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Pay-Per-Click Ads – How to Attract More Home Buyers

By
Dawn Highhouse
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Pay Per Click web advertising

Are you looking for targeted web traffic? Use MHVillage Pay-Per-Click ads!

Pay-Per-Click ad sampleDid you know that MHVillage not only offers home listings, but you can also run Pay-Per-Click ads. In fact, many MH professionals use these ads to catch the eye of homebuyers and homeowners. These ads are simple text ads that appear on MHVillage. In particular, they are great for getting out a particular sales message.

Let’s take a look as to how these Pay-Per-Click ads work:

Where do Pay-Per-Click ads appear?

MHVillage.com visitors come to the site to search for homes in specific cities, counties, and zip codes. Then, they are presented with a list of all the homes available in their targeted search area. If their target area is in a county you have chosen, your ad appears. Your ad never appears on search pages for counties in which you are not interested.

Who will see my ad?

When MHVillage.com visitors search for homes in a county where you have chosen to advertise, they will see your ad. For example, if someone searches for homes in zip code 49525 and you have chosen Kent County, MI as a county where you would like your ad to appear, they will see your ad because 49525 is in Kent County.

How effective are Pay-Per-Click ads?

Pay-per-Click ads are very effective because you only pay for results. You are charged only if someone clicks on your ad and goes to your website. Because you can precisely target your market area, MHVillage.com ads will be extremely effective for products or services that buyers or sellers of manufactured homes want or need.

Many professionals use Pay-Per-Click ads to send traffic to their company websites or their Sales Center pages on MHVillage.

But how do I know if Pay-Per-Click ads are effective for my business?

That’s easy! You simply track how many clicks it takes to make one sale. For example, you know that you will close 1 out of every 15 prospects that fills out an information form on your website. You also track the number of people who come to your site from your ad on MHVillage.com, and know that 1 out of 20 of those prospects actually fills out your form. That means it takes 300 clicks (15 X 20) to close one sale. If you pay 45¢ per click, you have spent $135 (.45 X 300) to close that sale. That could be good or bad depending on the product’s profit margin, but the point is that you will quickly know if your ad is effective and can adjust your advertising budget appropriately.

How much is a Pay-Per-Click ad?

The cost is completely up to you! First, you decide how much you will pay per click (minimum 45¢). Then you decide the maximum amount of money you will pay per day. When your daily maximum is reached, your ad is no longer displayed that day.

What kinds of products or services can I advertise?

You can advertise just about anything that you believe would be appropriate for our target audience. Of course, it has to be legal and not competitive to our site, nor can it be something with which we do not wish to be associated. See our terms of service for all the details.

Can I run more than one ad?

Yes! You may run a different ad in every county in the country if you want to. There is no limit.

How do I pay for my ad?

When you are finished placing your ad, we will ask you for your credit card. At the end of the month we will multiply your clicks by your bid and charge your card automatically.

What if I want to change my ad?

Yes! You can edit your ad anytime you like, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Many of our advertisers change their ads weekly to fine tune and attract exactly the customers they want.

Is there a minimum time this has to run?

No. You may turn your ad on or off as much and as often as you want. You are only billed for actual clicks to your website at the end of each month.

Want to learn more?

Click here to go the Pay-Per-Click ad creation page on MHVillage.

Or, check out our video series below:

Four Leaf Companies Introduces Patented Tech Plugins to MH Community Owners

By
Katherine Reilly Mitchell
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Four Leaf Companies

Four Leaf Companies’ ‘Tech Guys’ Turn to MH Community Ownership

The former owners of The Opus Group are bringing their analytics and tech know-how to the MH industry. Mike Callaghan and Kevin Shaughnessy’s business, Four Leaf Companies in Oak Brook, is offering its two patented tech plugins to MH community owners nationwide.

Yes. They are sharing their secret sauce.

Why? Callaghan and Shaughnessy don’t want to be the only modern tech players in the industry. And they know how data and data analytics can make the entire MH industry more sophisticated.

“Manufactured housing construction is top notch now,” says Callaghan. “Buying and selling these homes needs to be, too.”

The Third Party and New Home platforms are the first digital platforms of their kind in the MH community industry. Each is scalable for either property owners or bankers/brokers/investors and focused on growth and success. These tech services bring about more sales, fill empty lots, and increase property values for both owners and investors.

Let’s take a look at each platform in detail.

Four Leaf Companies

Third Party Property Management

The Third Party Property Management platform is designed to help MH communities grow the property value creatively, efficiently and quickly. Some property management services do just enough to keep the lights on. They may focus solely on core services, such as rent collection and basic reporting. Four Leaf Companies’ Third Party Management provides growth strategies for the changing, post-crash market.

Four Leaf’s “secret sauce” is the Four Levers of Growth, which drive success for new ventures and declining assets alike:

  1. Grow Asset Value – Expert ways to grow future selling prices
  2. Reduce Expenses – No-pain ways to grow income by reducing expenses
  3. Generate Revenue – Creative ways to generate revenue
  4. Bring in New Homes – Profitable ways to finance and bring in a New Homes program

Community owners and managers who work with the Third Party program have access to an array of Four Leaf management services, including:

Funding Sources and Financing

Enjoy financing solution expertise on cash outlay, rates, fees, sales vs. rental and more, all in the name of bringing in new spec homes and extending loans to future buyers. Four Leaf also has an online platform where residents can take care of certain aspects of applying, processing and closing.

Digital and Traditional Marketing Plans

Get a customized marketing plan that uses online advertising, local outreach, social media, email, referral programs and virtual tours to reach the target audience.   

Ongoing Staff Training and IT Support

From applied training modules to critical digital support, Four Leaf provides teams with the information and assistance they need along the way.   

New Home Maintenance and Home Rehab

New homes are subject to a 28-point checklist that gets them market ready, while rehab projects are professionally managed with a focus on profitability.

Management and Daily Task Guidance

Four Leaf managers care about communities and their operators and strive to facilitate a deeper understanding of how to connect the right customers, homes and prices. Four Leaf also guides and measures daily tasks such as marketing, sales, operations and financing.

Resident Relations and Regulatory Compliance

To keep communities happy and healthy, Four Leaf promotes a customer-centered culture focused on safety, security, town hall meetings, communication tools and event planning. Further, managers ensure that all regulations are followed.

The Third Party Property Management program also encompasses the second platform, New Homes, which we’ll explore next.

four leaf companies
The Clayton Fusion Collection kitchen area.

 

New Homes Program

The New Homes Program is designed to help MH community owners bring in new homes quickly and profitably while also reducing risk. This platform works at any scale, whether owners need to replace 10 homes or infill 250 lots.

So, that “secret sauce” of the New Homes program is turning the traditionally low-tech process of buying a manufactured home into something fit for the 21st century. The FLOhome proprietary digital platform is how community owners make a splash when it comes to marketing and sales and show future residents that they’re able to deliver essential services online.

Community owners working with the New Homes Program will enjoy many of the same services of the Third Party Property Management program, including:

New Homes Plan

Get assistance in selecting model homes and their floor plans, upgrades and pricing, and ordering advice based on cash flow needs and market conditions.    

Sales 

Four Leaf trains teams on message delivery and effective sales approaches for phone conversations, in-person tours, financing discussions and ongoing communication. This includes a 10-point home tour approach and using the FLOhome digital platform for capturing sales data.

Management Insights and Reports

Stay on top of leads with tracking from multiple sources, ongoing marketing communication and summary reporting.

About Four Leaf Properties

Four Leaf Companies is a national owner and portfolio operator of manufactured housing communities with a 7,000+ site portfolio. Founders Michael Callaghan and Kevin Shaughnessy are committed to making manufactured housing the affordable home ownership solution for long-term renters, and they use their background in data analytics to do just that. Four Leaf is among the top manufactured home community operators in the U.S. And it is a Clayton Homes NPS Resident Experience award winner.

For more information, visit http://fourleafprop.com/index.html

A Walk Through the 2018 Berkshire Hathaway Investor Meeting

By
Patrick Revere
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Berkshire Hathaway

Buffett and Munger Hold Court, Influence Thousands

OK, I’ll admit it, I was pretty excited when Clayton Homes reached out and offered an invite and press credentials to the annual Berkshire Hathaway Investors Meeting.

Now, I’ve been to my fair share of investors meetings. They’re typically quite staid affairs, attended by the larger institutional investors, a few reporters milling around and listening in. There are hand-bite sandwiches and some soda on ice.

On the other hand, the Berkshire Hathaway Investors Meeting is attended by more than 50,000 people. Little Omaha, Nebraska, for a few days in the spring feels like the center of the universe.

Berkshire Hathaway

Warning: This Blog Has Little to Do with Manufactured Housing, other than I’ve said Manufactured Housing Twice in This Header

When I contacted the Clayton Homes’ Media Relations Coordinator Ryan Wilson to ask where I might find him once I entered the CenturyLink center, his response set the tone.

“Well,” he said. “This may sound odd, but there’s this giant pickle hanging from the ceiling. If you walk toward that and kind of move along the back wall to the right, you’ll find our area right next to the Yahoo! Finance broadcast stage.”

The giant pickle hanging from the ceiling, of course, was branded with Heinz, a Berkshire Hathaway company. Dozens of other companies owned by Berkshire are represented, too, set up in trade show style but with a retail bent.

Who Comes to the Berkshire Hathaway, What They Find

Investors, even those who own only a single share, can get up to four tickets for the event. They come in droves to purchase specialty products from some of Berkshire Hathaway’s most notable companies… Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger rubber duckies from Oriental Trading Company? A leather shoe from HH Brown that bears a stamp of Buffett’s face? Justin boots; “Walk a mile in Buffett’s boots”. See’s candies. Borsheims fine jewelry. A Dairy Queen dipper. Coca Cola. A set of Fruit of the Looms?

Berkshire Hathaway

As I walked the exhibition floor where everything is for sale it occurred to me that much of Berkshire Hathaway’s holdings are street level Americana. Wholesome, well understood and established brands with rich history and a wide following.

To that end, Warren Buffett himself is the prime product and service investors and fans come to see. Wholesome, well understood an established brand with rich history and a wide following. All true for the man himself, as well as the brands he seeks and supports.

Bill Tsai, a student of finance at NYU, traveled from the big city to Omaha for a weekend most students would rather be spending at a coastal hideaway.

“We’re in the investing club, and we manage some Berkshire Hathaway shares in our portfolio, and we couldn’t think of a better way to spend the weekend,” Tsai confessed. “One of my friends said ‘This is the rock concert for capitalism’.”

“I’ve been really impressed with the interactions I’ve had here,” he said. “We’re trying to have as many conversations as we can about why people are here and what they do… What it comes down to is people really respect and have a great love for Warren and Charlie and the Berkshire Hathaway approach.”

Berkshire Hathaway

The Berkshire Hathaway Approach

The “Berkshire Hathaway Approach” Tsai speaks to easily can be summed up as one that involves identifying and investing in strong companies in a way that allows the holding company to let owners and managers continue operating as they have, but perhaps with added resources, not the least of which is cash. And lots of it. As a measure, the BRK-B shares have been hovering around $200 per in recent weeks. The BRK-A share hovers around $300,000… per share.

Kevin Clayton, the CEO of Clayton Homes, a Berkshire Hathaway company for 15 years now, said beyond the cash, a primary resource for his company is Buffett’s thoughtfulness, his even demeanor, and his willingness to participate as company owners and managers see most fit.

The 40,000 people who fill the CenturyLink arena abide. They begin lining up at 4 a.m. on a Saturday to watch a film that provides insight to the values and culture of Berkshire Hathaway. It’s first come, first serve. And every seat is filled. People are leaning in the entry aisles to catch a glimpse. The concourses are filled with people from across the globe who stand in the arena to watch a closed-circuit broadcast of what’s to come.

What is to come is Warren and Munger. Eighty-seven and 94-year-old billionaire investors who will sit on stage sipping soda and snacking on salty bites for nearly seven hours with but one break from investor questions. They answer every one of them, and many of those answers elicit full-belly laughs from the throngs of fans. Not just investors. Fans.

It’s that kind of show.

Berkshire Hathaway
That’s Warren and Charlie down there

The Long Q&A

Buffett and Munger opened the conversation with an illustration of why investors should look to performing assets, keying in on 300 ounces of gold since March 1942 appreciating from $10,000 to shy of $400,000. That same $10,000 put into what is today’s S&P 500 would be worth better than $51 million.

“Hold a piece of American business,” Warren Buffett said. “And never look at another stock quote… Never listen to another person give you advice… You wouldn’t’ have to understand accounting. You wouldn’t have to look at your quotations every day.

“All you had to do is figure that American was going to do well over time,” he said. “If America did well, American business would do well… You basically just had to make one investment decision in your life.”

Buffett and Munger Flex Comic Sense

The first question of the day, from William Anderson of Salem, Ore., asked Warren about his handing over manager oversight to Ajit Jain and Greg Abel, as well as a significant portions of capital allocation to Ted Weschler and Todd Combs. “Does all of this mean you’re semi-retired?”

“I’ve been semi-retired for decades,” he quipped up front. “Ted and Todd each manage about $12 and $13 billion… and they’re doing a very good job. I still have the responsibility, basically, for the other $300 billion.”

Semi-retired, he says.

Another investor asked about how tumult between the White House and China regarding trade balance may upend international dealings.

“The U.S. and China are going to be the two superpowers of the world, economic and in other ways for a long, long, long time,” he responded. “We have a lot of common interests and like any two big economic entities, there are times when there will be tensions, but it is a win-win situation.”

And with a note on the lucky number 8, and that he will be 88 years old in August, the eighth month in a year ending in 8, the “Oracle of Omaha” even appears open to taking investor tips.

“If you find anything over there for me,” he said about China.  “This is the time we should be acquiring something.”

From another questioner, the Berkshire Hathaway duo was asked about crypto-currencies such as bitcoin. Munger intoned first, and clearly is not a fan. He likened crypto to, well, human waste…

“It’s like somebody else is trading turds and you decide you can’t be left out,” Munger said.

Buffett conveyed his appreciation for the fact that many global listeners might be spared of the commentary through, hopefully, a failure to translate.

Berkshire Hathaway

The Berkshire Hathaway Culture

What these two savvy investors have done for the average person who becomes aware of them is impressive, and during this weekend in Omaha seems entirely encompassing.

I was headed back to the airport Sunday morning for what would be the return half of my wildly inflated domestic flight.  Yes, I easily could have flown to Bangkok for this amount. I was on my way out from my $300 per night chain hotel a marathon away from CenturyLink, in an Uber driven by Jason, a retired soldier and inspiring investor.

“My goal this weekend,” Jason said. “My goal this weekend is to make $1,000, and I will drive until I get there. I figure I’m picking up all these people who came here for Berkshire, and I can get some tips and invest that money in the market. Right now I’m thinking GE…”

Well done Mr. Buffett.

YES! Communities Acquires 24 Manufactured Home Communities

By
Patrick Revere
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Yes Communities Acquires Nine Michigan Communities

Denver-based Community Owner Works Deal with Four Leaf Properties

YES! Communities (“YES!”), one of the nation’s largest owners and operators of manufactured home communities, today announced that it had acquired a portfolio of 24 manufactured home communities, comprising over 6,800 residential home sites in the states of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Texas, from affiliates of Four Leaf Properties.

As a result of the acquisition, YES!’s portfolio now includes 213 manufactured home communities, comprising over 54,000 home sites in 18 states. While terms of the acquisition were undisclosed, YES! announced that it has completed a total of approximately $450 million in acquisitions so far in 2018, and continues to seek opportunities across the nation.

Yes! Communities park acquisition

YES! Communities Celebrates National Operator of the Year Award

YES! further announced that, at the April convention of the Manufactured Housing Institute, the industry’s primary trade group, it was awarded the group’s manufactured home community “Operator of the Year” award for the ninth consecutive year. YES! celebrated its 10th anniversary in January, and has won “Operator of the Year” honors in all but one of those years.

Commenting on the Four Leaf acquisition, Steven Schaub, Chief Executive Officer of YES!, said, “This acquisition of family-oriented properties in solid Midwest markets fits exceptionally well into our portfolio and offers considerable upside potential through the leasing of presently vacant home sites.  Consistent with our operating strategy, we intend to add new homes on open sites across the portfolio and invite new residents, both prospective homeowners and home renters, to enjoy the community and resident-focused YES! experience.”

Commenting on the “Operator of the Year” honor, Karen Hamilton, Chief Operating Officer of YES!, said, “We are proud of our YES! team members nationwide, who have once again been honored by their peers for the exceptional service they provide. Their commitment to resident satisfaction and true community building are what make YES! special and we congratulate them on another successful year.”

Debt financing for the Four Leaf transaction included a credit facility from Freddie Mac, arranged by KeyBank. KeyBanc Capital Markets also served as Financial Advisor to YES! in connection with the transaction.

YES! Communities

About YES! Communities

YES! Communities is one of the nation’s largest owners and operators of manufactured home communities, with 213 communities across 18 states containing over 54,000 residential home sites.  Based in Denver, YES! is a recognized industry leader and winner of the Manufactured Housing Institute’s community “Operator of the Year” award for the last nine consecutive years.  For more information about YES!, please visit www.yescommunities.com.

Advertising Your Company on MHVillage

By
Ellie Walker
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Mobile home advertising MHVillage

Advertising Your Company on MHVMHVillage continues to be known as the #1 website for advertising your manufactured homes for sale or rent

Are you familiar with all of the tools we offer for advertising your company on MHVillage?

Advertising your company on MHVillage only takes a few minutes to set up but it packs quite the punch! The Sales Center is a great tool when it comes to managing and branding your company on our site.

Advertising your company on our site will not only raise the online profile of your company and services, it also will give your homes and inventory a complete landing page for your customers.

If you are already listing homes on the site then you are most likely advertising as a MonthlyPro or a MonthlyPro+. Here is a breakdown of the difference in these two Sales Center options:

MonthlyPro:

When advertising your company on MHVillage as a MonthlyPro you can expect the following features to be included in your Sales Center Page:Advertising Your Company on MHV

(example: yourcompany.mhvillage.com)

MonthlyPro+

When advertising your company on MHVillage as a MonthlyPro+ you receive all of the benefits of a MonthlyPro plus the following:Advertising Your Company on MHV

  • Two Company Logos on your Sales Center Page
  • A bigger and bolder appearance for your Sales Center in a search result
  • Your Sales Center Page shows on the first page of a Retailer/Dealer search in your area
  • A link to your company website included on your Sales Center Page
  • Additional Sales Leads (FSBO Leads and Ideal Home Leads)

Both of these sales center options include the ability to list an unlimited number of home listings. The difference is between including the basic information about your company or upgrading to the Pro+ to enhance that company page and better represent your company.

Not sure if you are ready for the Pro+ Sales Center option?

With MHVillage you can upgrade and downgrade your sales center at ANY time, only ever paying for the service used! This way you can try the upgraded version, take a look at your statistics and your leads and see which option would be best suited for your company type.

If you are new to MHVillage click this link for current prices and details. If you have been with us for a bit, and would like more information, our staff offers complete account reviews! Call or email us to set up a time!

Manufactured Housing Industry News

By
Ellie Walker
-
The MHInsider Magazine

Catch the Latest and Greatest in Manufactured Housing Industry News

MHVillage has been and continues to be the first place to go when you look to buy or sell a manufactured home. Over the years we continue to try and top ourselves adding additionalManufactured Housing Industry News advertisement options, and resources for customers. During the last year we’ve put additional focus on being the top resource for manufactured housing industry news.

Our Resources for Manufactured Housing Industry News

This year we launched an industry-only magazine, The MHInsider, offering resources and connections for professionals in our industry.

We also redesigned the MHVillager and the MHInsider blogs! We are happy to say that we have continued to grow in traffic, responses and contributors each month.

Manufactured Housing Industry News

What sort of Manufactured Housing Industry News would YOU like to read about?

We believe it’s important to listen and hear your customers, so we can better serve you and your needs. This way we can continue to be your “go to” place for Manufactured housing industry news! Sign up for magazine and digital newsletter deliver here!

That being said we are always looking for more suggestions from YOU for articles and topics.

You can send us your thoughts by commenting on this article, sending us suggestions on our social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter) or you can email directly!

Kevin Clayton Works for the Industry, for the Homebuyer

By
Patrick Revere
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Kevin Clayton Man on a Mission

Backstage at the Berkshire Hathaway Investor Meeting, Kevin Clayton Reveals His Intentions for The Home of the Future

Kevin Clayton is a man on a mission.

The factory-built home empire his father Jim Clayton built from the mid-’60s is in a unique position today. It’s been 15 years since Warren Buffett rolled Clayton into the Berkshire Hathaway portfolio.

“It’s been better than I expected,” Clayton said of the Berkshire Hathaway relationship. “It’s not just a matter of access to capital.

“I can call Warren any time, and he will pick up,” Clayton said. “I say ‘Do you have a moment?’ and he will say ‘I have as long as you need’.”

Clayton commends Buffett for going on national news to defend the industry, for pointing to its value as the only form of unsubsidized affordable housing. His influence has done as much for the industry as anything in validating the place factory built housing holds.

Kevin Clayton at Berkshire Hathaway investor meeting
Attendees at the Berkshire Hathaway Investors Conference mug in front of a digital screen of Warren Buffett’s image

What is at Stake for Kevin Clayton and the MH industry?

Median price for traditional site-built homes is steadily approaching $400,000. Home ownership is at its lowest in 50 years. And retiring Baby Boomers and upcoming millennials need the right place to live.

These factors along with the industry initiative to get financing, zoning, and appraisals on par with site built put the manufactured housing industry in an opportunistic position. But Kevin Clayton won’t concern himself with greater share, not when the company already owns better than 46 percent of the market. It’s the bigger picture that matters.

So, Kevin Clayton is a man on a mission for his industry. For his industry, and his parents.

He points to the idea of factory-built homes that have all the characteristics, look and feel, of traditional site-built homes, able to be placed seamlessly in residential neighborhoods along their site-built counterparts.

“This is what my dad and I have dreamed about for our entire careers,” Clayton said backstage at the annual Berkshire Hathaway Investor Meeting in Omaha Friday. “This is the legacy we want to leave on the industry. And I predict a year from now, we will be able to point to the neighborhoods where this is happening. And there’s no reason it shouldn’t happen.”

“The cool thing is there’s a merging of building on site and building in a factory. All builders are looking to our industry for answers,” he said.

Kevin Clayton

What Media Means to Kevin Clayton and His Company

Clayton very recently launched a media campaign bent on waking potential customers to the idea of factory-built homes. The initial TV commercial espousing the question “Who’s laughing now?” has garnered 37 million views.

They’ve shared the idea of “Have it Made”, and the edgy “Prefabulous”, “Sustainabling” and “Affordabliss” monikers to their target markets.

“It’s elevating our industry in a big way,” Clayton said.

“We were on national football, and we’re getting ready to run in the next few months all the way through Thanksgiving again,” he said. “This time it will be national football but also really targeted at the buyer-decision maker in the household, who many times is the woman of the house.”

The design of the campaign was to elevate all builders, home centers, community owners and homeowners. The drive is to increase the percent that manufactured housing represents in all new housing starts. The industry always has held eight to 10 percent of the new home market.

Angling for the Sentiments of New Home Customers

These industry initiatives are improving the perception of manufactured housing and causing Clayton to upgrade all 40 of its home building facilities. Kevin is encouraging other industry pros to do the same which in turns improves the team member experience resulting in a better customer experience.  All this is part of elevating the industry.

“That ties into what our big aspirational goals are, opening doors to a better life,” Clayton said. “We really do want to make homes more affordable and more available for everyone.

“There absolutely is an affordable housing crisis out there,” he said. “The stars are aligning for this industry on a number of fronts right now, and it’s why the GSEs and so many others are really listening to us and want to be part of the solution to solving the low homeownership rate in our country. With rising interest rates and land prices, site-built housing is not in a position to help like manufactured housing.”

Clayton Homes New Tech Kevin Clayton
new technology from Clayton Homes.

How Clayton Can Attract the Emerging Buyer

For the first time in years, Clayton opted to skip bringing a new model home to the annual shareholders meeting. Rather, they’re pitching their new technologies that help put a potential buyer in a house. The Home Touch™ touchscreen technology being introduced to retail locations this summer, allows shoppers to have a virtual experience, swap out floor plans, and view photos of other home features.

The new technologies connect potential customers to their dream home in a real way much earlier in the home buying process than we’ve seen from this or any other sector.

“I’d like to see our industry stay focused on this New Class of MH which includes the exterior features that the GSE’s, appraisals, and zoning officials want to see.  We need to be disciplined and innovative to make these features affordable so MH can be treated on par with other forms of housing.  That home with the price tag on it right at the front of the home center facing the highway without any discrimination in how it is financed or appraised will draw a whole new buyer in addition to the important customers we serve today.” – Kevin Clayton, CEO of Clayton Homes

New Buyers Have Different Needs and New Expectations

Millennials, clearly, are a major focus for Clayton and the industry.

“The good news is they’re getting older and having children,” Clayton said of the younger buyers. “They don’t have the same bias against the industry older buyers might have. They are starting to buy homes. And they will buy in a big way, but they don’t want to buy in the same way.

Millennial homebuyers and many others will gravitate to the My Clayton Built Home app, which is currently in development. When released, it will follow those buyers through their path to ownership of that home. The app assists the buyer no matter where they buy or what they buy. It provides updates on the home, maintenance and planning.

Even before the home is placed, the app will tell the customer where their actual home is on the line, in photographs and otherwise to convey how construction is coming together, the processes and materials being used.

“And here’s the thing,” Clayton added. “We know that what the millennial buyer is going to do is share that experience socially, posting pictures and comments, which is great for us and the industry.”

Kevin Clayton and Clayton Homes

Datacomp Releases 2018 JLT Rent, Occupancy Reports for 771 Florida Manufactured Home Communities

By
Patrick Revere
-
FMHA 2018 Annual Convention

Rent and Occupancy Reports for Florida Include Information on 210,641 Homesites

Datacomp, publisher of JLT Market Reports and the nation’s #1 provider of market data for the manufactured housing industry, today announced the publication of its May 2018 manufactured home community rent and occupancy reports for Florida.

Recognized as the industry standard for manufactured home community market analysis for more than 20 years, JLT Market Reports provide detailed research and information on communities located in nearly 140 major housing markets throughout the United States. These include the latest rent trends and statistics, marketing programs and a variety of other useful management insights.

Datacomp’s manufactured housing market data published in the May 2018 JLT Market Reports includes information on 771 “All ages” and “55+” Florida manufactured home communities.

Altogether, the reports on Florida manufactured home communities include data representations for 210,641 homesites.

“Our 2018 Florida reports includes the new Hendry/Okeechobee counties report that captures information for 1,120 homesites in nine communities in the two nearby and associated markets,” Datacomp Co-President and Chief Business Development Officer Darren Krolewski said. “Florida is a robust market for manufactured housing, and the added information will further assist our customers in making solid business decisions in the state.”

JLT Reports Aid in Making Strategic Business Decisions

Each JLT manufactured home community rent and occupancy report published by Datacomp includes detailed information about investment grade communities in the major markets, including number of homesites, occupancy rates, average mobile home community rents and increases, community amenities, vacant sites, and repossessed and inventory homes.

JLT Market Reports also include management insights that rank communities by number of homesites, occupancy rates and highest to lowest rents. Established reports show trends in each market with a comparison of May 2018 rents and occupancy rates to May 2017, as well as a historical recap of rents and occupancy from 1996 to present date in most markets.

The May 2018 JLT Market Reports for Florida manufactured home communities are available for purchase and immediate download online at the Datacomp JLT Market Report website at www.datacompusa.com/JLT, or they may be ordered by phone in electronic or printed editions at (800) 588-5426.

Each fully updated report for mobile home communities is a comprehensive look at investment grade properties within a market, enabling owners and managers, lenders, appraisers, brokers and other organizations to effectively benchmark those communities and make informed decisions.

Clayton Offers New Shopping Tech at Berkshire Hathaway Meeting

By
Patrick Revere
-
New Shopping Tech

Manufactured Housing Industry Leader Showcases Smart Tools, Affordable Solutions

Clayton, a Berkshire Hathaway company and one of the leading builders of prefabricated and site-built homes, advances new shopping tech and building methods for delivering an extraordinary, forward‐thinking affordable home buying experience for customers.

At this year’s annual Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Meeting, Clayton Homes introduces options for a wide selection of affordable home buyers, including traditional site-built, manufactured and tiny homes.

New Shopping Tech Viewer Virtual Home

Advanced Processes and New Shopping Tech On Display in Omaha

Construction processes and technologies that have greatly improved the home buying and home building journey to combat the affordable housing crisis in the U.S.

“In a time when the average price of a new home is well out of reach for most American families, our building process offers a disruptive innovation that provides a future solution to affordable housing,” Clayton CEO Kevin Clayton said.

“Today’s homebuyers shop for homes in a much different way than they have in the past, and we are always working toward answering those evolving customer needs,” he said. “Though our company will continue to change and innovate, our commitment to providing all types of quality, stylish homes at an incredible value will never change.”

It’s A New Era for Manufactured Housing

High Quality Materials, Construction Practices in a Factory Near You

The company’s network of 40 building facilities, supply centers and transportation vehicles spread across the country supply windows, wall boards, roof trusses and cabinets that are integrated into Clayton homes.

Clayton Built® prefabricated homes are constructed indoors in climate‐controlled building facilities. This off‐site construction process offers many benefits, including lower material and construction costs, faster build time, recycling and better quality control.

New Shopping Tech

Building with materials and brand name appliances purchased in bulk provides savings on a grand scale.

Ultimately, homes are built more efficiently, and the savings are passed along to the customer.

This year, Clayton will display several consumer tech tools to improve the home shopping  experience.

Early Test for Clayton’s New Shopping Tech

New Shopping Tech

Attendees to this year’s Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders Meeting have the chance to test the newest innovations, including the HomeTouch™ interactive software for in‐store shopping.

HomeTouch™, which features touchscreen technology for an interactive experience, will be featured at  Clayton Homes locations across the nation this summer. The new technology enables buyers  to experience 3D virtual tours of available floor plans, browse photos and learn about the off‐site home building process.

Additionally, shareholders at the meeting will experience Clayton’s new “Customizer” feature, which allows user to select design elements of their future home using preferred décor, colors and materials.

The full spectrum of Clayton Built® homes will be available to explore virtually using the tech displayed at the Clayton exhibit. An interactive exhibit showcasing Clayton’s tech‐savvy home buying experience and a selection of different Clayton Built® homes will be on display for Berkshire Hathaway shareholders May 4 and 5, 2018.

To browse available homes or experience a 3D virtual tour of a floor plan, visit the Clayton website.

About Clayton

Founded in 1956, Clayton is committed to opening doors to a better life and building happyness through homeownership. As a diverse builder committed to quality and durability, Clayton offers traditional site‐built homes and prefabricated housing, including modular homes, manufactured homes, tiny homes, college dormitories, military barracks and apartments. In 2017, Clayton delivered over 48,000 homes to families across America. Clayton is a Berkshire Hathaway company. For more information, visit claytonhomes.com.

Learn All About How to Buy New Homes During Two Days of Seminars and Factory Tours

By
Patrick Revere
-
Seminars and Factory Tours

Indiana Association Takes On Seminars and Factory Tours Program

From Elkhart, Indiana, where manufactured home factories dot the landscape, the state association and industry leaders are issuing an invite to manufactured housing professionals to take part in two days of sales seminars and factory tours.

“It’s a unique combination of being able to attend professional seminars and then having access to the factories,” said Ron Breymier,  executive director of the Indiana Manufactured Housing Association-Recreation Vehicle Indiana Council. “There aren’t many other places that could make this type of program work.”

Indeed, approximately 200 manufactured housing industry professionals will get a day of sales seminars, and then a day of visiting and touring factories where homes are built.

A collection of industry experts has been brought together to lead MH community owners, managers and retailers through the best practices involved with picking out the right home, as well as getting the financing, siting and finishes that work best.

The immediate Elkhart area has three factories open to visitors, and a fourth is just down the road in Garrett, Ind.

Seminars and Factory Tours

Participating Manufacturers

  • Adventure Homes, Garrett, Ind.
  • Champion Homes, Elkhart, Ind.
  • Clayton Homes, Elkhart, Ind.
  • Fairmont, Elkhart, Ind.

The seminars will be held May 8, and the openings for factory tours will be on May 9. The factory tour schedule will be handed out during the day of seminars.

All of the manufacturers will have exhibitor booths at the RV/MH Hall of Fame and Event Center, the venue for seminars and networking opportunities. Joining the manufacturer exhibitors at the Hall of Fame Event Center is All-American modular, which builds its homes in Pennsylvania.

The RV/MH Hall of Fame is located at 21565 Executive Parkway, Elkhart, Ind., 46514

Seminars and Factory Tours

Indiana Association Adopts Seminar and Factory Tour Experience

The two days of seminars and factory tours was originated in 2016 by George Allen, a consultant to the factory-built housing industry. With full intent to continue the event, Allen took a year off and reconvened the seminars and factory tours with IMHA-RVIA taking the lead this year and for future events.

Allen said there is a notable difference between the inaugural event and this year’s incantation.

“In 2016, we were just beginning to see orders in the industry picking up in volume. And when I phoned manufacturers to be involved, they were jumping through the phone to volunteer time and efforts,” Allen said.

“There’s a second tier of smaller properties that have a problem with vacancies in many cases, and there are fewer street retailers than there used to be. So this helps community owners begin to understand how to buy directly from factories.

“Only two years later, the factories are 30-, 50-, 60-days out in orders now. So, It’s different circumstances. The manufacturers are doing a better business, but there’s still the overwhelming need from community owners, particularly the smaller to midsize owners.”

Fewer Street Retailers Selling Homes Today

Fortunately, the Indiana factories continue to welcome manufactured housing professionals with open doors and open arms. Where in years past community owners commonly bought new homes to place in their communities from traditional street retailers, factory-direct is a growing trend.

With far fewer retailers in the market today, community owners have felt compelled to buy directly from the factory, often for their own community retail operation.

“The parks need homes, and the non-portfolio managers and owners need help figuring out how to buy,” Allen said.  “They don’t necessarily know how solve the problem. Those are the people I am looking to contact, and provide some help to them in a tactical way.

“The two days of seminars and factory tours is a first-hand and live look-in to where, how and why homes are built the way they are, and how they’re sold from the factory. Combine this with seminars on “Getting Ready for Home Sales”, “Buying Right Homes Homes to Sell”, “Selling New Homes On-Site”, “Four Types of Home Finance”, as well as “Installation In-Community & Wholesale Finance”, and community owners will have a new foundation for buying community homes.

Seminars and Factory Tours

Among the research and data provided by Allen’s collaborative Community Owners Business Alliance – Part 7 (COBA7) is a look at how new homes sold directly to communities has increased in recent years. The COBA7 research shows new HUD-Code home shipments have increased from a low of 49,789 units in 2009 to 92,902 in 2017, an increase of more than 86 percent in eight years.

The much talked about industry goal is to reach 100,000 shipments in 2018, and potentially double that by 2022.

How to Attend Two Days of Seminars and Factory Tours in Indiana

All of this feeds into the intent of providing awareness and training for some of those buyers, including those industry professionals already registered from as far off as Florida, Kentucky, Michigan, Illinois, North Carolina, Iowa in addition to attendees from Indiana.

“Not only will attendees be able to see homes being made, but manufacturers are setting up some of the finished product for owners and retailers to tour completed homes on site,” Breymier said.

If people have a lot of older homes in their community, and that’s what they’re used to seeing, their eyes will pop out when they see the new product,” he said. “There are a lot of people who understand the quality of the new homes, but this is a valuable experience for anyone to stay up to date on the latest trends and practices, not just in the factories but during our professional seminars.”

MH professionals interested in the seminars and factory tours can register for the event for as little as $179, which includes lunch and a networking reception. For those traveling to northwest Indiana, event-rate rooms can be booked through the local Hilton Garden Inn as well as the Fairfield Inn & Suites.

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