The Masthead

It is always a pleasure to work with forward thinking, goal and solution oriented professionals. Let me confess that we can't fully take the wraps off this story just yet, but here comes the meaty sneak peak. Get a glimpse into what has already been dubbed by the few who know about it as The Meeting of 6 – “A Game Changer.”

It was Wednesday afternoon, on December 7. In under two hours, the CEO of a growing home lending company, 4 of his key management team members and myself had gone through the possibilities and challenges to a financing program that could get the Industry moving again in 2012.

Yes, something established – yet brand new – for almost everyone, is on the horizon for manufactured home lending.

Retailers and manufacturers should plan now to be at the Kentucky Exhibition Center in Louisville on Wednesday January 11^th at 3:45 PM. For Community owners and executives with vacancy challenges, seeking 3'd party non-recourse lending, this could be the MUST ATTEND event of the year.

Imagine 30 year fixed rate lending, low to mid single digit rates (based on the current status), with low down payments – non-recourse – in land-lease communities. Yes, something that mirrors what you could do with fee simple transactions – but this time – doing it in a manufactured home land-lease community setting.

“What's the catch?” will be the first question on many's minds. Or “This sounds too good to be true.” will be what others will say. Are there hoops to jump? Of course. This will take owners and operators as visionary as the lender is. It will take professionals who care about the long term success of such a program and will 'do it right.' But as the award winning community operator who knows this might smile and say, “This is a game changer” for those with vacancies who want to profitably sell more homes.

Do the Math

Get out that finance calculator and do the math. Try – for example – a 5% 30 year fixed rate, with say 5% down payment. Add on your site fees and service fees. With even a nice home to sell, you can have a rate that rivals site built lending, and a payment that can beat those site built houses and rentals.

Community Owner/Operators – A Must See

What this can mean is you can start selling new homes, not just pre-owned.

You can sell nicer homes, not just 'entry level.'

This will be an amazing compliment to anything else you are doing with in house lending, RTO or third party chattel lending. Since activity breeds activity, this will no doubt create more action, sales and profits, especially for those who get in early and make it happen.

The lender is still navigating the i's and t's, with the happy cooperation of an equally forward thinking client of MHMSM's contract community marketing and sales consulting program. As noted above, this is an award winning player.

My thanks to that client, who with his permission, we will reveal at the appropriate time.

I'm hoping that the lender and our manufactured home community owner/client will as time moves on be acknowledged for their vision and efforts on behalf of our Industry!

Timing

The goal is to have this ready to roll out asap. As noted above, the meeting of 6 was to discuss some wrinkles to see how they could be dealt with. But the consensus of the team was, this is doable. The Community owner involved felt the same.

We will keep you posted here at MHProNews.com.

A handful of other lenders were approached on this concept, but this firm's CEO said, “I'm all in.”

Who is this visionary CEO and his lending team?

The firm has some 30 years in home financing. They are already doing manufactured housing, and love it. The CEO has set the goal of being 'in the top 3 lenders' for their focus in manufactured housing by the end of 2012.

Land/home programs for manufactured housing builder/developers and street retailers will make them popular.

Combined the fee simple financing with the program being prepared for land-lease communities can cause sales to blossom, factories to hum and vacancies to fill again.

For almost everyone involved in transport, installation, retailing, community operations, pre-registration and attendance is free. To sign up before January 2^nd – go to this link:

http://www.prereg.net/2012/lmfs

FYI – preregistration for Louisville is UP! Even though the economy is tough, and the recent RV show was down, the Louisville Manufactured Housing Show is up year of year at this point over 2010!

There is a lot more news on Louisville – including more on this topic – that we will be rolling out very soon. The manufactured housing spaces are nearly sold out – just one left – while the booth spaces are down to two. Call Dennis Hill asap (see the link below) if you need a spot for a home or booth.

Go to the Louisville Manufactured Housing Show page for hotel and other information at this link to learn about other events. This story is so hot and fresh, it hasn't yet hit the Louisville page updates!

I'll be at Louisville, where I plan to introduce you to this visionary lender and his team, to show you the glories of great fees simple programs. And we also plan to unveil this land lease non-recourse program that has been called “A Game Changer!'

I hope you will make plans today to be there too. Please stop by our booth or attend our How to Attract More Customers with Good Credit presentation and say hi. # #

post by

L. A. “Tony” Kovach, MHM
www.MHProNews.com
www.MHMarketingSalesManagement.com or www.MHMSM.com
Innovation – Information – Inspiration for Industry Professionals

Office – 815-270-0500
latonyk@gmail.com or tony@mhmsm.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach

The long awaited “State of the Manufactured Housing Industry” Congressional field hearings held in Danville, Virginia are finished – now what say you?

Have you read the testimony? If not, the link to all key testimony is found below.

http://www.mhmarketingsalesmanagement.com/blogs/daily-business-news/mh-field-hearing-yields-hud-mhi-industry-and-resident-viewpoints/

The link above is your chance to read the comments by:

• Henry Czauski, Acting Deputy Administrator for the Office of Manufactured Housing programs
• Kevin Clayton, president and CEO of Clayton Homes, and secretary of the Executive Committee for the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI)
• Tyler Craddock, of the Virginia Manufactured and Modular Housing Association
• Adam Rust, research director of the Community Reinvestment Association of North Carolina
• Stanley Rush, of MHD Empire Service Corporation
• J. Scott Yates, president of Yates Homes of Pittsylvania County in Virginia
• MH Virginia resident Carla Burr and
• Danny Ghorbani, President of Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) via a written statement.

As a related item, pro-Manufactured Housing Congressman Joe Donnelly has shared the following with our readers for Industry Voices:

http://www.mhmarketingsalesmanagement.com/blogs/industryvoices/congressman-joe-donnelly-statement-for-the-record-field-hearing-%e2%80%9cthe-state-of-manufactured-housing%e2%80%9d/

What did you like about the hearing, or Congressman's Donnelly's comments and why? What do you see that might have gone differently, and why?

You can email your feedback into tony@mhmsm.com or post your comments using the Disqus system, see the leave a comment link at the above the headline for this blog post.  We look forward to your thoughts about the State of the Manufactured Housing Industry, until then, thank you. # #

post by

L. A. 'Tony' Kovach
http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach 

You don't have to be an economist to realize that the Christmas shopping season is off to a good start.  My wife and I were among those millions who came to the pre-dawn (okay, midnight) Black Friday door buster blowouts.

The line of shoppers waiting to check out in the middle of the night on Black Friday
went from the front of the store clear to the back, and around the aisle.

We timed our arrival in a packed parking lot just as the doors opened.  A line of hundreds of shoppers was making its way inside the store. The crowds were thick enough were passing down some ailes was difficult to impossible if you were going against the flow of the crowds. We had four items we wanted there, and one bonus item we had considered (note: this blog post was written hours before the official reports of this being such a strong Black Friday hit the news).  Having skipped the long, cold outdoor wait, we still walked out with all but one item we sought…

The next afternoon at the mall, people where cruising for a place to park, any place to park.

…Flashback to the 1980s…

When I first stumbled onto manufactured housing, and started in retail sales decades ago, in my naïveté, I was dazzled by the value the factory built housing industry offered! Being 'sold myself,' I imagined that people would line up at the doors in the morning to buy.  That illusion was rapidly shattered, but I never forgot the vision, the goal of "how do you get people so interested in manufactured homes that they would line up to get one." I recall as a young sales person thinking, 'if we could only get as many people to call and inquire as we do when we run an employment ad.'

Let me boldly suggest that should be the vision everyone in our industry who owns, leads, manages or works for a business should have.  We have a great product that can rival or exceed conventional construction.  But we can also produce a basic, entry level home that you can buy at a cost per square foot less than a popup tent camper.  I know, because I've marketed, sold and managed in both the manufactured home and RV (notably towable recreational vehicle) arenas.

Berkshire-Hathaway’s well known Sage of Omaha said it well:

There seems to be some perverse human characteristic that likes to make easy things difficult.

— Warren Buffet

More specific to our industry, Buffet opined that we need a resale mechanism, one of many important take aways in the Kevin Clayton interview video posted near the top right of our dynamic new home page.

The leaders of companies and organization's need to fire up the imaginations of their troops once again with our potential! The wonderful “PEAK Retailer's National Summit” two weeks ago reminded me and other attendees that we can advance during even difficult times. Along those lines, take a look at that post if you missed it, and please see this weekend's Cutting Edge of Online Marketing blog post.

We as a business or enterprise in the manufactured and modular housing industry need a vision and direction to fire up the troops!

If you want people to build a ship, don’t drum up the people to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.

— Antoine De Saint-Exupery

Every generation has the obligation to free men’s minds for a look at new worlds…to look out from a higher plateau than the last generation.

— Ellison S. Onizuka

We have a great unique housing product. We can compete with site builders with residential style product and we can reach that traditional 'mobile home buyer.'

Hyundai set records In achieving sales volumes by having a car similar in quality and features to American cars, but at a lower price.  Hyundai is still growing in its U.S. market share, through can do thinking!

When I do a marketing/sales project for a company/client I have a very simple process for growing sales.  Sum it up like this, candidly list:

• The challenges you face.

• The goals or objectives you seek.

• The market conditions (where you stand vs. ALL housing competitors)
  
  
• You firms strengths and weaknesses (S.W.O.T. analysis).
  
  
• What resources you have to achieve the goal.  This includes human resources!
  
  
• What resources you need to enhance the velocity towards the goal.
  
  
• Then craft a plan that maximizes strengths, minimizes weaknesses and
  
  
• Always, always give the customer a great experience.
  

We have a challenged economy, but American retailers somehow manage to motivate us to leave our homes in the dead of night to go out bargain hunting. Don't you think we can create similar motivation in manufactured housing? My experience in turning around troubled locations suggests, 'yes we can.' As the PEAK Retailer's Summit reminds us, my experience isn't the only one of its kind!

Some of those manufactured home communities and retailers who attended the Peak retailer summit in Chicago know how to get the job done, inspite of the economy, the SAFE Act, financing, foreclosures and all the other challenges you care to name.  My experiences at getting the phones ringing and doors swinging at dozens of locations that were previously suffering proves the same.

As we approach 2012 and New Year Resolution time, let me suggest you plan for success.  Follow the steps above. Read the books that helped others, including myself, to advance regardless of the times.  Apply all the lessons for success you learn.

I will close with what I hope is an interesting challenge. Learn from mistakes!  Learn from your mistakes and that of others.  When others are successful in market conditions like yours, that takes away all the excuses one might wish to lean upon.

"There is never a wrong time to do the right thing.  There is never a right time to do the wrong thing."

- Lou Holtz.

Let's take a cue from Warren and the wisdom of others noted above.  Let's not make easy things difficult. Let's fire up the troops with a vision. Let's plan to make 2012 a year for growth, by realizing the value you offer, crafting a message that works in your market, then planning and executing for success. Need a hand?  Give us a call or send a message. ##

post written by

L. A. 'Tony' Kovach
http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach

Happy Thanksgiving from:

Joe – Matthew – Jeff

Soheyla – Tony

Before you break for all the joys and feasting with family and friends, let us thank you for coming faithfully to our web-pages. You've made us #1.

We also want to thank our feature writers and sponsors who make all of this possible:

Gather Round the Table and Feast!

The following are places and firms who know:

How
Manufactured Housing Industry Business Gets Done ©.

Resident Owned Communities – ROC USA – Paul Bradley – learn how easy and profitable it can be to sell to the people you already know.

Green Courte Partners – We Buy Manufactured Home Communities.  Work with a top growing Industry Leader you can trust.

Great Southwest Home Show 2012- Tulsa OK, March 1-2 Trade Days, March 3-4 Public Days. "The World's Largest Indoor Manufactured Housing Show!"  Get the facts and watch the video at the link above. This is the biggest event of its kind west of the Mississippi, and this year is the only one with trade and public days – we will be there, we hope to see you here too – so don't miss it!

Connexion Technologies – Manufactured Home Community Owners – earn more without investing your money!

American Insurance Alliance – The Largest Insurer of Parks, Retailers, Installers and more!  Discover professional protection and service here.

Manufactured Housing Institute – MHI – The National Voice of the Manufactured and Modular Home Industries.

The Louisville Manufactured Housing Show - January 11-13, 2012 – Dennis Hill, Show Coordinator.  Start off your new year with a bang!  Come to the grand-daddy of all the Industry's shows, and see dozens of new homes, some 80 exhibitors, the best networking, plus business building seminars.  Over 1400 attendees and exhibitors made this their first major event in 2011 year, come see why and stop by and say hi at our booth.

And check out more of our sponsors here.

From all of us to all of you…Gobble-Gobble! # #

post by
L. A. 'Tony' Kovach
http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach

• Review of Score Cards
• New Home Sales
• Service and Customer Satisfaction
• Communities and Retail Sales
• Seller Financing
• Used Home Sales
• Insurance and Ancillary Revenue
• Profiling People Assets – how to make a good hire.
• Marketing and Pursuit.
• And much more!

If your bank account’s tummy is rumbling.
If your accountant is telling you tis time to stop tumbling.
If your significant other and team members say,
things are not quite okay.

Or if you simply want to grow and improve,
come to where the action will be
to start 2012 – In Louisville Kentucky!

Be with the movers and shakers
Be with the moms and the pops
And all the others who make
Manufactured housing the tops!

Feed your bottom line
Grow your profits
meet us there too.
This is where it is at
I’m not kidding with you!

There is one of the largest events, number 1, 2 or 3.
Done every year at this time, in the entire MH Country!

More new homes,
More suppliers
More booths with their wares.
All under one roof, easy to compare, so the weather, who cares!

Get seminars that will teach you to grow business FREE.
Like true no down financing, and much more, yes siree.

Need to refi or get a loan on your Community you say?
Then you better sign up for attending today!

Need floor plan for new homes?
Need more closing for sales?
Learn all about it from the pros who prevails!

More networking
more deal making
more attendees by far
than any round table, square table – like 5 times the star!

Last year 970 just like you came through wintery doors
plus exhibitors too! To the Kentucky Exhibition Center
and they jammed and jazzed up show floors!

More MH exhibitors are returning
Plus new ones coming too.
New business building training
and seminars for you!

But you have to sign up
that is easy and its FREE!
You can sign up online, then you have to come
and have fun, where new business gets done
in Louisville Kentucky.

Click here for more details.
Don’t miss out, or your bank account will wail. # #

lyrical lines by
Tony Kovach
(who else would dare claim it! ;-)

First of two topics:

We’d like to welcome a new advertiser/sponsor to the MHProNews.com (MHMSM.com) family. AIA – American Insurance Alliance “is the largest insurer of parks, dealers, transporters and installers.” And much more! Learn more by clicking on AIA’s information here.

AIA joins other notable firms such as:

> Green Courte Partners

> ROC USA

> Connexion Technologies

> The 2012 Louisville Manufactured Housing Show

> another new sponsor’s page that is getting ready to go live

and still more!

We thank the support of these advertisers, sponsors, our web and other clients, which allows us to bring you all the best news, tips and views you can use. Please give them a call when you need their services! If you think about selling a community, need one of many possible types of insurance, want to offer digital services to residents that are paid for by a third party while paying community owners revenue (yeah, that’s Connexion!), or simply want to grow your business starting early in 2012, check these companies services linked above out.

Topic Two:

We are half way through the first week with our new, more modern, trade media format. We’ve had a few adjustments (mostly expected). There are more switches to turn on in the days ahead. Since we have thousands of pages online, more than any other news/industry trade information source, this was a HUGE move!

There are a number of good comments that have come in, a few tips on items that need attention. The bottom line is that the overwhelming majority like what they see with our new format. Your feedback is always appreciated, tony@mhmsm.com.

Besides being more ‘visual’ and easier to navigate all the different features we have, we will soon be rolling out our ‘directory’ function and new state or provincial blogs. After that will come our forums and still other new features.

The ideas here are many, yet simple.

We want to create the ‘bridges and roads’ that our industry DESPERATELY needs.

Try to imagine the U.S. over 200 years ago. Bridges and roads were few, and often less than grand. Ferry’s were needed in many places, where bridges stand today. Without good roads and transportation, business is hindered. It takes longer to get things done. It costs more to get things done.

But with good roads, bridges and transpiration, business is accelerated. Costs decline.

In the digital age, we need MHIndustry digital connections that can bridge the gap that brings professionals rapidly together.  Communications and connections take place online today, and this is where almost ANY business in the 21st century that wants to thrive must be.

We get calls and emails from people who are looking for:

• A factory that builds x
• Communities to purchase (or sell)
• A lender or supplier that does x
• How to contact other Industry companies in a state or region.
• And the list goes on.

Why do we get such calls at all?  Simple. They don’t know how to find what they want, but YOUR company may offer what they want, or some company that has a service that YOU need can’t find you.

We need an easier way for YOU to find others doing business in our Industry and a better way for you to BE FOUND.

We are big believers in trade shows, and do shows and events ourselves. But what about between shows? What about the people that didn’t make it to an event?

Our upcoming factory built housing Business Directories Service will make that dirt cheap (should I say digitally inexpensive?) and easy to do. Where Industry Business Get’s Done! ©

Amidst the gloom and doom some feel, the biggest names in our industry keep positioning themselves and investing for the future. We showcase periodic stories of companies doing well or expanding, when in the same state, someone else is closing.

• Your state of mind (attitude, approach, etc.)
• Your willingness to be open to new and better ways
• Your willingness to invest in yourself and your company
• The wisest use of your time, talent and treasure

Are what will place you in the ranks of the success stories 10 years from now, or in the also rans.

Because you are reading this, I’m trusting you are and want to be in the rank of the present or future success stories.

Knowledge is POTENTIAL power.

Tap into facts and information, the news, tips and views you can use. Increasingly over time, people will say, ‘This is Where Manufactured Housing Industry Business Gets Done ©.

Our new November articles are coming! Thanks for being here, for getting our emailed news updates and telling your friends and colleagues to do so. Together, we can raise the water for all the boats in this grand digital sea we call MHProNews.com. # #

Post written by
L A ‘Tony’ Kovach
Publisher and Marketing Director
MHProNews.com and MHMSM.com

Connect with me on LinkedIn:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach