How to Handle Frozen Pipes in a Mobile Home

Instructions for Dealing With Frozen Pipes In a Mobile Home

Some residents and homeowners are more susceptible than others to the travails of arctic cold air creating a problem with frozen water pipes. With much of the country under a deep freeze, now is a prime time for exactly that kind of calamity. We’re here to help.

Why is it more likely to have frozen pipes in a mobile home than with other types of homes?

Mobile homes sit above ground. They have a pocket of air between the foundation and the underside of the home. Dependent on what type of foundation you have, this will be more or less of a problem. For instance, a newer home on a frost-free foundation is unlikely to have problems. But, if there’s a rush of cold air, a cold air leak in your mobile home surrounds the plumbing. All kinds of homes can have problems with water pipes. However, avoidance of a frozen water pipe in a mobile home takes some special precautions and maintenance.

How should I be set up to avoid a frozen water pipe?

Skirting

Causes of Frozen Pipes in a Mobile Home — Compromised skirting that can lead to frozen pipes

It is imperative that your mobile home skirting is completely secure around the home. It needs to be pinned in place at the proper intervals and void of structural compromises from lawn maintenance, vegetation overgrowth, soccer balls, previous home maintenance efforts, digging pets and varmints looking for shelter.

If there’s any opening in the skirting, that cold flow of air it allows to come under your home will make it difficult to maintain interior warmth. It also will freeze pipes under and potentially up into the home. One measure that could make a big difference, in terms of the integrity of the skirting and the draft it allows, is to purchase skirting that’s mid- to high-range in cost, and perhaps even one that’s insulated. This will help you control the interior temperature year-round, including during those cold months. If you can, spend a little more in the beginning to save a lot on plumbing later.

Underlayment

Under the home is an underlayment, which is a plastic vapor barrier often called an “underbelly” that fits snugly all along the underside of the home. It keeps moisture and pests out and the climate-controlled air inside where you want it. If there is a tear in the underlayment, moisture and cold air can flow in. That’s where some of the frozen water pipe issues can start. Underlayment should enclose a comprehensive sheet of insulation that maintains the division of climate-controlled air from the exterior elements.

Insulation

If the underlayment is compromised, the insulation might be as well. This work can be nasty. But, whether you’re getting your hands dirty or paying a contractor, you’ll want to ensure that the insulation under your mobile home is in good shape. Insulation needs to be laid out evenly and also needs to be dry.

One of our colleagues here at MHVillage had a previously owned home that he unfortunately came to find out had some water pipe damage. How did he discover this? The pipes froze, again, because — despite all the other safeguards — the existing insulation had been compromised during the previous “repair” and had not been replaced. So, when it turned cold again, the insulation allowed a flow of cold air that resulted in the pipe freezing again. OUCH.

Also, there is water pipe insulation available. It wraps around the pipe itself and keeps the water temperature more stable than would an exposed pipe. When it comes to the use of heat elements on the pipe, many manufacturers suggest covering the tape or cable with a section of pipe insulation. This keeps all of the energy from the tape or cable on the pipe.

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Climate Considerations

Now, we’re aware that it snowed in Florida this week, and pretty far south too. Overnight lows even in typically warm climates can cause water damage. But it is unlikely as long as the safeguards have been checked and assured. Those of us in the great white north are less fortunate. With overnight temperatures that can drop to 30-below zero, all the suggested safeguards still may not do the trick. One additional suggestion for winterizing your mobile home is to get a small, safe space heater that can be placed under the home. This will provide some warm air circulating in that closed space. It could be the key to prevent a morning of aggravation or a serious repair headache.

If, for whatever reason, you have all these checks in place and are still concerned, you can exercise the age-old trick of leaving a slight flow of water through the tap. Choose the furthest tap from the heat source, the one most likely to be associated with the compromised pipe. Flowing water is much more resistant to freezing. Also, having an open tap, even if just slightly more than a drip, provides an escape for the cold water vapor in the pipe, further removing your utility from harm’s way.

Ok, I have a frozen water pipe in my mobile home, what do I do?

First, we’re sorry this is happening. It is a pain. It takes time you don’t want to spend, and also, on a cold morning, you want that hot shower, right? So let’s get started.

Open the water tap. This allows the pressure in the pipe to release and reduces the likelihood of that frozen section causing the pipe to burst. If you have twin tap handles, as pictured, open both warm and cold water taps just

Frozen Pipes in a Mobile Home - bathroom toilet pipe — Frozen pipes show up in some interesting locations

enough for a thin stream of water. The bursting pipe ultimately is what we’re trying to avoid here. If the frozen water pipe is the aggravation, a burst pipe and a call to the plumber is the serious repair headache.

Use one of those cool laser pointer temperature detectors if you have one. Run that light along your pipe. The frozen water pipe in a mobile home most likely is going to be near if not under the floor. It may also be closest to any compromise in the low wall or floor of the home. In other words, you could have an undetected draft that needs fixing.

Regardless, if the precise spot in the pipe is hard to find, you can use the temperature detector to get to that segment that drops near or below 32 degrees.

If you need to figure this out with your hands, you can trust your sense of touch to at least get close to the frozen pipe. We’ve also heard that cobwebs can indicate the location of an air leak. Let us know if this last tip comes to fruition — if so, we’ll mention you when we write about “spider hacks”.

OK, let’s pretend we’ve found the frozen section of pipe. Well done, friend!

How do I fix mobile home frozen pipes?

If you have easy access to the section of pipe that contains ice, there are several approaches.

Point your space heater at it, particularly if the frozen water pipe in a mobile home is in a cabinet under a sink. It may take awhile, but warming ambient air in the cabinet will clear out the pipe.
If you have one, use a heat lamp directed toward the frozen section. This will be a bit more effective than the floor space heater, and also can access harder-to-reach locations.
A quicker solution could be to hold a hair dryer near the spot. It can get tiresome holding the hair dryer in one spot for 20 minutes, but what else are you going to do this morning
Drape the pipe with a heating pad, particularly if the pipe is in an awkward, hard to reach spot.
Purchase and place some heat tape or heat cable around or along the pipe.
If you have some water you can boil, wrap the offending pipe with cloth/towels and pour hot water over the cloth, maybe repeatedly.

A couple of notes on these suggestions

For residents in a moderate climate, you may be accustomed to heating your entire home with a space heater or pellet stove. When the temperature dips below freezing, you may need to turn down those heat sources and turn on the central heat. The home’s central heat will warm the entire floor and the components within and under the home. Space heating and room heating is less comprehensive and could leave portions of your home more susceptible to freezing.

If you purchase heat tape or heat cable, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use. Most tapes and cable can be used for either metal or plastic piping, but ensure this when you’re reading instructions before you buy. The tape or cable can be wrapped around the pipe, but be careful to avoid overlapping the tape. Heat tape heating heat tape (bear with me here) can cause a fire. And who cares about a frozen pipe if the house around it is ashy debris.

Properly used heat tape can remain in place year round and can serve as one of those precautionary measures we noted early in this writing. Also, if you’re up north, just leave the heat tape or cable plugged in during the warm months… it uses very little power, and many varieties have an auto-off feature temperatures above freezing. The real catch about unplugging the heating element used for preventative measures is that you may forget to plug back in before the snow flies, and there again, you are setting yourself up for the frozen water pipe in a mobile home.

About the environment

If you’re starting to get the dreaded “eco-guilt” about wasting water, we have a couple suggestions. Know that your sink can hold a container below the open tap to capture at least some of the draining water. You can make tea, water your plants, put it in the pet bowl or pour it into the freezer trays. Seriously, we’re trying to melt ice, but if the guilt is overwhelming, make some ice too. Balance, my friends, balance. Likewise, if you’re engaging the hot water on towels approach, you can use a bucket underneath to recapture some of that water. Reboil, re-use.

Thawing strategy for frozen water pipe in a mobile home

Whatever heat source you decide to use, focus your efforts “upstream” from the ice blockage. Warming the cold, but not yet frozen water on the mainline/water-source side of the frozen section of pipe will clear out the ice faster than trying to be right on top of it. You need to start the flow. If you mistakenly wrap the non-source side of the pipe “above” where the block is, you’re going to wait a while until the pipe heats up enough to work its warmth back to the frozen water.

Pour salt in the drain if that’s where the ice is. Then boil some salty water and pour it on top of the salt dam behind the ice. This should work quickly!

What not to do

OK, we covered how fire certainly will thaw a frozen water pipe. However, this route may be a bit of overkill. Let’s remember, fire causes injuries and also can burn down a house. So, do not use welding torches under a home or in a cabinet.

Finding Your Next Home on MHVillage

Finding your next home can feel like a huge undertaking. Whether you are looking for a second home, a retirement home or are relocating entirely, the process can be challenging.

When it comes to finding a manufactured home, MHVillage is without a doubt the best place to start this process. We give home sellers the tools to advertise and home buyers and renters the tools to search!

We don’t directly sell any of the homes or manage the communities or companies on our site, but we do help sellers advertise their homes and home shoppers find their next home.

The best part? It’s totally free to search for homes on MHVillage!

Our nationwide website offers search tools that allow you to narrow your criteria and change the sort order of your results. You can search by home location, community location or even by professionals in an area with inventory.

Looking for a ‘New’ home?

Our “On Dealer Lot” and “Models” tab will show you new homes available to be moved into a community of your choice or to private land.

Have some specifics in mind for finding your next home?

We offer a service called the “Ideal Home Search Alert”. This option lets you enter your ideal home criteria and then we will email you home listings on MHVillage that match.

You can set up multiple alerts and you can manage or remove any of the alerts within your free account at any time.

The first step is selecting the “Find Homes For Sale” or “Find Homes for Rent” option. Then fill in your criteria and select the checkbox at the bottom of the page to create your Ideal Home Search Alert.

Found a home or community you are interested in but not ready to contact the seller or manager yet?

You can become a fan of that listing by “Liking” the listing. This feature will save the listing in your account and keep you updated any time there is a change or update to the listing. You can expect to receive an email if a home you have liked lowered the price or added more photos. With communities, there often are leasing specials or open houses that will trigger a notice for your preferences too.

Similar to the Search Alert feature you can manage the homes you “Like” via your account giving you the ability to remove a home from your list at any time.

MHVillage makes it easy!

“We have searched many, many sites for finding the mobile home of our choice, but your site has proven to be the BEST of all that are out there. Thank you for saving us time and effort in finding our home. THANK YOU AGAIN!!”
– Jean W. Palm Bay, FL

As you use MHVillage you will see that finding your next home to match your criteria, is easy!

Since we don’t manage or sell the homes or communities, any questions you have you can send directly. We offer contact options via phone, email, company website. If you are searching on your phone, you can even text your question.

So, although finding your next home can feel pretty daunting, it doesn’t have to be! When you use MHVillage’s search tools and features you get to shop at your own pace with the luxury of contacting and negotiating with the sellers when you are ready.

If you have any questions on how to use MHVillage, please contact our customer service staff. We are happy to help!

Lesser Known MH Industry Terms

A Manufactured Housing Vocabulary Primer – MH Industry Terms

MHVillage and its partner organization Datacomp cumulatively have 45 years of experience in the manufactured home industry. The leadership team of the two organizations boasts more than 500 years of industry experience.

We asked our team to consider the many MH industry terms. From jargon to acronyms and misnomers, we’ve come up with a list of very industry specific terms, including the lesser known and under appreciated vocabulary.

MH industry terms drum roll, please!

What does chattel mean?

Chattel: Chattel is an item of personal property. The term often is used in the manufactured housing sector in relation to finance of a home without consideration for the land it will sit on, as with a standard mortgage loan.

What is a cookie?

Cookie: A cookie is a 2×2’ cement pad, similar to a paving stone, that is placed on level ground in lieu of a full concrete pad foundation for a home. Cookies are prohibited in some colder weather climates because of changes to level ground that can occur from frost and freezing.

What is an expando?

Expando: An expando is a room extension or similar type of home feature that is constructed in the factory with the home. It is transported inside the home, and pushed into place on the exterior of the home upon delivery and siting. Unlike “tip outs” that commonly are anchored to the interior of the home with braces or brackets, expandos push out of the home on all sides.

What is a marriage line?

Marriage Line: The line or lines where multi-section homes are joined. A double-wide would have one marriage line, and a triple-wide two and so on. The marriage line is where home sections are joined and finished on site.

What is a multi-section home?

Multi Section: The multi-section home is a combination or series of manufactured home sections, most often a double-wide mobile home, each in the approximate footprint of the single-section home. Each section is delivered on a semi-truck and are positioned and joined on site. Manufactured homes are commonly sold in a pair of sections, three sections or four, which is referred to as a “Quad”.

What is a ‘Snuggle Wide’?

A snuggle wide is a term used for a multi-section home, usually a double-wide, that is shorter than most, typically between 50- and 60-feet long.

What is a pier?

Pier: Similar to a “ribbon”, a cement pier is poured into the ground in strategic locations to serve as a foundation for a manufactured home. Piers are used in place of a full concrete pad foundation, often to save on time and cost. This pier should not be confused with a metal pier, which is an aftermarket accessory with A-frame construction that is placed below a home’s chassis to anchor and stabilize the residence.

What is a quad in manufactured housing?

Quad: Known as a quadruple wide mobile home, is a four-section manufactured home, sold to a buyer in four parts that are delivered and joined on site. The feature that separates a quad from a modular home is that each of the four section of a quad meet HUD code.

What is a ribbon?

Ribbon: Ribbons are poured strips of concrete that serve as the foundation of the home, often used to save on time and costs associated with pouring a full concrete pad foundation.

What is sidewall entry for a manufactured home?

Sidewall entry: Sidewall entry for a manufactured home refers to the main entry door being located on the long-side or awning side of the home rather than on the gabled or narrow end of the home, which is called “endwall entry”.

What is a single-wide home?

Single Wide: The single wide home is no more than 18-feet wide constructed in a linear fashion up to 90-feet in length, though most of these homes are purchased at approximately 1,080 square-feet (15×72’). Single wide manufactured homes typically are purchased for their affordability and relative ease of mobility for trade or sale.

What is a SIP?

Lesser Known MH Industry Terms SIP — Example of a SIP from Backside of Nowhere LLC.

SIP: A SIP is a structurally insulated panel, built with a foam core sandwiched between a pair of structural facings, often made from oriented strand board (OSB). SIPS typically are designed for weight reduction, increased insulation and ease of installation as a wall, divider or similar architectural feature

What is siting?

Siting: Siting a home is the placement of a single-wide home, or joining and placement of a multi-section home. This includes leveling a mobile home, anchoring the home to its piers, hooking up utilities, making exterior and interior finishes, and ensuring code compliance.

What is submetering?

Submetering: Submetering typically is implemented with the water utility at a commercially owned property with a large number of tenants, including mid- to large-size manufactured home communities. It involves installation of a water meter for each resident or tenant space on a property and allows both tenants and owners to better track the usage and cost of a public utility.

What is a tag or tag-along?

Tag along – “Tag”: A tag or tag-along is an option on many manufactured homes plans that involves the purchase of an additional modular room – often a rear porch or extended entry – that is put on its own chassis and hooked up to “tag along” behind the home for delivery.

What is a tip out?

Tip out: A tip out is a room extension or similar type of home feature that is constructed in the factory with the home. It is transported inside the home, and pushed into place or “tipped out” once the home is delivered and sited. Tip outs commonly are anchored to the home on one side with braces or brackets, a feature than distinguishes them from expandos.

Waterfront Manufactured Home Communities

Feeling the chill of winter? If so, perhaps it is time to check out these beautiful waterfront manufactured home communities. Many people “snowbird” during the wintry months. They move to warmer climates. Alternatively, some folks decide now is the time to move to where they can see the sun shining and the waves lapping the shore all year. If this describes you, or you are dreaming for the future, here are a few manufactured home communities to see!

Waterfront Manufactured Home Communities Around the United States:

I mean, doesn’t this photo say it all? Who wouldn’t want a view like that?

Hacienda Del Rio, Edgewater Florida

When you think waterfront manufactured home communities, you have to consider beautiful, sunny Florida. Hacienda Del Rio, (pictured above) is located on the Intracoastal Waterway. This active retirement (55+) manufactured home community has beautiful scenery plus fishing piers and a boat launch. Indeed, just look at some of these views!

Also, this community has swimming pools, clubhouses – and a number of gorgeous homes to choose. On the whole, if you are looking for a waterfront getaway, Hacienda Del Rio is a beautiful place to land!

Plantation Landings, Haines City Florida

Located on the shores of Lake Henry, this Age-Restricted (55+) community has beautiful water views. In fact, you can see the waterfront right from the heated pool!

Now, doesn’t that sound wonderful?

While Plantation Landings is a 55+ community, it is great for when the grandchildren come to visit! It’s near all the big Florida resorts, including Walt Disney World, SeaWorld Orlando, and the new LEGOLAND. They are pet friendly, so the four-legged friends are welcome too.

Hemet West, Hemet California

Are you California Dreamin’? If so, Hemet West is an Active Living Resort known for its waterfront beauty. It is nestled in 150 acres of pristine land in the San Jacinto Valley. And, this waterfront community boasts lakes, trees and even waterfalls.

Not only that – but Hemet West residents really know how to live! They have a brand new dance club – with instructors teaching everything from ballroom to line dancing. There is a 9-Hole Executive Golf Course, plus an Olympic pool and a warm water spa. They have an arts and crafts studio, hobby clubs and a library.

This waterfront community has it all!

Laguna Terrace, Laguna Beach California

So, we admit to being blown away by this beautiful video of Laguna Terrace! This community is near everything you would want. This includes, shopping, schools and restaurants. Plus, it is by beautiful beaches, nature trails and golf courses. What a gorgeous place for the outdoor enthusiast! (Especially since, as Terri says in the video below, you can enjoy the weather all year!)

Not only is there gorgeous water nearby, Laguna Beach is surrounded by rolling hills. As a resident of Laguna Terrace says:

“We love our home at Laguna Terrace! This community has spectacular views, and it’s so close to the beach.” – John

Newport Farms, Newport Michigan

Wait, what? Sure, we’ve been talking about waterfront in warm weather states, but the Midwest has lovely waterfront properties as well.

Newport Farms is located about 25 minutes downriver of Detroit. And, it offers quiet country living just outside of the big city. This pet-friendly community has three lakes and is located in a wonderful school district for the kids. Plus, Newport Farms has tree-lined streets, lovely green spaces and great fishing!

“Tonya sold us our home & she was the sweetest lady. Mike, the park manager, really does care about this community & the maintenance man does his best to help with every problem.” – a Newport Farms resident

As always, if you are looking to buy a manufactured or mobile home, MHVillage.com can help! Be sure to check out articles on the MHVillager blog on how to find homes to buy. Love these communities? Be sure and check out our latest piece featuring the most beautiful water manufactured homes in Florida to see more.

Post-Holiday Purge

Create balance in a room and lighten the mood too

The holiday season and associated celebrations often involve the heaping on of decorations, gifts and goodies, so in the name of balance perhaps a post-holiday purge celebration is in order.

Receive we did, for ourselves and others. And as much as the voluntary excess can appoint the season, it also can come with an emotional weight. Just as one might want to begin a new exercise regimen for the year, being mindful of how you pack up and put away the décor and gewgaws from your home also can provide a lift to the step.

Round One for Post-Holiday Purge

Reflect on how many strands of lights you tested. It seems in the average year about 40 percent of the holiday lights fail to work. So why keep them? Go through the decorations, ornaments, seasonal candles and annual characters. Honestly, do you have five too many Santas? Four Unity Cups? Three Menorah sets? Two star toppers? One broken dreidel?

Seriously, if you have one too many of something – anything, really – give one to a friend. Drop it off at second-hand store of choice, or donate to a non-profit organization. You can use the donation as a tax write-off too.

Clearing space in your home clears space in your mind and can create a sense of calm accomplishment, and pride, too, in having helped a neighbor.

Make the post-holiday purge a celebration in itself. Put out some light, healthy food. Play some festive but relaxing music and involve family and friends.

Post-Holiday Purge Tradeoff

You received the new scarf you wanted, the one that piles up on you almost like a pillow. So, take a turn back into your closet. Find the mismatched gloves, the dollar store scarf that barely survives the summer top-down, and send at least one item the way of the spare pair of unity cups.

Find someone who will use them, donate or send to the trash. Boots you never wear? The old CDs you never spin, the books overflowing their shelf space? Treat every new acquisition as a book… and its place in your life as the limited shelf space. One in, one out. Or be brave and give away or send out on a 2:1 ratio. It’s new year!

The Great Toy Escape

If your kids are anything like mine, they’ll be dramatically stubborn about giving up old toys, or even parts of toys.

Remain unshakeable, my friend, the old toys must go.

Take the opportunity to talk with them about outmoded playthings when they’re attention is keenly focused on all of the newest and shiniest. They’ll be more likely to let go in the face of these newfound treasures.

And don’t be afraid to slip an extra bauble in the outbound bag, and prepare to be vindicated by your child’s eternal lack of notice.

Post-Holiday Purge Beyond the Pale

Clearly the attention should be paid to the prime living quarters. But wiping out all the cookie dust in the kitchen and swapping the old serving platter for the new only begs for the same attention to be paid to the carport, storage closet or shed.

No, no, don’t panic! It’s OK. Just a thing or two, right? While you’re headed to the donation center any how?

The spare tire you meant to put on a better rim? You never did. Rid yourself of the concern. Aunt Donna’s porcelain treasures you’ve been storing for a decade? Perhaps a new owner is in order?

Keep an open mind, for lighter and more carefree days are ahead.

Renting A Mobile Home

Renting a Mobile Home?

Here are the basics!

A common question we receive at MHVillage refers to rental home options. While some might argue that buying is better, here are some benefits to the options of renting a mobile home.

Low-Maintenance:

One advantage of renting a mobile home vs buying one is the aspect of maintenance. As a homeowner, you are responsible for major repairs and up-keep. As a home renter, you typically would contact the owner of the home to maintain the home and/or the property. This is a great option for individuals seeking a temporary housing option (business) or even a seasonal one, depending on the location. By renting the home you don’t always have the responsibility of major home repairs.

Location:

Whether you are looking to rent a mobile home in a resort-style community for retirement or to acquire a second home option for vacations on the waterfront, renting offers flexibility without the commitment of ownership.

Low-Cost/More Options:

Most people think of manufactured housing as a low-cost option for living. This can be especially true if renting a mobile home when you consider the benefits included.

If you rent a home on private land, it can be fairly low in cost since typically you are then paying for the home and sometimes the mobile home’s property taxes. However, depending on the location, you privacy as for your rental instead of renting an apartment with neighbors.

If you rent a home that is in a community your rent typically includes additional amenities. Most communities offer lawn service, a pool (and it’s maintenance), trash removal, and in some cases snow removal within their rental price.

How do I find a Mobile Home to Rent?

MHVillage has some great search tools on our site where you can sort and filter to only show homes or communities who have rental options available.

We also have a search alert tool where you can sign up to receive email notifications about rental homes available that meet your criteria. It’s called the “Ideal Home Search Tool”.

If you have any additional questions about using MHVillage to find Mobile Home for Rent contact us!

Winter Sales – Tips for Selling Your Home in the Winter

While it is common for people to list their homes in the Spring, that’s not always possible for everyone. Sometimes you need to get that home on the market a little sooner. We’ve written articles about staging your home, but if you are in one of our states that experiences winter weather, here are some tips for listing your home when the snow is flying:

Photos, Photos, Photos:

Even if the leaves have fallen and the ground is covered with snow, home buyers still want to see those photos – the more the better. And, now might be the time to focus on the interior features of your home (especially if you have a fireplace!) However, make sure you get some clear photos of the exterior too. Look for sunny days, if possible. Try to focus on getting as much of the home in the photo as possible – with a minimum of road or sky in the photo.

Winter Curb Appeal:

Even when Jack Frost is nipping at your nose, curb appeal is still important. Make sure debris from fall is cleared up. Summer toys and yard equipment should be tucked away and tidied up.

Keep the path to the door freshly shoveled – not only does it look nice, but you don’t want potential buyers slipping on ice! Speaking of which, if the plow fills your driveway regularly, do your best to keep that clear. Getting stuck at the front of the drive rarely makes a good impression.

If you have a deck or other outdoor structure, keep that snow-free as well. People will want to walk out on your deck (and wood can be particularly slippery.) Keep the area in front of the shed or carport shoveled out. Buyers will want to check them out.

Cozy and Warm:

When it is dark and cold outside, you want it warm and cozy inside. Turn on all the lights and consider turning the temperature up a bit if you tend to be frugal with the heat. Make your home as welcoming as possible. Speaking of which, keep an eye on your entryway. Snow and salt can accumulate on floors around entrance ways leaving floors and carpets looking dirty.

You might want to experiment with different light bulbs and see what works best in your home. Bright CFL or LED bulbs can add an abundance of light. Traditional incandescent lights tend to look warm and soft. See what looks best with your home’s color scheme.

However, be careful with scents. Many of us love holiday candles and air fresheners. But other people have allergies or aversions to strong aromas. Go light on the nose when you are showing your home to a potential buyer.

One other indoor tip that is good all year round – make that home sparkle! Wash windows, faucets, light switches and mirrors. Everyone wants to move into a clean home, but especially in the winter; the more sparkle the better. There are a couple things you might not think about – check the corners for cobwebs that were built in the fall. Also, clean blades of your ceiling fans. If they’ve gotten hard use in the warmer months, they can look pretty furry come winter time.

Home Maintenance:

One tip that can be particularly useful in the winter is to check your doors and windows for leaks. You don’t want buyers feeling a cold draft! New seals and insulation are usually pretty reasonably priced, and can really help.

More Help from MHVillage:

When it is time to sell your home, MHVillage can help. Make sure you order the Free Seller’s Kit. Then check out the website for how to list your home.

Tiny Home Holidays

Have a Very Merry Minimalist Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah or Boxing Day

We adore Tiny Homes at MHVillage, and Tiny Home Holidays has a special ring to it during this festive time.

MHVillager wants to provide some inspiration for decorating the tiny home. We also want to provide tiny home gift ideas that double as stocking stuffers, simple living charms and space savers!

So, first, let’s skip the obvious tiny tree post. Clearly, tiny home dwellers will side with Charlie Brown before Clark Griswold on this one…

As for decorating, you can find in tiny dimensions any of those bold and beautiful bulbs you love to hang. But, decorative lighting is a different endeavor. There’s a lot to choose from. Some is bulky, some are too bold for a small space, and many are
heavy on the electric bill. So, if you want something that’s a light touch and adaptable, plus energy efficient and low cost for purchase, take a look at this easy-to-apply indoor/outdoor lighting solution. These LEDs work well for window frames, roof lines, reindeer games, kitchen nooks or loft crannies. They offer a bit of extra room light, and provide the twinkle you love during winter celebrations!

One disclaimer: These are unlikely to work in your mini tree. However, most of those cute little guys come with their own lights.

OK, that said, I relent: Here’s one little happy living tree that comes with lights for your tiny home holidays.

When it comes to a tiny home holidays celebration, some cheerful music is essential. You certainly should program it as you like, whether it’s the classic Christmas on Pandora or something off the path like “Talj, Talj” by Fairuz. Whatever your preference might be, there’s a nice, affordable little wireless speaker that is portable, can take a bit of melting snow, and has won rave reviews for all kinds of uses. It even comes in a festive green hue!

My family loves to play games. Good old-fashioned board games during those long, cold days of winter and times of family celebration. We’ll have a couple new games under the tree this year, but we found one in particular that is five-games-in-one, and comes in a easy-to-store and pack-along container!

Now, one of the biggest messages we like to carry through the year, and emphasize during the holidays, is gratefulness. The holidays can be stressful times for many reasons, but underneath it all there’s always time for a deep breath and smile. Akin to that notion, there’s this wonderful little jar of insight that you could buy or even make at home!

It will help you keep your feet on the ground and your mind in the moment. Remember, many of these items can be for decorating a sacred space during the holiday, or given as a gift.

For those of us who like to have a little swig of holiday cheer in our winter celebration, you can personalize your very own miniature keg/growler to fill with a drink of choice! It looks cool, it’s the right size, and it can be re-used and appreciated through the year.

A Practical Something for Tiny Home Holidays

If you’d like to get on to the more practical side of holiday decor and gift giving, our kitchens could always use a little help. We spend a lot of time in there this time of year, and couldn’t our recipes use a bit more spice without having to sacrifice cabinet or counter space? That’s a rhetorical questions.

Going to a holiday party? Haven’t made it to a dry-cleaner? A bit tired of using the dryer with a wet towel to tackle wrinkled pants? It’s not very efficient is it? Here’s a sturdy and compact ironing board made just for small spaces!

A Personal Tiny Home Holidays Touch

Want to capture a special moment in your life, or that dream place you someday would like to find yourself? Hang it on your wall with this fun, rustic-looking pallet wall art piece.

And if you’re shopping for the sweet little ones in your tiny life, we can suggest a calming bedside moon light, or, just to cover the silliness factor, a tiny tiny magic 8 ball. Remember, take time to ask the mini 8 ball about your holiday dreams this year!

Winter wonder and cheers to all of our Villagers during this special season!

Arkansas Settles in Favor of MH Owners, Residents

Fair Housing Update

In September of 2016, a young couple moved their manufactured home to McCrory, Arkansas, from a neighboring community.

Shortly after their move, the McCrory City Council passed an ordinance which stated no manufactured home could be sited in the city “unless it has a value established by a certified appraiser or a bill of sale of not less than $7,500.00.” McCrory claimed the ordinance was necessary because it provided relief from over-crowding, was good for health and safety of McCrory residents, and promoted orderly growth in the community.

However, after the ordinance passed, the couple that had moved their home to McCrory was visited by the city’s police chief. He told them they’d have to move their home because it was valued at $1500 and did not comply with the city’s new valuation ordinance. Equal Justice Under the Law (“Equal Justice”), a D.C.-based legal aid organization, got involved and assisted the couple in filing suit against the City of McCrory.

Lawsuit Decries Practices Counter to Fair Housing

The thirty-one page, well- crafted original lawsuit labeled McCrory’s ordinance “a wealth-based banishment scheme, imposing a ‘fate universally decried by civilized people’” that essentially criminalized poverty.

The lawsuit asked for the Federal Court in the Eastern District of Arkansas to declare the ordinance unconstitutional.

Equal Justice was able to get the city to re- peal the ordinance and according to a November 28, 2017 press release they finalized a settlement in the lawsuit.

JD Harper, who is Executive Director of the Arkansas Manufactured Housing Association has been following the case since its inception calls the case “a significant victory against zoning discrimination.”

He pointed out that the case has caused several other towns with similar ordinances to change their laws, too.

Editor’s note: MHVillage and the Manufactured Housing Institute partner on fair housing initiatives, and as part of that agreement, MHVillage will publish the MHI monthly newsletters on the topic with this blog as well as its professional blog

Clayton Offers Affordable Housing Solution for Millennial Home Buyer

National homebuilder helps address housing crisis for under-35 generation

MARYVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 7, 2017— Clayton, one of the largest home builders in America, is focused on providing affordable housing options that fit the needs and wants of the millennial home buyer, who makes up 35% of the company’s current customer base.

As a demographic, millennial home buyers also share different obstacles to obtaining homeownership than those who came before them. For instance, according to the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies (HJCHS), many first-time home buyers possess the household income to qualify for homeownership, but struggle to save money for a down payment due to lingering debts from student loans and other debts.

This combined with a low supply of available, affordable houses and a high pool of active buyers is driving up prices and competition. As a result, more millennials are choosing to rent or live with their parents.

The Needs of the Millennial Home Buyer

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the share of millennials in 2015, or adults born between 1982 and 2000, is over 25 percent of the population. At 87 million strong, millennials are the largest generation in history according to HJCHS.

“Many millennial home buyers believe that owning a dream home is out of reach,” Clayton CEO Kevin Clayton said. “However, Clayton provides an affordable housing solution that fits within the budget of millennials, while not sacrificing on quality or amenities. Manufactured and modular homes are affordable, stylish, energy-efficient, and customizable – the perfect solution for such a unique generation.”

So, the millennial homebuyer has preferences that differ in many ways from other generations. According to the Census Bureau, the median size of a new single-family home declined by 2 percent in 2016. While this is a modest decline, it is the first time since 2009 that the median size has declined. In addition, the millennial home buyer is focused on a home that is energy efficient. Clayton provides homes with energy-efficient options such as programmable thermostats, upgraded insulation, double-paned UV windows, and sealed ductwork.

“This is a forever home, this is it,” explained Robert Woody, a millennial Clayton homeowner. “This is the best that we would want. We’ve got it made.”

To learn more about available home features from Clayton, visit claytonhomes.com

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