According to the Joint Center for Housing Studies
Blog Posting # 852; Copyright 25 July 2025. EducateMHC
Know this! HUD-Code manufactured housing (‘MH’) is federally-regulated, performance-based, affordable-attainable, factory-built housing (a.k.a. one of four types of offsite construction), routinely paired with traditional stick-built housing (a.k.a. onsite construction). Plus, land lease communities (a.k.a. manufactured home communities & ‘mobile home parks’) comprise the commercial real estate (‘CRE’) component of MH. Various types of housing finance (e.g. chattel or ‘home only’ loans, and real estate mortgages) constitute the post-production segment of MH
EducateMHC is the official MH historian, trade term & trend tracker, as well as perennial MH information source. Contact EducateMHC via 9317) 881-3815; email gfa7156@aol.com, and www.educatemhc.com, to purchase Community Management in the Manufactured Housing Industry (This book belongs in every land lease community nationwide!), and SWAN SONG – History of land lease communities & official record of annual MH production totals since 1955.
And my autobiography, From SmittyAlpha6 to MHMaven, describes personal combat adventures in Vietnam as a USMC lieutenant, a 45 year entrepreneur business career in MH & community ownership, as well as freelance consulting and authoring of 20 nonfiction texts.
George Allen is the sole emeritus member of the Manufactured Housing Institutes (‘MHI’), a founding board member of MHI’s National Communities Council (‘NCC’) division, RV/MH Hall of Fame enshrine, Allen Legacy columnist & editor at large for the popular MHinsider magazine.
State of the Nation’s Housing Market
According to the Joint Center for Housing Studies
What follows here are ‘talking points’ gleaned from two recent (24 June & 9 July 2025) JCHS U.S. housing market studies. The first one quoted is titled ‘Unease in the Housing Market Amid a Worsening Affordability Crisis’; the second one, ‘A Year for the Record Books: The State of the Nation’s Housing in Perspective.’ Ready to go?
Here are eight takeaways from the new report (i.e. 24 June)
- Renter Cost Burdens Hit Another Record High (i.e. renters spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing and utilities). And in some cases even more than 30 percent.
- Rising Costs Encumber Homeowners, as Insurance and Property Taxes Increase (i.e. cost-burdened homeowners, in number, rose by 646,000 to 20.3 million)
- Home Sales Drop to a 30-Year Low, as home prices are up 60 percent since 2019. This is five times the average annual median income (‘AMI’)
- Builders Respond with Smaller Homes and Mortgage Rate Buydowns. This has increased new home sales. Think various forms of accessory dwelling units (‘ADUs’), also maybe why more and more Park Model RVs are being used year round as homes.
- US Homeownership Rate Falls as First-Time Buyers are Priced Out. Monthly mortgage payment on a median-priced home now at $2,570., requiring an annual income of at least $126,700.
- Rental Demand Strong But Construction largely at High End of the Market. Renter population has grown, jumping by 848,000 in 2024.
- Reductions in Federal Supports Put Households at Risk. 33 percent more homeless since January 2020.
- Tariffs, Reduced Immigration, and Diminished Federal Support Create an Uncertain Future.
And now ten takeaways from the subsequent report (i.e. 9 July)
- The median existing home price hit a record high of $412,000, exceeding $400,000 for the first time
- The nationwide home price-to-income ratio hit 5.0, tying the record set in 2005
- Of the top 100 metro areas, a record low of just three metros had a price-to-income ratio below 3.0
- The monthly mortgage payment on the median-priced home hit a record high of$2,560, roughly 40 percent higher than in 1990. (Note this is $10 less than $ cited above)
- High costs of homebuying lead to a record-breaking downturn in market activity, e.g.
- The lowest number of existing home sales since 1995
- The first decline in the homeownership rate in eight years
- A record-high median age for first-time buyers @ 38 years
- A record-low rate of domestic moves (only 8.3 percent of households)
- Finally, a record-high number of billion-dollar weather-related disasters over a two year span (i.e. 55)
Announcing the August Marriage
of Dr. Chrissy Jackson & Dr. Frank Hamilton
Nuptials to be held at the Eckerd College Lewis House in St. Petersburg, FL on 16 August 2025.
Charles G. Irion Dies…
I doubt many of you reading this log posting, and this headline in particular, will remember – if you ever knew him, former land lease community owner/operator and broker. He attended a Networking Roundtable or two when they were held in the Phoenix, AZ., area; but other than that he kept pretty much to himself and his interests at the time.
You may also recognize Charles’ name from ‘reviews’ I penned and publicized in this blog and the Allen Letter in years past. Some of you may well remember his most recent novel, FOUR. In that one he introduced a new character, B. General George Allen. Go ahead and google Charles G. Irion to read a fascinating account of his life as an author, artist, and humanitarian.
I will miss my friend. His passing, once again, clearly demonstrates how helpful it would be today and in the future, if as one of his writing projects, he’d penned and collected his life and career memoirs into an autobiography. As it stands now, unless someone steps forward during the months and year ahead, to research and author a biography about Chuck, his history will soon pass and be lost.
To this latter point, keep in mind that the autobiographic advice applies to anyone reading this blog. And to this end, remember I plan to host a morning-long (9AM-12 Noon) Writers’ Workshop on 18 August 2025, at the RV/MH Hall of Fame theatre, in Elkhart, IN. I recently published a new 3d edition of the popular booklet: ‘Who Will Preserve Your Legacy? Answer: You!’. These will be just one of the handouts at the workshop. Cost? Minimal; probably around $25.00 per person. To register, simply email your intention to attend, via gfa7156@aol.com And if you’re going to be in Elkhart that day, plan to attend the annual RV/MH Hall of Fame induction banquet that evening. For info and to register, phone (574) 293-2344. I’ll see you there!
George Allen