Simplify without Compromise

Over decades in the manufactured housing land lease community business, Jensen has helped people to simplify their lives without having to compromise on living in a single family detached home. When most people think about comfort, privacy and independence, they want to live in a single family home with a little space around them and their neighbors. Early in life when we need the room and have the energy and money to afford it, a large home on a big old lot is just what the doctor ordered. As time wears on, we can become slaves to that large home and big old yard.

It’s hard to keep that feeling of independence when you’ve painted, cleaned, raked, replaced, caulked, trimmed, planted, washed, paved, and installed things for the umpteenth time. It can wear you out. And with the children now gone and the neighborhood changing, you begin to dream that there may be a better place and way to live. It is time to be proactive. Look around at your alternatives and take control. You need to get back to owning your house and not letting your house own you.

We are all entitled to decide how we want to live a more independent lifestyle. This means very different things to all of us. Some may desire to slow down at work but still keep working in a reduced capacity. Some may want to retire but volunteer with a nonprofit they have never had time to support the way they would like. Others may want to work part time but pursue a lifelong passion by learning to fly fish, built their own sailboat, learn to speak a new language and travel, anything their heart desires. And there is really nothing wrong with sleeping late, reading books, and generally taking it easy! The realities of life may also mean spending more time with and caring for an ailing spouse, helping out an aging parent, or providing child care for grandchildren.

Moving from a large and high maintenance home to a smaller more manageable home can free up time, money and effort to pursue your needs and/or dreams. You decide on your standards, needs, and desires. You decide on your financial priorities. A very small resale home on a modest lot may be just what one person needs to free up more income but still enjoy a home and yard. A new home with garage, sunroom and upgrade finishes and features may be more suited to a family coming from a larger home and perhaps still planning on working into retirement.
The simplify part generally takes some physical effort to sort out “stuff” but is well worth the effort. The “without compromise” part takes some reflection in order to define your own path and determine what is central to your new lifestyle.

The important thing is to decide what is right for your family and then go after it.

See how Jensen communities can help at: http://www.jensencommunities.com/

Time to Get Off the Fence!

Have you seen the TV advertisement with the family literally sitting on the fence and the little girl saying, "Mommy I want one"?

For those who have been sitting on the fence waiting for the "bottom", their wait may be over. Although no one would say we are completely out of trouble, it is a great time to buy if you are confidently in a position to do so. With a strong equity position and secure source of income, what better time to purchase a first or second home than right now with interest rates as low as they may ever be and home prices at their lowest levels in years?

Some might say that they will wait until the market actually bottoms out but history will show that most people buy on the upswing when the market has already started its upward climb. If you are planning to buy, use, and hold the property for at least five years, it should be better to buy as close to the bottom as possible and take advantage of today's low rates and prices.

Sellers are more eager than even six months ago to make a deal. Thoughtfully consider your reasons to purchase a new or additional property. Make sure you would buy the property regardless of whether or not it may appreciate. Take a sober and realistic look at your resources. And then armed with rational reasons and the steam to back it up, jump right off of that fence and make the deal of a lifetime!

"Get in on the Good Life!"

www.jensencommunities.com

Pride In Ownership

Pride in ownership is what sets a Jensen community apart from other manufactured housing land lease communities. We pride ourselves on distinctive entrances with clear signage and colorful plantings.

All common areas in each community from New Hampshire to Georgia show regular attention to detail. Our clubhouses receive regular updating and even replacement as is the case with our new Community Building at Crestwood in Concord NH.

People move to a Jensen community because they see the pride in ownership. Resident's take both pride in their homes and yards. Green thumbs abound! Drive through any Jensen community to see how well kept they are. Special gardens, patios, decks, and plantings make each home distinctive. It is great to have your own yard as long as you don't have too much to maintain!

Community rules and regulations help to ensure that everyone is on "the same page" when it comes to upkeep. By knowing what is expected, all residents can enjoy a nice, peaceful, quiet and safe neighborhood.

As you look for a new home and place to live, consider the pride of ownership of your propective neighbors as well as the developer or community manager.

For information on Jensen communities, please go to http://www.jensencommunities.com/

Factory Built Housing

There is a lot to know and like about the homes that are being constructed by the many factory housing builders across the country. When you start to think about it, most homes have numerous factory components including trusses, cabinets, pre-finished floors, railings, tubs/showers, and other items commonly used in today’s homes. The quality, ready availability and the time builder’s save on site make factory components a logical extension of the “site built” products of yesteryear. Whole or half houses are constructed in factories for the same reason.

The construction of a fully factory built home is very much like that of a home completely constructed on site. The order of operations may differ as allowed by the factory setting but the results are more alike than different. For instance, interior walls are generally erected before exterior walls and the roofing systems may be built at the same time as the floor/frame systems and walls rather than in traditional sequence of bottom to top. Both factory and site constructed homes are “stick built”, factory built home just happen to be constructed in a climate controlled setting and shipped to a home site.

Of the two main types of factory built homes, the most widely used are manufactured and modular. The difference is the code that they are built to. Manufactured Homes are built to the “HUD Code” (otherwise known as the Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1976 and as amended). Modular homes are built to state specific codes.

When selecting a factory builder, consider the reputation of the builder/dealer as well as the factory. What type of homes does each build (entry level, active adult, move up, luxury, etc.)? Are you satisfied with the options and finishes available? Ask about the building process and how they service warranty items after the sale.

Factory built homes are a logical extension of the component building process. When you start learning more, you find out that they have been around longer than you might expect and are located in more places than thought. And that is the beauty. A well built and sited factory home should be indistinguishable from one built on site.

Sellers Need to be More Realistic

We hear all the time how well educated today's consumer is. This is especially true of home buyers. With all of the information available on the Internet, buyers have all the ammunition they need to hit a seller head on.

Unfortunately this isn't usually the case with today's seller. Most sellers don't arm themselves with research or objectivity. They are more likely to use "what their neighbors got for their house last year" or "what they need to pay of their mortgage" or what they need for a down payment on their next home" to justify what they "want" for their home.

Even an appraisal is just an estimate of fair market value which can only actually be determined when a willing buyer and willing seller come to a meeting of the minds and sign a contract (and actually close) onr a home.

So for all you sellers, please do your homework. And please understand that what you want is not usually what you can realistically get.

Homeownership Should Provide Freedom

After taking a summer hiatus from writing I’m back at trying to provide some useful insights into the benefits of living in a manufactured housing land lease community. At Jensen communities we believe that homeownership should provide you with certain freedoms. These include:

· The freedom of your own home with no one directly above, below or beside you.
· The freedom of your own yard to work, play and enjoy.
· The freedom from all the responsibilities and heavy lifting of land ownership – Jensen takes care of the underground pipes, shrubs, trees, driveway, water, septic/sewer, and even the land taxes.
· The freedom of a smaller and manageable yard that’s a snap to maintain.
· The freedom from a large mortgage and financial burden of a large unwieldy home.

Many of our customers are “rightsizing” from various forms and sizes of previous homes. Most have owned their own place before and want the benefits of homeownership, but also some of the advantages of community living. They are pleasantly surprised to find the best of both worlds in a manufactured housing land lease community where they can own a generally smaller, well constructed and energy efficient home on one floor but on a cottage size lot. Great neighbors and community amenities are the icing on the cake!

Buying a home that is well within one’s financial and physical means allows more time and money to do what you really enjoy. Don’t take a step down; take a step into a rightsized home and the Good Life.

A Manufactured Home can be a House within your Means

Trailers, coaches, mobile homes, single-wide, house trailer and the like have all been used to name movable dwellings since the inception of the factory built housing industry. Indeed the first homes were truly a unit that you would pull behind the family car. Measuring 8’ x 32’, it could easily be moved and sited.

The villages where these units were placed, either for temporary or long term use, became known as camps or parks. Unfortunately, some became notorious for low grade living as in the “other side of the tracks”. Many of these places earned their reputations. But others thrived and became known for “easy living”.

Today there are two main categories of factory built homes that are shipped over the road in one or more sections and erected on a site. Manufactured Homes are built in a factory to the nationally pre-emptive Construction Safety and Standards Act commonly referred to as the HUD Code. Modular Homes are also built in a factory but must be built to the state code in which they will be sited. The level of quality and finishes are set by the manufacturer just like any home builder. There are actually books available that rate the quality of today’s manufacturers like the one written by John Grissim called “The Grissim Rating Guide to Manufactured Homes”.

Over the history of manufactured homes, the better communities have created permanence for their residents. As long as rent was paid, rules were followed and homes were maintained, residents and/or their homes could remain in “perpetuity”. This would not only create a desirable and affordable place to live, but would allow the homeowners to build equity like any property owner. This creates the best of both worlds where those who take care of their property are rewarded and obsolete homes can be removed so as not to ruin a neighborhood.

This scenario continues to the present in Jensen communities and other stable and well run manufactured housing land lease communities. These communities allow you to buy a home that is both physically and financially manageable. They further allow you to live in your own home and enjoy your home site to garden or play.

A house within your means keeps stress from your life and allows you to enjoy other opportunities. Get in on the Good Life! ®