Know this! HUD-Code manufactured housing (‘MH’) is federally-regulated, performance-based, affordable-attainable factory-built housing (a.k.a. another type of offsite construction). And land lease communities (a.k.a. manufactured home communities & ‘mobile home parks’) comprise the commercial real estate (‘CRE’) component of MH! EducateMHC is the online advocate, official historian, trade term & trend tracker, as well as information resource for both business models, and to a lesser extent the recreational vehicle (‘RV’) industry. Access EducateMHC via (317) 881-3815; email: gfa7156@aol.com, and via www.educatemhc.com to purchase Community Management in the Manufactured Housing Industry and SWAN SONG – a 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 consultant & author of many 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 enshrinee, and MHInsider magazine’s ‘Allen Legacy’ columnist and editor at large. He’s a Vietnam combat veteran and retired lieutenant colonel of U.S. Marines, and author/editor of 30 books & chapbooks on MH, communities, business management, prayer & figures of speech.
HUD-Code Housing Features
One land lease community portfolio owner/operator, who regularly markets and sells new HUD-Code manufactured homes onsite, offers potential homebuyer/site lessees no fewer than three dozen features to consider, in addition to those which are standard fare with most manufacturers. Here they are broken down into two lists; the first are ‘Preferred features, but not necessary’, and the second one ‘Strongly preferred features’. Perhaps this is something you should consider offering your customers.
Preferred features, but not necessary
- Upgrade rear door and light panels
- Ensure insulation (approx. R30, R11 & R22) within ceilings, walls and floors
- Improve with thermos-pane and tilt-in windows
- Upgrade roof venting; especially in overhangs, and certainly ridge vents
- Add dormer over front entrance
- Use Fiberglass and porcelain showers, tubs and sinks
- Prefer flat ceilings throughout
- Consider an electrical connection near end of house, away from hitch
- Prefer sheetrock in living room and kitchen
- Use attractive durable kitchen cabinets, longer & taller when possible
- Ensure Internet & USB ports in kitchen, living room or foyer
- Have a garbage disposal unit
- Install cabinets & shelves in laundry room
- Have separate shower & tub in master bedroom
Strongly prefer features:
- Use transom windows in living room, bedrooms and hallway
- Upgrade the front door
- Upgrade exterior lights at both entrances
- Ensure shutters on all windows
- Include deadbolt & knob locks all keyed to same key
- Installed windows closer to corners and not in middle of the wall
- 2” blinds throughout the home
- Panel interior doors
- Have lights over mirrors in master bathroom
- Upgrade lighting package to include ceiling lights throughout home
- Use 40 or 50 gallon hot water heater
- Install a water shutoff valve for entire house
- Wall switches for closets – on the outside of closet
- Linoleum or panel flooring in all areas of house, but carpet in bedrooms
- Ensure kitchens are ‘eye candy’, e.g. island or breakfast bar preferred
- Include dishwasher, and refrigerator with ice maker
- Finish interiors of all cabinets; no raw USB or plywood surfaces visible
- Prefer canned or pendulum light fixtures in the kitchen
- For attractive view across living room & kitchen, install front door on opposite wall from kitchen sink
- To improve living room ‘eye candy’, consider wainscoting
- Put ceiling fans in living room, master bedroom, and on front porch ceiling
- Ensure large mirror and double vanities in master bedroom
- Put frames around bathroom mirrors
- Install a 200-amp electrical panel
- Use overhead A/C ducts and vents
- A/C ‘A’ coil installed in furnace (air handler)
- Put an electrical outlet on front porch
So, what do you think? Too many options, or frankly, what our manufactured housing customers deserve to have in their dream home? What different features do you offer that are not on either of these two lists? Let me know via gfa7156@aol.com
George Allen