Category Archives: Manufactured Homes

If You Snooze, You May Lose

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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

Energy Star

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The Most ENERGY-EFFICIENT Homes in the Nation

Energy efficiency has always ranked at the top of home buyers’ features list. Good news – the Pacific Northwest manufactured home industry builds more ENERGY STAR® homes than anywhere else in the nation.

Energy Star® is a federal government certification that means the home has been independently verified to be at least 30% more energy-efficient than homes built to 1993 national Model Energy Code, or 15% more efficient than state energy code, whichever is more rigorous. These savings are based on heating, cooling, and hot water energy use and are typically achieved through improving five separate areas in the home:

TIGHT DUCTS

Ducts carry air from central heat and air conditioning equipment to every room in the home. In a typical American home, ducts leak 20-30% of the air being forced through them. Tightly sealed ducts in ENERGY STAR® Homes are the proper size, made from quality materials, located properly and insulated to ensure energy efficiency and maintain comfort.

TIGHT CONSTRUCTION

Air leakage accounts for 25-40% of the energy use for heating and cooling a typical home. ENERGY STAR® homes are sealed to reduce noise, moisture, and drafts – both in and out. Blocking outside air prevents dust, pollen, auto exhaust and insects from coming in. Stopping inside air from leaking out reduces escape of temperature-controlled air.

HEATING AND COOLING EQUIPMENT

More than 50% of a home’s energy use goes to heating and cooling. High-efficiency heating and cooling equipment can lower utility bills, require less maintenance and result in a quieter home.

IMPROVED INSULATION

To maintain temperature efficiently and effectively, insulation must provide a continuous layer of protection. This involves careful installation without gaps, crimps, or compression, and careful attention to fitting around obstacles like pipes, wiring and outlets.

HIGH-PERFORMANCE WINDOWS

Windows typically make up 10-25% of a home’s exterior, yet as much as half of a home’s heat loss and gain travels through them. Advances in window technology can reduce this loss through double glazing low-e coatings, low conductance framing materials, thermal breaks and insulated frames.

These features contribute to improved home quality and homeowner comfort, and to lower energy demand and reduced air pollution. ENERGYSTAR® also encourages the use of energy-efficient lighting and appliances, as well as features designed to improve indoor air quality. And don’t forget utility promotions and rebates on appliances used in the home!

I personally invite you to visit our ENERGY STAR® homes at our design center! We look forward to seeing you soon!

Michelle Dux
DeTray’s Housing Consultant

What is Factory Construction?

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Come Home to More.

Manufactured homes are just like site-built houses in nearly every way except the most important… where they are built.  Manufactured homes are designed, constructed, painted and inspected all under the protective roof of a modern Building Center.  Anyone who has lived through a typical wet Northwest fall, winter and spring can immediately grasp the advantages of building indoors.

From something as simple as working with always-dry wood to installing name-brand appliances, the finished home is much more than the sum of its high-quality parts.  That means extra value for the home buyer.

Quality Materials Always on Hand

Kiln-dried-dried lumber arrives dry, gets sored under cover, moves directly to the factory floor. Builders never have to work around shipping delays, and don’t have to work bad with materials. 

Always having the right stuff in the same place day in and day out improves efficiency. In addition, consistency in the type and quality of raw materials ensures value.

Common-Sense Construction

Major components are pre-assembled and inspected, then secured in place. Floors and sub-floor installations go down before the walls go up.  Internal carpentry shops next to the assembly line build all cabinetry, which is carried (not shipped) just a few feet for installation in the home.

Inspectors on site

All homes are checked as many as 200 times during the construction process by qualified inspectors working right in the Building Center.

National Building Code

The HUD Code is your guarantee of a well-built home that can be sited virtually anywhere.  The HUD Code offers builders freedom to use the best, most modern materials and homes well-designed, durable and energy efficient.

Team Effort

Design and construction teams are just steps apart. As market demand or technology introduce new features, designers can quickly incorporate them into new homes. As these new features are added, any issues that come up on the factory floor can be resolved just as fast.

Michelle Dux
DeTray’s Housing Consultant

Building Codes Ensure Quality

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Manufactured Homes are built to strict, national building codes that regulate design, construction, strength, durability, transportability, fire resistance, energy efficiency and quality control.  Performance standards for heating, plumbing, air conditioning, thermal and electrical systems are also set.

This code is the part of the National Manufactured Home Construction and safety Standards Act, otherwise known as the “HUD Code.” The familiar red seal attached to the exterior of the manufactured home is your assurance the home has been built to high standards and passed as many as 200 inspections during its construction.

Congress passed this act for three interrelated reasons:

  • To preserve access to affordable housing for all;
  • To facilitate interstate shipment of homes from factories all over America that would meet or exceed building codes no matter where located; and
  • States were not uniformly regulating home construction

An independent study by the University of Illinois Architecture – Building Research Council concluded that the HUD Code is comparable to – and in some areas exceed – commonly used local building codes. Where the HUD Code differs, results in important benefits to manufactured home buyers.

Local codes will tend to be “prescriptive.”  The Hud Code is performance-based.  The difference can be summarized in this manner:

  • Prescriptive codes tell the builder, “use this material, no matter what;”
  • Performance-based codes tell the builder, “here is the standard the materials you use must reach.”

Unlike local building codes, the HUD Code is specifically designed to be compatible with the factory construction process. Prescriptive codes, the HUD Code is specifically designed to be compatible with the factory construction process. Prescriptive codes often lag years behind materials and technology available to builders.  Performance-based standards allow builders to take advantage of current technology, improved construction methods and superior raw materials.

And just like any other standard, a building code is only as good as its enforcement.  HUD Code enforcement is more uniform and consistent because inspections take place in the factory under controlled conditions, and fewer inspectors have more experience inspecting more homes.

Michelle Dux
DeTray’s Housing Consultant

Attention Renters!

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There are 3 ways to handle money: Spend, Save, Invest.  Money saved loses buying power as inflation raises all prices.  You are already spending on rent.   A beautiful DeTray’s home allows you to spend and invest at the same time.  Instead of letting the landlord use your money every month, you can be building equity as the home goes up in value.  A home is a great investment!

A man came to DeTray’s a few years ago, but didn’t move forward with a purchase.  He came back a couple of weeks ago, ready to start.  He was shocked at the price increases.  His procrastination has cost thousands of dollars.  He has lost the equity that would have been building.  He could have been enjoying his new home all these years. 

There is an old saying, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago.  The second best time is right now.”  Don’t let more time pass without the “Spend/Invest” power that comes with owning a beautiful DeTray’s Custom home.

Lora Whitemarsh

Lora Whitemarsh

DeTray’s Housing Consultant

Protecting the BIG Investment

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A home is more than a house! It’s the financial security that comes from building equity in a good investment over time. When you buy make sure your home will meet your financial needs when it comes time to sell or refinance.

Manufactured homes are known for their value at the time of sale. How does this value translate to appreciation over time?  Good question!!

Studies conducted by Seattle-based Elway research, University of Michigan and North Carolina show how that manufactured homes generally appreciate in value at the same rate as site-built homes in their neighborhoods. Location is the main factor determining long-term appreciation for both types of homes.

“When the location is good and the home is right for the location, manufactured homes appreciate in step with their neighborhood,” explained consultant and author Steve Hullibrger, who advises developers across the nation and tracks the long-term performance of a database of 1300 manufactured homes. “In my work with urban housing, it’s clear that manufactured homes do well if they are well made, sensibly selected for their neighborhood and blend in with existing houses.” He suggests that homebuyers use the same strategies that developers use when selecting houses for their home sites. “The first thing to look at is the neighborhood. Can we match the size and look of surrounding homes? The interiors of manufactured homes are often better than average site-built house, but don’t limit yourself to the standard exteriors. If the homes in the neighborhood all have garages, add a garage to your home. If they all have exteriors, add a brick facing. The initial investment will be worth it in the long run.”

Michelle Dux
DeTray’s Housing Consultant

Facing Challenging Times

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The threat from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has taken our country and much of the world to conditions that we would not have imagined just a few months ago.  Regardless of the level of severity we actually experience in this country, we want you to be assured that at DeTray’s Custom Housing, we are doing everything we can to ensure we remain fully capable of supporting you and your home buying needs.  We maintain a small staff and our offices are very rarely crowded.  We have drastically increased our sterilization practices to protect both our staff and our clients.

In the highly unlikely event that we would need to close our office due to any health or other disaster related event, we have proactively taken steps necessary to ensure that our team members have the tools and resources to continue operating under normal business conditions.

We hope that we have taken these efforts in preparedness for conditions that will not materialize.  However, we want you to know that we will be here for you no matter what conditions may arise.  

The last few weeks have showcased a very volatile time in the market. From a general perspective, the market does not like uncertainty and we have had a number of events that have increased market anxiety.  That being said, interest rates are still at the lowest we’ve seen in the last ten years. 

Despite the market uncertainty, it is great time to buy a manufactured home, we would love the opportunity to help you.

Make sure to check out year-end savings on select models!  We have three new homes coming in soon, we’re ready to serve you.

  • Grand Manor
  • Snoqualmie Summit
  • Craftsman Cottage
Stop by and see the Grand Manor with tons of upgrades, the Snoqualmie Summit with a beautiful 40′ x 8′ porch & the Craftsman Cottage which is just the right size! All of these model homes from our lot are on sale.

The Time is Now

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2020, can you believe it?  Twenty short years ago Y2K was looming on the horizon. People were worried that everything would collapse when the computers changed to the new century.  Nothing actually fell apart and life as we know it continued.

It seems like there is always a reason to worry and put off making big decisions. However, not making a decision to move forward is actually a decision to keep things as they are. 

Those who purchased a home in 1999 are 2/3 of the way through their mortgage, with very low payments and tens of thousands in equity. 

There is still land available. Interest rates remain low. Building materials and labor costs will continue to rise. Decide to take advantage of these circumstances in 2020.  Don’t procrastinate.  Come see me!

Lora Whitemarsh

Lora Whitemarsh
DeTray’s Housing Consultant
(253) 840 6773

Your New Vacation Home

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PICTURE THIS!

Your family has planned a camping trip for the upcoming weekend and you are looking for a great spot to take your RV for this weekend getaway, but being that it is July, all the good spots are already taken. Unfortunately, you have to cancel your plans and your RV sits in the driveway for another week.

We all love RV’s & camping but no one enjoys fighting other people for great spots, missing out on desirable dates because you tried but booked too late, or looking at your RV in the driveway 50 weeks out of the year!

VACATION HOMES

The solution to this is a Custom Vacation Home from DeTray’s Custom Housing.

This option provides you a guaranteed place to vacation or simply relax whenever you want to without the hassles described above. You will be able to enjoy your vacation home all year round, whether it is a 4th of July reunion with your family, Mother’s Day, or a random weekend getaway.

You won’t be fighting with others for campsites or other desirable locations when you simply want to pick up and go. If you decide on a Thursday that you want to visit your Vacation Home, you can block out that date and go.

THE CRAFTSMAN

This year, DeTray’s will be showcasing your future Vacation Home at the Seattle RV Show.
If you’re looking for more of a traditional design, the Craftsman style blends well with whatever look and feel is right for you. The design is timeless and features 9’ high flat ceilings throughout.

At 728 square feet it is the perfect vacation home for weekend getaways, longer vacations or simply spending one night. The open concept layout allows for great family time together in a wonderful setting, and can be close to your preferred recreational activities. See more information on the Craftsman Cottage.

Disclaimer: Craftsman exteriors are available in 14’9″ floor widths only. Exterior depiction are artist renderings only. Due to window sizes, room dimensions, and other optional features, actual exterior design is always floor plan specific.

Come See Us!

It’s not easy to adequately describe the benefits in a single posting, so I’m encouraging you to come visit us at the Seattle RV Show, February 6-9 at CenturyLink Field Event Center. You can get your tickets by visiting SeattleRVShow.com. We look forward to seeing you there.

Jonathan Williams, Assistant Sales Manager

Feeling Thankful

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GRATITUDE

Word origin for gratitude; from Latin gratus, pleasing, thankful.

Grat-i-tude

Noun – the quality of being thankful, readiness for and to return kindness.

When you feel gratitude you are pleased by what someone did for you as well as pleased by the results.

Did you know that positive feelings of appreciation or gratitude may lead people towards “meaning” and “better health”?

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed should include all things in your gratitude.”

Quote- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Gratitude is an emotion, a trait, a mood. A feeling of happiness that comes from appreciation.

Abraham Lincoln was 28 years old and a member of Illinois State Legislature. In one of his public addresses he said to his audience,

“This task of gratitude to our fathers, justice to ourselves, duty to posterity, and love for our species in general, all imperatively require us faithfully to perform.”

Quote-Abraham Lincoln

“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.

Quote-Melody Beattie

“No one who achieves success does so without the help of others. The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude.”

Quote-Alfred North Whitehead

“Gratitude will shift you to a higher frequency, and will attract much better things”.

Quote-Rhonda Byrne

My many, many years in the manufactured home industry have given me much satisfaction to providing housing to all my clients. The industry has proven to be progressive in its building, with new and innovative ideas and materials. I am grateful to have chosen this as my career. May you have a prosperous New Year!

Marlene LeMoine, Housing Consultant