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Tuesday, 18 Jun 2013

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October 2010 Vol. 2 No. 1

A Forest of Gold

by Greg McClanahan

Greg McClanahan photo I recently had a disheartening experience with a customer that you have likely experienced at one time or another yourself. Someone you have gone the extra mile for, exceeded the scope of work that was agreed upon in your contract, and made every effort to make their project run smoothly and successfully. Then, something that wasn’t even under your area of responsibility occurs on the job site and all of your effort is overshadowed by this event and they take it out on you.

The Host Couple Program

by Joe Adams

The host couple marketing program encourages cheerful residents to meet visiting prospects and to share personal observations relating to the life-style in their community. By volunteering to be host couples, satisfied residents can help their community's sales people sell houses. Host couples represent walking, talking testimonials and can promote the benefits of living in your development.

Five Part Market Share Recovery Plan for Manufactured Housing Industry & the Landlease Community Real Estate Asset Class!

by George Allen

George F. Allen photo It’s taken a decade for annual shipment totals to plummet from 372,843 new manufactured homes in 1998 to only 49,789 new homes during 2009. Here’s what must be done, in the immediate future, for shipments to rebound at all.

Real Change for Manufactured Housing Results

by Michael F.B. Barnabas

For decades, I've watched the ups and downs of this industry from within. Let me outline solutions and the road to long term prosperity.

1. Everything should revolve around the final end user, the home owner or resident of a manufactured home.

2. All the parties involved – manufacturing, retail, community, developer, transport, installation, finance and insurance – must keep that end user, our Industry's Customer, at the top of our minds.

3. The convenience and satisfaction of the customer is the key to long-term industry health.

Search Engine Optimization: 3 ways to improve your website's rankings

by Rachael Biermann

Rachael Biermann photo Search engine optimization has become an essential component in getting traffic to your website.

Put simply, search engine optimization is the process of improving a website's visibility in the search engines' search results. The many variables of search engine optimization often confuse and intimidate people. However, implementing these three easy tips is a great way to start seeing improvement in your website rankings!

Unlocking the Secrets of the Internet - Part One: Paradigm Shifts

by Chad Carr

Chad Carr photo It has been well over a decade since the Internet bubble burst and almost two decades since we were first told that there was going to be "a new medium that would change the way we do business, the way we learn and the way we interact."

Alternatives to Cold Calling - better ways to prospect for new business

by Tim Connor

Tim Connor photo Last month we discussed the prospecting technique of cold calling. Although this sales skill is necessary to develop and to know when and how to use it as a part of your overall prospecting approach, it's success can be a long and hard journey that most salespeople tire of taking before they have a chance to develop an effective strategy that works and is productive.

A personal coach is a guaranteed way to achieve your MH Industry career goals, dreams and potential

by Tim Connor

Tim Connor photo Can a personal coach accelerate your career progress? Everyone who has ever achieved greatness had help - outside and non-partial guidance - to help them break through barriers, resistance and factors in their history that could be sabotaging their future success and see opportunities with a clear vision, courage and passion.

Trend Tracking 2: An Image Campaign for Our Industry Needs to Start at Home

by Suzanne Felber, Lifestylist ®

Suzanne Felbr photo The biggest "buzz" in the industry right now seems to be about how we can underwrite an image campaign that will explain to consumers why manufactured housing is the right choice for them. It's an idea that has been proposed for years, but instead of waiting for a national campaign, why not do a grassroots campaign at your retail center, community or manufacturing facility to get things started? What you do and promote at a local level can only help your business directly, and the industry indirectly. Here are some easy (and inexpensive) ways to get things started immediately.

What's In It for Me? How to get more from your MHMSM.com Experience

by Catherine Frenzel

MHMHM.com is not just an ezine. It is a multi-faceted platform dedicated to the Manufactured Housing Industry, to YOU in whatever way to participate in or relate to the Industry. In this month's Feature Articles, IT Production Manager Bob Stovall takes a look back to see how far we've come in a year and Publisher/Marketing Director L.A. 'Tony' Kovach looks ahead at how we may serve you even better in the year to come. I will take a look around to acquaint you with aspects of MHMSM.com that perhaps you may not know exist.

It's Not Over 'til It's Over

by Nadeen Green

Nadeen Green photo Years ago I wrote a fair housing article titled "It's Not Over Until the Fat Lady Sings," which talked about some of the burdens that can be placed on those who have elected to settle a fair housing case that was filed against them based on allegations that a community's day-to-day operations were not lawful. I explained that even after the settlement check has been cashed by the complainant or plaintiff, the matter is likely not over,

To cultivate kindness...

by Nadeen Green

Nadeen Green photo …is a valuable part of the business life," according to British author Samuel Johnson. To provide reasonable accommodation for those with disabilities is a required part of a housing provider's life, according to the Fair Housing Amendments Act.

Rethinking Homeownership

by Jamie Hammons

Jamie Hammons photo I just re-read the Time magazine article from September 6, 2010 on "Rethinking Homeownership." Not along the lines that the writer proposes, but isn't that what we (the MH industry) need people to do? The cover of the magazine says, "Rethinking Homeownership," but the actual title of the article is, "The Case Against Homeownership." Big difference! Nowhere in the article does the author factor in MH as part of the housing equation. I thought it would be fun to examine some of the points made and questions raised with a manufactured home frame of mind.

When you think about it: It’s the little things that can kill your manufactured home business

by Mike Hourigan

On my morning walk, I passed a vehicle from my local electric utility. As I approached, I was impressed because the car had been washed when most of the cars on the road were covered with the dirt and mud from three days of rain. I pointed this out to my walking partner as we approached the car. As we came parallel with the car, he pointed out a crooked bumper sticker that was slapped on the side of the door.

Upgrading Your Community, Part VI: Improve the Infrastructure, cont'd.

by Chrissy Jackson

Chrissy Jackson photo Water lines are commonly another major source of attention during an overall upgrade of a community. As they age, they begin to deteriorate and the shifting of the ground only helps cause more problems. Because the availability of water is something residents take for granted and have come to rely on you to provide on a constant basis, interruption of their water supply is more than just a little inconvenience. It requires more than just a notice saying you are shutting off the water for a certain length of time. It requires something like the following letter.

The Look Ahead for Manufactured Housing Media

by L. A. 'Tony' Kovach

L.A. 'Tony' Kovach photo This becomes our First Anniversary issue of www.MHMarketingSalesManagement.com or www.MHMSM.com for short. Bob, our IT Manager, has recapped what has transpired plus other insights; Catherine, our associate editor, shares what we have that you may not yet realize; now let me give a few looks ahead at what we plan to do and what that means for YOU.

2010 Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) Annual Awards Presented in Denver, CO

by L. A. 'Tony' Kovach

L.A. 'Tony' Kovach photo Among the many highlights of this year's 74^th Annual meeting of the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) in Denver, C) Sept 24-26^th was the presentation of the annual awards. With close to 100 people signed up and/or in attendance for the meetings, this aspect of the meeting was a celebration of the good efforts on the part of these award winners and officers that can serve to inspire others.

Ojai Valley Green Coalition Green Home & Building Tour Educates and Inspires

by Steven Lefler

Steven Lefler photo Modular Lifestyles, Inc., based in Irvine and Roseville, CA, has been on a quest: To produce factory built homes that are highly energy efficient with the use of green generation technologies, yet built in such a way that these same technologies may be easily added in the future by the homeowner themselves. We have demonstrated these kinds of homes at a "Green Expo" in Sacramento for government officials to come and see.

Selling Intentions, Social Media and Your Economy

by Mike Moore

We are now experiencing a "new economy" that requires new intentions if businesses are to grow and prosper. Peter Drucker said, "The purpose of business is to make a customer." Over the past few decades, businesses lost sight of, or never had this intention. Instead, they focused on making sales…new sales, new subscribers that generated immediate revenue and started a cycle that required more new sales.

It's All in the Way You Look at It

by George Porter

George Porter photo This is the season for regional manufactured housing shows, and I attend most of them on behalf of manufacturers. I was talking to a retail dealer who made the comment that the shows are not as crowded as they used to be. He was concerned that the industry was about to take a turn down again.

Is a Lack of Financing for Homes Destroying the Land Lease Communities?

by Kenneth Rishel

There is some discussion underway that land lease communities may have a fatal disease much like cancer. Like cancer, it is hard to pinpoint, hard to accept, and hard to treat. If it is true, however, those of us concerned with the health of land lease communities need to be aware and proactive in curing the problem.

Hoping for Change Doesn't Cut It

by Ross Kinzler

For more than a decade, industry shipments of HUD Code homes have declined. A shorter, but just as severe decline has occurred in modular home shipments. Many in the industry have hoped that an uptick would be just around the corner. Sorry, but it is not coming without intervention.

Looking back on an exciting year of MHMSM.com

by Bob Stovall

Bob Stovall photo A little over a year ago, Editor Tony Kovach approached me with the idea of starting an online e-zine for the Manufactured Housing Industry. We had worked on some smaller projects before and they had gone exceptionally well, and I had positive day-to-day experience with the Industry for several years, so I said yes.

Through the Eyes of the Customer: A "From the outside, looking in" Perspective

by John Underwood

John Underwood photo One of the popular topics of discussion that seems to come up all too frequently among retail builders is the impact of the economy, the limited number of lenders and the shortage of available land for factory built housing. We seem to often ponder whether or not we as an industry have hit bottom and are on a rebound. Many retailers are still waiting for the market "to come back" and the opportunity to return to business as usual.

Organization in the MH Workplace: Using the 5S Program

by Heather Vela

Organization can be the key that will make or break a company. Finding the organizational system that works the best can certainly be a challenge. I'll show you one system that can easily and effectively be integrated into the Manufactured Housing industry.

Community Upgrades: A Fresh Start

By Don Westphal

For the next few months my columns will outline several options for community upgrades; let's get started.

Trailers, Mobile Homes, And Manufactured Homes

The history of manufactured homes and their location in trailer parks, mobile home parks and manufactured home communities plays an undeniable role in the public acceptance of the product today.

Zig On...Staying Up, Up, Up in a Down, Down World- Part 2

by Zig Ziglar

Zig Ziglar photo In the last issue, we explored the benefits of greeting people with an enthusiastic "Good Morning!" even when it's 8:00 p.m. The reason is simple: The best way for me to feel upbeat and optimistic is for me to make an effort to make others feel upbeat and optimistic. Admittedly, on rare occasions,

Daily Business News Briefs

Canadian Development may Include Manufactured Housing

A fifteen acre parcel of land in Kings County, Nova Scotia, Canada has been approved for retail and residential development, as the Kings County Council voted unanimously to give the second and final reading to the rezoning proposal for the property in Kentville. The redevelopment by Kent Building Supplies Limited would include a new retail [...]...

18 Jun 2013

Housing starts increased 6.8 percent in May to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 914,000 units due to a jump in multifamily construction. Single-family production remained steady at 599,000 homes, but multifamily activity grew 21.6 percent to 315,000 units. Regionally, the South posted a gain of 17.8 percent in combined starts and the West a...

18 Jun 2013

Most Tracked Housing Stocks Advance, as do the Three Major Indexes

All three indexes advanced, with the Dow moving up over 120 points, as inflation remains low and housing starts increase, despite concerns of what the Federal Reserve may reveal Wed., June 19, about possibly tapering the quantitative easing. CNNMoney reports the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained +0.91 percent, +138.38 points, to end the day at...

18 Jun 2013

Improving Manufactured Housing’s Image to Increase Sales

With image being a key component to selling more manufactured homes to cash and credit worthy buyers, that may explain the growing daily commentary in favor of the start of the ManufacturedHomeLivingNews.com image campaign. Nancy Geer, Executive Director of the New York Housing Association said: “Manufactured Home Living Website is a great r...

18 Jun 2013

Portfolio of Manufactured Housing Communities Changes Hands

Birmingham, Mich. based Q10 l Lutz Financial Services has arranged $108 million for the acquisition of a portfolio including 47 manufactured housing properties and three apartments. Neither the seller nor the buyer nor the number of homesites were identified by Lutz, a commercial real estate financial services firm. As nreionline tells MHProNews,...

18 Jun 2013

The transportation package that was passed by the Virginia General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Bob McDonnell includes tax increases that go into effect July 1, 2013. The titling tax for manufactured homes remains at $10, but the retail sales and use tax, which covers modular homes, will increase from five percent state [...]...

18 Jun 2013

Emergency Modular Housing May Go to Oklahoma

MODS International Marketing of Appleton, WI is set to deliver shipping containers converted into modular housing for the tornado victims in OK. MODS (Modular On Demand Structures) specializes in providing emergency housing for long and short term. The units arrive fully furnished, as MHProNews has learned from newson6.com. Costing $40,000 each,...

18 Jun 2013

New Executive Director for Alabama Manufactured Housing Association Announced

The Alabama Manufactured Housing Association (AMHA) has announced the decision of their board of directors to promote Doris Hydrick to the position of Executive Director as of July 1, 2013. Ms. Hydrick served as assistant director for 16 years, with responsibility for planning meetings, education seminars, and regulatory matters, and was also...

18 Jun 2013

Housing Market Index Posts Largest Gain in over Ten Years

For the first time in seven years, builder confidence for newly-built single-family homes has surpassed the 50th percentile mark, which indicates builders see the market as good rather than poor. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) gained eight points to 52. Based on a survey the NAHB has been...

17 Jun 2013

Affordable Modular Homes Available; Applicants’ Credit Lacking

The North East Community Action Agency (NECAC) in Hannibal, MO has joined the Next Step Network which gives them the opportunity to buy modular homes from Clayton Homes at 10-15 percent below market price. The goal is to provide low cost housing for people of modest means. Carla Potts, NECAC’s deputy director for housing development, [...]...

17 Jun 2013

Universal Forest Products, Inc. Spikes; Three Major Indexes Gain

Even though investors are edgy about the possibility the Federal Reserve will announce Wednesday that it will begin to wind down its quantitative easing, the markets managed to advance for the day, with the Dow picking up over 100 points. CNNMoney reports the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained +0.73 percent, +109.67 points, to end the [...]...

17 Jun 2013