by George F. Allen

How Do YOU Describe and Measure Affordable Housing and Housing Affordability?

First, the bugbear. Per Webster’s College Dictionary, bugbear is ‘a persistent problem or source of annoyance.’

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by Michael F. B. Barnabas

I

t may sound like a heretical idea to some. But let's explore the idea of Manufactured Housing business people and homeowners working together.

It is good for us first to review why some manufactured homeowners and business people do not already work together for mutual advancement, and equally important to note that some already do.

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by Paul Bradley

We have seen and experienced the consequences of heirs taking over “Daddy’s mobile home park” (read, land lease community) numerous times. Frankly, the consequences have left me thinking that there has got to be a better way.

Why? Well, in crass terms, money!

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by Chad Carr

Editor's Note: Last month, Chad described how a dealership can (and he believes should) restructure its income statement to provide a more meaningful representation of what is going on in the business. In this installment, he shares how to calculate critical profit control points for your dealership. Click here to review By the Numbers – Part 2 and readers may request a copy of Rainmaker's recommended Chart of Accounts by calling (800) 336-0339.

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by Tim Connor, CSP

Now more than ever in the manufactured housing industry, it is critical that all of your new hires will contribute to improved productivity, sales and organization health and success.

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by Tim Connor, CSP

One of the biggest mistakes poor salespeople make in the manufactured housing industry is they lose control of the sales process. There are many ways they accomplish this feat. Here are a few for your consideration:

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by Nadeen Green

Most folks in the business know that providing reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities (PWDs) is the right thing to do for two reasons. First, it is a mandate of the civil rights law that we know as the Fair Housing Act.

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by Edward ‘Eddie’ Hicks

There are a lot of manufactured home LLCommunity (community) buyers out there who have the mistaken impression that this type of real estate investment can be purchased at prices providing high returns.

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by Chrissy Jackson, ACM, PHC

Effective Date.  Show the date the Guidelines become effective, or the date the amendments become effective. Check the state law, and with a competent attorney.   In some states, it may be a requirement to show the date of notice of the amendments, as well as the effective date.

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by Tracey C. Jones

Don’t believe it! Whether it’s the manufactured housing industry, any other industry or your personal life, you’re never too old to learn new tricks.

For thousands of years, dogs have been our dedicated partners, sharing in the tasks and the pleasures, the bitter struggles and the glorious achievements that accompany the building of human civilization.

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by Tracey C. Jones

I was recently at a meeting where a member shared that a teammate had committed an act that was incongruent with what we stood for. The member was clearly shaken as he recounted the events that had transpired. How could one of us who had been so close have done something so at odds with what we stood for?

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by L. A. 'Tony' Kovach

Invite - Involve - Include. I recall the first time I heard this phrase, and it had nothing to do with manufactured housing. It was in the context of building up a group very much outside of our Industry. How do you get any group or association to grow?

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by Greg McClanahan

As a young marine walked through the emergency room door, a nurse quickly took the tired, anxious serviceman to the Intensive Care Unit and to the bedside of his father who had been intermittently calling for him over the past couple of days.

"Your son is here to see you," the nurse said to the old man.

She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened.

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by George Porter

In the previous article, we discussed the need to ADAPT and how someone in the installation business might accomplish this. This time we will be talking about what you could do if you can't, or don't want to, keep up with the ever-changing rules and requirements of installation and feel you need to MIGRATE.

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by Ken Rishel

A nyone engaged in captive finance needs to understand the importance of collateral performance. In a nutshell, the homes being financed are the underlying collateral for the loan being, so how well they actually do that is important.

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by Dave Shanklin

There are two topics to share this month.

1. “Incredibly Low Rates”

Sales of used mobile and/or manufactured homes in Land Lease Communities (LLC’s) have heated up considerably on the West Coast, mainly due to the season, market conditions, and GREAT RATES from our industry’s main lenders.

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by Joanne M. Stevens, CCIM

Fact: The number of Realtors has declined nationally by over 300,000 agents between 2008 and the present. Today's Realtors are actively looking for new avenues to generate commissions, gain market share, create a satisfied customer base, garner referrals and more. Now more than ever, the need for low cost affordable housing is at an all time high.

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by Bob Stovall

The last Tuesday in April, I spent much of the day in my annual re-certification course for my Kentucky Manufactured Housing Installer Manager license. The re-certification course is required to renew the license. It is taking place at the offices of the Kentucky Manufactured Housing Institute (KMHI) in Frankfort.

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by Scott Stroud

For 30 years Jerry Rouleau served the housing industry as a sales and marketing consultant, author and speaker, working with builders and housing producers across the country. On March 15, 2011, Jerry’s two-year battle with cancer ended.

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by Don Westphal

Last month I introduced this new series, which I call Extreme Makeover: Community Edition. It has nothing to do with the TV show, but the reality of transforming Ryder Park into the community it is today did, indeed, require an extreme makeover.

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by Zig Ziglar

Personal discipline, when it becomes a way of life in our personal, family, and career lives, will enable us to do some incredible things. One of my favorite sayings is, "When you discipline yourself to do the things you need to do when you need to do them, the day will come when you can do the things you want to do when you want to do them."

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by Mike Moore

What if I told you most salespeople are infected with a ‘sales repellent virus’ and this 'virus' has been handed out, usually unknowingly, for free, for years, by their companies, sales managers and sales trainers? Even more importantly, when a salesperson is left alone, they catch this ‘sales repellent virus’ and even help spread it themselves.

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by Mark Hunter

Want a quick way to destroy sales motivation and profit at the same time? Picture yourself as a sales manager who suddenly receives a phone call from a salesperson who is on the verge of selling a home. Here’s a sample of that typical conversation:

Salesperson: “We have to cut our price to make the sale. It’s just for this one sale. I won’t need to do it again.”

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