Tag Archives: mobile home park

Are billionaire private-equity firms exploiting mobile home owners?

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Greed HOA money womans face

  By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities Beyond big cities, manufactured homes and mobile home parks are one of the few affordable housing alternatives for millions of Americans. But as small mobile home park owners sell to large real estate corporations, living conditions are deteriorating. At the same time, land rents continue to rise, according to one report in the Washington Post. The WaPo report is one of dozens I’ve read over the past several Continue ReadingAre billionaire private-equity firms exploiting mobile home owners?→

FL homeowner says HOA should respect her religious freedom

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Catholic Virgin Mary Lady Guadalupe

By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Community Millie Francis, a homeowner in Bradenton Tropical Palm, says she isn’t going to take down a painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe (also known as the Virgin Mary) that adorns her mobile home, despite her HOA’s objections. The property manager of the trailer park, Janet Nowakowski of Vanguard Property Management out of Tampa, says several months ago, the HOA gave Francis permission to remove a picture window from her home, Continue ReadingFL homeowner says HOA should respect her religious freedom→

HOA nightmare – manufactured homes on rented lots

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By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities   Anyone thinking about purchasing a manufactured (mobile) home to place on a leased lot needs to watch this PBS video. The report exposes the truth behind this “affordable” path to home ownership. You may own the house free and clear, but you will always have to pay rent to the landowner. In fact, the rent can be much higher than you’d pay as a tenant in a traditional Continue ReadingHOA nightmare – manufactured homes on rented lots→

Is it better to rent a condo or an apartment?

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By Deborah Goonan I’ve had this discussion with people on numerous occasions, and the question was just posed again in an online forum. Many condominiums allow owners to lease their units, and, in a growing number of these communities, tenants occupy at least 20%, if not a majority, of the units. Most condo associations are either in highrise or low-rise multifamily buildings, but some are townhouses, and a few others, modular homes. Some of these Continue ReadingIs it better to rent a condo or an apartment?→