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Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013

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September 2010

Zig On...Staying Up, Up, Up in a Down, Down World

by Zig Ziglar

You get back what you send out.

Zig Ziglar photo I am a very "up" person and people frequently ask me how I maintain my enthusiasm. I do several things, including reading an average of three hours each day for the past 26 years. One of the fun things I do is to give people my special greeting. Whether it's eight o'clock in the morning or eight o'clock at night, I always try to greet others before they have a chance to speak to me.

Land/lease Communities, Many Possibilities

by Don Westphal

Five scenarios for land/lease community layouts with terrain flexibility

Don Westphal photo This will be the first in a series of articles, discussing the many opportunities open to investors in the land/lease segment of the manufactured housing market. This first article will examine some of the options available in new developments. Let's look at five different scenarios: Pure Rentals, Communities with an Affordable Component, High Density Urban, Lower Density Rural and New Urbanist Developments.

Fostering a Positive Attitude in the MH Workplace

by Heather Vela

Multiple benefits include increased sales!

Negativity seems to follow us like a shadow, but it doesn't have to. Below, I'll show you how to have a positive attitude in the workplace and some of the benefits of it.

Online Marketing 1-2-3, Part 3 - Social Networking

by Bob Stovall

Getting your company involved provides access to new customers and vital feedback about your products and services.

Bob Stovall photo Social networking began when the first fur-trading caveman went down to the next cave to swap info with his wall-painting counterpart. Before long they were joined by the bearskin guy and the "mammoth on a stick" guy and the rest is pre-history.

Six Major Recent Changes in MH Chattel Finance Guidelines that You Need to Know

by Dave Shanklin

Dave Shanklin photo Stunning drops, disallowances, requirements and considerations are Good News-Bad News!

1. MAJOR DROP IN RATES: The new "floor" rates are now only two to three points over FNMA conforming rates.

Lender's Guide to Hispanic Marketing

by Kenneth Rishel

How to tap into the $1 trillion+ purchasing power of this market by 2020 and $2.5-$3.6 trillion by 2050

[Editor's Note: Ken Rishel is a regular contributor to these Featured Articles. The thorough, in-depth nature and exploration of his topic this month warrants a full-length presentation, complete with bibliography and notes.]

Turn Internet Leads into Sales!

by Dan Rinzema

What if you used these 5 Tips to improve your closings?

Dan Rinzema photo Internet customers are different than face-to-face customers. On one hand, they expect (and even demand) information fast (they are used to finding whatever they need with a click of a button), and on the other hand, internet shoppers are usually much earlier in the home buying process, so they can take longer to close. When you are dealing with internet leads, you need both speed and patience.

Why Do We Need Two Foundations?

by George Porter

George Porter photo Lenders are making structural decisions that result in twice the work and many more problems!

Do you realize that we usually have two foundations under our homes these days? And the reason is because it is the only way to get the money for the home!

Flaunt It If You've Got It!

by Shawn P. Mullins

How might homebuyer's priorities change if we were able to demonstrate the dollar-by-dollar payback of energy-efficient manufactured homes?

Shawn Mullins photo Accentuating one's attributes has been a successfully used strategy since the beginning of time. There is a reason that "sex sells." It sells because it takes advantage of our inner nature and desires. Now while that is not the particular angle of this piece, it does prove the point regarding the inherent value in selling from our strengths. Whether it is applied for

What Are You Waiting For?

By Mike Moore

We have become so distracted by new sales that we forgot the best way to get more sales is to make customers.

Most businesses seem to be in survival mode waiting for the economy to recover and wondering what's next. Manufactured Housing is no exception. To find out what's next, we do need to look back for just a few minutes. Many of us have suffered through and prospered from recessions or economic downturns in the past. The only thing I can get anyone in the financial markets, business analysts or in business in general to agree upon is

Stop Selling Houses - Start Helping People

by Greg McClanahan

Greg McClanahan photo Every genuinely successful professional embodies the point of this story.

When your manufactured housing client feels that you have moved onto their side of the desk and they realize that you are looking at their needs, wants and situation from their same perspective, that is the very moment that they select you as the person they want to have helping them build their next home. Those professionals who truly carry this posture and can quickly exemplify this attitude in the relationship building process will realize the greatest success. You become their partner, advisor and friend.

Reality Checks: Ignore, Deny or Accept & Inspirational Dissatisfaction

by L. A. 'Tony' Kovach

What is the key to change what can be changed?

L.A. 'Tony' Kovach photo All of us go through a process of ignoring, denying and accepting circumstances in our lives. The trash needs to be taken out; let's say that is the reality. We can ignore that fact. We can deny it. We can accept it. Once we accept it, we can then move on to decide what to do about it. If we are wise, at some point, we take the trash out or have someone take it out for us.

The reality is that some things are more complicated than merely emptying the waste can into the trash container outside, awaiting the next run of the garbage collector.

Indian Creek—A Case Study of Companies Working Together

by Susan Knowles

Who wins when investment and technology companies work together with community residents?

Indian Creek Resort in Fort Meyers, FL is a case in point where two companies converged to better serve the technology needs of community residents while increasing revenue.

Upgrading Your Community, Part V

by Chrissy Jackson

How to keep your residents happy and personally engaged during the disruption caused by your community upgrade program

Chrissy Jackson photo Retain Residents by…

During any major upgrade program, it is generally desirable to retain as many of your current residents as you can. They provide, on a regular basis, the cash flow that helps finance the daily operations as well as the turn-around efforts on your property. They will also serve as your marketing partners in bringing new residents in, once the upgrade process has progressed to the point of visible improvement. In addition, your current residents are the very ones who can help you make the upgrades more visible.

When you think about it: It is the best of times and it is the worst of times

by Mike Hourigan, CSP

I am not trying to rip off Charles Dickens when I say it is the best of times and it was the worst of times in his book about the French Revolution, A Tale of Two Cities. I am commenting on how people look at good and bad fortune.

In a recent conversation with a business woman from South America, I asked how the recession was affecting her business. She laughed out loud and said, "Recession? This is not a recession, this is an opportunity." "Opportunity?" I said. Her response flabbergasted me. She said, "I am from South America where

10 Tips on Parking as Reasonable Accommodation

by Nadeen Green

What you don't know can hurt you!

Nadeen Green photo There are so many really difficult fair housing issues out there (and costly ones, too). Apartment communities not designed and built with proper accessibility; the challenges of integrating people of different cultures and religions into the housing environment; senior communities and the mental impairments of some of the older residents.

Greenwise legislation ushers in the "Green Revolution"

by Sue Frost

Why is the manufactured housing industry well-positioned to increase market share?

Susan Frost photo Whether you are an environmentally friendly individual or an informed entrepreneur, shades of green are impacting every aspect of our business and personal lives. Greenwise legislative policies are emerging and the pressure is mounting as law makers are escorting us into a "Green Revolution" expected to impact global economy and trump the Industrial Revolution. How does the manufactured housing industry stack up?

How Dramatic Are Your Manufactured Model Homes?

by Suzanne Felber

Suzanne S. Felber photo Trend Tracking #1: Three tips for making your model homes irresistible

As a Lifestylist ®, I spend quite a lot of time touring homes in different cities looking for new ideas and trends. Last week I was in South Haven, MI meeting with a client and discovered a great store - Props - whose slogan is: "Your Home is Your Stage... Add Some Drama."

Why Successful Executives in the Manufactured Housing Industry use Personal Coaches to Grow their Business

by Tim Connor, CSP

"You can't solve a problem with the same mindset that created it."

Tim Connor photo "The Manufactured housing industry is currently facing a number of challenges that many executives believe are inevitable, unavoidable and difficult to overcome. It's apparent that this is the case since many are circling the wagons and are operating in a "wait and see" mode.

Effective Cold Calling in a Changing World

by Tim Connor, CSP

Do you know the do's and don'ts of getting hot results from your cold calls?

Tim Connor photo In many ways cold calling is an ancient method when it comes to effective prospecting. And many modular, prefab and manufactured housing organizations rely heavily on this approach – from suppliers, to lenders to those who sell the nuts and bolts with which the homes are constructed. Cold calling can be an effective way to identify new prospects, but it can also be a stressful, time wasting and discouraging process as many salespeople over the years have learned.

E-mail Marketing - What You Need to Know

by Chad Carr

Chad Carr photo A false start carries serious consequences, so learn from my mistakes.

Recently I decided to dip my toe into the world of e-mail marketing companies. I signed up for a very reasonably priced account that would let me send good looking e-mails with graphics, links and lots of feedback reporting. I used their on-line templates and wizards to create a moderately good looking e-mail and sent it out to a small list of clients and prospects.

Best Kept Affordable Housing Secret in the US!

by George F. Allen

Why HUD Code Manufactured Housing & Landlease (nee manufactured home) Communities Continue to be 'Best Kept Affordable Housing Secret'

George Allen photo One person's passion is often another's piranha, poser, puzzle or problem! Think of KIA brand automobiles. Today, a popular consumer choice; but for combat veterans, the chilling acronym for 'Killed In Action'! Same to be said about succulent Kobe beef. A delicacy for many diners; but a 'not on your life' food choice among vegetarians. Some opine a similar dichotomy for this nation's Best Kept Affordable Housing Secret….

The Greatest Opportunity in Marketing Today!

by Joe Adams

6 Tips and more to make it your own

So, what is the Greatest Opportunity in Marketing Today? Read On….

There's a definite problem, or opportunity as some would like to say, in today's marketplace. As I travel throughout the country, I hear comments like:

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