Many older people want to stay in their own homes or at least in the same neighborhood. The maintenance and upkeep of a large family home is not always a practical option, physically and financially. But a retirement home sounds so… retired.

So, where are you going to live if you leave the home your children grew up in? There are a few options that you might want to explore if you are adamant about not moving into a structured retirement facility.

Manufactured Mobile Homes are an increasingly attractive choice for older folks. These homes are affordable, energy efficient, spacious and some of the models are designed especially for seniors, utilizing “universal design” features. If zoning ordinances permit, they can be assembled near or on family property, or moved to a senior mobile home community.

Cooperatives are usually found in urban areas. Homes in a cooperative combine the benefits of home ownership with the convenience and efficiency of multi-family housing. This idea appeals to those who want to build equity in their accommodations but don’t want the isolation or responsibility of a larger home.

Condominiums are also an option. This type of ownership offers many advantages to older people. Condos are different from a conventionally owned single-family home or an apartment. While you are holding title to your own living unit, you share ownership of common areas.

Accessory Apartments are worth considering if your house is too large and the utility bills and maintenance are too much for you. An accessory apartment is a second, completely private living unit created in the extra space of a single family home. You may have heard it called a MIL or mother-in-law apartment.

ECHO Housing (Elder Cottage Housing Opportunity) or Granny Flats are also an option. These separate, self-contained units are designed for temporary installation in the side or backyard of an adult child’s home.

Home Matching Programs have been gaining in popularity because of the lack of adequate senior housing. The idea is that you contact a service (often for a fee) that matches people up as roommates. When it works, it is an excellent situation and can enable an older person to stay in his/her own home, while relieving the feelings of isolation and loneliness that many older people experience. A good home-matching service offers counseling to provide help in identifying needs and concerns.

Shared Housing is a similar option. This is what the TV sitcom Golden Girls was all about. It can be economical, provide companionship, and provide a sense of security. It is a peer group situation, but it is not for everyone. If you’ve never lived with others (or have been on your own for many years), you may find it difficult.

Adult Foster Care, or Adult Family Homes, is provided in a private home occupied by an individual or a family who will offer room, meals, housekeeping, and minimal supervision for a month fee. Staff are not permitted to administer medications, however, unless they are nurses.

Retirement Hotels (also called Senior Resident Hotels or Senior Apartments) are hotels intended for people over 62. Some hotels are high-rises and have landscaped gardens while others are drab concrete shoe boxes, but they are usually built in good locations with nearby public transportation. Rent can include meals and maid service, activities programs, assistance with personal grooming, and access to a chore service for a fee.

A Boarding House is when you are basically renting a room, sometimes shared, in someone else’s house, with a manager on the premises.

Senior Apartment Houses are monthly rentals with a variety of options. Some have security systems, activities, and a full complement of services, while others offer lodging only.

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Finding used prices for new vehicles can be found many places on the web, but if you have a classic car or a mobile home, boat, recreational vehicles, even a motorcycle, finding fair market value when you want to buy or sell one of these things isn’t as easy. With prices varying with these unique products it is hard to determine the pricing of them. But there is one website that you can go to that will give you the prices of these things. You can go there and find the ball park figures so you have an idea of what the value is before buying or selling.

To find the value of these things go to Nada.com. While this company is known to automotive dealers when searching for used car prices, they also have a great section for used prices for these other products. When you go to the website you will click on consumers, and then choose a tab at the top for the item you want to find the used value for and it will walk you through it step by step. This is a great way to get that ball park total so you can be better prepared to negotiate prices, or get a price.

Many times you are not able to find the prices of these items leaving you under pricing or overpricing the things and never end up selling it or worse over paying for the item.

With Nada.com for classic cars they have retail pricing for these vehicles going back to the 1920’s for pricing. You choose what condition the car is in, and the options that it had, and your zip code for accurate pricing, then it will give you pricing for low retail, average retail and high retail. They even give you the Original price of the car when it was new.

For Low Retail value they are assuming that the car is running condition, and is drivable. For the Average retail value of the car this car would be in good condition, is a drivable vehicle, and well maintained over the years. For the High retail Value, this car would be showroom condition, and excellent condition. This is a car that is driven not one that is stored just for shows and not driven at all.

If you have the Classic car, the mobile home, a motorcycle, or a recreational vehicle and looking for the pricing of one you will want to check out NADA website. They are also very reliable for used and new car pricing.

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Kennebunkport is a seaside community in York County Maine, right on the banks of the Kennebunk River. York County is the southern most county in Maine and borders on New Hampshire and the Atlantic Ocean. Back in the past, Kennebunkport was a major sea port and today it is a village of year round and summer resident who like the beach life style and a laid back and relaxed atmosphere.

There are charges for the beaches in Kennebunkport, but they are very minimal and when you see the conditions of the beaches, how well maintained they are, you won’t mind the cost at all. Dogs are allowed on some of the beaches, but not all and only during certain hours and you must clean up after your pet. Bonfires are allowed by special permit.

Kennebunkport is a village of quaint shops, restaurants of every type from seafood to vegan to Italian and everything in between. It’s a place where you can have your own boat and go out on the river or ocean, and cruise and fish at your leisure. It is a village of art galleries and craft stores, where you can shop or take art lessons yourself. There are nine parks with baseball fields and tennis courts. Picnic grounds and play grounds.

There is no amusement park, no roller coasters or bumper cars, but there are so many festivals going on all year long, that there is always plenty to do. Some of them are,
Bath Heritage Days - Entertainment, attractions, and special events celebrating Bath’s maritime heritage. Bath
Capriccio - Ogunquit’s week-long celebration of the performing arts. Ogunquit
Clam Festival-The Yarmouth (Maine) Clam Festival is a summertime tradition and destination for individuals of all ages seeking great food - especially clams!! You’ll find free entertainment, arts and crafts exhibits, parades and spirited competition in the welcoming atmosphere of a vibrant Maine village. Event proceeds go to support local non-profit groups.
Common Ground Fair - One of Maine’s most talked about fairs, by the Maine Organic Farmers and Growers Association. Unity
Fisherman’s Festival - Celebration of the rich fishing traditions of the Boothbay Harbor region. Boothbay Harbor
Great Falls Balloon Festival - New England’s largest hot air balloon celebration fills the skies with colorful and unique hot air balloons. Lewiston/Auburn

As for housing, there is a great variety in both style and prices, suitable for vacation or year round living, so if Kennebunkport sounds like a place you would like to either live in full time, or just have a vacation getaway spot to come to and get away from the rest of the world, then take a look at these, make some time to come for a visit and start looking.

A small two bedroom mobile home for $150,000
A two bedroom condo for $190,000
A two bedroom bungalow for $220,000
A three bedroom ranch for $250,000
A three bedroom cape cod for $260,000
An older three bedroom colonial for $300,000
A three bedroom colonial from the federal period for $400,000
A newer three bedroom cape cod for $430,000
A four bedroom Victorian mansion for $700,000
And at the top end of the scale, you can get a five bedroom, four and half bath Victorian estate for just under $3,000,000

Reservations:
Call (407) 934-7639

Address/Telephone/Fax:
3520 North Fort Wilderness Trail
Lake Buena Vista, Florida, 32830-1000, USA
Telephone: (407) 824-2727

Does the idea of camping out in the woods for a few days excite you but the bugs, the bathing (or lack thereof) and/or the humid, sticky heat do not? Have you always wished you could be one of those people that could just “rough it” a few days so that you could enjoy more of these outdoor camping type activities with nights singing around the fire and trading turns feeding your lover roasted marshmallows at the end of a stick? Well, now, with a vacation in Disney World, you may have the chance to enjoy the feeling of camping out but keep the luxury amenities that are necessary for your personal comfort and enjoyment. Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campgrounds and Resort, a part of Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, or the Orlando area, is the perfect way to get in touch with your woodsy caveperson roots while at the same time bonding with friends and family and having the choice to relax either indoors with the A/C or outdoors with the UV.

Disneys Fort Wilderness provides fun for families of all ages. Essentially it is a huge campground, i.e. resort area and distributed among the winding road and within the woods are shops, pools, gathering spots for socializing and games, fireside adventures and restaurants. It offers potential for everyone to enjoy their vacation in Disney World, even if you don’t love the outdoors, for there is much space to relax inside. The grounds are set up much like a resort area in that the cabin houses are scattered about the land in various little “neighborhood” like lots, varying in price and quality level. There are also areas where one can camp out with their own RV, mobile home, or tent. The cabins are designed for one family at a time, with multiple rooms as needed, showers, stoves and outdoor grilling options. Most cabins have a nice picnic table right outside the front door for fun people watching and just some relaxation in the sun before attending to the days festivities. All cabins are air conditioned and equipped with towels and washcloths.

The one major complaint that many people seem to have with their stay at Disneys Fort Wilderness Campground and Resort is that it does take quite some time to get from place A to Place B unless you rent a golf cart or time the shuttle just precisely. The shuttle travels throughout the entire Fort Wilderness area, stopping at all major “neighborhood” roads and dining/shopping facilities before headed out to the main Walt Disney vacation area where you can switch to another bus to go to the parks or other hotels of the palace. However, others take a laid back approach to the entire vacation in Disney World from the get go, which, to me, is a wiser idea anyway. Because when you plan to lodge in the next thing up from a tent (besides a car), you never know what to anticipate. I feel one is lucky enough that there is such a place to go where you can pseudo Rough It without getting your hands too dirty. If people just go into the vacation with the understanding that when you are out in the woods, things are unpredictable and not everything is going to be nice and perfect, then your whole trip will take on that relaxed feel and everyone will be happier. Some things are just not worth worrying about. Chances are you planned your vacation appropriately and you will have more than enough time to experience everything Disneys Fort Wilderness and the Walt Disney area have to offer, so why worry about ten minutes wait time here and there?

The Fort Wilderness campgrounds area is part of the Walt Disney World Resort, which in itself has come over the years to occupy and own so much land that it spans over 47 square miles. It is located in Lake Buena Vista, and contains four theme parks, two water parks, five golf courses, and uncountable hotels, shops, and restaurants. Guests at Disneys Fort Wilderness Campground and resort are free to travel with comfort and friendly drivers to and from the infamous Magic Kingdom® Park, Epcot®, Disney-MGM Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park, among others. That is, once again, as long as they can stand waiting for the bus.

In the Fort Wilderness campground itself, there is also plenty of fun outdoor activities for the whole family to enjoy as much as they might a day at a theme park. Many guests actually find that these wooded areas so vast and so quiet in some places are a welcomed change from the busy world of bustling, crowding, line butting, smelly tourists that they’ve been accustomed to being around ever since arriving in the Orlando area for their vacation in Disney World. At the grounds there are a few different restaurants, pools in all of the main sections of cabins (”neighborhoods”), and fireside adventures on a nightly basis, not to mention actual fireworks in the sky from one of the many theme parks each evening. Nightly sing-alongs hosted by none other than Disney’s Chip n Dale are free to all guests who attend this event which is most often by the Meadow Swimming Hole. This is an opportunity to converse with other guests in a casual manner or sitting back for a few laughs to watch old Disney films. Guests commonly feel comfortable enough at this event to show up in their pajama wear.

Other resources and amenities at Disneys Fort Wilderness campgrounds include horses and trails for riding, a petting zoo, fishing, tennis, volleyball and nature trails. As an added bonus, the campgrounds are located on Bay Lake, a beach of plush white sand and beautiful blue-green water where boats or jet skis can be rented for a few hours of aquatic fun. And finally, one must not forget to be part of the Hoop-De-Doo Music Revue Dinner Show and the Pioneer Hall Chip n Dale Breakfast.

Staying in a cabin where you are semi- in the middle of nowhere is not for everyone, but if you are curious at all as to what it would be like to experience such a thing without delving too far into it, Disneys Fort Wilderness Campgrounds and Resort is definitely a great place to go. Fun for the whole family, both indoor and out, it is “roughing it” without having to go all the way. And if you remember to go into the vacation in Disney World with few expectations, the many positive aspects of a cabin lodging experience will surprise you and likely have you raving about this campground trip for years to come.

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It’s really getting to the point where you don’t even want to read the newspaper anymore. Today’s Houston Chronicle reports that a mother in Hudson Oaks, TX killed herself and 3 of her 4 children by hanging them and hanging herself inside their mobile home. She intended to kill the 4th child, an 8-month-old infant. However, when the bodies were discovered, the baby was still alive and was rescued. The story has an accompanying inset detailing not only another parent murder/suicide in the same town when a woman shot her 3 children and then herself 5 years ago, but several Texas other cases.

The media was abuzz last week with the news of Joshua Mauldin, the Arkansas man who traveled to Galveston, TX, to become a preacher. On May 10, 2007, he burned his baby in the microwave because he was “stressed.” His wife claims “the devil” made him do it.

In March, Katie Nadal allegedly maimed her infant son for life by cutting his genitals off and told police the family dog did it. She was arrested in May.

Last week, a child died in a fire in Houston when left alone while the father went to work and the mother was en route home from her job. There’s another article in today’s Chronicle saying that the child’s death highlights the “need for summer daycare programs.”

Excuse me, but it would seem to me that the State of Texas needs a whole lot more than summer daycare programs for children whose parents are overwhelmed for whatever reason.

Instead of introducing stupid bills to pay mothers $500 not to have abortions like Sen. Dan Patrick (R-Houston) did this past March — (Senate Bill 1567) — maybe they should start allocating money to open up children’s shelters for unstable parents who can’t care for their kids.

I can’t begin to fathom what goes on in the minds of people who harm and/or kill their children, but I can’t help but wonder if there was less stigma attached to a parent admitting that he or she wasn’t capable of caring for his/her children and if there were more and better support services, would we have less mental breakdowns? Maybe they would voluntarily give up their children before they got to the breaking point.

I don’t doubt that some kind family wiil now be willing to adopt and raise the infant who survived the horrible tragedy in Hudson Oaks. I just wish her siblings had gotten that chance.

Authentic Native American flutes, of various woods, voices and designs, hand-made by a local craftsman, can be sampled at an upcoming drum circle in Monona.

Ken Waters, 66, and Lynne Waters, 62, of Monona, run Spirited Waters from their home where they have been making Native American flutes for six years.

Both retired, Ken, originally of Kentucky, and Lynne, a military child, who moved to Monona two years ago, have 7 children and 11 grandchildren between them. Their children reside in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

Aside of making flutes and holding earth healing ceremonies, Ken builds airplanes and Lynne, who began playing the flute only six years ago, has began performing publicly and has even been included on a CD by George Leduc.

Ken, who is part of the Local EAA Chapter, is currently building a two person carrier which has an open cockpit; the wings are made out of wood with a fabric covering. A previous airplane had a closed in cockpit and Lynne, who is claustrophobic, still got in for a ride.

“My wife is claustrophobic, she flew with me, she said that she didn’t mind because she said there was a door and she could always get out,” Ken said.

When they retired they bought a mobile home and traveled around for two years before settling down in Monona, Iowa. They had lived and worked in La Crosse, Wisc., where Ken was a process engineer and Lynne was a family therapist.

Ken’s work experience gave him a lot of knowledge; he designed machinery for various types of production and he designs various sizes of flutes. He currently makes flutes with a one inch bore.

The flutes are made out of many different types of wood, such as, cherry, mahogany, walnut and ash. To date, Ken has made 532 flutes and last year he made 157. There are two sizes of flute and they sell for $150 for the smaller three quarter inch bore, and $200 for the larger two inch bore.

“We buy our wood from Root River Hardwood, in Preston, Minn., they carry a lot of woods, we sometimes get walnut or Kentucky coffee wood, we’ve tried just about every wood you could imagine, Bavarian walnut and butternut, but cedar is the traditional aromatic,” Ken said.

Ken uses a full cast iron table router and shaper, what he called a perfect combination tool. He explained that when some people build a flute they just bore it out.

“In my opinion you can’t make a good flute that way,” Ken explained.

When Ken and Lynne make their flutes they split the wood down the middle and join the two parts together after hollowing them out. There are two chambers in a flute that between them create the sound, a slow air chamber and the sound chamber, a block of solid wood is put between them which creates a thin channel for the air to come through.

“It is that splitting of the air that creates the sound,” he pointed out.

Different woods produce a slightly different sound, for example, a harder wood, such as, ash or maple, creates a sharper sound, and softer woods, such as, cedar or spruce create softer sounds.
“You can feel the flute resonate in your hand,” he explained.

Atop the flutes are fetishes, Ken says that they are for décor and that people relate to different animals, so they put on the flutes, eagles, coyotes, buffalos, bears and some really decorative pieces, such as, a warrior draped over a horse.

Ken doesn’t do the decorative part himself, he makes the block for it and an old friend, Charlie Allen, of LaCrosse, does the cutting out. More recently Ken has been getting help with this from Wayne DeSotel, of Luana.

Lynne aids in the process of making the flutes by being the musical finisher, the wood finishing is done by Ken. She does so, note by note and hole by hole, which takes about three hours. Slowly she determines when Ken has the right diameter hole for the desired pitch. Nowadays, they also use two electronic tuners and each of them will operate a tuner during the process, and Ken said that the flute is not ready until they are both happy. Their goal is to make flutes that play easily and that are tuned to concert grade standards.

Lynne also teaches people how to play the flute and Ken said that she let’s people try many flutes until they find the one that suits them best; a process that has taken up to two hours in the past. Lynne played the clarinet for years before she began learning the flute.

“Lynne is good at getting people started; she’ll show them the basic scales,” Ken said.

Ken also pointed out that there are a lot of flute makers and a lot of them don’t like letting people play on their flutes, but Ken and Lynne don’t mind that. They have been selling by word of mouth, he said.

Ken and Lynne use the flutes at their drum circles which they hold periodically throughout the year. The drum circle philosophy is about connecting to mother earth. Lynne believes in the philosophy that our positive vibrations created through prayer, vision questing and coming together to play music and send out positive energies, is healing to mother earth, and so to us.

“Although we sing spiritual lodge songs, we also encourage people to bring their own songs, because we are all connected … we drum the drum, we play the flute and we pray,” she said.

Lynne and Ken are members of the World Peace Prayer Society. They also said that they were grateful for the help given them by Monona locals towards the Crow Creek Reservation, in S.D.

“This year many people from the local area donated very nice useful items. We mailed many boxes… we are now collecting for the summer season, though we would take most any season this time, as we are driving out there and would like to bring a large load with us” she said.

On April 14 they will be holding their next drum circle where the public will have the opportunity to try out the flutes.

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If you ever want to reminisce about days gone by and the fun times you used to have Las Vegas has many things for you to do. There are senior centers all over Las Vegas with activities scheduled on almost a daily basis. This isn’t just your Bingo or Rummy activities either. They have hikes, overnight trips, dances, singles mixers and much more for your liking. If you look in the daily paper you are bound to find the different activities they have listed for seniors. The most fun I have had folks tell me are the day or two bus trips that take you to cities or towns within a few hours or so of Las Vegas.

Las Vegas is a very senior friendly city. There are many senior apartment complexes, mobile home parks and senior communities. These are geared toward those who are 55 or older. Many of these are a nice and quiet escape from all of the chaos that normally surrounds you in Las Vegas. There are assisted and independent living situations for seniors.

If you can’t drive or don’t have a license no need to worry. There are many different options for transportation. Their bus system, CAT, has numerous When you are a senior living in Las Vegas, Nevada there are so many things for you to do and places for you to go. routes and some run 24 hours a day and offer a senior discount. Of course wherever you look in Las Vegas you are bound to see a taxi. The most recent addition to their transportation is the monorail. In less than 15 minutes you could have already cruised the entire Las Vegas strip. The monorail is also definitely cheaper than a taxi and you can laugh at all the traffic below while you zip around above.

Many people decide later in life to move to Las Vegas to just get away or for a change of scenery. I have spoken to many seniors who have told me they were tired of living in all of the snow and cold. Some folks have told me it is nice to live somewhere whenever they feel like they want to do something they can just get up and go do it. No need to worry about a set schedule or when a restaurant closes. Something is open all the time for these folks.

The job market is also there for any senior who is interested. There is an office in Las Vegas that will assist you in finding gainful employment. The unemployment office will also do the same. Some people find later in life that they have more meaningful and gainful employment than when they were younger and had to take whatever they could get so they could help make ends meet and put food on that table. In Las Vegas the job openings for seniors are plentiful. Whether you are looking for part time work to just kill the boredom or you need employment to help supplement what other income you have Las Vegas most likely has a job for you.

In hard times like these come the heartbreaking sights of poverty and joblessness. Fortunately, hard times also inspire innovation, often coming from the most surprising sources. CNN reported on Revenge of the Nerds movie producer Peter Samuelson’s desire to help the homeless by providing them with something they lack: a home.

The makeshift home, called an EDAR (Everyone Deserves A Roof), was first thought of by Samuelson as he took bike rides from Los Angeles to the Santa Monica beach. During those rides, he not only saw the homeless, but he saw how their numbers were growing. So instead of pedaling faster, he stopped to talk to them. He talked to about 62 people and asked them what their needs were and what they wanted most. What they wanted most was shelter.

Samuelson went to work. He joined with Pasadena Art Center College of Design and produced a design contest to create a contraption that would suit the needs of the homeless. After the winning design was chosen, Samuelson used money out of his own pocket and donations to create the first batch of EDARS. The contraption costs $500 to make and is currently being distributed in the Los Angeles area.

For the homeless who have an EDAR, it’s a dream come true. The home is a tent, with a flame-resistant, heavy khaki canvas to keep out the rain. Once its owner is stationary, it can be spread out, extending to its full length of 86 inches and 32 inches wide. Inside this mobile home is a mattress and sleeping bag, luxuries for those who have been sleeping on the street. The home has four wheels, is small enough to fit through a doorway, comes with a braking mechanism to keep it from rolling away and a chain and padlock to prevent stealing.

So far, 60 units have been handed out and 110 units have been ordered. The units will be distributed to the shelters, as well as churches and organizations that help the homeless.

The EDAR and the enthusiasm behind the project is encouraging, especially with the destitution wrought by recession and innumerable home foreclosures. Tent cities that haven’t been seen since the Great Depression have been rising all across the country, especially in places like Los Angeles and Sacramento.

In a photo essay done by MSNBC, they reported that a tent city in Sacramento is in almost the same location along the American River as a tent city that developed during the Depression in 1936. According to MSNBC, the current Sacramento tent city holds more than 1,200 and is growing by 50 people a week.

Peter Samuelson told CNN, “People talk about the homeless as if it’s some homogeneous group of drunken, unemployed, too-lazy-to-get-a-job men. They’re totally wrong. They need to come meet people. What’s the point in having a society if it’s devoid of helping people less fortunate?”

One thing is certain, in these hard times, the EDAR and the people behind it are very much needed.

Ted Rowlands and Wayne Drash, Tents on Wheels Give Homeless People Roof and Pride, CNN.com

EDAR Official Website

Sacramento Tent City, MSNBC

Initial estimates for the death toll from Thursday’s outbreak of deadly tornadoes were sketchy. Initial reports claimed that 17 had died as a result of the storms. That figure was later dropped to 11 across the states of Alabama, Georgia and Missouri. There are presently 20 confirmed fatalities, with more expected to be discovered as rescue workers sift through the rubble of damaged buildings.

Worst hit by the series of storms was the state of Alabama, where Governor Bob Riley declared a state of emergency and dispatched as many as 100 National Guard troops. The National Guard troops were sent to assist rescue workers in the town of Enterprise, which was the worst hit area of the state.

National Guard helicopters were seen touching down on the football field of Enterprise High School, which suffered a direct hit from the twister. As many as 4 students and 1 teacher have been confirmed to have died at the high school, where the roof collapsed as a result of the strong winds associated with the storm.

Most schools in the state had been closed by 12:30 that day, but Enterprise failed to take action fast enough. At 11:00 AM school officials ordered students to take cover in the hallways of the building as a measure for their own safety. By 1:00 PM officials wanted to send students home, but by that time the weather had grown too dangerous to allow anyone outside the building. A short time later the twister hit.

“All schools in Alabama dismissed at 12:30,” said survivor Joe Sinclair, in an interview with reporters from Alabama television station WKRN. “I don’t know why they kept those kids in school.”

Although schools are typically safe places during such storms, they are not designed for the direct impact suffered as part of Thursday’s storms. The most violent tornadoes can generate wind speeds of up to 250 mph (400 kph). Although the damage page can be more than a mile wide and as much as 50 miles long, a direct impact with a populous building, such as the impact with Enterprise High School, are actually rare.

Elsewhere in the country, storm cells in Georgia are reported to have killed at least three people and caused an unknown number of injuries. In Missouri, a 7 year-old girl died when the mobile home she was in fell victim to a tornado. Rescue workers in all states said that the death toll is expected to continue rising as officials sift through debris and wreckage left behind in the aftermath of these storms.

According to a White House spokesperson, President George Bush telephoned the Governors of Alabama and Missouri, the hardest hit areas of the outbreak, to extend his condolences and to offer aid.

The outbreak of deadly storms came just one month after a similar series of storms killed 20 people in Central Florida. Each year, and average of 1,000 tornadoes are reported in the United States, which cause around 80 deaths and around 1,500 reported injuries.

According to the U.S. National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, the deadliest outbreak on record occurred on March 18, 1925. That twister killed 695 people and caused more than 2,000 injuries across Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.

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Not all manufactured homes are created equal. When deciding on a manufactured home, there are certain things to keep in mind. Upgrades, construction materials, and design are all factors to consider when comparing manufactured homes.

Flooring Materials and Construction

Pay close attention to flooring materials when comparing manufactured homes. The most well built manufactured homes will use 2×8’s spaced on 16-inch centers with a transverse instead of longitudinal joint system, and be nailed, screwed, stapled, and glued. Manufactured homes built with 2×6’s and wider spacing with longitudinal joint systems and not glued are not as substantial. It is also better to buy a manufactured home with R-21 fiberglass batts for insulation instead of R-11 blown in cellulose insulation in the flooring. Look for specific floor decking materials and installation procedures. Water resistant plywood 3/4 inches thick is much better than non-water resistant OSB board that is 5/8 inches thick.

Plumbing and HAVC

Check plumbing and HVAC fixtures when comparing manufactured homes. Look for shut off valves under every sink, copper fittings, and steel ring fasteners verses only one shut off valve, brass fittings, and copper rings. Heating and Air units in the attic are better than the floor. Ductwork needs to be sheet metal caulked with mastic instead of fiberglass and taped. It’s also best to have floor registers along the perimeter instead of in the middle of rooms.

Wall Construction

Compare interior and exterior wall construction when choosing a manufactured home. Interior walls are best if made with 2×4’s on 16-inch centers, and exterior walls are best if made with 2×6’s on 16-inch centers. Make sure interior walls are ½ inch thick instead of 5/16. Another important consideration for exterior walls is insulation. Pick a home with R-19 insulation over R-11.

Roof Construction and Materials

Look at roof construction on manufactured homes to compare durability. A 4/12 slope is better than a 3/12, and eaves that project 8 inches are better than ones who only do 3 inches. Roof insulation should be R-38 instead of a lower grade, and it is always better when plywood sheathing is used instead of OSB board. An important factor when comparing manufactured home roofs is the roof finish material. A shingle roof is better than metal because some places are not zoned for metal.

Extras and Upgrades

Consider extras when comparing manufactured homes. A manufactured home with higher end cabinets, carpet that is more durable or hardwood, upgraded faucet and light fixtures, and higher end appliances that are energy efficient is better than one with generic cabinets and fixtures, and low-end appliances that will lead to higher energy bills. Paying a little more in the beginning is outweighed by the savings in the end.

Ask for a materials and construction list when speaking with manufactured home dealers. Check everything thoroughly, and inspect all aspects of the home you are considering. Click on the checklist at the end of this article to find even more information that will ensure you purchase a well constructed home that will last.

http://ftp.nw.org/network/comstrat/manufHsg/documents/manufHsgOverheads10.pdf Checklist