Manufactured Homes And Land Lease Communities: Not All Are Created Equal
One community sinks, the other community stinks: Two recent stories in the news highlight the importance of selecting the right land-lease community for your new manufactured home; equally as important as choosing the right make and model of your new manufactured home (MH), will be where that that home is eventually located. Obviously when choosing a manufactured home community (a.k.a. land lease community), it’s critical to exercise some cautionary due diligence, thereby making an informed decision and avoiding some costly mistakes.
Manufactured Homes And Land Lease Communities:
Not All Are Created Equal
Case in point: NBC news reported last week that, three fast-growing sinkholes caved in within blocks of each other over a seven-day period, putting some senior citizens in a Tampa Bay-area manufactured home community on edge. “The first hole formed Monday and engulfed a car before it stopped growing at 10 feet deep by 10 feet wide, according to a statement from Pasco County Emergency Management.” While sinkholes are obviously hard to predict, the soil condition in which they thrive could easily have been identified with a simple soils report. And once informed of the community’s soil condition, the buyer could then make an informed decision as to whether or not they want their manufactured home placed in the community.
Manufactured Homes And Land Lease Communities: Not All Are Created Equal
After it was reported in the Lansing State Journal that the local County health Department had shut down the ‘Life O’Reilly’ mobile home park and campground in Lansing Michigan for numerous sanitary problems, the Michigan House got involved and passed legislation introduced by state Rep. Andy Schor, handing over more control to their local communities and governments. Allowing the local municipalities to enforce city ordinances for visual blights like weeds, trash and garbage. According to representative Schor, “What happened at Life O’Riley was bad news.” Bad news indeed!
Life O’Riley was bad news
For today’s manufactured home buyer, the community you choose to reside in is as important as the manufacturer you choose. The community – with all of its positive attributes and potential problems – will ultimately be where you call home, raise your family, and potentially retire. By taking the time to research and ask the important questions, you will hopefully avoid situations like the two mentioned above. Here’s a quick link for those looking for more information on selecting the right land-lease community for your new manufactured home.
