If You Snooze, You May Lose

Covid-19 has affected every aspect of our lives, especially in housing. Businesses have been shut down completely or temporarily, causing shortages in product availability. Our Kit and Skyline manufacturing factories have protected their employees by closing and cleaning several times. 

The building industry has been hard-hit as lumber, roofing, sheet rock, insulation, flooring and other housing component prices have sky-rocketed in the past 6 months. The factories have added a “Material Surcharge” to cover these increases. Customers that were not ready last spring are shocked at the increases when they come back now to get started. Some things to ponder:

They aren’t making any more land. More building means less land available. Many “Parks” are full.

Summer fires destroyed thousands of acres of trees. Lumber prices will continue to go up.

Some suppliers will not recover. Selection and availability will be limited, raising prices, causing delays.

Kit and Skyline will continue to protect employees by closing and cleaning, delaying deliveries.

Site development costs will also rise for all the above reasons, besides the difficulty of Permit Departments, Inspectors, Appraisers, Septic Designers etc., working sporadic hours and not being available.

Every part of your project: House, Land, Development will cost more going forward than if you act now.

Interest rates are still historically low. You can borrow more money and have a lower payment. Limit the increases by moving forward now. If you need more room for a growing family, or want to downsize, this is the time to act. Waiting will make every part of the process more difficult and much more expensive. There will never be a better time to have a beautiful DeTray’s custom home for your family. Begin now. Enjoy the home sooner and relax, no matter what lies ahead. DeTray’s Custom Housing is offering a $500 discount with your deposit to start before January 15, 2021! Let us help you “Live happily ever after” in a beautiful DeTray’s home.

Lora Whitemarsh

Lora Whitemarsh

Housing Consultant
DeTray’s Custom Housing

How to Get Rich Slowly – Rent or Own?

Everyone needs a place to live. The options are to rent or own.

When you rent, it is easy to relocate, and someone else is responsible for upkeep. However, it can be difficult to get out of a lease. There may be neighbors above, below and beside you. You may not be able to have pets. Parking can be limited. You can’t paint or decorate your way. The Landlord could sell the property, or move in and evict you. You are paying the mortgage for someone else. Rent increases every year. Your payments will go up, up, up. At the end of 1, 3, 5, 10 years, you have nothing but a stack of receipts, and the rent will be much higher than it is now.

At first, renting or owning have similar costs each month. While rents go up each year, a Fixed Rate Mortgage will have the same principle and interest payment for 30 years! While your income increases, your housing costs will be a smaller and smaller portion of your expenses.

Each monthly payment acts as a kind of forced savings. As you pay down principle, your equity (the amount of your home you actually own) grows.

Home Equity Grows Over Time

In addition, history shows that overall, homes become more valuable. According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency, home values have surpassed their pre-recession peaks by 16%. The overall trend is that home values and equity have gone up and will likely continue to do so. Think of what your parents paid for their home, and what it would be worth today!

It’s smart to build equity and financial stability while you enjoy your home. The equity in your home can eventually become liquid cash that you can access, either by selling your home, or borrowing against it. When you own a home, it is more than just a place to live; it’s also a financial asset. What is the leading wealth producer for average Americans? Home Ownership!

At DeTray’s Custom Housing, we design and build homes that are exactly suited to each family’s needs and desires. We can put together the whole package: land or community, development, and house. We have 8 furnished model homes to tour. You can have the joy and satisfaction of home ownership. Let DeTray’s staff show you how. Call, or come see us today.

Lora WhitemarshLora Whitemarsh

Housing Consultant

Happy New Year – 2018

Just a quick word about the “Healthy You”. Walk with vigor, this can lower blood pressure and Cholesterol. Give a “hug” or get a “hug”, this will release a feel-good hormone!

Per AARP the Magazine…
New Year, new thoughts about future decisions in relocating, housing and affordability.

According to AARP the Magazine, the population in numbers are; ages 89 and older equals 3 million people, ages 71-88 equals 26.2 million people, and 52-70 equals 72.9 million people. De Tray’s Custom Housing has seen an influx of these folks going on 2 years now. Folks that want to downsize, relocate back to Washington state and live in a single-story home.

You are able to place a manufactured home on a piece of land or go into a planned community near golfing, restaurants, churches and clubhouse activities. Life is good!
Here at DeTray’s Custom Housing in Puyallup, we are able to offer the most updated options available. Items such as a farmhouse sink with apron, subway tile for back splash, ceramic tile for showers, appliance packages from white, black and stainless steel. Many of our plans are custom-ordered for you!

Please feel free to visit our Sales Center Lot in Puyallup. New Year, New Homes.

 

Marlene LeMoine
Senior Housing Consultant

Interesting Facts About Today’s Manufactured Homes

The Manufactured Homes of today are nothing like Grandma’s old “Trailer” or “Mobile Home”.  No factory has built a “Mobile Home” for over 40 years.  Congress passed the “Manufactured Housing Construction and Standards Act of 1974” which became law on June 15, 1976.  This Federally mandated, national construction standard is known as the HUD Code.  The HUD Code has been updated regularly to improve storm resistance and quality. Homes manufactured since 1976 are built to the HUD Code.  They are classified as “Manufactured Homes”.

Manufactured Homes are built in huge enclosed factories utilizing assembly-line techniques.  Team members specialize in building one part of the home, then the home moves down the line to the next production area.  We build hundreds of homes every year.  Our factories get huge bulk discounts on components and there is almost no waste.  Those savings are passed along to our customers.  Manufactured homes are never exposed to the elements until the roof is in place.

Manufactured homes use the same materials: roofing, siding, sheet rock, appliances, as site built homes.  The media images of destruction in the aftermath of hurricanes are of “Mobile Homes”, not HUD built Manufactured Homes.  Our homes have already traveled from the factory to the site, bouncing down the road at 65 mph.  They sustain “stormy weather” for 5-8 hours during delivery!

Manufactured homes, tied to the foundation on private property, are considered “Real Estate” and qualify for VA, FHA and Conventional mortgages.  Manufactured homes in Parks are financed as personal property or “Chattel Loans”.  DeTray’s works with banks to help secure your loan.

Manufactured homes can appreciate in value similar to other homes.  Appreciation depends on the stability of the area, supply and demand, how the home is maintained and location.

DeTray’s Custom Housing is the best choice for a beautiful Manufactured Home.  Our team can develop the property, customize the home to meet your needs and service the home when it arrives on site.  DeTray’s has been in business 55 years.  We know how to work through the process and we do it right.  We would love to help design your dream home so you can “Live happily ever after”!

 

 

Lora Whitemarsh

Housing Consultant

Mobile Homes Vs. Manufactured Homes….What is the Difference?

question-markAs the newest member of the team at Detray’s Custom Housing in Puyallup, Washington, I am frequently asked what the difference is between our homes (manufactured homes) and mobile homes. Knowing that the Detray Team is always about offering the highest level of information and professional advice, I set out to make sure I understood the facts. Here is what I have learned.
History
As early as the 1920’s, mobile homes were being pulled by automobiles (back then there were even blurred lines between travel trailers and mobile homes!) Mobile homes were often created as simple sleeping areas without plumbing and bathrooms. In the 1940’s, bathrooms were introduced and the size of mobile homes grew to the point that folks began to use them as retreats and vacation homes. Important point….Prior to 1946 there were no construction standards for mobile homes! After World War II, returning veterans were looking for affordable housing and turned to mobile homes. In June, 1946, the federal government stepped up their involvement in the mobile home industry and enacted the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Act. Mobile homes were then required to be built under the regulations of HUD (Housing and Urban Development).
Here’s the key! What’s the difference between a mobile home and a manufactured home? It’s all in the date! According to HUD, a factory-built home prior to June 15, 1976 is a mobile home and one built after June 15, 1976 is a manufactured home. Here are some common traits of manufactured homes:
* • Usually built in a factory and taken to the property where they are set up
* • May be built on metal frame for transportation purposes.
* • Customization by builders produce Manufactured Homes to your specifications.
Modern Day
Many of today’s manufactured homes are being built to standards that rival high-end, site-built homes. Yes, there are still manufactured home builders that have kept “one toe in the old-school pond”; however, the modern, educated consumer is demanding that a high-quality manufactured home be placed on their land or in a park. I believe this trend is good for the industry and that the savings achieved for home buyers by manufacturers producing these beautiful homes inside a dry and level factory will continue to deliver construction and, therefore, financial advantages to the consumer.
Today’s modern homes are built with 2×6 construction, Quartz or Granite countertops, Ceramic Tile Backsplashes, Laminate Floors, Low e Glass Windows, Energy Star Ratings, 30-year Lap Siding, Architectural Shingles, Beautiful Wood Cabinets, and much, much, more!
Conclusion:
If you want a custom home built with high-quality interiors and exteriors, featuring the finest materials available; and, you want to purchase that custom home at a significant savings over a site-built home, consider buying a modern, manufactured home!
For more information on materials, floor plans and other information, contact me: Mike@DeTrays.net or go to Detray’s Custom Housing website.

Seattle Home Show & The MHRV Show Success

Seattle home and garden show and the MHRV show was a great success. After the final numbers came in, the shows experienced a 14% increase in visitors from previous years. Our facebook also receive a huge bump by gaining over 5,000 reviews. With people saying words like “Awesome”, “Cool”, “Wow”, “Amazing”, and “Unbelievable” as well as other sayings, we feel we accomplished our goal by introducing something new and exciting. We continually try to grow with the demand and find ways to amaze everyone.

Other news you may like to hear is that Last Week’s Economic News in Review stated:

Winter slowed the pace of housing construction, while lay-offs continued to drop and core inflation saw a sizable gain.

Housing Starts

January’s cold snap had its impact on real estate as housing starts and building permits both contracted during the month.

Permits issued for housing units of all types dipped to an annual rate of 1,202,000 for the month, marking a 0.2 percent decline from the December rate of 1,204,000, according to last week’s report from the Census Bureau. Similarly, permits issued for single-family homes in January notched down to a rate of 720,000, which was a 1.6 percent decline from December’s pace of 732,000.

Actual starts on housing units of all types in January dropped to an annual rate of 1,099,000, which was 3.8 percent down from December’s rate of 1,143,000. Starts on single-family homes fell to a rate of 731,000, which was 3.9 percent off from December’s rate of 761,000.

“Despite the modest dip in starts this month, we expect to see ongoing, gradual growth in housing production in 2016,” National Association of Home Builders’ Chief Economist David Crowe wrote in a public statement. “An improving economy, solid job creation and pent-up demand for housing should keep the market moving forward.”

Additional good news is that spring is near and weather conditions are improving. This always creates motivation for buyers and sellers. Now is the time to get back in gear to sell, find, and buy.

We would also like to thank everyone who took the time to come view our version of the “tiny home”. This trend currently is very popular with the nation and many other countries. Our “little home” version we displayed at Seattle’s Century Link had many viewing a manufactured home for the first time. It seems as though society as a whole is looking at other affordable housing options and realize the benefits from living in a manufactured home.

For those who visited the show or did not get a chance to come see us, the factory is extending the special that was offered to homes ordered. The “Little home” displayed is now back at our property as well as our new Evergreen home. This is our new 1765 Square Foot Home custom built by Skyline. The design is an open floor plan with many upgraded options, including quartz counter tops and a beautiful 72″ walk in tiled shower. We are confident you will get the “Wow” factor on the homes once you get a viewing.

Hope to see you soon!

DETRAY’S CUSTOM HOUSING TO DISPLAY “THE NEW COOL” VERSION OF THE “LITTLE HOME”.

DETRAY’S CUSTOM HOUSING TO DISPLAY “THE NEW COOL” VERSION OF THE “LITTLE HOME”.
While other builders throughout the country try to find alternatives to affordable housing.

DeTray's Custom Housing version of the "Little Home"

DeTray’s Custom Housing version of the “Little Home”

 

SEATTLE, WA, February 1, 2016 – DeTray’s Custom Housing, located at 10209 149th St E, Puyallup, will be showing their newly built “little home” beginning 10:00AM, Friday February 11th – 14th 2016 at The Seattle RV Show in Century Link Field Event Center, and again February 20th – 28th at the Seattle Home Show.
DeTray’s Custom Housing is joining the trend for the mini homes with their version on the “tiny house”

Dana and Diane DeTray, owners of DeTray’s Custom Housing Puyallup, believe, “Our goal is to grow with the demands of the market and allow home buyers choices. Whether buying a 560 square foot home or buying a 2700 home, we feel that being associated with this trend will introduce us to this market and allow others to get into home ownership.” DeTray said; “Affordable housing is now available to the almost anyone, where else can someone buy a new custom home for about the same price of a new automobile?” It meets the demands of these challenging times, with the government attempting to address this issue; it sheds new light on these homes as an excellent option or housing choice.”
The launch of the “Little Home” establishes DeTray’s as one of the only custom housing distributers in the market today with the ability to deliver customers with a customized home that will combine luxury and comfort, with features and amenities most buyers seek, like “Green” standards in Energy Efficiency.
“The housing market is driven by supply, demand, market trends, and we seek to grow with change. We constantly try to find what is desired and needed, and meet those demands to the best of our abilities”; says Dana DeTray, President of DeTray’s Custom Housing Puyallup.
DeTray’s Custom Housing Puyallup encourages home seekers to consider looking into manufactured housing. Because of the high prices and low inventories of homes for sale, these elements are driving prices up and leaving less than desirable homes affordable. We have a solution, please check us out.
Go to www.detrayscustomhousing.com for more information. We hope to see you at the shows.

Financing Information about Your Home & How some lenders prey on the uneducated borrower

mortgage-and-home-loan-

 

 

 

Let’s face it, loans can be confusing and stressful. Unless you have a finance degree or take the time to learn lender terminology, it can be overwhelming. Terms like Libor, 3/1 arm, 5/1 arm, variable rate, points, buy down or other terms make it difficult to know what’s what.

Because of this, some lenders and home builders take advantage of the uneducated. Recently there has been news about a well known billionaire who owns one of the largest home building and loan companies in the United States. In fact, his company also owns the dealership that sells the homes. There are many opinions about this structure. Some find it convenient because they are able to find a home, the builder and get the financing completed under the same umbrella.  Then there are those who feel structures like this do not always have their best interest at heart. Although convenient, many times they are not getting the best rates available.

To curb this practice, Congress passed the Dodd Frank law that is intended to protect consumers from predatory practices. Some of the unethical practices include:

Bait-and-Switch: This occurs when the lender promises one type of loan or rate. Then at the last minute the rate, term or type of loan will change. Often times, the interest rate won’t rise until several months or years after you start paying on the loan.

Balloon Payment Loans: Although your monthly payments are based on a 30 year loan, some of these loans are set up where you must refinance the loan within a few year’s. The problem with this type of loan is that you may owe the same amount that you initially borrowed, even though you may have been making payments for the past 2 – 5 years.  In some cases, you may not be able to refinance your loan because your home may have lost some of it’s value or you no longer qualify for a loan due to having less income or having more debt.

Junk Fee’s or Packing:  Watch for fee’s labeled under the following terms such as processing fee’s, review fee’s, Fed Ex fee’s, underwriting fee’s, document fee’s etc. Many of these fee’s are unnecessary and can be negotiated or removed from the loan.

Loan Flipping: Loan flipping is when the lender convinces you to take a high interest loan that can be closed immediately, then promises to refinance you within a few months at a lower rate. Usually when this is done, the lender or broker will charge you fee’s each time, thus lowering your equity in your property.

Equity Stripping: Equity stripping is when a person buy’s, refinances or gets a home equity line of credit (HELOC), borrows all they can against the property, then never making any payments and leaves the property to be foreclosed on.

Things that will help you get the best rates are the following:

  1. Having a Large Down Payment.
  2. Cash Reserves in the bank. 2 – 6 months. preferred
  3. Little Debt. Most lenders look at Debt-to-Income Ratio.
  4. Keeping your credit balance at 30% or less. This shows lenders you have credit discipline and don’t spend all you have available.

These secrets help streamline your loan and get you the best rates available.approvals.

One of the many reasons people invest in an manufactured home is that it allows affordable housing opportunity. There are very few markets where one can buy a new home for such a small investment.

DeTray’s prides itself on helping those in search of a quality home at an affordable price. The many years experience we have allows us to completely educate our clients and help them make their decision easier. The saying “knowledge is power” holds a lot of weight and we are confident that is what makes the difference between good and great.

We take a neutral position on what choices you should make. however, our goal is to help you find the perfect home and help you see the options that are available.

In short, we are here to help and only want what’s best for you.

 

Inspirational Ideas and Goals for the Coming Year

2016 is here! Whether 2015 was a good or challenging, now it’s time to look forward to see what this year will bring. The turn of the calendar year is a chance to start fresh – to shed bad habits and adopt new, better ones. DeTray’s Custom Housing is here to provide some inspiration for 2016.

Reconnect with Friends and Family Members

Sometimes during the busyness of our daily lives we forget to stay in touch with the people we care about most. Make it a top New Year’s Resolutions to reconnect with your family and friends in 2016.

  • Call your friends, parents, children, or siblings at least once a week (or month) to say hello and let them know you are thinking about them.
  • If cell phones have taken over your household, start a “no cell phone” at the table policy during mealtimes.
  • Host a friends and family game night at least once a month or bi-monthly. Do this each others homes or find a place to go out and play pool, dart’s or go bowling.
  • Do activities outside, such as walking the dog instead of letting the dog walk out by itself, go to a park, or visit a mall to window shop.
  • Visit the library and check out a book or read a magazine. Many libraries sell used magazines for ten cents or a quarter.

Get Healthy

Improving our health is almost always top on our list of New Year’s Resolutions, but “getting healthy” is such a vague resolution that most people find it difficult to keep. Most people find it easier to establish smaller, more attainable goals that will contribute to a healthier lifestyle overall. Here are suggestions.

  • Limit trips to fast food restaurants or chose healthy meals.
  • Substitute vegetables for chips or sweets a few times per week. (Steamed vegetables are great)!
  • Instead of drinking soda buy diet or flavored seltzer water.
  • If you have chocolate cravings, split a candy bar with someone, rather than eating it all.
  • Try cooking something new each week, rather than dining out.

 Exercise

The holidays are the time most of us gain a few extra pounds, this is a great opportunity get a renewed sense of determination for shedding those extra pounds. Unfortunately, most of us find it difficult to maintain this drive as the year goes on. The following are a few simple exercises that will be easy to keep throughout the year.

  • Do warn up stretches before you begin
  • Jumping jacks are great to start the morning
  • Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
  • Do ten push-ups in the morning or night. (do them on your knees if needed)
  • Don’t look for parking space close to stores or businesses, so you’ll have a longer walk.
  • Start doing fifteen minutes of physical activity every day, such as walking, stretching, jogging, biking, or swimming. It will make you feel great and give you extra vigor if the grey skies are making you feel sad or gloomy.

We at DeTray’s wish you the best of luck with your 2016 New Year’s Resolutions! If you’re considering a new custom manufactured home at any point during the new year, please keep us in mind. We look forward to helping you find your new home at DeTray’s.

                                         “May this be your Best Year Yet”

Manufactured Homes = “Fiscally Responsible Housing Option”

The Future of Manufactured Homes: “Fiscally Responsible Housing Option”

During the recent National Congress and Expo for Manufactured and Modular Housing’ event, Tony Kovach had a chance to chat with Richard Jennison – someone who knows a little something about manufactured homes. As the President and CEO of the Manufactured Housing Institute and a recent inductee to the RV/MH Hall of Fame, Mr. Jennison expressed excitement regarding the upward trajectory of the manufactured housing market, stating “The industry is back!”
Joining The Manufactured Housing Institute back in early 2012, Richard Jennison acts as the intermediary between the federal government and the industries activism efforts. Fighting on behalf of all sectors within the manufactured housing industry. Mr. Jennison is a seasoned veteran at the negotiations game, having served in senior management positions with Amtrak, MCI, Citizens Bancorp, Omni Solutions Group, and the Brick Industry Association.
From his attendance at the National Congress and Expo, Jennison announce that there was an notable turnaround for the manufactured housing industry. When ask about the amount of new capital flowing into the prefabricated housing industry, Richard noted that there is more interest and capital than most even realize – approximately $1-$2 billion. “People are looking to invest, they see it as a value and we are going to see a lot more money coming in.” Highlighting the fact that billions of dollars of new capital are starting to focus on the manufactured housing communities, viewing them as a “fiscally responsible housing option”.
So when considering your options, listen to the experts and see the value you will get when choosing a manufactured home.

Have a Wonderful Holiday!

Dont Talk About It Detrays Custom Housing