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Get Ready “Fore” Tee Time at These Top-Rated Manufactured Home Communities with Golf Courses

Did somebody say, “Fore!”? 

Golf courses are a popular amenity at many retirement communities across the country. Whether a park is located near your favorite course, or whether a park has a course all on its own, manufactured home communities with golf courses are a hot-ticket item. 

If you’re looking to brush up on your iron game or just kick back with a few friends, here are a couple of the hottest manufactured home communities with golf courses that you should check out:  

Cimarron Golf Course

Lake Elmo, Minnesota is home to Cimarron Park and Golf Course, a pet-friendly all-ages community with activities galore! 

This park’s incredible on-site management staff is there to ensure your peace of mind. And, a vast number of dining and entertainment options nearby make this the perfect place to live for any family.  

Now, we couldn’t possibly forget to mention the golf course hosted on-site for mom and dad to play on. Meanwhile, the kids can enjoy themselves on the nearby basketball court and playground.   

If you’re interested in homes in this community, simply click the link above! 

Golf Vista Estates

Golf is so popular in this next community that it’s literally in the name. 

Golf Vista Estates in Monee, Illinois is a luxurious 55+ community about 30 miles outside of the Chicago area. If you’re looking for all of the modern conveniences of home living away from the noise and clatter of a busy downtown scene, you’ve come to the right place. 

This community’s 9-hole golf course is one of many shining gems to be found here, along with a bocce ball court, shuffleboard court, billiard room, and a library. You can even take part in social activities at the clubhouse! 

Click the link above to learn more about this fantastic golf community and even take a virtual tour! 

The Lakes at Countrywood

Let’s head down south for just a minute and explore The Lakes at Countrywood in Plant City, Florida! 

This beautiful award-winning community offers the finest resort-style amenities, including a swimming pool, clubhouse, billiard room, and a golf course! You can tee off in the morning before taking a dip in the pool once the sun is shining in the afternoon. 

If you’re looking for a lovely golf community where your furry friends are welcomed, don’t worry; The Lakes at Countrywood is pet-friendly. And if you’re looking for other sports to partake in, this community offers a bocce ball court and tennis facilities galore. 

Don’t wait – check out homes at The Lakes at Countrywood today! 

Not everyone can be Phil Mickelson. But, you CAN be the best golfer among your neighbors when you live in a mobile home park with a golf course. 

If you’re interested in checking out available homes in these communities, simply click on the links above to head to MHVillage. 

Or, if you’d like to browse mobile home parks in your area, head to our Mobile Home Park search page to find a bustling community near you. 

Your Top MHVillager Reads for 2022

It’s hard to believe that another year has already flown by! 

2022 has been an incredibly active year for the MHVillager. We’ve been proud to share the latest trends, guides, and blogs on all things manufactured housing with you. 

As we look back on a busy 2022, we wanted to highlight the most popular blogs from this year that our users have come back to again and again. 

So, without further ado, here are the top ten posts, according to our readers, that we published over the past year! 

1. Before and After: 9 Mobile Home Remodels You Have to See to Believe 

It’s easy to understand why this post was our most popular blog from 2022. After all, who DOESN’T love a good before and after glow-up? 

Whether you’re looking at a single-wide or double-wide, this post features some of the most notable mobile home remodels across the entire internet. If you’re looking for a place to look at all of the best makeovers for manufactured homes, this is it! 

2. The Ultimate Mobile Home With Land Guide

At the MHVillager, we receive questions relating to buying a mobile home with land all the time. In fact, many homebuyers are only interested in buying a manufactured home if it comes with its own plot of private land. So, it’s no surprise that this was another one of our most popular blogs this year! 

There are a ton of things you should know about buying a mobile home with private land. More importantly, there are a ton of benefits that come with going this route!

If you haven’t already read this blog, don’t wait any further – dive in now! 

3. Is Buying a Mobile Home Better Than Renting an Apartment?

Apartment rents faced a soaring increase in 2022. As in, a double-digit percentage increase. 

With that in mind, it’s easier to see why this blog post on the benefits of buying a mobile home compared to renting an apartment was so popular this year! 

With a manufactured home, you can move into a property that you own in many cases. Not only that, but you’ll have more space and more freedom. The best part? Owning a manufactured home is a much better investment than renting an apartment.

You can read the full blog by clicking the link above. 

4. How to Buy a Mobile Home on Any Budget

Readers of the MHVillager discovered in 2022 that, no matter the financial situation, buying a mobile home on any budget can be easier than you may think! 

With how varied the housing market continues to be, readers flocked to this blog in 2022 to see just how affordable manufactured homes actually are. If you haven’t already read this one, it’s a must-read first-stop for any potential homebuyer! 

5. 101 Mobile Home Remodeling Ideas   

Another one of our most popular blogs in 2022 was actually our longest one! 

The MHVillager team came together to present 101 (no, that’s not a typo) mobile home remodeling ideas for every single room in your home. Whether it’s your laundry room, or living roof, or the exterior of your home, this guide has you covered. 

Take a dive into this guide today by clicking the link above! 

6. Buy a Mobile Home At The Right Price, Like a Pro 

If you’re getting ready to buy a mobile home, like thousands of our MHVillager readers have this year, then you should arm yourself with one of 2022’s top blog posts on buying a mobile home at the right price. 

By preparing yourself with everything you need to know about the buying process, you can get the absolute best price for a home that has everything you want or need for your day-to-day-life. 

Consider this a “cheat-sheet” that goes over everything from location to the condition of the home that you’re buying. 

7. What Happens When Your Mobile Home’s Park is Sold?

For those that live in a manufactured home community, this blog proved to be an interesting read. 

When you hear that your mobile home park has been sold, you might have questions about what that means for your home or community. Thankfully, this guide, which we published earlier this spring, answers some of the most burning questions anyone might have about when a mobile home park has new ownership. 

This blog is worth a bookmark for future reference! 

8. The Basics of Mobile Home Carports 

The carport is a highly sought-after feature with today’s manufactured homes. They offer weather and sunlight protection for your car, and don’t require a huge amount of additional space near your home – it sets up right over your driveway. 

The popularity of carports translated well into the popularity of this blog post. If you don’t have a carport attached to your mobile home, then this blog is a must-read.   

9. Don’t Make These Mistakes When Financing a Manufactured Home

A common part of the mobile home buying process is financing your purchase. As accessible as the process is, there are pitfalls and mistakes that any buyer should avoid when financing their mobile home. 

Thankfully, this highly-read blog from 2022 is a great way to steer clear of any roadblocks that might delay your purchase. This is another great resource to add to your toolbelt for when it comes time to buy your home, or even if you’re looking to refinance down the line. 

10. What’s My Mobile Home Worth?  

This blog post is for the sellers out there. One of the first questions that many mobile home sellers ask themselves is, “What’s my mobile home worth?” 

Our 2022 blog on the factors that go into a mobile home’s value – from condition, to size, to market, to many other things – has been incredibly popular for sellers of mobile homes. If you find yourself considering selling your home in the near future, you don’t want to miss this one. 

From everyone at the MHVillager, thank you for an exciting and productive 2022! We’re looking forward to providing you with even more useful information and advice on manufactured homes in 2023 and beyond. 

Mobile Homes for Sale Near Me: A Guide for Finding Your Perfect Home

New residential mobile home park in South East England. Generally this type of caravan park estate is for home owners over the age of fifty years.

Congratulations – if you’re reading this, it likely means you’re getting ready to start looking for a home to purchase! 

Whether you’re interested in manufactured homes from the get-go or are still catching up on the MHVillager to learn all about the benefits of factory-built housing, you’re probably wondering how you can best find the perfect home near you. 

Here’s everything you should consider before you type “mobile homes for sale near me” into your search bar:

What’s Important to You? 

Of course, there are many key things you’ll want to look for in your future home. Some might be important to you personally, while others are important to think about no matter what type of home you want: 

Location

Above all else, your new mobile home should be in a prime location that meets your needs. Whether that’s being in your child’s school district, near the major highways, or near your office, you don’t want to buy a home that isn’t in a location that you love. 

Bedrooms and Bathrooms 

Similarly, your ideal home shouldn’t have too few bedrooms. You want to have enough space to comfortably hold you and your entire family. 

This means having an ample amount of bedrooms for everyone, as well as enough bathroom space for those busy mornings before the school bus arrives. Many manufactured homes come with at least two bathrooms as a standard, so you can rest assured that everyone will have enough space on that front. 

Community or Private Land? 

This one can be more specific to your preferences. When you’re browsing for manufactured homes near you, you might be interested in browsing within a manufactured home community. If you are, there’s a good chance you might want to look for retirement communities if you qualify to live in one. 

Or, maybe you want a mobile home that’s sited on private property. Maybe you even want a home that you can move to your own land. 

No matter what your preference is when it comes to the type of location you want to move to, make sure you have a good idea of what you want before beginning your home search. 

State Associations 

This is another item that’s important to many homebuyers. When searching for a manufactured home, some will seek out guidance and resources from a manufactured home state association. These organizations are great for helping consumers throughout the mobile home buying journey. This is especially helpful for homebuyers who are seeking a helping hand throughout the process. 

Decide Which Upscale Amenities Are Important

We mentioned manufactured home communities earlier in this post, so let’s go into some more detail about which upscale amenities are important to many when searching for a mobile home: 

Pools/Saunas

This is one of the most popular upscale amenities you can find at a mobile home park – especially in states with year-round warm weather like Florida. In fact, many homebuyers search for communities that specifically have pools and/or saunas so they can take a dive on their own schedule! 

Clubhouses

Some communities offer clubhouses (also known as lounges) where residents can gather and take part in events. The socialization aspect is appealing to many residents and homebuyers! 

Pet Friendliness 

This one’s especially important for many potential manufactured homeowners. Communities that allow pets within their homes sometimes also offer dog-walking trails that are PERFECT for your furry friend! And, you may be able to take your pets to the local playground or nature trail, too. 

Filter Your Search For YOU! 

The best part about every single consideration we’ve listed in this blog post is that you can filter your MHVillage home search for every single one! 

When you’re looking for manufactured homes on MHVillage, you can filter your search based on search radius, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and the location type (community or private land, among others). 

And, if you’re looking for the perfect community for you, there are even more options to take advantage of. Whether you’re looking for a park with a pool, a clubhouse, or is pet-friendly, you can power up your search on MHVillage and tailor it to find the home of your dreams. 

Tips For Pet-Proofing Your Mobile Home

Picture this: you’ve just moved into your new manufactured home. You and your dog, or cat, are getting ready to start living the high life when it comes to being a homeowner. 

That is, until your pet decides that they’re the alpha of the house. Mud all over the floors. Food spilled all over the place. The works. 

How can you pet-proof your mobile home to keep your belongings, and your pet, safe? This blog will cover all of that, and more. 

Gates are a Homeowner’s Best Friend

If there’s a room in your manufactured home that you don’t want your furry friend to get into – such as the kitchen – a security gate is going to come in handy. 

There are several types of security gate that can be installed without any kind of hardware like screws or mounts. These easy-to-install models can be set up in minutes and do a great job of keeping your pet where you want them – and keeping them out of where you don’t. 

Protect Valuables and Hazardous Materials

A pet owner’s worst nightmare is finding that their dog or cat has damaged an expensive piece of equipment (like a video game system) or, worse, something that can hurt them. 

That’s why it’s a really good idea to keep these types of things away from your pets. The big thing to remember is that they shouldn’t be stored where they can easily get to them. This means no low shelves, no easy-to-open cabinets, and no loose bottles with hazardous substances where they can be spilled. 

When it comes to your video game console, or that new cell phone that you just bought, you definitely don’t want your dog or cat to treat them like a chew toy. So, keep them away from low tables or shelves that your pets can easily get to. 

Think about your charging cables and power cables, too. If your dog or cat want to chew on those, you not only put your possessions in danger, but your pet’s health, too. The risk of electric shock from pet damage is real! 

Cabinet Latches Are Cool! 

Odds are, your pet might be able to smell the treats that are in one of the kitchen cabinets. 

Believe it or not, childproof latches designed for cabinets are great for pets, too! With no hardware required to install them in many cases, they keep pets from being able to open a cabinet with just their nose or their paw. 

While it’s still a good idea to leave any hazardous chemicals away from lower cabinets, having additional peace of mind with a childproof lock is a great extra step to take. You should also keep this in mind for cabinets where foods that are toxic to many pets, such as chocolate, are found.

The best part is that these are a rather inexpensive, yet invaluable way to protect your belongings, whether they’re in a kitchen cabinet, bathroom cabinet, or even a closet that’s latched for security from your pet. 

Keep Your Mudroom Mud-Free

This tip is one that’s specifically geared for mobile homes with mudrooms in them. 

If you’re not already familiar, a mudroom is a room in your home that’s meant to serve as an entryway for not just you and your family, but your belongings as well – from your coat to your shoes. Think of it as a “drop zone” for your wet outerwear after coming back from the rain. Some manufactured homes also have double-purpose mudrooms that act as a laundry room as well. 

Not only are mudrooms great for storing your coat, umbrella, and car keys and purses, but they’re great for pet care, too. 

Some mudrooms come with dog washing stations that are perfect for giving your pooch a quick rinse after they’ve been digging for bones in the backyard. This is perfect for keeping literal mud out of the rest of your mudroom and away from your other belongings, too. 

If your mudroom doesn’t have a washing station, there are other things you can do with the space to keep the rest of your home free from pet damage: The best one we can recommend is a well-placed doormat, one that’s heavy-duty and can remove any outdoor debris from your shoes or your furry friend’s paws. This is a great idea for your mudroom’s entryway leading to the outside.  

These are just a few tips to pet-proof your mobile home, whether you’re just moving in or have lived in it for years before adopting your new best friend. 

If you’re looking for a new or pre-owned manufactured home to call your own that’s in a pet-friendly community, check out MHVillage. With loads of filtering options for homes, including finding homes in pet-friendly communities, you and your dog or cat can find a great home with loads of amenities – including dog-walking trails in some parks!  

Cheap Mobile Homes for Sale: Finding Value For Your Home Purchase

When you’re considering buying any type of home – but especially manufactured homes – you’re probably wondering how to get the best value out of your big investment. 

And no, we’re not just talking about finding the best price. You might have so many other questions that’ll impact the value of your mobile home purchase. 

In this blog post, we’ll go over the criteria that can make a good home purchase a great one in terms of value when searching for cheap mobile homes for sale. 

Location, Location, Location 

It’s practically a cliché in the world of real estate, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. A big part of a manufactured home’s value is where it’s located. 

Are you near a highly-rated school district that’s perfect for your children? Are you close to the nearest highways, or your nearby downtown district? What about living in a mobile home park that has lots to offer? 

All of these factors can affect the value of a mobile home to you. If two mobile homes are similar in quality, but one is closer to a school for your child, that home is inherently going to be more valuable. 

That’s a big theme that we’re going to talk about a lot in this blog: the idea of the value of a home being specific to you. Not everyone will care about having a home just a few minutes from the highway for easier commutes to work, but those who do care about that will see value in finding a cheap mobile home near them that offers just that.  

Recent Remodeling and Maintenance 

This is another big factor that can greatly affect your value in a mobile home. 

Many homebuyers seek out peace of mind when buying a mobile home that’s had many major repairs done to it. For example, if the mobile home roof was recently redone, homebuyers will have peace of mind knowing that they won’t have to make repairs for many years to come. 

This goes for inside the home, too. If the kitchen or bathroom have recently been remodeled, that’s another selling point for many potential homebuyers. This also goes for the A/C unit and other “big ticket” items that can be quite costly to repair on their own. And, if an item still needs to be repaired, someone looking for a fixer-upper may value that so they can build even more equity over time, or sell the home for a profit.

Of course, not everyone needs the latest in bathroom or kitchen technology, but if you’re looking for a home with the latest trendy kitchen remodel, then this will deliver extra value to your mobile home purchase.   

Kitchen Space

Not everyone can be Gordon Ramsay. But, for aspiring chefs and frequent cookers of breakfast, lunch, and dinner, kitchen space can be incredibly important. 

There are a lot of things that can make any kitchen perfect for any one person, including: 

  • Available cabinet space
  • Condition and age of appliances (refrigerator, stove, oven, dishwasher, etc.)
  • Flooring
  • Kitchen sink and garbage disposal
  • Countertop surface space
  • Kitchen island 
  • And more!

Maybe you’re someone who absolutely wants an eat-in kitchen to minimize travel space between your cooking area and where you’ll be serving family dinner. Or, maybe your kitchen HAS to have an island for serving appetizers and entertaining guests. No matter your dream kitchen, finding one that fits your style is super important when finding a mobile home that’s valuable to you. 

Community Amenities

If you’re looking for manufactured homes in a manufactured home community, their amenities might interest you, too. 

This can add even more value to any mobile home that you’re thinking about buying. At the MHVillager, we’ve gone in-depth before about the top community amenities that residents absolutely love

Here, we’ll go over just a few: 

  • Clubhouses and Lounges: many communities offer a common gathering space for residents to host or take part in events. This is a great value add for community homeowners who also happen to be social butterflies.
  • Swimming pools: this one’s especially valuable to those who live in states with year-round warm weather. Being able to take a dip in the pool – or even a whirlpool in some communities – is a great way to beat the heat and makes any home feel that much more luxurious.
  • Dog walking trails: If you’re a pet-owner living in a pet-friendly community, this one can be a must. Having a dedicated space to walk your dog around the community is extremely valuable for many. 

Like we mentioned earlier, there are so many other great amenities that can boost the personal value of any mobile home for any homeowner. It’s all about what you’re looking for out of your community experience! 

If you’re wondering, “how can I find cheap mobile homes near me?” and want to find one that offers the most value, why not head to MHVillage? With the nation’s largest platform for buying and renting mobile homes, you can filter your search for any criteria you want, whether it’s a home in a community with your favorite amenities or homes with a certain number of bedrooms. 

You can get started today at mhvillage.com

An Elf’s Guide to Holiday Decorating Ideas For Your Manufactured Home

If you haven’t already started, then you’re most likely giving serious thought to how you’re going to decorate your mobile home for the holiday season. With all of the festivities just a few weeks away, it can feel intimidating just thinking about where each decoration will go, or how you’ll even get started. 

Thankfully, this handy guide from the elves at the MHVillager is here to help. Here are some of the most important things you should know about decorating your mobile home for the holidays.

(Note: if you live in a mobile home park, make sure any holiday decorating follows your park’s guidelines).  

Work In Your Seasonal Furnishings

In your home, it’s very possible that you’ll have some furnishings that you switch out depending on the season. These can include: 

  • Blankets
  • Pillowcases
  • Curtains
  • Towels
  • Rugs and Doormats 
  • Cabinet Decorations
  • Countertop Decorations
  • Tablecloths
  • Seat Covers

Why not make some of these items holiday themed? If you have specific blankets that you use for the winter season, make some of them holiday themed for some effortless decoration! You’ll get the family more festive at dinnertime AND stay warm! 

Same goes for tablecloths, curtains, doormats, and other items you tailor to the season. 

The Key to Smart Tree Placement 

Like many families, you may be thinking about setting up a Christmas tree in your manufactured home. Depending on what your floor plan looks like, you’ll likely have a few different options for placing your tree in an area that makes sense: 

If your mobile home has an open floor plan, with large areas that blend rooms like your kitchen and living room, consider placing your tree either in the corner of your living room or near a support beam. If you go with the latter, this helps serve as an improvised “wall” that helps with traffic flow in your home – something that’s important to think about if you’re hosting family this season! 

If your home has a fireplace or mantle, your tree can look great in a corner on the same wall as those fixtures. Just don’t put your tree close to the fireplace – you don’t want your ornaments to go up in flames!  

Stockings Stuffed! 

Stockings are a pivotal holiday decoration, and commonly hang up on the wall, on your entertainment center, or above a fireplace. 

Stockings are also a highly effective storage tool for a number of different holiday odds and ends. And no, this doesn’t just include using the stockings as stuffers for small gifts for your family. 

You could also use stockings to hold strands of ribbon or bows that you’ll need for wrapping gifts closer to the holidays. Not only does it look festive, but it’s purposeful, too! 

Also, you can put other gift-wrapping necessities such as tape and nametags at the bottom, while the colorful flashes sit at the top. 

Think About The Outside, Too! 

Outdoor holiday decorating is becoming more and more popular. In fact, some communities are taking after neighborhoods and hosting decorating contests for manufactured homes! 

There are two types of decorating that we’ll cover when it comes to your mobile home: lights, and inflatables. 

Of course, decorating your home in lights is what most people think of when you’re decorating the outside of your home. Whether you’re hanging strings of lights around your roof or covering the entire home in a dazzling glow Christmas With The Kranks style, your mobile home can stand out from the rest with a smart, effective placement of lights. 

The big thing to remember when hanging lights is safety. Don’t staple lights into your roof (we’re looking at you, Clark Griswold). Don’t hang up lights that have damaged or frayed wiring due to risk of fire. And, don’t hang up lights on your roof without the proper safety equipment, including and especially a properly-used ladder. 

One idea that you should consider is decorating your windows with PVC frames that are wrapped in Christmas lights. You can measure the frame around your window, create a frame out of PVC pipes and elbows, and wrap your lights around the frame before hanging it up around or in your window. The best part about this idea is that you can keep the frames in your mobile home’s storage shed, and make decorating with your lights an absolute breeze for years to come. 

Inflatables, on the other hand, can be much easier to set up. If you’ve ever seen a blow-up Santa, reindeer, or Frosty the Snowman on someone’s front lawn, then you know exactly what we’re talking about. 

These are a great, fun way to decorate your lawn without tangling with lights if that’s not your thing. Here, you’ll want to make sure that you have a front lawn or yard that can mount stakes a few inches into the ground to keep the inflatable from flying away. Pair them with a snowflake light projector, and you’ll practically have a light show right in your front yard. 

Hopefully some of these holiday decorating ideas put you in a festive mood to dig out the lights and start setting up your tree! If you’re looking for other ways to spruce up your manufactured home, check out this guide from the MHVillager on giving your home a new, fresh look inside and out.  

The 8 Best States for Year-Round Warm Weather in Retirement Communities

It’s beginning to look a lot like…winter! For many states, this means months of snowfall, which comes with early morning shoveling, icy roads, and expensive heating bills. 

Many retired homeowners split their time between living in the North in the summer, and moving to a warmer Southern state during the winter months. Some even move further South for good after they retire. 

Manufactured homes offer the best way to relocate to warmer climates – they’re affordable, they offer a highly sought-after lifestyle, and retirement communities are incredibly easy to find. 

If you’re looking for a manufactured home community to call home to escape Frosty the Snowman, these eight states have you covered. 

Florida

You probably hear more people refer to Florida as “The Sunshine State” rather than “The most popular state in the country for manufactured home community living.” But, it’s true: Florida is by far the most popular state for manufactured homes, and that includes retirement communities. 

It’s incredibly easy to see why: with year-round warm weather, endless things to do all over the state, and thousands of retirement communities to choose from, Florida is one of the first states on many people’s minds when thinking about escaping colder weather. 

Georgia

Just north of Florida is Georgia, which is another highly popular state for retirement community living. 

Whether you want to live close to Atlanta or closer to the Florida border, Georgia offers warm weather year round all over the state. And, for the nature lovers, Georgia offers some of the most luscious national and state parks in the entire country. From mountains to beautiful forests, Georgia is a postcard-worthy state when it comes to natural beauty. 

Arizona

If we move out west just a bit, we’ll find that Arizona ranks extremely high when it comes to the sheer number of retirement communities – just under Florida, in fact! 

Arizona, while just as warm and bright as Florida when it comes to year-round warm weather, isn’t quite as humid, which many retirees prefer. From Phoenix, to Flagstaff, to Apache Junction, you’d be hard pressed to find a retirement community in Arizona that doesn’t offer luxurious, resort-style amenities that let you bask in the sunlight. 

California

If you’re especially determined to find a retirement community out west to get out of the snow, give California a chance. Being one of the largest states in the United States means that you have a ton of variety when it comes to choosing a retirement community to call home. 

You can choose a community further upstate that doesn’t get quite as warm compared to Arizona or Florida, or you can settle down in the Bay Area to enjoy some sun on the beach. And that doesn’t even begin to cover the national parks, state parks, and tourist attractions all throughout the state. 

Texas

The Lone Star State is another popular one for manufactured home living. One key reason for this is because parks in Texas offer hugely popular amenities, such as swimming pools, walking trails, nature reserves, fitness centers, and even saunas. 

The nation’s largest mainland state means you have a large pool of communities to choose from, meaning you can tailor your retirement living experience to your liking in Texas. 

Alabama

Alabama may not have Disney World, but it DOES have an incredibly robust retirement community network thanks to just how much there is to do. 

Year-round warm weather in Alabama means that you can explore all of the natural scenery that the state has to offer, whether it’s at Gulf State Park or the number of nature trails and lakes around the state. 

 Oh, and did we mention that Orange Beach, which is also in Alabama, offers fun for the entire family, from its waterfront park to The Wharf? 

North Carolina

For many, North Carolina is the perfect place to go to escape the cold. Its relatively moderate climate makes the state varied in its scenery. From beautiful, world-famous forests to beaches and piers along the Atlantic coast, there’s something here for all kinds of nature lovers. 

The state is also popular for manufactured home communities, with hundreds to choose from located all over the state. In fact, it’s hard to find a community that isn’t conveniently located to your favorite shopping centers or entertainment fixtures! 

South Carolina

We can’t talk about North Carolina without mentioning South Carolina. This state is one of the nation’s most popular for hiking, hunting, fishing, and swimming, and that goes for leisure-seekers of all ages. 

So if a retirement community is in your future in South Carolina, you’re in luck – there are hundreds upon hundreds to choose from, all incredibly close by to your favorite hobbies.  

No matter which state you decide to move to when getting away from the frigid winds and snowfalls, you have a number of good choices when finding the right retirement community. 

But regardless of which state you want to move to, MHVillage can help you out with finding the perfect home for you. With detailed filtering and search options, you can find your new house in a manufactured home retirement community that’s pet-friendly, or has the right number of bedrooms for you, or a home in a park that has your favorite amenities. 

So, are you ready to soak up the sun? If you are, get started with MHVillage today! 

Soak Up Year-Round Sunshine in These Four Florida Retirement Communities

Florida is one of the most popular states in the entire country to own a manufactured home. This is because of the year-round sunshine, the abundance of things to do, and the miles and miles of coast lines. 

For retirees, Florida is an especially desirable place to live, or at the very least spend the winter months. There are quite literally thousands of retirement communities in Florida to choose from, and while we can’t go over all of them in one blog post, here are just a few of Florida’s best: 

Royal Palm Village

If you’re a fisherman or a nature enthusiast, then Royal Palm Village in Haines City, FL is for you. 

Of all the Florida retirement communities in the central part of the state, you’d be hard pressed to find one that has as many features, amenities, and friendly faces as Royal Palm Village. If you want to get your daily exercise at the fitness center, connect with neighbors and friends over a game of horseshoes or shuffleboard or relax in the heated swimming pool, this retirement community offers all that and more. 

And, Royal Palm Village is located right by all of your favorite local convenience stores, restaurants, shopping centers, golf courses, and other attractions. Did we mention this is a pet-friendly community, too?

You can learn more about Royal Palm Village today and learn more about what’s in store! 

Shadow Wood Village

This incredible retirement community in Hudson, FL is perfect for the social butterflies out there! 

You can swing by the clubhouse to keep up to date on the comings and goings of the community, as well as take part in their many events, such as dinners, dances, and classes. 

You and your neighbors can also play cards in the game room, or spend some time together in the pool! 

If you’re looking for a retirement community that’s close to Tampa and offers a higher standard of living, Shadow Wood Village should absolutely be on your list. Check out their homes for sale and rent

Water Oak Country Club

Lady Lake, FL features a growing retirement community known as Water Oak Country Club. 

Just an hour north of Orlando, you can take advantage of Water Oak’s tennis courts, nature paths, 18-hole golf course, bocce ball court, jacuzzi, sauna, and more! You can call this beautiful community home while living the country club lifestyle of your dreams, no matter what your favorite hobby is! 

Your furry friends are more than welcome too, as Water Oak Country Club is a pet-friendly community. 

Come see everything that this Florida retirement community has to offer on MHVillage

Hacienda Del Rio  

Just off the Intracoastal Waterway in Edgewater, FL, Hacienda Del Rio is an incredible tropical getaway that you just might get to call home! 

Featuring a spa, sauna, basketball court, library, and Boat/RV storage among many other amenities, Hacienda Del Rio is yet another example of classy retirement living in Florida. 

With dozens of homes for sale in a gated community that provides security and peace of mind, Hacienda Del Rio should be on every prospective retiree’s list. You can check out Hacienda Del Rio today on MHVillage! 

Are you looking for a retirement community in Florida near you? If you are, these four are absolutely worthy of your attention. With amenities that will help you live out your golden years, not to mention the perpetually warm weather, the scenic Florida retirement lifestyle is just a few clicks away. 

Set Up Your Manufactured Home For the Thanksgiving Holiday

It might not seem like it, but Thanksgiving is just a few short weeks away! 

Many manufactured homeowners may consider hosting a Thanksgiving dinner this year. It’s a great reason to bring the family together, watch some football if your favorite team plays on the holiday, and enjoy some great food!

Whether it’s your first time hosting and you aren’t sure where to start, or if you’re a Thanksgiving dinner veteran, here are some tips you should keep in mind for making sure your holiday gathering goes off without a hitch. 

Know Your Space

Thanksgiving family gatherings come in all shapes and sizes. Some prefer to keep it intimate with a dinner for just the immediate family, while others host several dozen family members from across the country. 

No matter the size of your Thanksgiving gathering, make sure your manufactured home is arranged so that everyone has enough space to feel comfortable. It may be a smart idea to consider rearranging your living room or other common spaces to accommodate more people than usual. 

Arranging chairs (more on that below) in a round, or next to folding tables, is a good idea. So is pushing furniture up against a wall so you have more room for folding furniture so everyone can sit for dinner. 

The amount of space your manufactured home has plays a role here. Think about how many people could comfortably fit in your home for an evening. Just because you can fit 60 people in your home doesn’t necessarily mean that you should if it means that everyone will be packed in like sardines. 

Plan Your Cooking Schedule 

If you’re cooking multiple dishes for your family, it helps to plan ahead. 

Creating a schedule of what you’ll cook, and when, is key. Don’t start Thanksgiving morning with a general “I’ll start at 10 AM and go from there” plan. If something goes wrong along the way, you might feel less prepared to adapt on the fly. 

If making twelve dishes for a family Thanksgiving seems daunting, don’t be afraid to do a potluck-style holiday! Have each family member bring their favorite dish to serve. This is a win-win. You don’t have to feel overwhelmed with cooking for a large crowd, and your family can try all sorts of different dishes from all kinds of cooking backgrounds! 

This is also a good time to take advantage of your manufactured home’s special kitchen features. For example, if you have a farm-style kitchen, use those large countertops to your advantage and serve your Thanksgiving dinner buffet style! 

When it comes to dishes, if you’re not planning to spend your Black Friday behind the kitchen sink, you can use disposable plates and cutlery to get the job done. 

Lastly – for larger families, consider having two separate mealtimes. Kids eat first, followed by the adults. Or, have a mixture of both rotate in! 

Don’t Forget the Chairs! 

You don’t want to have your guests arrive only to find that there’s nowhere for them to sit. 

Make sure you’ve provided ample space for seating when hosting your family in your manufactured home for Thanksgiving. If you need to, move chairs from other rooms of your house into your living room so people can socialize while dinner is cooking. 

For larger gatherings, don’t be afraid to ask family members to bring folding chairs, too. Most people have at least a few that they can bring, and it means that there’s less cleanup for you once everyone has left. 

One last tip: take advantage of other pieces of furniture in your home for seating. We’ve written before about how storage chests can be versatile for this exact purpose

Get Classy with the Decorations

It’s not as often that you see people go all-out with decorating for Thanksgiving like they do for Halloween, Christmas, or other holidays. That said, there are ways you can make your home festive for the Thanksgiving holiday. 

Have some leftover Halloween candy? Find a festive turkey-shaped bowl and leave it out for your guests to snack on after dinner! 

You can also revive the classic “turkey handprint” crafting classic. If you have children, give them an afternoon of fun by letting them loose on brown construction paper, colored pipe cleaners, and their imagination. 

But, if you prefer to keep things scaled back around your manufactured home while eating Thanksgiving dinner, you can stick to brown and orange accents throughout your home. Tinsel, wall decorations, paper streamers, and floral arrangements are a great, subtle way to give your manufactured home some Thanksgiving flair. 

No matter which route you choose, you can incorporate any of the above to turn your manufactured home into the ultimate Thanksgiving gathering place. In fact, you just might become the go-to for hosting the family each and every year – no more driving on crowded roads to get to great aunt Bonnie’s! 

Think About Other Activities! 

Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be JUST about the food. After the dishes have been cleaned up, consider what other Thanksgiving-themed activities will help bring the family together. Here are just a few fun ideas: 

  • Set up the living room, den, or media room if you have one for a movie night! Thanksgiving is the perfect time to stream your favorite Thanksgiving movie. 
  • Start a family Secret Santa exchange. If you’re getting together to exchange gifts on Christmas, you can pull names out of a hat on Thanksgiving so you have time to pick out the perfect gift. You can even bring the holiday catalogs to take advantage of Black Friday deals!
  • Have a board game or card game night! It’s the perfect time to get the adults together for some pinochle or poker while the kids play Monopoly. 

Are you looking for other ways to introduce the autumn season into your home? Check out this guide on mobile home autumn painting colors! This is perfect if you’re looking to give your manufactured home a major facelift before the Thanksgiving holiday. 

How to Give Your Mobile Home a New, Fresh Look Inside and Out

There is, in fact, such a thing as fall cleaning. 

Getting your house ready before the large family gatherings that come with the holidays can feel like a daunting task. But, the reality is that giving your manufactured home a makeover inside and out can be done in the smallest, yet most satisfying ways. 

Here are just a few things you can do with your mobile home to shake things up: 

Paint

Painting your mobile home – whether it’s on the interior or exterior – can literally change how your home looks. That’s why it’s at the top of the list. 

That said, there are a few different ways to go about painting. Of course, you don’t have to do all of them to make your mobile home feel new again. 

Interior Painting 

Whether it’s your bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, living room, or mudroom, giving rooms in your mobile home a fresh coat of paint can be one of the most rewarding ways to glisten up the inside of your home. 

Choose colors that fit within your home. For example, you wouldn’t paint your living room bright yellow if every other room is green or blue. 

With that in mind, you’ll want to choose a paint color that fits the natural flow and feel of your room. So, a living room where you might be doing some entertaining can benefit from a livelier color in some cases. A bedroom should have a wall color that’s calm and neutral, to inspire restfulness.

You can check out our guide on mobile home autumn painting colors for specific color recommendations! 

Accent Painting Can Go A Long Way

Take a look at your baseboards and crown moulding, if you have them. When was the last time you painted them? Chances are it’s been a while. 

Nearly every homeowner overlooks their baseboards, or ceiling trim, when painting a room. Take some extra time to give those baseboards a glow-up by painting over them with their current color. 

Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, why not paint them an all new color? Some homeowners may choose to paint over wood baseboards with white. 

Cabinet Painting

If you’re not in the market for an all-out mobile home cabinet remodel for your kitchen or bathroom, consider giving them a facelift. Painting cabinets is a common way to modernize them without breaking the bank. 

Similar to baseboards, many homeowners choose to paint their cabinets when remodeling a mobile home. Depending on what color your walls and appliances are, you may have some variety when choosing a color for your cabinets. 

But. be careful if you decide to paint your cabinets – most likely, you’ll want a specific kind of paint meant for wood or other cabinet materials, and NOT interior walls. You may also want to double-check and make sure that your cabinets are able to be painted in the first place before you get started. 

Consider Area Rugs

If you’re looking for ways to tie together a room in your mobile home, an area rug should be your first choice. 

Large rugs can look great on either a hardwood or carpeted floor, and provide yet another way to accentuate your mobile home with some flair. They provide elegance without necessarily providing a financial headache: many area rugs can be found at department stores for under $100. 

Area rugs have many uses, too. Want a rug for the desk in your home office? That’s perfect for saving your floor from scuffing chairs or coffee spills. Or, if you want a rug for your living room, it can be the centerpiece under a coffee table to give it that much more visual appeal. 

Take Time to Detail Clean! 

Like we mentioned earlier, there IS such a thing as fall cleaning. Set aside a Saturday for you and your family to dust out all of the nooks and crannies in your home. A cleaner environment at home means you can help mitigate allergies that you may face during the fall season, and gives your home some extra sparkle, too! 

Delegate tasks to each family member – your partner can handle sweeping and mopping while the children dust lower to the ground, saving you the trouble of sore knees. 

If you live alone, don’t feel like you have to get all of your fall cleaning done in one day. Break it out room by room so that you gradually have the cleanest house on the block.  

Scope Out Your Landscaping Potential 

Fall is usually the time of year where homeowners are winterizing their lawn mowers and putting away their hedge trimmers. But, that doesn’t mean that you can’t think about potential landscaping ideas. 

As you’re clearing out weeds for the last time, think about whether you have room for some extra bushes come springtime. Or, think about your current landscaping setup and see where you can make some improvements. 

Does a tree brush up too closely against a window? Does your grass grow evenly across your yard? These are just two examples of questions to ask yourself before the winter sets in. This way, you have a better idea of what you’ll want to do with the outside of your home come springtime. 

Now, we’re not necessarily suggesting that you make a topiary out of your entire yard. You can take even the smallest of landscaping measures now for more success in the spring and summer. For example, setting aside space in your backyard to start a garden in the spring can go a long way in making you feel prepared once hibernation season is over. 

One other thing to note here: if you live in a manufactured home community, make sure you understand your community’s guidelines on landscaping. Some communities may only allow certain types of landscaping projects, or require approval before they begin. 

Clean Up Those Leaves! 

Falling leaves can be a beautiful sight, but they can also be a headache when it comes to cleaning them up. 

When it comes to the exterior of your manufactured home, it’s important to keep on top of accumulating leaves, if you have them. While they can be fun to play around in, if they get too wet or sit out for too long, you can have a real problem on your hands. 

It’s very important that you clean your gutters regularly so that you don’t have a blockage of leaves. Otherwise, you risk long-term damage to your gutters and even your roof due to a lack of proper drainage flow. 

Hopefully these tips on sprucing your mobile home inside and out have sparked some inspiration this fall. Any mobile home project, no matter how big or small, can rejuvenate and revitalize you and your home if you’re willing to put in the work to make it look as best as it can possibly be. 

Looking for more mobile home lifestyle ideas? Head to the MHVillager to read up on other ways to live the manufactured home lifestyle to the fullest. 

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