide you with great places to host your next big social event. A variety of community organized activities will also keep you engaged with your neighbors. Victoria Palms has bike trails, a fully outfitted fitness center, shuffleboard and tennis courts, and a huge community swimming pool to keep you active. If you need to slow down a bit you can always watch the kids play on the community playground or relax by yourself in the amazing whirlpool-spa-hot tub. Billiards, a big game room, and nice horseshoe pits also provide you with a wealth of diversions to help you unwind, and this gated community provides on-site laundry facilities and management and is always pet-friendly for your convenience.”

-Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc.

What Have You Found in Searching Manufactured Home Communities in Texas?

Hopefully this list will help jumpstart your search for mobile home parks in Texas! Also, If you haven’t tried MHVillage yet, Here is a link that will let you narrow your search on MHVillage with criteria that meets your needs!

Have questions on how to use MHVillage? Contact our customer service, we are happy to help!

Six Plants That Flourish in a Small Space Garden in Phoenix

A Small Space Garden in Phoenix Can Be As Full of Color as Gardens in More Tropical Locations

If you live in Phoenix, you probably are no stranger to the misconceptions outsiders have about Phoenix gardening. It’s all desert here, but that doesn’t mean there’s a lack of flora for you and your small space garden in Phoenix.

You likely want your garden to reflect the natural beauty and diversity of the arid landscape. We can help with that!

There are so many native plants that make gardening easy, but don’t limit your small space garden in Phoenix to only the cacti varieties.

Here are six low maintenance plants that are perfect for your small space garden in Phoenix.

Desert marigold (Baileya multiradiata)

This perennial, which grows up to eighteen inches in height, adds a pop of color to what can be a barren desert landscape. Producing woolly gray foliage with mounds of yellow flowers, this plant is adaptable to any growing conditions.

This flower blooms throughout the summer and well into the fall, requiring little water and adapting to any type of soil. It attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies and is a gorgeous option for any small space Phoenix garden. This plant can self-sow, but does require a short period of cold dormancy in order to bud.

Yellow trumpetbush (Tecoma stans)

Yellow trumpetbush is a deciduous shrub with a peculiar shape. It grows up to nine feet in some locales. With a natural range extending from Texas to Arizona to Argentina, this plant also can be found in Florida and the Caribbean. The variety of this plant found growing natively in Arizona is more drought and cold tolerant than those found elsewhere, making it a great choice for low-maintenance gardening in the desert.

This plant produces show-stopping yellow blossoms that are frequently used in landscape designs. It produces long, thin pods in the fall months and grows well in just about any type of soil. If your weather patterns this year are unpredictable, not to worry, this plant also is adapted to heavy rains with prolonged dry spells in between.

Bladderpod Spider Flower (Cleome isomeris)

This evergreen shrub produces rounded, widely spaced branches and can grow up to four feet tall – so make sure you give it room to sprawl! It produces yellow flowers with a unique aroma, as well as pods that look somewhat like those beautiful paper lanterns you may sometimes see float across the desert sky.

This plant has a long season, blooming from December to June. Most pests, including deer, tend to stay far away from it. It is both drought tolerant and wind resistant. You barely will have to lift a finger to care for this plant. It likes to be exposed to full sunlight and to receive very little water.

Cape aloe (Aloe ferox)

A Phoenix plant list would not be complete without at least one succulent. This particular variety of aloe is tolerant of temperatures down to 25 degrees Fahrenheit, and even can handle being grown in high-traffic areas, like next to a swimming pool. It requires shockingly low amounts of water and can grow up to five feet in height.

This plant produces scarlet-colored spikes of flowers in winter and spring, and is an excellent choice for any landscape. All you need to do is plant it and enjoy the beautiful wildlife that will flock to your small space garden in Phoenix as a result.

Orange Jubilee (Bignoniaceae)

This desert plant is a perennial, making it a good option if you want to plant your garden and then forget about it for the next few years. It is hardy under extreme temperatures, enjoying harsh sun and unrelenting heat. It is drought-resistant and provides astonishing color throughout much of the year.

This plant produces elongated bright orange flowers, similar in appearance to a bell. The plant attracts hummingbirds and bees,. It grows to eight feet. While this plant sometimes can suffer winter frost damage, it responds well to a light pruning.

Oleander (Nerium oleander)

This evergreen shrub produces vibrant clusters of flowers from May until October. While the pink variety is the most predominant in the desert, this versatile plant can grow as a producer of white, red or pink flowers. This rapidly growing plant can tolerate extensive periods of drought and hot sun, as well as poor soil.

Keep in mind that oleander is poisonous to ingest, so might not be a good option if you are planting in an area where pets can reach it. Nevertheless, it is a great out-of-the-way landscaping option, growing up to twenty feet tall.

Julia Benson is a landscaping writer for WikiLawn, and is known for taking everything she does in the garden as an edible science project. She loves to experiment with different growing techniques to try to cultivate the most delicious and nutritious food she can. For more information about WikiLawn, visit www.wikilawn.com/lawn-care/az/phoenix/

Elvis’ Mobile Home Sells for $67k

‘The King’s’ Former Home Renovated, Sold at Auction

Uh, one for the money. Two for the show. And three to get ready, go, cat, go… buy that ol’ mobile home, for $67,650?

Ah, yes, but the highly sought-after 60×12′ Delta originally purchased in 1967 was the getaway home for the one and only Elvis Presley, and his new wife Priscilla.

The home has hatched and wood cabinetry, a four-burner stove and some distinctive red walls in the bathroom. The bath area also has an added Presley touch. The shower and sink basin were personalized with a special gold leaf.

Elvis' mobile home on the auction block — GWS Auctions set and staged the ’67 Delta for sale in August 2018. Photo courtesy of GWS Auction House.

Elvis and Priscilla said to Honeymoon at Circle G Ranch in the Old Delta

While the home had been restored, it remains largely as it was during the Presleys’ honeymoon.

Elvis’ getaway home was put on the block by GWS Auctions in the “Legends: Iconic Film & Music Memorabilia Auction”.

“The mobile home, it’s just one of the coolest pieces we’ve ever had,” Brigitte Kruse, lead auctioneer and co-founder of GWS Auctions said.

Elvis placed the mobile home at Circle G Ranch in Mississippi, just about 10 miles from his primary residence of Graceland. He had several mobile homes at the Circle G location so he, Priscilla and their close friends could find reprieve from the watchful eyes of fans and overwhelming media attention.

“They would all congregate there in their secret little hideaway. It’s a neat idea for that time. So it just shows a lot of his personality — and he loved his fans, but he also needed to be a human being and have some privacy too,” Kruse said, as quoted by CNN.

Elvis’ Mobile Home in Its Former Glory Will Return to Mississippi

The home has changed hands several times since Elvis’ death. However, none of the buyers ever wanted to change the title because it bears the signature of “The King”.

Top bidder in the recent auction told media outlets he would have purchased the mobile home at any price. He plans to return the home to Mississippi, he said, where he’ll do a little more work on the historic abode and make it available for vacation rental.

Great Reasons to Love Manufactured Housing

Today’s New Homes Provide Major Consumer Benefits and Many Reasons to Love Manufactured Housing

Homes constructed in a factory are rapidly gaining in popularity, given the high prices of site-built homes. Add to that an undercurrent of interest in downsizing, simplifying, and building community, and you can begin to understand why the manufacturers of new homes are keeping busy.

With that said, here are three primary reasons to love manufactured housing.

Less Expensive

The price of a new manufactured home can change for many reasons. Geographic location, home features, floor plans and logistical details will alter the home price. However, the construction cost per square foot for a new manufactured home averages anywhere from 10 to 40 percent less than a comparable site-built home, excluding the cost of land.

Easy on the wallet? Yes, there’s a reason we started with cost as one of the primary reasons to love manufactured housing. Cost matters, especially in this market.

Quality Control

There are major benefits to building in a factory, and quality control is high up on the list for reasons to love manufactured housing.

Control over all aspects of the mobile home construction process
Weather will not interfere with construction and cause costly delays
Immediate and professional supervision of all technicians, craftsmen, and assemblers
Building materials and equipment are protected from theft and weather-related damage
Bulk purchasing of construction materials results in customer savings
Interim construction financing is significantly reduced or eliminated
Multiple inspectors are involved in the quality assurance process

Home Features

Modern manufactured homes today come with many features that you would find in a site-built home. Many floor plans are available, ranging from the basic models to more elaborate designs with living and dining rooms that offer …

vaulted ceilings
fully equipped modern kitchens
comfortable bedrooms with walk-in closets
bathrooms with free-standing and hot tub features
ample storage space
outdoor living attributes

Read our expert’s advice for Buying a Manufactured Home

Options Inside and Out

You also may select from a variety of exterior designs, including aluminum, vinyl, wood or hardboard mobile home siding. Additionally, design features may include a bay window, a gable front or a pitched roof with shingles. Awnings, enclosures around the crawl space, patio covers, steps, porches, and decks also are available.

Because many manufacturers use the latest in computer-assisted design, you have the flexibility of selecting variations to the floor plans and decor, including the color and thickness of the carpeting. These options can include everything from the type of exterior siding materials to energy-efficient kitchen appliances.

All the provided options, the confidence in construction and the appealingly low cost make factory-built homes a real draw for first-time homeowners and retirees, as well as consumers simply looking to find a great deal on a home.

Three Easy Steps to Make Your Tiny House a Home

Make Your Tiny House a Home in Three Easy Steps

Moving into any new home can be a daunting task. From the initial packing and moving to the unpacking and designing that goes into putting all of your old things into a new place, the whole process can be overwhelming. When you are moving from a more traditionally sized home to a tiny house, it may seem like the challenge should reduce with the square footage, but not always.

So how can you make your tiny house feel like home, and not just another floor model on a builder’s lot?

Check out these three easy steps to making your small house feel like the home you want to come back to each day.

Design to Reflect – Step One to Make Your Tiny House a Home

When you are in the beginning stages of your tiny house build, regardless of whether you hire a contractor or DIY your tiny, it is important to prioritize what is important to you. If you are an educator or have an affinity for books, you might consider using built-in shelving on an accent wall or even into your stairs in order to create a place to store what is important to you, as well as to use those pieces to decorate a place in your home. This is a great place to take it one step further and build in something like a small reading nook.

If you are someone who loves the outdoors or extreme sports, you might replace your ladder with rock climbing holds or use up-cycled skateboards for shelving. You may also want to use something like bikes or surfboard storage in your home by hanging them from your roof beams. This is a fantastic way to highlight what you love while using those items to store in practical ways in your tiny home, giving it that personal touch that you’ll love.

Bring in the Outdoors – Step Two to Make Your Tiny House a Home

The use of natural light cannot be underestimated in a tiny house. Being able to use large windows, fold-out porches and decks, and even creative placement of things like shutters that fold into a window-top bar can be excellent methods to make your tiny house feel open and inviting while creating even more space to enjoy, whether you are home alone or hosting guests.

A fun way some tiny house dwellers have found to bring the excitement of outdoor play in for families or the young-at-heart is by hanging things like hammocks for reading or even sleeping in a smaller loft space, adding upgrades like Plexiglas catwalks to connect lofts, or even using a netted hammock to create a “second floor” feeling. When you are working with a great custom builder, the opportunities to make your tiny house a home that reflects your personality are endless.

Save What You Love – Step Three to Make Your Tiny House a Home

When you are going through the process of purging your things to create the pile of what you deem to be must-haves from traditionally sized home to tiny house, you want to consider what you love. What things truly bring you joy? Letting go of sentimental items can be difficult at first, but the memories aren’t in the “stuff,” so be sure to think this through and only take with you the items that reflect who you are and what adventures you are excited to take in your new tiny house.

When living tiny, it is important to love every square inch of the home you’ve created for yourself. The size difference between the average American house, 2,600 square feet, and a tiny house, averaging under 200 square feet, can feel great. Be sure, when filling a space— no matter how small — with the things that make you feel loved and like your best self, you will truly enjoy spending time in the home you’ve created.

If you are ready to purge and start working toward tiny living, check out my eCourse “Timeline to Tiny” at https://themamaontherocks.teachable.com for practical steps to downsizing your house and upgrading your life!

Michigan Home Show Oct. 12-14 Features Manufactured Home Showcase

MMHA Home Showcase Provides Five Model Homes to Novi Home Show Offerings

The Michigan Manufactured Housing Association’s MMHA Home Showcase will be a featured attraction at the Novi Home Show Oct. 12-14.

The event is held in Novi, Mich., at the Suburban Collection Showplace, 46100 Grand River Ave., adjacent to the Hyatt Place.

Novi Home Show is open to the public. Tickets are available for Friday 2 to 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Adult admission is $10, $9 for seniors, and children age 12 and under get free admission.

MMHA Home Showcase Supported by Manufactured Housing Professionals

Come see the latest homes and home products from leading manufacturers. Representatives from Skyline Champion Corp., Clayton Homes, Sun Communities, Zeman Homes, MHVillage, M. Shapiro and AJR Communities and Homes will be available to answer questions.

Display home tours at the MMHA Home Showcase will be provided by manufacturer representatives. Added questions can be fielded by Darren Ing and Bill Sheffer of the Michigan Manufactured Housing Association, which represents manufactured housing professionals across Michigan, including community owners, manufacturers and service providers.

“MMHA is pleased to be able to provide this opportunity for the public to learn more about the style, quality and innovation that our homes represent,” Ing said. “Today’s manufactured homes are a great choice for superior dependability at an affordable price over site-built construction. With a wide variety of floorplans and amenities to choose from, manufactured homes can be custom tailored to suit everyone’s needs.”

Homes on Display at the MMHA Home Showcase

From Clayton Homes

Clayton Homes will show a single-section home, The American Farmstead.

It is a 1,165-square-foot home with three bedrooms, two baths, a kitchen with an island and farmhouse sink, beautiful cabinetry, master suite with walk-in closet as well as dual vanity and walk-in shower.

Clayton Homes also will show a multi-section home for The Heritage Collection that offers 1,404 square feet with three bedrooms, two baths, built-in entertainment center, open kitchen and island snack bar with ceramic backsplash. The large master suite includes a dual sink and vanity with freestanding shower.

From Champion Homes

Champion Homes also brings a pair of its latest models to the MMHA Home Showcase in Novi. The first of its multi-section homes is from Redman Advantage, and provides 1,560 square feet with three bedrooms and two baths. It boasts the new Ultimate Kitchen with island, subway tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances, with a large master suite and walk-in closet and freestanding tub.

Champion’s second multi-section model home at the MMHA Home Showcase is from its Fortune Gold Star II series, with 1,612 square feet, three beds and two baths, open dining to living area, kitchen island, stainless steel appliances, and a master suite with walk-in closet and dual vanity.

From Skyline Homes

Skyline Homes will show The Arlington, a 1,950-square-foot multi-section with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, a large kitchen with granite countertops, and stainless steel appliances.

Selling Your Manufactured Home? Sell it like a Pro!

Selling your manufactured home has quite the list of tasks that come along with it. However, a key component in closing that sale is managing the leads you receive for your home.

There are a lot of reasons the professionals in the manufactured home industry sell so many homes. But one of the big ones is following up with the interested home buyers in efficient and effective ways. If you are selling your manufactured home on your own, this article will help you get organized like a pro!

Give them all the info they need up front

Buyers want to know all the details they can about their next manufactured home. Whether you are advertising your home online or with printed flyers the following details should be included:

Photos! – At least five photos of the home should be included in your ad. A couple of the exterior and then three interior shots of the living space, kitchen and bedroom should do the trick! (Here is a great article on photos!)
Home Size and Bedroom/Bathroom Count – While this might sound obvious, it is often forgotten.
Price – Again, this might seem obvious, but there was a trend for a while in the sales world of not revealing the price and instead including text like “Contact Seller” in its place. Thankfully sellers have learned that it not an effective way to get a buyer to contact you. You risk your potential buyer moving to the next home that includes all the right detail. (Here are some tips on pricing your home)
Multiple Contact Options – Everyone communicates differently and in different mediums, so provide a phone number, an email address, and, hey, maybe even a Twitter handle.
Description – If you have some space available for a description of the home and the features, it can go a long way!

Manage the leads as they come

Most large companies will have a CRM or an internal system of sorts to manage their leads. However, you can handle the leads you gain with a well-laid-out spreadsheet. When setting up your spreadsheet for leads you will want to have the following details:

Date Buyer Contacted
Time of Day
Medium (Via Phone Call, Email, Walk-In)
How They Found The Home (Referral, Online Ad, Printed Flyer, Drive-By)
Any additional details they mentioned of importance

Once you have the above information in the spreadsheet, include columns for how and when you responded. This can help you manage your time better and keeps things in order especially if you have multiple buyers.

The art of following up

The first point of contact is not the only point of contact that counts. Following up with an interested buyer shows them that you value their time, and gives a great impression on how the rest of the home buying process would go with you.

However, you want to be sure you’re following up in the most effective way. By knowing how and when a customer contacted you, it allows you to reply in the same manner and time-frame. This helps to avoid playing phone tag or replying in a medium they don’t often use. So if an interested buyer calls you, don’t reply with only an email. You would start with a return call and then if they gave you their email send them a follow-up email after.

The follow-up email should include any and all details they would need about the home.

When communicating via email keep it personal yet professional. (Pro tip: including their name in your greeting is a warm way to welcome them to the conversation).You will want to reference the home and details, and also sign your email with your full name and contact information and days/times that you are available to talk or meet.

Additionally, if you have more photos or a copy of your advertisement available in email form, attaching that is a great idea.

Be Ready

Once you have followed up with your potential buyer via phone and/or email (a paper trail is useful!). Make sure you have all of you are in order. This means having the home ready to be viewed, your schedule set to accommodate the next phase of the sale and all of the paperwork needed.

So while you may be selling your manufactured home on your own, hopefully, these tips will help you streamline the process!

Want more details? Check out our brand new guide featuring the latest tips for how to sell a manufactured home.