Blog Posting # 863; Copyright 17 October 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: manufactured, modular, panelized housing & Park Model RVs), routinely paired with traditional stick-built housing (a.k.a. onsite construction!) Land lease communities (a.k.a. manufactured home communities & ‘mobile home parks’) are the commercial real estate (‘CRE’) component of MH. And, along with various types of housing finance (e.g. chattel or ‘home only’ loans, and real estate mortgages) constitute the post-production segment of the MH industry.
EducateMHC is a MH historian, trade term & trend tracker, as well as perennial MH information source! Contact EducateMHC via (317) 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 Institute (‘MHI’), a founding board member of MHI’s National Communities Council (‘NCC’) division, an RV/MH Hall of Fame enshrine, Allen Legacy columnist & editor at large for the popular MHInsider magazine.
What Are the Five Asset Classes?
Are you a wealth builder – some say wealth preservationist? In either event, if you’re an adult, working as an employee, business executive or entrepreneur, you’re likely focused on one or more of five asset classes, or categories of investment with similar characteristics that work similarly in the marketplace. In abbreviated fashion the five asset classes are:
- Stocks
- Bonds
- Real estate
- Cash & cash equivalents
- Commodities
All I hope to do here is acquaint you with these ways to accumulate and preserve personal wealth. Some folk do this on their own; others identify and use capable and experienced – and sometimes credentialed individuals specializing in one or more of these asset classes. Me? I spent my career in the commercial investment real estate asset class; specifically owning and operating land lease communities (a.k.a. manufactured home communities & ‘mobile home parks’). I also monitored my investment in the ‘cash & cash equivalent’ asset class, and did not participate in the commodities asset class at all. As far as stocks and bonds are concerned, I’ve long relied on the guidance of financial planners, a.k.a. wealth preservationists. Success I’ve enjoyed there has, in large part, not only a personal and corporate advisor, but my inclination to be a very conservative investor.
Now, more about the five asset classes.
STOCKS. These are shares of ownership in private or public companies. Stocks often generate high returns over time, but can also be very volatile as they react to current events, and other market influences. One has a choice, when investing, to do so with individual stocks, or via exchange-traded funds (‘ETFs’) that allows one to invest in a group of stocks at one time.
BONDS. These are loans you give to a company or government (to build local community buildings and infrastructure) in exchange for regular interest payments during a set period of time – until the bond matures. Bonds are generally considered safer than stocks but have lower returns. Frankly, I started off investing in bonds then switched to stocks.
REAL ESTATE. Real estate involves acquiring property, e.g. homes, commercial buildings, even raw land – with an expectation it will appreciate (increase) in value over time. Not only is price appreciation a positive feature of real estate, but the possibility of rental income is helpful. Investing in real estate also requires significant upfront investment and ongoing management.
CASH & CASH EQUIVALENTS. What does this asset class include? One’s funds in checking and savings accounts, also short-term investments that are easily converted to cash. The asset class’ characteristically offer lower returns than stocks, in exchange for providing liquidity (easy access) to one’s money when needed for emergencies or other immediate financial needs and opportunities.
COMMODITIES. Commodities include physical goods such as gold, silver, oil, even agricultural products. They are viewed as a hedge against inflation since the prices can rise when the cost of living increases. Investing in commodities lends diversity to one’s wealth-building portfolio. But also know that price volatility can work in the opposite direction as well.
So, how many of these asset classes are you invested in today? Interested in broadening one’s involvement? If so, do more research. Get comfortable with the class(es) in which you have interest.
GETTING OLD & BEING FORGOTTEN!
OK, I admit it. Thoughts of getting old and being forgotten rarely crossed my mind until I retired several years ago, then noticed how nary a week passes without word of another friend, relative, or business associate dying.
Where my business associates are concerned, another reality has come hard to mind: Did or did they not take steps to document their personal or corporate legacy, ensuring the preservation of their memory among friends like you and me? The sad answer to that question is more often than not, NO. This hit home with me recently when I received a fall newsletter from a Midwest MH association. Front page title? ‘Remembering_____, An Industry Pioneer and Friend’. Well this was a nice write-up on a now deceased pioneer in our industry. But guess what? Once this month passes, so too will the memory of this RY – except for his being an enshrinee in the RV/M Hall of Fame. To the best of my knowledge, he wrote neither memoirs (i.e. short stories) or an autobiography. And his is not an isolated case. Just sitting here I can easily recall the recent demise of other friends/acquaintances in our business, e.g. Bud Parkhill in IL., Don Gedert in IN., and Charles Irion in AZ. All of whom I asked to pen their life stories….
In the latter instance, Chuck was a complicated, colorful, giving individual. He authored nearly a dozen books, mostly adventure/mystery tales, and some nonfiction (e.g. ). Chuck ‘made is mark’ in MH as a land lease community broker and ownership partner. He spent the last few years of his life traveling the world with Nora, documenting their adventures on Facebook, but often donating funds and medical equipment along the way. His recent death was sudden – and he too, to the best of my knowledge, did not document for posterity, all that he did and experienced. Now he’s gone. I knew him and will miss his lively banter, but so far, no one else will remember all that much about his business acumen, philanthropy, and love for people.
Now there’s a positive side to this recollection. To date, a dozen guys (no women, sad to say) have penned autobiographies. I’ve read them all and collected excerpts in a booklet titled ‘Who Will Preserve Your Legacy? Answer: You!’ A free copy is available to you for the asking, via gfa7156@aol.com
George Allen