All Forum Posts by: John Arendsen

California Beach Casita @Bobby Vaughn. It will have a 12/12 metal roof and a combination design of Hardy Board cemititous exterior paneling. It won't look like a "WOBBLY BOX"

I'm all in. As long as I don't have to do any of the "thick skin, patience, and conservative numbers." heavy lifting thing. Just show me the passive income bottom line so I can just keep on keeping on @Robert Seed.

I know @Peter F., sometimes it takes awhile for all the photos to upload. But I just wanted to make a point. A lot of folks investing in MH's and old MHP's nowadays are and will continue taking a real beating if they don't have any experience and/or limited investment resources. 

I just hate to see naive  and ill informed newbie investors get racked under the coals by spending a lot of $$$ on books, special classes, webinars, podcasts, etc unless they really know the big picture. That's not to say that the learning materials being offered today aren't honest, beneficial and forthcoming. But I just wanted to fill in some gaps that folks should know about and are often glossed over..

What picture @Peter F.? There's a number of them. If you're talking about the surfer that simply denotes  the PATH OF PROGRESS. I could have just as easily put a golfer, fisherman, boater, etc. but that's not my bag. Surfing is. 

Old MH's are Old MH's plain and simple. MH's manufactured before 1979 are inundated with formaldehyde, asbestos and myriad caustic and carcinogenic the only way to deal with this issue if you're really going to be investing in multiple MH's is this:

If you're going to do a remodel you may as well do it all the way. Because by the time you finish knit picking all the repairs and replacements of fixtures, utilities, appliances, cabinets, flooring, wall coverings, paint, paneling, siding, roofing, et all you might as well either remove the old one and replace it with a nice new HUD Manufactured Home.

If you're going to have to replace it with a smaller home or even a park model, if the park owner and building jurisdiction will allow it because of legal nonconforming setbacks and encroachments on the existing grandfathered one then you may find that this is your only choice.

However, that stated, if the MHP or home is not in the path of progress then it may be a big waste of time and money. Parks, infrastructures, roads, exterior fences, et. al. are getting older by the year and won't refurbish on their own.

If an MHP or resident owned MH property is not in the path of progress the values will keep deminishing as the rents increase until there comes a point when the MHP is condemned and the property rezoned for higher and better use. I've seen this happen time and time again.

So in conclusion I will say that yes, MHP's and/or resident owned MH's can be a good investment if you really take the time to do your due diligence and have the wherewithal to spend the $$$ and the staying power to hang around long enough to revisit your investment capital and then generate some ROI and appreciation.

My 3 cents/sense worth adjusted for inflation. 

Sounds like @Doug McVinua has recommended exactly the kind of inspector your need @Carol McCulloch. That's exactly how we do it in Cali. Find a good one and keep them busy.

@Carol McCulloch

First order of  business a "2001 MOBILE HOME" is an oxymoron. They discontinued manufacturing "MOBILE HOMES" on June 15, 1976 at which time they were officially referred to as "HUD Manufactured Homes." 

If memory serves they then made it official in 1981 and are now exclusively called HUD MANUFACTURED HOMES; At least in California.  

Second order of business and I Hope BP doesn't delete this because they think its an add which it is not. It's the contact info for the Home Inspectors trade association for Arizona. This is a  Nationwide  Home Inspectors Association and is generally a reliable source.

Many if not most of these inspectors are past or present licensed general or specialty trade contractors with years of experience and unblemished records in their fields. However, I would start with a call to the sitting President of the association and ask him for the most experienced Mobil, Manufactured and Modular home inspector. 

You don't want to get an inspector who only does single family detached homes be they track projects, planned community developments or open estate properties. You need someone who knows the "Factory Built Housing Industry"

• knows about the Mainframe, Understructure (pad and pier set up and present condition) & floor systems of all types of Factory Built Housing 
• Tie-down system (TDS)
• Foundation system (FS)
• Pedestal condition
• Wall Systems,
• Ceiling Systems
• Roof Systems
• Infrastructure (Utilities)
• Sewage type

Here's the name of an organization like the one we refer to in Cali. Start here and you probably won't have to look much further. Hope this helps:

AZ ASHI: Arizona Chapter of the American Society of Home Inspectors

Arizona Home Inspectors - InterNACHI

Certified Home Inspectors. The international Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) is a non-profit organization of the nation's best real estate ....

So is this a rental community or will you be selling each home with the dirt? Also, are they new homes? In Cali, removing a MH from its original situs makes it very difficult to finance if it's on real property. If its a rental community then it's whatever your building & zoning have to say unless there's a State Mandate in place that regulates the entire industry.

@David Forester That's very astute information and interesting demographics on Austin. In many ways Cali has finally seen the light with SB 1069, AB, 2299 & 2406 going into effect as of 1/1/17. I'd very much look forward to your contributions as this is but a mere cottage industry (pun intended). We've been in the Factory Built Housing Industry (HUD Manufactured, Modular & PREFAB) and have been designing and building these types of structures for the past three decades. Love to hear what you have to say.

Until then, 

I bid you ADU! tm

John

You can PM me anytime and I'd be happy to send you some posts we've done and projects

currently in progress.

Not sure what year the MH is but if it's inundated with mold I wouldn't touch it. Additionally, if the MH was built before 1979 there's a good chance it's also rife with formaldehyde and asbestos. On the subject of seller financing do your homework. Dodd Frank is still a law and one you need to really study unless you want lots of problems should they find out your financing MH's. Unless you'e a licensed lender.