Ten Beautiful 55+ Waterfront Retirement Communities in Florida

By Dan Boyle, Florida realtor and guest writer for the MHVillager blog

You’ve spent most of your life working to provide for your family. From finishing school yourself, to providing your kids a decent education, you’ve worked hard day and night to be able to provide a good life for yourself. Now that you’re entering the golden years of your life, it is high time that you retire someplace where you’d feel relaxed and at home every day: near the waterfront.

There are millions of Americans that dream of retiring to a quaint, cozy community near the beach or somewhere near the water. Enjoying the fresh sea breeze and the bouncing waves, taking a quiet, relaxing walk by the shore or go fishing by the lake, that’s one picture that always comes to mind when you think of retiring near the waterfront.

Florida Waterfront Communities are among the best places to retire. There are many reasons why. Firstly, taxes. Taxes are lower in Florida primarily for retirees considering that they do not need to pay for city or state taxes. Cost of living is also lower compared to other progressive states. Another good reason is the warm, tropic-like weather and the abundance of beaches and bodies of water. It feels like you are on vacation all the time!

Mobile homes are now one of the great options for retirees to fulfill their dream of a waterfront retirement place without spending a ton of money. Many retirees on a fixed budget find it quite tricky to get a retirement home especially one near the waterfront. There are lots of beautiful mobile home communities near the waterfront in Florida that will suit your needs and fulfill your dreams and help you stay within your budget. Here are a few:

Plantation Oaks

Plantation Oaks is a gated, active, 55+ community that provides a secure, secluded, tranquil environment located in Flagler Beach. This was previously a vast area of indigo, cotton, and sugar cane plantation in the 1800s that has now been turned into an impressive retirement community.

Various amenities are available in this community such as a banquet hall, entertainment rooms for card playing, exercise, billiards, library, and others. There’s also an outdoor barbecue for outdoor celebrations or simply just hanging out and having a nice, fun barbecue with your friends. There’s also an oversized heated swimming pool for you to enjoy.

Plantation Oaks is also a short distance away from Bulow Creek where you can enjoy some outdoor activities like hiking, canoeing, and going on picnics. Beaches such as the beautiful Ormond Beach and Flagler beach and just a short drive away from the community.

Surfside Estates

Surfside Estates is an active 55+ community located in Oceanview Boulevard in Beverly Beach across the street from the Atlantic Ocean. The beach is just a short walk where you can go swimming and take walks along the shore. They also have a beautiful waterfront park along the Matanzas River where you can relax in the gazebo and have a barbecue with your neighbors and friends.

They have a very low monthly association fee of $125 which gives you access to a lot of useful benefits such as free cable TV, bi-weekly garbage pickup, home lawn care, and swimming pool maintenance. Surfside Estates is home to full-time and part-year residents and renters living in more than 240 manufactured/mobile homes. Residents in Surfside have an option to purchase a “share” which makes them a shareholder in the corporation and allows them a lot location thereby eliminating the need to pay for a monthly lot rent.

Camelot Lakes

Camelot Lakes is a gated community in Sarasota that provides you the ultimate Florida lifestyle experience. With beaches just a few miles away as well as natural and historical attractions, you’ll surely have a great time getting in touch with nature in this community. This 55+ gated community offers security and fun recreational amenities such as heated pools, library, arts and crafts, pool tables, pickleball courts and so much more!

Bahia Vista Estates

Bahia Vista Estates is another beautiful retired living community located on the west coast of Florida. There are plenty of fun activities to do in Bahia Vista Estates. There are sports facilities such as basketball courts and heated pools, and their social calendar is always full of fun events like bingo night! Bahia Vista is also a pet-friendly community, allowing up to two pets per home. There are also wellness activities such as yoga allowing to be at your prime health while here in Bahia Vista Estates.

Villa Del Sol

Villa del Sol is a 55+ manufactured home community that is perfect for you if you love sightseeing and exploring! This beautiful community is close to theme park attractions like Universal Studios, MGM, Sea World and Disney World! Medical facilities are also within proximity to the community as well as the beach, meeting your health and wellness’ needs. Like most top-notch retirement communities, Villa Del Sol has plenty of recreational amenities to keep you active and social!

Pescara Lake

If impressive lake views are what you are looking for, then Pescara Lake should be on your list. Pescara Lake is in central Bradenton, southwest of Florida. This active community boasts a four-star rating, and you can see clearly why. It is located within a short distance from a few of the most beautiful beaches in Florida and probably the entire United States! They have a low monthly site fee, and they are also a pet-friendly community. This community promotes an active lifestyle as they provide amenities like heated pools, shuffleboard courts, and water aerobics. They even have a 5-acre lake stocked with fish for those fishing enthusiasts!

Swan Lake Village

Swan Lake Village is another 55+ active community in Bradenton that offers a quaint and relaxing environment for active retirees. They have beautiful lake views and large lot sizes giving you more space for your dream retirement home. It is well-lit and equipped with security cameras for your protection. They have a huge selection of previously owned and factory-built homes that will fit any budget. As the name implies, they have a huge lake with swans and other wildlife. They offer lots of excellent amenities for your entertainment and active lifestyle.

Jamaica Bay

Jamaica Bay is located in the beautiful Fort Myers which boasts a fantastic location and tons of amenities. The monthly maintenance fee is low, but the inclusions are plenty. This community promotes an active way of life as they are equipped with pools, tennis courts, a modern fitness center and lots more. They have a variety of home designs that will surely suit your taste. They have three clubhouses, tons of indoor and outdoor sports activities as well as social activities that living in Jamaica Bay feels like you’re on vacation all the time!

Rolling Greens

Rolling Greens in Ocala, FL is a modern active 55+ mobile home community that boasts lush, vibrant scenic views with modern facilities. One thing that’s great about Rolling Greens is that they care for the environment with their Community Center being environment-friendly with their LED lighting and their Low-E windows. The AC system is also energy efficient as well as their geothermal pool. Lots of enjoyable activities can be experienced in this dynamic community such as Pancake Day, card game nights, golf, arts and crafts, wood shop, water aerobics and so much more. It is also close to the Silver River where you can enjoy glass bottom boat rides. Take a sneak peek at their website and witness all the enjoyable benefits that you can experience.

Lakeshore Landings

Lakeshore Landings is one of the most peaceful 55+ communities there is in Orlando. It is located near Lake Catherine where you can enjoy boating and fishing or just hanging out by the lake and having a barbecue. It is complete with amenities such as heated pools, a gym, saunas and a clubhouse for social events. The community also offers a lush, vibrant environment that is perfect for nature lovers. If you love being near the waterfront and enjoying an active lifestyle, then Lakeshore Landings is your home.

MHVillager Contributing Writer Dan Boyle is a real estate agent in Marco Island Florida, specializing in waterfront and beachfront property. He is the team leader of The Boyle Team and has authored several in-depth guides to buying Florida real estate and second homes.

First Time Renting Out A Mobile Home? Start Here!

Rent out a mobile home neighborhood — Photo courtesy of UMH Properties.

Renting out your home for the first time can be ridden with obstacles

Renting out a mobile home doesn’t have to be as overwhelming as it may seem. Yes, there is a lot to consider, but if you go about renting your place in an organized fashion, it may be well worth the effort. This is especially true if you’re looking to rent out your mobile home for a profit.

First-Time Landlord Checklist

Here’s a very helpful first-time landlord checklist to help make the process go as smooth as you can imagine.

Whether you’re upgrading but want to make money on your mobile home or if you’re moving out of town for work, there are a few basic “rent out your home” steps to follow.

Special Note: If you live in a community, be certain to check the community rules and regulations before subleasing your manufactured home. Some communities disallow any renting of homes, and others will abide but under certain circumstances.

However, if you own the home and the land it sits on, the opportunity to rent out your mobile home is fairly wide open.

With that, let’s get started!

Clean it Up, Clear it Out

As obvious as it may sound, cleaning the interior and exterior is the first step. To ensure a deep clean, a professional cleaning service can really help. A clean start is a great start!

Now that everything from carpet to ceiling has been sterilized, it’s time for the exterior of your mobile home. A power washer for the windows and sliding doors, as well as some quick gardening, will easily freshen up the exterior. When everything has been cleaned, a fresh coat of paint on the interior and exterior will brighten the place up big time. Check out how to choose interior and exterior colors for your mobile home.

At this point, the “clean it up” part is done, and it’s time for the “clear it out”. Whether it’s your own home that you are now renting or a home you have purchased to put on the mobile home rental market, you want to be certain the decor and layout are welcoming. (Pro Tip: Here’s a great article on staging your mobile home to sell that goes into the importance of letting your renter see themselves in the space)

If you are offering your rental fully furnished, be sure to have the right size and the right amount of furniture. Additionally, ensure the rooms are laid out to allow the new renter some wiggle room in rearranging the space to their liking. The same rule should be followed when it comes to wall decor. A few simple pieces here and there is fine, but you don’t want to have too much of your decor in their new space.

Advertise Your Mobile Home for Rent

MHVillage is the Place to Be for Mobile Home Rental

There are plenty of advertisement options to rent a home, but when it comes to renting out your mobile home, there’s no place better than MHVillage.

MHVillage is the top marketplace to buy, sell or rent a mobile home or manufactured home. The site offers a one-time fee to list a home for sale or rent and then the home can remain listed until there’s a renter/buyer or until the owner decides to remove the home from listings. The listings MHVillage offers come with photos, a space for a description and a rundown of home features.

A homeowner is able to edit/update listing and ads at any time from an account dashboard. In addition to offering listings, MHVillage provides amazing search tools for home renters. This makes the home search easier for your prospective renter. Home renters on MHVillage can create alerts for rentals that meet their needs, they can shop with filtered options and they are given the tools to contact you directly via your ad at any time. And don’t worry, all contact information is encrypted so prospects can make contact in a way that is safe and manageable for everyone.

Take a look at MHVillage’s overview of for sale by owner listing packages for homeowners looking to see real results affordably.

Where Else May I List My Mobile Home for Rent?

And, yes, there are other options when it comes to publicizing the availability of your house. Local newspapers, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and other options can tie into an MHVillage account listing a mobile home for rent.

However, be ready to answer quite a few questions if advertising your mobile home for rent on more general platforms. If you’re advertising in someplace other than MHVillage, the traffic likely will be interest in general home searches. This will require a bit of extra management because renting out a manufactured home isn’t the same as renting out an apartment, condo or site-built home.

Price Your Rental

Do some market research on similar mobile or manufactured homes, including how they are priced for rent. This is the best place to start considering what the right rental price for your mobile home might be.

You’ll also want to be sure to factor in any mobile home park lot rent that might be due monthly and explain that detail clearly in your rental agreement.

What follows is a helpful approach to mobile home pricing from Amanda Dixon of Smart Asset.

“The amount of rent you charge your tenants should be a percentage of how much the mobile home is worth (the home’s market value). Typically, the rents that landlords charge fall between 0.8 percent and 1.1 percent of the home’s value. For example, for a home valued at $250,000, a landlord could charge between $2,000 and $2,750 each month,” Dixon said.

Research A Great Tenant for Renting Out a Mobile Home

So, now that the home is priced and set to be seen, get ready for reviewing and considering your potential takers. There are many options available online for a mobile home landlord to conduct background and credit checks. This is where an application for the renter to fill out ahead of time comes in handy. Similar to a job application, this form should provide interested renters with space to share:

Information for a Rental Application

Current contact information
Place of employment
Income
Renting history (have they rented/when and how long?)
Number of residents in the home
References (previous landlords, personal references, job references)

Also, there are some good sample rental applications floating around out there. Here is a website we found that provides some great rental, lease, and land agreement templates that can be used at least as a starting point for the paperwork on renting out a mobile home.

As those applications come in, create an A-B-C or 1-2-3 list of preferred prospects to help pare down the field. Again, much like a job application, start with what looks on paper to be the best candidates and begin making calls and checking references.

Avoid the urge to immediately turn down what may appear to be less desirable prospects. You never can be certain how many of the preferred group you may need to go through. Likewise, you never know which of the prospects might climb up the list either.

Get It All On Paper!

It is essential to ensure ALL of your bases are covered when creating the rental paperwork. It’s vital to protect your rental relationship from any miscommunication at the very beginning. Here’s another great list that covers which type of information should be in the mobile home lease, if not the application itself:

Details to Consider for Renting Out a Mobile Home

Lease term: A month-to-month lease offers more flexibility if you are selling. An annual lease provides more stability if you are holding on to the property.
Security deposit, usually one month’s rent or more
Rental due date and late penalties
Repairs and who’s responsible for what
Routine upkeep and maintenance responsibilities, such as lawn care
List of tenants
Rules of behavior, including noise levels, neighborly conduct and smoking
Pet policies and related deposits
Who pays homeowner association dues
Association rules that the tenant must follow
Arrangements for showings, if you plan to put your home on the market while it’s being rented
Eviction terms, such as not paying the rent or damaging the property

Clearly, there are free resources for a first-timer renting out a mobile home. However, it can’t hurt to consider working with a local professional to be certain everything is covered. Additionally, a professional will be able to help with any specific rules or regulations in your area for rental agreements that might have escaped your attention.

Management Options for Renting Out a Mobile Home

Depending on how many properties you have, the workload can be entirely manageable or too overwhelming. So, you also have the option to work with a rental management company that offers a variety of helpful services. At the very least, a property management professional can conduct a mobile home walkthrough to provide tips on next steps.

Standard practice has it that a home or property owner looking for help can anticipate paying a management firm about 10% of the monthly rental value of the property.

Contact Us Anytime!

If you are renting out a mobile home for the first time, this post should provide a solid foundation to get started. If you have any questions about MHVillage services, please contact the MHVillage customer experience team. The team is there to help!

Rainbow Connection — Pick The Perfect Interior Paint Colors!

If you are getting your home ready to sell/rent, or you just moved in and want to freshen up the space, the colors you choose can affect more than what meets the eye.

For years, studies have proven that color choice can dramatically impact your day-to-day practices. Not only can they trigger memories or emotional connections, they also set the tone in a space.

It’s important to keep this in mind as you choose interior paint colors for your mobile home. Here are some examples of different colors and their emotional connection:

Red

The color of passion, love and anger. Red is all of it! Red is a very high-energy color choice for a room. This is a solid selection if you want to be sure that the room is active and energized. It can be known to raise blood pressure, though, which is why you might want to reserve red for a living room or kitchen. These are the places you might have guests and social activities as apposed to a bedroom or a bathroom where you might want to keep the mood more relaxed.

Orange

Like red, this color often is responsible for giving energy! It is a bright and alive color that is a great choice for a room where you want to keep energy flowing. Maybe an artistic space, a workout room or even using it as an accent in the garden or kitchen might sprinkle in some energy where it’s needed. However, orange is another of the interior paint colors you might want to avoid putting in a space where you want a calm mood.

Yellow

When you think of yellow, often you times you think of sunshine, flowers and the spring season. This is not an accident! This color tends to represent happiness and positivity with it’s bright tone and clean energy. Yellow is a great options for pretty much any room in the house, depending on the hue you choose. A softer more muted yellow can be a lovely choice for a guest room, or the kitchen, while a brighter or even a golden tone yellow paired with the right accessories can go very well in a dining or living room. Yellow also is a great option for a hallway or a smaller space since it can brighten up an area and provide the illusion of added physical space.

Green

Green always is a winner since it has such a broad spectrum of hues from which to choose. It is a color that easily complements or provides stellar contrast to other colors in the wheel, or even multiple green tones in the same space. Green gives a wonderful feeling of togetherness and often is felt as a refreshing vibe. It is another color that is great for any space in which you want to feel rejuvenated or calmed. (Fun fact: some also say it helps with fertility).

Blue

Here we have the the epitome of calm when it comes to the color wheel. blue is known to lower the blood pressure and create a serene and mellow space, which is why you often see blue in hospitals and doctor’s offices. Similar to green in feel, there are a spectrum of blue tones to choose, and you can find one that goes well with any palette. If you want a warm and cozy feeling, a navy or darker blue is a great base. Or, if you are going for more of an open or serene energy try a sky blue with white accents.

Blue is also an excellent option for a bathroom since most complexions are complimented well with blue tones.

Purple

Purple is the color of royalty and regal energy. It will instantly give a sophisticated and lush feel to a room, particularly when you stay in the spectrum of darker purples. A lighter purple still can provide an air of sophistication, but it tends to dip more into the blue world of calmness depending on the shade. Purple is a great option for a master bedroom fit for a royalty, and adds a nice formal touch to a dining room.

Neutral Tones

Neutral tones always are a safe option if you are looking to sell or rent a home. Going with a “colorless” wall, for instance, provides a blank canvas appeal that allows a new owner or resident to envision themselves in a space.

While it might sound like just painting everything white is a good idea, this is not always the case. White can be a very revealing color as well. White also is quite difficult to keep clean. Try going with calming light gray tones that will pull in a few of the blue emotional connections, or off-white shades for space you want to feel calm and welcoming. Then you can play with contract and color in the accessories. We have a great article on staging your home here!

Hopefully this article works as a helpful guide for you as you navigate the journey of interior paint colors for your home!

Oaks of Rockford Develops ‘a real community feel’ for West Michigan Retirees

Quality Site Development and Home Selection Sets Oaks of Rockford On Road to Success

Developers of a premier Michigan active adult living community have made a statement in West Michigan. Oaks of Rockford is a new community built in a rural setting and with the amenities and perks many 55+ homebuyers seek in today’s market.

Near Rockford, Mich., in the Grand Rapids area, Oaks of Rockford has experienced swift sales. It sold out during the initial phases of development. Therefore, it recently opened 49 new home sites for potential residents, and plans continued expansion.

“There is a real community feel here, and that starts with the residents,” said Becka Kruer, general manager for Oaks of Rockford. “We feel very fortunate with the growth we’ve experienced, and the strong interest from potential residents who really understand what we’re doing and the value of this unique setting.”

Oaks of Rockford Quick Facts
11640 Townsquare Boulevard
Rockford, MI

55+ Community
131 Home Sites
Built in 2014
Home Prices: $124,000-153,000
Monthly Lot Rent: $425

What You Find at Oaks of Rockford

Established in 2014, Oaks of Rockford features Skyline and Adventure multi-section homes from 1,404 to 1,508 square feet. The homes each have a covered porch. And, each home has a variety of design and upgraded options. The ranch-style homes feature a three-bedroom, two bathroom floor plan with an attached garage and covered porch.

This pet-friendly community includes a 5,500 square foot clubhouse with full kitchen, party room, lounge and fitness facility. Additionally, Oaks of Rockford also boasts on-site management and yard maintenance as well as planned activities and events.

A barn and silo from the original property sits on the street-facing the southwest corner of the property. The old farm structures create a community landmark, and add a bit of charm.

“By offering a variety of home models and customization options, our homes are as unique as the individual buyer’s personality. Meanwhile, our diverse array of on-site amenities and activities ensure a fit and active adult lifestyle,” said Brian Fannon, developing partner for the Oaks of Rockford.

The community features fully decorated tour models for each of its available home styles. These include the Pine, Spruce, Aspen, Birch and Willow. Prospective homebuyers and residents can use a professional design center to create the home of their dreams. The design center will help customize tile, carpet, flooring and countertops, among other features.

In addition to these customization options, each new home has a free flowing open floor plan, nine-foot and decorative trey ceilings, as well as crown molding, and modern stainless steel Whirlpool appliances.

SmartMH Prepares Prospective Manufactured Home Buyers

Growing Nonprofit Next Step Network Provides Comprehensive Assistance with SmartMH Program

In a mobile home tucked in the mountains of Appalachia, Phyllis raised five children. By the time Stacey Epperson met her in the mid-2000s, Phyllis’ home had fallen into disrepair. The roof leaked, the toilet was falling through the floor and the septic system no longer worked.

Worst of all, $500 of her $650 monthly income went to utilities.

At the time, Epperson was working with a nonprofit that built homes for residents of Eastern Kentucky. Closing on Phyllis’ new home loan was what initially showed her the real cost of old homes. In 1976, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development established safety standards all manufacturing plants must follow. But more than 40 years later, two million homes built prior to this “HUD code” remain in use.

These older homes not only age poorly, but energy expenses often cost residents, like Phyllis, in excess of 50 percent of their income. The cost forces them into persistent poverty. To address the problem, Epperson began Next Step in 2010. It is a nonprofit with the goal of putting all families on a firm foundation.

What SmartMH Does for Homeowners

A few years ago, Next Step introduced SmartMH, a program that seeks to level the playing field for prospective manufactured homebuyers. The program enables people from diverse economic backgrounds to buy their own homes, giving them independence. It also shows clients that manufactured homeownership can be simultaneously affordable and something to take pride in.

After switching to an energy-efficient home, in Phyllis’ case, the utility bill decreased by 75 percent. Later that month, worried at how little energy she’d been using, the utility company sent someone to check on her.

When Epperson began seeking a high-quality, energy-efficient solution for low-income families in Eastern Kentucky, she realized just how urgent the matter was and continues to be.

Consequently, her desire remains to deliver homes to clients faster, but for less money.

So, Epperson sees manufactured homes – the predominant source of unsubsidized affordable housing in the U.S. – as the simplest way to provide for people in need.

And its the lack of subsidy is largely what draws her to these manufactured housing options.

“They’re inherently affordable,” Epperson said of manufactured homes. However, she acknowledges the home also must be energy efficient if the organization is going to help keep money in their clients’ pockets.

Grant Beck, marketing and communications manager for Next Step Partners, describes manufactured housing options as a solution to the affordability crisis. But, he adds, it’s been an “uphill battle to break stigma”.

Expansion of SmartMH

So, SmartMH has run as a pilot in Kentucky, but Epperson hopes to expand it to as many as four other states within a year.

With their national partners — eHome America and Freddie Mac — SmartMH provides education for those who seek affordable housing but don’t know how to choose the best home for them. The program relies on retail partners to recommend clients who can’t purchase a home for reasons ranging from lack of credit history, down payment cash or collateral.

“Our goal is to take those folks and pair them with a certified housing counseling organization,” Beck explained. Counselors walk clients through an eHome America homebuyer education program, helping them find resources and build a credit score.

Beck explained, this isn’t “quick-fix credit repair or an overnight process,” but one that requires a committed investment that could take up to six months.

Although prospective homebuyers aren’t required to purchase ENERGY STAR® homes, SmartMH advocates for their long-term, money-saving potential.

SmartMH recently graduated its first student. Nearly 60 remain enrolled in the program. By the end of next year, Epperson hopes to have prepared 275 prospective homebuyers to purchase a manufactured home.

“We give these homebuyers a chance to participate in the American Dream,” Beck said.

The Industry Gets Involved

Next Step and SmartMH rely on a collaborative relationship with the manufactured housing industry, from retailers to manufacturers to national nonprofits.

To fund its programs, they rely on private and public grant funding, as well as corporate donations, individual giving, membership dues and consulting fees.

Now, Next Step shares its model and knowledge with nonprofits across the country. They connect many nonprofits with retail partners and train them to order and create affordable housing options.

For now, SmartMH is a model program. It serves as an intermediary between the nonprofit affordable housing sector and the manufactured housing industry. As SmartMH takes off, Epperson works to get involvement from more retailers, loan partners and counselors.

Also, she’s thinking about financing. What type of loan products the current market needs? What tools prospective homebuyers need to build credit?

Further on, Epperson hopes the program will become a national effort.

“We want to expand the MH marketplace, provide more capital, greater availability of loans and get more lenders interested,” Epperson said. “We sit in the middle and work with both,” Epperson said.

How To Have A Successful Open House

It’s Open House Season!

When getting ready to sell your mobile home you want to be sure to schedule at least one or two open houses. This article will walk you through with a few simple tips on how you can have a successful open house!

Whether this is your first time, or maybe you just need some fresh ideas, there always are tricks available on how to be certain your home is ready for potential buyers or renters.

Schedule in Advance & Set Goals

The very first thing you want to do is be sure you schedule your open houses way ahead of time. This gives you enough time to have the home ready. Start by adding the open house to your calendar and also set mini-goals before the event. By spacing out any home additions or improvements with plenty time in advance you avoid feeling overwhelmed and set yourself up for a stress-free event.

Lists Lists Lists

Now that you have the date on the calendar and you have added any home improvements needed, start a list of the smaller to-do stuff too. Everything from exterior to interior decor, to repairing a squeaky cupboard or adding some additional flower beds. Don’t forget about the cleaning list too!

If you live in the space daily, then basic cleaning is an obvious. However, there are some deep-cleaning tasks that can take some planning. Maybe renting a carpet cleaner to freshen up the space a few days before the open house, or if it’s been while since the exterior of the home has had a good power-washing, add extra time for tasks that require rental equipment or more physical exertion. These tasks need planning and should be added to the list and set throughout as mini-goals. I say “mini-goals” because, of course, selling the home is the primary goal.

Advertise The Open House

As Spring approaches it’s important to be sure and get the word out on your open house as early and often as possible. This is an area of advertisement that professionals are all over. So, to be sure your home can compete you might want to use a few professional tactics.

Local print and social media are great options for reaching a specific audience. However, just like everything these days, online advertisements are consistently the most effective.

There always is the free option on Craigslist or other local options, but if your home is on MHVillage we have a pretty simple and effective way of advertising an open house.

The MHVillage Open House product gives your home a big bold banner across the top and it will place your home at the very top of the search result page in your area for up to a week before the open house. You get all of this for a one-time fee.

To apply this option, all you have to do is log into your account, select the “View/Change Listing” option and then to the right of the home you will see an “Add Open House” option. That page will have all of the details you need.

Prepare the Space

Not only do you want to be sure that repairs and cleanliness are taken care of, the space itself might need a little love. Staging a home is a specific industry term. The idea is to arrange furniture and decor in a way that best sells the home. Here is a great article we have about how to approach staging your home to sell.

The Little Things

Once you reach the day of the Open House it can sometimes be the little things that make a difference. We all know the age old trick of realtors baking cookies, right? Well, this trick not only offers a great aroma it also provides snacks.

On that note, it is not a bad idea to spend a little bit of money on a few professionally done meat and cheese or vegetable platters too, since typically when home shoppers are attending open houses they are going to multiple houses a day, so a little nibble can be a thoughtful addition. Also, bottled water can go a LONG way.

Controlling as many of the elements in the home as you can is key. You want your guests to have a pleasant memory associated with the home. Here is a quick cheat sheet of ideas:

Look:

Clean surfaces, organized items, and inviting lighting (not too bright!) Also check out the above mentioned article on staging the home!

Smell:

The cookies trick is a solid one. You can also try a few mild candles as a nice alternative too. Avoid air-freshners or strongly scented candles though, since they can be abrasive and sometimes give off the opposite impression.

Feel:

Be sure the temperature of the home is cozy but not too warm. Depending on where you are located your guests might have coats or jackets. So either set the temperature to keep them comfortable in coats or be prepared with a designated coat rack.

Listen:

Music is a nice way to eliminate too much awkward silence between questions. By creating a simple playlist online you can set a nice tone for the experience. When making your selections, be sure your selection is not too specific, since everyone has their own taste. So choose songs that are upbeat, but also accessible by all. Swing/standards are pretty harmless and tend to have an easy optimistic feel to them. Or you can avoid songs with lyrics all together and do a bit of research on instrumental pieces.

Whatever your playlist includes just be sure it isn’t too loud, it’s really there as a soft buffer and shouldn’t require any change in speaking volume.

Hopefully this article gave you a guidebook on how to successfully plan your next open house! If you have any questions about how MHVillage can help with advertising your open house please contact us!

Tiny House Jamboree Finds New Home in Austin

Tiny House Jamboree Launches First Trade Event, Expands Consumer Experience

Reed Exhibitions, the world’s leading event organizer, will hold the Tiny House & Simple Living Jamboree in Austin, Texas, Aug. 23-26.

Another exciting change is the first-of-its-kind, two-day trade event for tiny house industry professionals. The new Tiny House Jamboree format will be complete with robust education opportunities and the largest-ever collection of commercially built living structures.

The 2018 Tiny House & Simple Living Jamboree will be held at the Travis County Exposition Center with the weekend dates to conclude the show being open to the public.

The event, acquired by Reed Exhibitions in June 2017, was held as a consumer-only event at the Arlington County Convention Center in Arlington, Texas last October.

More than 70 tiny living structures and 50 product and service exhibitors were on hand. There also was a stellar lineup of the industry luminaries to educate and entertain. The highlight of the 2017 Jamboree was the partnership with Operation Tiny Home, which included the building of a tiny house that was donated to a Dallas area veterans outreach organization.

What to Expect at the Tiny House Jamboree in Austin

At the 2018 edition, The Tiny House & Simple Living Jamboree will introduce the first industry-specific trade event. With increasing acceptance at the state and local government levels, and steady growth in tiny community developments, there is a need for increased education and a central networking event. The Jamboree also will touch on key issues facing today’s housing market, such as affordability and attainability.

The Tiny House & Simple Living Jamboree will feature an indoor/outdoor show floor with a variety of small living structures all less than 800 square feet. Builders will showcase tiny houses on wheels, park models, yurts, modular and manufactured homes. The indoor show floor will highlight all related products and services including construction materials, furniture and appliances.

“The timing is right for the expansion of the Jamboree to not only educate our consumers but also to provide more education, insights and relationship building for the professionals in the industry,” said Tiny House & Simple Living Jamboree Event Director Jon Fontane. “As tiny living continues to grow, it is critical for the different components of the industry to come together – builders, product suppliers, real estate developers and regulators.

“In addition, Austin, Texas is one of the most progressive markets for tiny living and a city that has needs for more attainable and affordable housing,” he said. “Two new large-scale residential developments are under way and it’s clear there are more to come as the city grows.”

Tickets for the consumer weekend of the Tiny House & Simple Living Jamboree will go on sale in March. Interested professionals interested in attending can contact Jon Fontane at jfontane@reedexpo.com.

About Reed Exhibitions:

Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events organizer, with over 500 events in 43 countries. In 2016 Reed brought together over seven million active event participants from around the world generating billions of dollars. Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa. We serve 43 industry sectors with trade and consumer events and are part of RELX Group, a world-leading provider of professional information solutions.

Mobile Home Floor Plans – How to Read and Understand Them

Learning the Mobile Home Floor Plan

If you are looking to buy a new manufactured home, it’s important that you know how to read and make sense of manufactured and mobile home floor plans. While some mobile home dealers will likely have homes onsite that you can walk through, they also are likely to have a number of home models that you can purchase or customize. Being familiar with the floorplan will make it easier for you to understand the home’s layout when walk-throughs aren’t an option.

Floor plans tell you about a home. Of course, it will show the size of the home. But a good floor plan also will tell you the size of the rooms, the way the doors open for those rooms, even where the appliances are in the kitchen and bathroom. Get to know these features, they will ensure that you choose the best make and model for your manufactured home.

Example of a Double-Wide Mobile Home Floor Plan:

To start, a floor plan is drawn from a bird’s eye view. Meaning it’s drawn from above – as if the roof was removed and you were looking down on it. Here you can identify the main rooms pretty easily. Take a look at the photo below showcasing a multi-section manufactured home.

To start with, all the walls are solid lines. (On some floor plans, they are filled in with a pattern.) The breaks in these lines indicate doors, windows and openings between rooms.

Can you find the front door? It’s in the living room. Imagine walking into this home. You can see which areas of the floor are carpeted (in brown), and the areas that are tiled (the grid pattern). This home has what’s considered to be an “open floor plan” – notice that there is not a wall between the living area and the kitchen.

In addition, notice that this mobile home has a second door to the outside through the Utility room. Notice the ways the doors are drawn. On the front door, the door swings into the living area. On the back door, it swings outside. Of course, that is fairly common. The reason it matters is that now you can see which way all the doors swing – and that can make a difference in where you plan on putting your furniture.

Windows

As you can see, the windows on this floor plan are white with double lines. Additionally, notice the notes around the edges of the floor plan – this home has optional windows. So, in this model home, you can add an extra window in bedroom #3, one in the master bedroom, and you can choose to have a large three-panel window in the living area.

Occasionally windows will have slightly different symbols. These could indicate bay windows or casement style windows.

Sinks and Tubs

One of the other things you can see in a floor plan is the location of the toilet, sinks, bathtubs. In this little floor plan example from Adventure Homes you can see the location of a large garden tub, a shower, double sinks and a toilet.

Likewise, in the kitchen, you can see the placement of the stove, sink and refrigerator. Here’s something to note: you can see in the floor plan above that the home comes with a stove, but the washer and dryer are optional. Again, this is standard, but good to know when you shopping for homes.

Also, the floor plan will include built-in cabinets. It is in the floor plan above in light gray.

Do an Imaginary Walk Through of the Floor Plan

In conclusion, if you are shopping for new mobile homes make sure to look at as many floor plans as you can. Walk through them with your mind, and go from room to room. It will help you pick the right home for you.

Need Help Finding Your Dream Home?

MHVillage provides an extensive, nationwide network of mobile home dealers and retailers to help you find new homes that meet your desired criteria. For those seeking guidance throughout their home search and buying process, dealers can be a valuable asset.

Reader Questions About Doors, Closets and Laundry Rooms

We appreciate all of our reader comments! In my last post, New Homes on Display at the 2018 Louisville Show, reader Elizabeth commented:

“When are manufacturing companies going to start building pocket doors in smaller units, building organized closets to save space as well as more storage in the washer and dryer areas?”

I thought that was a great question! In fact, I saw built-in closet organization, storage areas in the washer/dryer area, and while I don’t remember any pocket doors, I did see quite a few sliding “barn style” interior doors. (There may have been pocket doors, but honestly, there were so many homes on display, I don’t remember).

I promised Elizabeth I would post some photos of what I saw.

So, for any reader who might wonder the same thing, here you go:

Sliding barn doors were a huge hit at the Louisville Show. According to Sebring, sliding barn doors have a number of advantages. One is space, which might be why our reader was interested, for smaller homes.

According to Sebring:

Barn doors come with both functional and aesthetic benefits. Functionally, they are big space savers. The traditional swinging door typically needs 9 feet or more of space to function properly. While this may not be an issue for large houses, more space-starved homes will find it more than a little problematic. They need all the space they can get for furniture, appliances and movement. Nine feet is a lot of space to leave to the door.

In a small space where every single inch counts, barn doors come in handy. A well installed barn door offers great space economy for whatever room you use it in. Of course, you need to have enough adjacent wall space for the barn door to slide over when it is opened. But this is often preferable to similarly space-saving pocket doors that require much more work to install or remove.

So, let’s take a look at how these new home manufacturers are using these. Here is the Northwestern 3290 by Champion Home Builders. It had the sliding barn style door in the bedroom. And what a wonderful mid-room shower!

While not the kind of door our reader was looking for, I thought Sunshine Homes made a great use of space in this living room by tucking the entertainment center, and additional storage, behind a sliding door:

I love the idea of being able to close off the television area when it is unneeded.

Adventure Homes did something similar in one of their homes in the Mojave series:

Again, you get to close off the television unit, and some storage, with a simple set of doors. That would be great for entertaining!

Clayton Homes used the same sliding door idea but moved it to separate the dining area from a living area in this home in the Heritage Series.

If you are interested in learning more about any of these home plans, our reader, all of the company names are links directly to their websites.

Let’s talk closets.

Closets are really hard to photograph. Sadly, I only have examples from one, but what a one it was! Check this one out from “The White House” by Fleetwood.

The closet had his and her built-ins, plus areas for accessories. And while I don’t have any more photos of them, I did see a number of walk-in closets with organizational built-ins. They’ve come a long way from just a single closet rod.

Laundry Areas that Add More

The Summit 2868 by Redman had a really great laundry area. It’s important to maximize storage space in mobile homes – they did a fine job with a stackable washer and dryer, added built-in cabinets, a drying rack, and a laundry sink.

While I don’t have any other photo examples, I also saw homes with craft areas in the laundry areas. There were pet washing stations, built-in mudrooms and quite a few with different cabinet options. Manufactured Homes have so much to offer!

New Homes on Display at the 2018 Louisville Show

Last month MHVillage was an exhibitor at the 2018 Louisville Manufactured Housing Show. The show is held at the Kentucky Expo Center. If you haven’t been to the Expo Center, it is a huge place. And the reason the show is there is that it can hold all the new homes that are brought in for the show. That’s right, this is an indoor show, with new homes from many manufacturers all under one roof!

Louisville trade show — The entrance to the Louisville Show with new home models on display.

This is an industry trade show, not open to the public, but we can give you a tiny peek behind the scene. So take a walk with me down the green carpet, won’t you?

These photos do not do justice to the size of the Expo Center. But as you can see, the manufacturers bring in a neighborhood of new homes!

Even inside, people like to relax on the porch

Not only are these gorgeous homes brought in from around the country, they are also beautifully staged. This way community owners and retailers can get a real feel for the homes. I’ve been going to this show for a few years now, and every time I am blown away by how gorgeous the new homes are.

2018 New Home Kitchens Really Shine

Just take a look at some of these kitchens! The great news is that manufacturers are paying close attention to what buyers really want. In fact, these kitchens are gorgeous with loads of cabinet space, modern floor covings, and lots of great features for families.

Don’t you just want to move in? Check out this beautiful open floor plan.

I love how the new homes of today are breaking the old concepts of what a “mobile home” looks like! These homes are gorgeous and come with a ton of amenities.

Kitchens aren’t the only things getting revamped. Take a look at this bathroom:

Living Rooms Designed for Living

Furthermore, new home manufacturers have really taken the idea of the family to heart. The living rooms I saw at the show were spacious, with special areas for entertaining and spending time together. Rooms like this:

Yep, that is in a mobile home.

Now, every time I post photos of the new manufactured home models I am seeing, I get requests for more photos. There are two ways to see more of these homes:

See More Photos of These New Homes

Different homes are available from different manufacturers across the country. The best way to see all the new home designs is to go straight to the manufacturer websites directly. Here is a list of the manufacturers that were at the Louisville Show:

Manufactured Housing Enterprises

What About Pre-Owned Homes?

Or What if I Want To See New Homes In Person?

The other question I get a lot is, “all these new homes are nice, but where can I see some already sited homes?” Or “What if I want to see these myself?” My answer is the same in both – MHVillage can help!

If you are looking for pre-owned (used) homes, try searching our database of over 26,000 mobile home listings.
If you are looking to see new homes in person, go to MHVillage.com and search for retailers and dealers near you. You should start your search here on our mobile home dealer page.