There’s a lot of misconceptions out there about mobile home parks from folks who live in the city. The stereotype is often seen in the movies of the “poor white trash” that live in run-down “trailer parks.” Or the gypsy-like nomads that live in a trailer and pack up and get out of town at the first sign of trouble.
Years ago, I purchased a mobile home in a park about 30 miles outside of St. Louis. I was young and liked living out in the country and the thought of having “my own place” for about $10,000 appealed to me. Of course by the time I paid the pad rent at the park and the payment on the trailer, I probably could have rented a small house at the time for about the same amount of money.
But even so, I had my own place with a small patch of yard, a driveway to park the car in, and for the first time in my life, my own washer and dryer and a spare bedroom, even though it was about the size of a large closet.
There were a few drawbacks to living in the mobile home though. The model I had was an older model and it was kind of long and narrow: 12′x72′. At times it was hard to fit through the hallway if you were carrying a basket of clothes, for example. And the thing was cold and drafty in the wintertime. The walls consisted of a covering of tin, about an inch of some kind of paper material, and the interior paneling. That was it. It cost a fortune to heat.
And sometimes the skirting would blow off and the water pipes would freeze over. The electricity was supplied by a large plug that snake out from underneath the trailer and plugged into a pole in the back. Sometimes the kids who lived in the park would sneak by and unplug the wire and you’d end up in the dark.
The floors were made out of particle board and sagged in some places and the gas water heater was in a compartment outside and the pilot light would blow out whenever there was a storm. And during a storm, that trailer was the last place that you’d want to be.
Even though it was tied down, it rocked and swayed enough to keep you awake at night when there was a really fierce wind. And a fireman friend of mine told me that it had aluminum wiring that was a fire hazard and if the thing caught fire it could go up in about 3 minutes. But despite all of the hazards and the cost, I ended up staying there for almost five years.
But mobile home parks and trailers have come a long way since the time that I owned one. According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, (www.stltoday.com), high-end mobile home parks have become a lifeline for people who still want their own place, but can’t afford to live in a regular home.
Mobile homes sales tanked when it was easier to get a brick and mortar home, but the sinking economy and frozen credit of today has sparked a new interest in the homes. In 2008, the number of FHA insured mobile homes jumped 14 percent.
Mobile homes are now being called “manufactured housing” and the new double-wides are sometimes difficult to distinguish from a small house. I have a friend who recently bought one that has a hot tub, fireplace, deck, and a built-in stereo system throughout the house.
On the outskirts of the city there’s a tiny little mobile home park with all kinds of new luxury housing built around it. There’s been talk of removing it for years, but the way things are going, the mobile homes there might just become prime real estate.
I moved to the country recently due to a custody issue with my child. This has been the worst experience of my entire life. I am sharing just to get out my frustrations and try to find some humor in this. The place that I moved into is awful. It is a two bedroom mobile home in ten miles from town in a neighborhood full of strange people. Let me start with the trailer and tell you all about that. It was suppose to be refurbished, and I didn’t look at it before I moved in I took the word of the owners that everything was finished. I put in my notice at my apartment and moved in. When I got here, I saw this big blue tarp across the roof. What is that for, that is for the leaking roof that they didn’t fix. The tarp is tied down by straps to an old shop vac on one side, a stake in the ground on the other, the electrical box on the back, and then a bush in the other back corner. The tarp hits the house when the wind blows, banging and beating up against the windows, the side of the house, anything really. I haven’t gotten a full nights rest since I moved in. The door flew open the first three nights that I was here; I finally put in a deadbolt and fixed that because I got tired of being scared out of my sleep. The carpet in the second bedroom has a big wave running through it, where it wasn’t put down right. The carpet is that tight stuff that offices use. Where is the plush carpet that they told me would be here? The glass door in the front doesn’t have a spring on it, and the wind catches it and pushes it open and closed. I wish that it would bust, just break the damn thing. As for the carpet, I wonder why they didn’t just use fracking Astroturf. The light fixtures consist of something that is in the ceiling that has bulbs in it. The covers for the light fixtures are not up, and I don’t know where they are. In the kitchen, the temperature knob and the bake setting knob are missing. The stove stinks everytime I cut it on to cook something. I wish that it would catch on fire. The countertops are not secure; they just kind of sit there and wobble around. Wow, think that is enough to **** me off. Wait, I have more to tell you about. I had to put the blinds over the windows. The window in the back has a big crack in it. The second bedroom, the main bedroom, the main bathroom all are missing doors. The electrical outlets are a crap shoot; they might or might not work. AAAAAHHHHH, it makes me want to scream and yell and go live in my car. This isn’t all. Lets go to the washing machine and dryer…..yes there are hookups, but they leak water all over the place. The vent hole for the dryer was not cut out. I complained about all of this and have yet to see results. The owners sent some old plumber up here to look at the leak, and he said that he isn’t sure what the problem is. I haven’t heard anything else. I have a washer and dryer, yet I am going to the laundry mat every week. Fun times don’t end here!!!! The toilet in the main bathroom doesn’t work. The compartments in the fridge fall out when you open the door. The icemaker doesn’t work. When I got my power bill, it was $250.00 for 30 days. I almost took a crap in my pants when I saw it. Do you hear the bluegrass music playing in the background? I do. There aren’t any towel racks in the bathrooms either. The second bathroom doesn’t have a showerhead. There aren’t any smoke detectors. When I asked about the power bill, I was told that I needed to find the vent in the living room and “just cut that on out”—damn!!! They also told me that the unit that controls the heat and a/c is rigged up some special way because it is broken. Now that I have told you about half the inside problems, I will tell you briefly about the outside. The building is full of garbage, junk, whatever you want to call it. The back yard is full of old scrap wood, old tires, old batteries, and various garbage strung out, in piles in some places. Anyone looking for a couch, it is a bit rain soaked but anything is possible. The people that I rent from are related to my son. I do plan to move, but I have to recover from the cost of moving here first. It turns out that the individual living here before me was on crack. Great. I wonder if it can get any better than this. Next time you think that a few minor home repairs are a hassle, I hope that you think of my story, and just know that it could be worse.
Mobile homes are an affordable alternative to owning a traditional house. However, there are both advantages and disadvantages to owning a mobile home. In this article, I will discuss some of these advantages and disadvantages.
What do I know about mobile homes? Well, I lived in one for ten years, so I have some personal experience in this subject. The type of mobile home that I lived in was called a double wide mobile home. Double wide mobile homes are usually split in half during transport and then reassembled upon the desired location. There are also single wide mobile homes, which are smaller and more affordable.
Now for some advantages to owning a mobile home. The most obvious reason many people choose to live in a mobile home is because it’s cheaper than an ordinary house. The mobile home that I lived in cost about forty thousand dollars. Granted, that was seventeen years ago. But even back then that was a pretty good price and much more affordable than a ninety thousand dollar traditional house.
Another advantage that a mobile home has over a traditional house is that it’s easier to move a mobile home. If you decide to move somewhere else, then just take your mobile home with you. With a normal house, you can’t do that. You have to sell the house, and then purchase another one in the area that you are moving to. It can be a hassle.
A third advantage to owning a mobile home is that there is less waiting for the home to be built. Basically, your mobile home is put on a truck and shipped to you in a few days. When the mobile home arrives, you just tell the work crew where you want it to be placed. And then you’re all done.
Of course, as I mentioned above, if it’s a double wide mobile home then it’s albeit different. Double wide mobile homes are too large to be transported all at once. So they’re split in half, transported to the site separately, and put back together at your desired location. It doesn’t take long for the mobile home to be reassembled. Usually, it only takes one day.
A final advantage to owning a mobile home is the fact that the house is yours faster. Since mobile homes are much cheaper than traditional homes, you truly own the mobile home in a much less span of time. It’s a nice feeling.
Now for some disadvantages. Unfortunately, mobile homes do not increase in value like traditional houses. So if you’re looking to sell your mobile home in the future, don’t expect to make a profit. In fact, you should expect to lose money. However, if you own land then that may increase in value; thus, it may not be a total loss. That’s what my parents did. I would say they made a small profit or at least broke even.
Another disadvantage is that mobile homes are not as sturdy as normal houses. You always hear on the news about a tornado outbreak that obliterated some houses. If the news media doesn’t comment on the type of houses that were destroyed, you can pretty much bet that they were mobile homes. Same thing with hurricanes. Mobile homes are just not built that well.
And then there is the temperature difference. It’s more difficult to keep mobile homes at a proper temperature. I guess mobile homes are just not as well insulated as traditional houses. So if it’s hot or cold outside, then you’re really going to have to use the air conditioning or the heater more than you would in a normal house. It’s not that big of a deal, but you will notice it.
It’s also easier to hear sounds that are coming from the outside. Whether it be a woodpecker bashing it’s beak against a tree, or the dogs barking; you will notice the difference. Remember, these houses are cheaper for a reason. It’s not high quality materials that make up mobile homes.
Mobile homes are a great way to save money. However, be aware that mobile homes are cheaper for a reason. But if you really want to be a homeowner and don’t want to spend a small fortune on a house, then a mobile home may be just what you need.
The city of Bangor Maine joined Arkansas and Louisiana with a ban on smoking in cars transporting children. The ban takes affect next week and could cost first offenders $50.00. The city council added and amendment to the original ban making it a primary offense, meaning a police officer can stop a vehicle with any child he or she deems under the age of 18. The California State Senate also passed a no smoking in cars ban and it is expected to be signed by the Governor late this month.
Many states already have banned smoking in public spaces including workplaces, bars and restaurants etc. Opponents of these laws argue they are an infringement on personal privacy. They say they amount to nothing more than morality based smoker bashing. However, this bill opens the door to something many think is government intrusion. Health professionals and the anti-smoking lobby are thrilled. Some say however, that these laws don’t go far enough. I agree.
America this is a health issue. We cannot stop at cars. If we don’t combat second-hand cigarette smoke outside (and inside) the private sphere we will certainly have to confront it in our lungs. We need a War on Smoking. We need a preemptive strike against adults who would wantonly threaten the health of children. Why not ban smoking in the home or at least some homes.
I have friends in New York City with studio apartments no bigger than the average mobile home. Should the children of these small apartment city dwellers have to endure the peril of second-hand smoke? What good is it to protect them on the ride from Aunt Mitsy’s on Long Island only to return to a cramped apartment where they are forced to endure mom and dad’s Newports? Do we even know if these kids prefer menthol?
Okay so we can’t send the police force out to search homes, but we can utilize those public officials we already have. How about the politicians going door to door on the never ending campaign trail? We have health and human service workers checking on foster kids and occasionally following up on reports of abuse (NYC’s recent child protective service horrors notwithstanding). Let’s enlist them in the fight.
Better yet why not just set up a new cabinet level governmental department. The Department of In-Home Smoke Cessation has a nice ring to it.
I say the government; the federal government lay down the law. Forget about the minimum wage. There are people smoking out there and we have to stop them before it is too late. The children of America most cramped homes need us.
Maria Chavez, mother of the missing 8-year-old Sandra Cantu, told Meredith Vieira of “The Today Show” Monday that she believed that he daughter was abducted. She said that her daughter would not leave the mobile home park where they live in Tracy, California, without her - or at least without calling her.
Maria Chavez could be right. The trailer park where Sandra Cantu was last seen is less than a half-mile from Interstate 580. A kidnapping could occur and the little girl could have been in an escaping vehicle miles from the trailer park within minutes. It is a scenario that Maria Chavez has undoubtedly considered many times since her daughter, Sandra Cantu, disappeared Friday afternoon.
Sandra Cantu was last seen after she told her mother she was going to a neighbor’s to play. The neighbor’s say she left to go home at roughly 4:00 p.m. A video surveillance camera shows her at that time as well. She has not been seen since.
Besides questioning all the neighbors, all registered sex offenders (approximately 80 within a five-mile radius) in the area have been interviewed. Four homes within the trailer park and two outside it have also been searched, according to Tracy Sgt. Tony Sheneman. According to CNN, all of those places searched were connected to the two “persons of interest” that became of interest to the police Monday evening. No arrests have been made. Over 200 volunteers joined the FBI and local authorities in the investigation over the weekend.
Sheneman told “The Today Show” that they were still treating the case as a missing person case because they still had found no evidence that Sandra Cantu had been abducted. While Chavez fought back tears, a friend, Lisa Encarnacion, said, “We don’t believe that she would go on her own accord with a stranger.”
Candlelight vigils were held for Sandra on Saturday and Sunday nights. Daniel Cantu, Sandra’s father, pleaded Sunday night “Please, bring her home. I love you, honey. Please come home soon.”
The mobile home park has only one road in and out, a road that the FBI cordoned off over the weekend, stopping every vehicle coming and going, searching the trunks.
And as the hours grow into days, the Sandra Cantu case grows older with no arrests. On the other side of the country, another missing child case, that of 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings, continues but in an atmosphere of frustration. After seven weeks, Putnam County Sheriff Jeff Hardy has become frustrated. After thousands of man-hours of investigative work, they are down to “no traces” of the missing and believed to be abducted Florida girl.
Meredith Vieira, who also interviewed Ronald Cummings on “The Today Show” about his missing daughter, Haleigh, asked Maria Chavez if the surveillance camera that had caught the last image of her daughter had been installed because of safety concerns in the neighborhood. Chavez said safety was not the issue, adding, “It’s been pretty safe over there.” She paused. “I thought.”
CNN reported Wednesday that police say they have received almost 500 leads thus far in the investigation.
Retirement living for Senior Citizens in the Valley is a chance to enjoy the slower pace of life but also remain active throughout the winter months. An abundance of retirement communities either with homes, mobiles, or RV lots can be found in the Rio Grande Valley. Why do so many senior citizens flock to the Valley that they are affectionately known and adopted as Winter Texans? Weather, friendly people, activities and a variety of RV and mobile home parks for every budget and preference bring the Seniors to the Valley year after year.
The weather here is sunny and pleasant with temperatures generally in the 70 and 80 during the winter months. Winter Texans are greatly received by the local people for the economic infusion as well as the volunteer spirit of the people.
The Valley comprises three large cities: Brownville, Harlingen, and McAllen along with several smaller communities of Alamo, San Juan, Pharr, Mission, and Weslaco. Each of these cities has mobile home parks and RV resorts. These communities are located within a few miles of Mexico border towns of Matamoras, Progresso, and Reynosa. The small town of Progresso draws many Winter Texans for shopping and medical needs. Many seniors purchase their medication in Mexico at much cheaper rates and also visit the dentists. Progresso’s restaurants offer delicious Mexican foods and music. The people are friendly and welcoming.
Not only can one travel to Mexico, but most of the Valley is less than an hour away from South Padre Island. Swimming and fishing are two attractions. Some retirement parks feature fishing expeditions for its residents.
The Valley is noted for its fine birding opportunities. Santa Anna Wildlife Refuge, Bentsen Park, and Laguna Madre offer ample opportunities to view birds who migrate south during the winter. One can also see the native birds such as the Mockingbird and the Green Jay. Good shopping is available at several malls and specialty stores located in the Valley cities. Restaurants feature a variety of fares: American, Chinese, and Mexican. Most offer Senior discounts.
Siesta Retirement Village 2712 S. International Blvd. #294 Weslaco, TX 78596 956-969-3764
One of the finest mobile home parks in this area is Siesta Retirement Village in Weslaco, TX. One of the reasons it is unique is that the residents of SRV own the park. It is also one of the least expensive parks in the area. At this time, there is no debt and the amenities are well-maintained. The residents actively participate in every aspect of running the park which has contributed to the “community” that the Village has become.
The 300+ mobile homes in this park are well maintained. Seniors not only buy the mobile but also own the land. Although some mobiles can be purchased and the land rented, most residents prefer to own the land. There are rental units available for three-six months so those who prefer to rent.
Some amenities are a lovely swimming pool surrounded by blooming flowers. Hot Tub and showers are available as well. There is a shuffle board court, too. Seniors can participate in horseshoes, aerobic and water exercises, bowling and bean bag toss, golf, and ping pong. The recreation hall serves as the hub of the community. Dinners, pot-lucks, games, bingo, dances, and musical jams are held at various times during the week. The park also offers crafts and boasts having its own kiln for ceramics. Each year there is a craft show of the ceramics, art projects, paper tole, wood carving, and sewing projects.
Some special events and dinners are held each year including a shrimp boil, luau, dinner theatre, Valentine’s and New Yea’s Eve Dances. On Sundays, the seniors can participate in Sunday Services at the park or in one of the local churches in town. The park also participates in the Senior Winter Olympics and shuffleboard tournaments with other senior retirement communities.
Alamo Country Club Tower Road Box 184 Alamo, TX 78516
Alamo Country Club is a beautiful place to live. There is twenty –four hour security guard service. Many residents are Winter Texans but there are numerous seniors who live here permanently. Most of the residences are homes although there are a few mobile homes in the older section. The homes are situated on a 9 hole private golf course. The Club employs a manager, golf pro, and maintenance people to help keep the facilities maintained. Not only is there a golf course, but there is a putting green and a driving range to assist the golfer in improving his or her game. Ladies, men’s and mixed tournaments are held at various times during the season. The large swimming pool is perfect for the water exercise classes held daily and there is also a hot tub. There are tennis courts for those who enjoy that sport and shuffleboard courts. There are various activities for the residents such as the dances, musical entertainment events, card and game night, dinner theatre featuring the seniors, painting classes, computer classes, and Bible study.
Tip O’ Texas RV Resort 101 E. Sioux Road Pharr, TX 78577 956-787-9959
Tip O’ Texas RV Resort is located in the sub tropical climate of Pharr, TX. It is about twelve miles form Mexico and a short driving distance from the beaches of Padre Island or fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. This resort boasts paved roads with 2 heated pools, 2 spas, 2 lit tennis courts, and shuffleboard courts. There are card rooms, sewing rooms, a library, and the 8000 square foot main hall has a stage and a full kitchen. The park has planned events for the seniors and is near shopping malls and other local entertainment such as movies theatres and restaurants. You can stay from just one day to a full year at this RV Resort.
Trophy Gardens located in Alamo, has a perimeter security fence with paved RV lots and off street parking. There are individual patio areas. There is a pool, spa, exercise and pool room, ceramics areas with its own kiln, a 9 hole par three golf course free to residents, a 20,000 square foot dance and recreational complex. There are 651 RV spaces and 68 mobile homes lots. Rentals are available for one day or up to a year. Seniors can participate in variety of planned activities including the Winter Olympics, games, and sports.
The Rio Grande Valley has many RV and Mobile homes parks in addition to over 55 communities with lovely brick homes. This is a popular area for Winter Texans as they are affectionately known. Many seniors from the Mid West come to the valley every year to enjoy the sub-tropical weather and the activities. Each over 55 Community offers a variety of activities. Most have pools and spas. The main Recreational hall is used for classes such as crafts, wood carving, computer, and sewing. Dances and musical jams featuring the seniors are well-liked activities. There is so much to do at the parks that you can be kept busy every day. The Valley area itself has many great restaurants, movies theatres, museums and shopping centers. Birding in the Valley is known for its opportunities to see a wide array of different birds. Pier fishing and deep sea fishing are available at the Island.
Come to the Valley and enjoy all it offers. You’ll find friendly communities and enjoyable activities. Retirement here is fun!
Manufactured Homes - The cost of moving a manufactured home is looked at in this guide. The pro’s and con’s are also weighed up for you in simple detail. You have just asked the question, “how much does it cost to move a manufactured home?” There are a few things to consider when you are going to move any manufactured home from mobile park to mobile park, or park to private plot.
One such factor is distance and geography. Some times a longer distance for the haulier to travel and difficult terrain can affect the overall cost. Also you need to thing about the size of your home and if it will require two hauliers on one trip or one haulier making two trips with the home.
Lets just say for example you are moving across country from east to western United States, and at the end of the journey the haulier has to move the home up a mountain slope. Then he has to carefully load the house onto land that has a rocky obstacles.
This may need the help of some specialist equipment such as cranes, jacks, earth movers and more employees. So when planning your move you will have to make sure all these costs are factored in onto the average price. It could mean nearly doubling you haulage and setup cost.
In most cases your manufactured home can be moved quite easily by the haulier. Who will carefully use hydrolic lifting gear to lift your house onto the back of a long trailer. Depending on the size of your home this will be done in either one two or three journeys on average. For example a single wide home will usually require one journey.
You will also need to make room in your budget for your personal moving costs, such as furniture, clothing garden items you may wish to take and of course yourself.
A good case to make in relation to manufactured homes is that they are very affordable in terms of cost per unit. Depending on the size of a manufactured home and its age you can purchase one for as little as $10,000 for a reasonable quality and sized home.
A growing trend during these economically difficult times is that people all over the country are looking into buying a manufactured home. So usually you will have to be really quick if you want to seal a deal on the home that you want. People are beginning to see than as a big investment. When you factor in that in the past a lot of these homes cost around $75,000 for an average sized property on a mobile park. These can now cost as low as $35,000 in good condition. They can be seen as a big investment for the future, providing you have a good location and keep the home in a good state of repair.
People are investing in manufactured homes on mobile parks and moving them to a plot of land that they have purchased. Often this saves a lot of money when comparing it to buying a new home or having a home built on the land. The real investment comes when you decide to sell the home, as often you can double or even triple what it cost you to purchase the home and move it to your plot.
To answer the question, “how much does it cost to move a manufactured home?” The average cost of moving a home is usually around $10,000 which includes removal, setup, permits and licenses. Then the costs of any extras you need, which you can discuss with your haulier.
A good amount of information can be found in a printable pdf at ruralhome.org. This will give you more detailed guides to many aspects of moving a manufactured home.
Property Investment - Moving a manufactured home is not as hard a task as you might think, it can also be a massive financial benefit to yourself in short space of time. Think property and you often find your assessment being a large cash amount of investment. This I can tell you is not the case from my own experience. When you way up the difference in figures between purchasing a manufactured home and a foundation built home you will begin to notice some big financial margins which can produce nice net gains.
What are those and why?
Manufactured homes are quickly becoming the fashionable and more affordable alternative to a more expensive 3 bedroom 3 bathroom house built on foundations. It is not hard to see why.
Many people are currently experiencing a financial downturn and are considering moving home due to either a loss of employment or reduction in wages due to less working hours. So to counter this they are selling up and downsizing property.
In my view this is very bold and great idea if a person or family already has a home they can sell. Providing you can sell your home pretty quickly at a reasonable price with enough cash left over to look elsewhere for property, it seems you could be onto a bit of a winner in the current economic climate.
For most of us the cost of buying a house has actually gone down quite a considerable amount, this is also true for the manufactured home. When you compare the cost of a manufactured home too that of a foundation built house you will see a massive difference in price.
The cost of you average house which has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms is somewhere in the region of just over $200,000 depending on the State you live in. The cost of a manufactured home depending on age and area can be as little as $35,000 on average for a 3 bed, 3 bath 1200 square feet property.
Basically this is a massive $165,000 difference on average which can be used to maximum effect if you use some brain matter and a bit of research.
A quick example would be if a person was to look at manufactured homes and land in close relation too each other (within 2 miles) which can have a significant reduction in the cost of moving a manufactured home from a mobile park to the fore mentioned parcel of land.
The average cost of moving a manufactured home is $10,000 which can be greatly reduced to as little as $6000 if the home is to be moved close by.
Now let’s assume you have all the permissions to have a house on a particular piece of land that has cost you $50,000, there is an electrical supply line and a road close to the land. You have just shaved off $4000 on the bill of moving a home you have just placed on that land, which in turn can be used to foot the bill of connecting up the electrical supply to the house too the national grid.
Now if you do the simple mathematics on these averages you will come up with a total of $95,000 all that is left is connection to a water supply which can be as little as $5000 bringing your total to $100,000.
Now if you had just sold your home and was left with $165,000, you will have just profited to the tune of $65,000 which could be used for a multitude of purposes including purchasing another cheap manufactured home and moving it to you land if it is big enough and renting it out.
This simple pdf at ruralhome.org can give you some more information about moving a manufactured home and some regulations advice.
Many people are following this path as a more affordable way of owning their own home; which is fantastic advice for first time property investors or first time buyers.
This gives hope to those who may have felt the pinch financially and are selling their home, as it does open up new opportunities for investment and an opportunity to either use excess money from the sale of their home to start a business or as breathing space until they find more employment.
The manufactured home is definitely one project or investment people should look at if they are getting a foot on the property ladder or as an investment. Let not forget once you have moved the home onto your own piece of land, you will also be increasing its value sometimes more than three times. So there is even more to be gained by going down the path of purchasing, moving and owning a manufactured home.
Yahoo’s home page recent article Foreclosure Rate Jump 112 percent maybe good news for homebuyers, and that maybe true because of today’s economy and possible depression underway. With many articles featuring soaring gas prices nationwide, the media is trying to convince us to be more conservative: shop wisely, more money towards grocery, less on gas. But that might be harder for some to do, and why is that?
Not everybody was born into wealth or inherited a big fortune or has the attitude of a top level management that can bring in six figure income annually, which still isn’t enough somehow for them. Most of us had to struggle from day one, so how can this group of people deal with situations like these in today’s everything-is-in-inflation crisis. Not even the Department of Health and Human Services can help. A family is either over income to qualify or not make enough to buy kids hot lunches, so the kids had to endure 5 day straight of peanut butter sandwiches, a free meal at school.
Here’s an example. DHHS will assist only for a family of 3, if the household income does not exceed $1700 gross a month, with nothing taken out for deductions. If the mortgage is $1649 a month, yet the household only gross $2700 a month that will over qualify the family for any assistance. But really it is only wise to put some money into a retirement account, so $780 a month goes away as deductions for health insurance, taxes, you’re only looking at $1920 net in actuality. But the net income is not calculated. The family could sell the house, and that will just add to the foreclosure rate. And what if the family of 3 fluctuates to 6 every other weekend? You may suggest sell and move. Rent isn’t cheap if you’re thinking that, especially for a 3-bedroom apartment. It can be more than a mortgage.
Let’s get back to the falling of home prices. A couple of years ago our family was looking to move out of a mobile home park for some conveniences not offered there. My husband wanted a garage so he can work on the vehicles and I wanted an area for gardening. Newly married and both of us previously divorced it was hard to find money to save. With the help of state housing program we were able to qualify for a low 30 year fixed under-6-percent-rate mortgage, also helped us with the down payment as well. As the primary home for sale searcher for the family I had come across so many listings and one caught my eye. A property in Maine with acreage but it only offered one bedroom, and heating was electric for under 200k. A big piece of land would be dreamy, but it wouldn’t suit the size of our family, so we opted for something more affordable in New Hampshire. That house in Maine was just recently listed for 250k. I remember the listing quite well, and was shock to see the price went up and not the other way as the media have been showing us. With the interest rate being low it is only logical that housing prices remain the same. These articles about foreclosures and whatnot seek buyers looking for a good deal. What a marvelous marketing way to keep the real estate business.
I’ve recently searched for houses in the local areas and noticed that the value of the houses have come down, it seemed, the hard to sell kinds. For under 150k you’ll find mobile homes in park and on its own land, handyman’s fixer upper, and land of postage stamp size. So that’s why we see foreclosures everywhere. People can’t afford to upgrade their houses and in turn the houses become a fixer upper for sale cheaper. Even with the national rate of 5.87 percent mortgage still is a great rate, but who’s buying.
At roughly 4:40 p,m. on Sunday, March 29, damaging winds and golf ball sized hail hit Manheim, Penn. The hail hit with such violence that both my son and husband were certain there would be dents found later in the car’s structure. When they finally arrived at Harrisburg International Airport, the flights of many passengers were either delayed or canceled. The weather had created havoc throughout several counties.
Across the county, the weather was creating more havoc. In this same time frame, down the road and around the bend from my home a much more destructive weather force bore down on a line mobile homes, located slightly north of Lititz. Although severe thunderstorms, with the threat tornadic activity, had been announced by the National Weather Service, it is doubtful anyone could have been prepared in the trailer park of what was to come.
A tornado touched down flattening a half a dozen mobile homes, ripping a roof off a barn and causing various types of damage in its wake. Yesterday, the National Weather Service officials concluded that it was an EF-1 (second to the mildest category of tornado) caused the carnage from the twister which was on the ground for about 10 minutes. The winds from the twister had reached speeds of 95 miles per hour.
A child’s swing hangs by two ropes from a damaged tree. Behind the swing, a teddy bear lay peeking out from under the rubble of what once was that child’s mobile home. The home is now an unlivable nightmare of brokenness and a child is stripped of innocence after suffering devastation from the twister. A row of six mobile homes destroyed, some flattened others appear as if they are a little more than a pile of building materials. Two other mobile homes appear severely damaged. Driving through the area at least 150 plus buildings appear to have sustained damage. It wasn’t until today that all the roads in the area were re-opened.
Former residents of the mobile homes could be seen sifting through the remains of their belongs. There were few items that appeared that could be salvaged. I observed Amish neighbors delivering refreshments in a red wagon to those trying in vain to rescue items belonging to them. Shortly at the end of the path of the twister (approximately little more than a mile), remnants from tornado activity could be seen in various places on the ground; yet, life in a much larger trailer park nearby appeared undamaged and looks as if nothing has changed.
