Choosing The Community Lifestyle

Affordable housing is of interest to almost everyone. One topic that receives substantial interest is the role of manufactured housing communities in the affordable housing market. While purchasing a home and leasing a site in a manufactured housing community is generally about the same or less as renting an apartment and less expensive than purchasing a site-built home, the golden rule of real estate applies to manufactured home communities just like other communities – location, location, location! Some manufactured homes are more affordable than others and it generally depends on the location. As an example, a 30-year-old multi-section manufactured home located in a Malibu, California community recently sold for over $2 million dollars. That same age and model home located in a Twentynine Palms, California community couldn’t sell for $20,000! Affordability is frequently a matter of location!

When asked why they moved into a manufactured housing community, new homeowners site the location, value of the home, and the community attributes. The close-knit neighborhood feeling is an important factor for many people. Living in a manufactured home community is a lifestyle choice that gives residents a feeling of belonging and sense of community.

According to a 2005 report by Foremost Insurance, 52% of manufactured home owners live in a community, subdivision or on leased land. Nearly 70% of these home owners live in a Manufactured Housing community. Other interesting information provided by the study involves family income of manufactured home owners. 54% of manufactured home owners report a net worth of more than $50,000. 61% of manufactured home owners report an annual family income of more than $30,000.

Manufactured housing lease/rental communities are available in varying sizes, locations and socio-economic levels. There are communities where most, if not all, residents are seniors (over 55) and there are family oriented communities. There are communities with rents at the high end because of location, amenities, and/or desirability. There are communities with rents at the lower end of the price scale because of the lack of the same things. Communities are similar to apartments in that there are communities for every price range and lifestyle.

In the Dallas – Fort Worth Metro area there are more than 300 manufactured home communities. Many of these communities are quiet, well groomed neighborhoods in low crime areas. The residents in these well managed communities live a comfortable lifestyle and make life long friends. Homes in these communities range in size from 800 square feet to 2,000 square feet and more. Young families, empty nesters and seniors alike find great benefits in affordable housing.

Communities offer upscale amenities such as meeting and entertainment rooms, swimming pools, basketball and tennis courts, paved and curbed lighted streets, fully equipped playgrounds, exercise facilities, secured boat, RV, ATV and trailer storage, and many more.

Since many of the communities are located close in to the area’s business centers, commuting time from home to work and back is reduced. In these days of high fuel prices, short commutes save money. What’s more, short commutes mean more family time and/or time for favorite hobbies, recreation and pastimes.

Click here (http://www.a1homesfw.com/contact/Default.aspx) for more information about community living or to request information of any kind. Click here if you would like to prequalify for a home only loan. You can find more information about mortgages by clicking here.

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