Manufactured Homes Meeting the Challenges of Affordable Housing in 2014
For many, the dream of home ownership is becoming somewhat a fantasy of days gone by as the new year commences. The ongoing economic factors in the country are definitely adversely affecting the realization of that uniquely American dream.
The Challenges
The American public is now focusing on a new health care mandate that will have a significant impact on the incomes of W-2 wage earners. As of this new year, citizens now have a major new tax burden, requiring that every single American to purchase healthcare insurance. And since this law has been structured as a tax, anyone who fails to follow this mandate will be subject to fines, penalties and the jurisdiction of the all powerful I.R.S. As the employer mandate is implemented, it is expected that we will see large numbers of full-time workers cut back to part-time hours.
Officially, inflation may be “low” but most of us are being negatively affected by more expensive fuel and food costs. Inflation has grown by over 500% since most of the “baby boomers” entered the working world in the mid 1970’s. Incomes peaked in 1988, but according to the U.S. Census Bureau, “real” incomes have been falling since 1999.
It is expected that the Fed will soon begin to allow interest rates to creep up towards levels not seen in years. We forget that the historical average rate for home loans is 9%. Many of us of the older generation remember when rates were 15% and higher in the 1980’s. Today anything even approaching 6% could put a big dent in home sales, not to mention the overall economy.
As the middle class Americans try to adjust to the increasing cost of living created by higher prices and lower incomes, the dream of home ownership may have to be placed temporarily or indefinitely on hold. However, that does not necessarily have to be the case.
Meeting The Challenges
Today’s manufactured home is gaining the attention of thousands of American home buyers. The sales of new manufactured homes are increasing rapidly across the nation, as many have begun to recognize their quality and affordability. The manufactured home has all the qualities and amenities, including appearance, that is equal or superior with the traditional site built home. Better still, a manufactured home is built to the exacting specifications of the needs and desires of each individual home buyer.
New manufactured homes are built with high energy efficiency standards that insure homeowner cost savings that can make a large difference in monthly savings on utility costs.
Manufactured homes placed on private property may qualify for financing at the same rate and conditions of a site-built home and with cost savings of between 15 to 35 per-cent or more than a comparable sized home built on site. In fact, the prices of traditional site built construction continues to rise, whereas today’s manufactured home pricing remains stable. According to data produced by the U.S. Census Bureau the average price of a new manufactured home in October was $62,200, actually less than the $62,600 average sales price in 2005!
Contrary to conventional wisdom, a manufactured home can generate a return on investment equal to a site built home sited under the same conditions.
The modern manufactured home is a high value alternative for families seeking to realize that dream of home ownership. A new manufactured home is everything a dream home should be!
Want to know more? Browse through our nearly 200 articles relating to every aspect of the manufactured home and the manufactured home lifestyle, along with floor plans and videos from manufacturers and retailers across the country.
