Maria Chavez, mother of the missing 8-year-old Sandra Cantu, told Meredith Vieira of “The Today Show” Monday that she believed that he daughter was abducted. She said that her daughter would not leave the mobile home park where they live in Tracy, California, without her - or at least without calling her.
Maria Chavez could be right. The trailer park where Sandra Cantu was last seen is less than a half-mile from Interstate 580. A kidnapping could occur and the little girl could have been in an escaping vehicle miles from the trailer park within minutes. It is a scenario that Maria Chavez has undoubtedly considered many times since her daughter, Sandra Cantu, disappeared Friday afternoon.
Sandra Cantu was last seen after she told her mother she was going to a neighbor’s to play. The neighbor’s say she left to go home at roughly 4:00 p.m. A video surveillance camera shows her at that time as well. She has not been seen since.
Besides questioning all the neighbors, all registered sex offenders (approximately 80 within a five-mile radius) in the area have been interviewed. Four homes within the trailer park and two outside it have also been searched, according to Tracy Sgt. Tony Sheneman. According to CNN, all of those places searched were connected to the two “persons of interest” that became of interest to the police Monday evening. No arrests have been made. Over 200 volunteers joined the FBI and local authorities in the investigation over the weekend.
Sheneman told “The Today Show” that they were still treating the case as a missing person case because they still had found no evidence that Sandra Cantu had been abducted. While Chavez fought back tears, a friend, Lisa Encarnacion, said, “We don’t believe that she would go on her own accord with a stranger.”
Candlelight vigils were held for Sandra on Saturday and Sunday nights. Daniel Cantu, Sandra’s father, pleaded Sunday night “Please, bring her home. I love you, honey. Please come home soon.”
The mobile home park has only one road in and out, a road that the FBI cordoned off over the weekend, stopping every vehicle coming and going, searching the trunks.
And as the hours grow into days, the Sandra Cantu case grows older with no arrests. On the other side of the country, another missing child case, that of 5-year-old Haleigh Cummings, continues but in an atmosphere of frustration. After seven weeks, Putnam County Sheriff Jeff Hardy has become frustrated. After thousands of man-hours of investigative work, they are down to “no traces” of the missing and believed to be abducted Florida girl.
Meredith Vieira, who also interviewed Ronald Cummings on “The Today Show” about his missing daughter, Haleigh, asked Maria Chavez if the surveillance camera that had caught the last image of her daughter had been installed because of safety concerns in the neighborhood. Chavez said safety was not the issue, adding, “It’s been pretty safe over there.” She paused. “I thought.”
CNN reported Wednesday that police say they have received almost 500 leads thus far in the investigation.
Many of us when looking up and down the streets in our respective neighborhoods are facing the reality of the “housing slump.” For most who have either been forced to sell a home or have had it foreclosed on, it doesn’t have to be the end of all luck. And it’s becoming more common for homes in suburban or residential neighborhoods to have an added member of the family or guest, particularly someone who has recently lost his or her home.
This doesn’t mean that the person, persons or family at a loss has failed or did something to let the process of losing a home happen. And no, it doesn’t mean these despairing people are incompetent in any way, can’t finance, or have no chance of ever owning a home again. It also doesn’t permit an excuse with regard to anybody who has owned a very large home and has been prosperous that he, she, or family has a second home to go to. What’s important is what you can do until the slump subsides. One alternative is home sharing or living in closed quarters while savings or work opportunities build.
Many military families, students and mobile workers are plagued with nomad living constantly. Other considerations include a modular or fabricated home, a mobile home, or staying in a recreational vehicle or trailer park. Also, mobile homes are available for rent at the same rate as small in-town rents, but with more space and room for pets when allowed. By the time some of us survive the slump perhaps there will be some rethinking done and a mobile home can be eventually moved to an ocean site, set up near a national park or wildlife refuge, or kept in walking or short driving distance of a casino, sports, theater or shopping town utopia.
Instead of the “housing slump” getting anybody down perhaps it’s a chance to touch base with long-missed friends or family, an opportunity to visit an old home town or a chance to spend some time with Spot or Rover, maybe Muffin if you have a favored feline. Considering the crunch is not practical for a family with children in school, perhaps if the bills are spinning out of control and mom, dad, wife or husband is out of work, you may have little choice other than selling your home in the spring, camping at a quality site over the summer before school starts and give yourself a chance to save for a rent or smaller place in the meantime. Another solution is to rent your home while you stay at a less expensive location. Also, remember some area Social Service agencies are holding some reserves for the housing crunch with regard to food and medical as well as non-profit organizations and local church groups.
It’s necessary to keep your head up and thoughts positive, to use the local libraries, business centers and employment resources for computers and letter writing. Be aware that in most neighborhoods at this point of the slump, somebody has either lost a home or has someone staying with them who is in the predicament. It could happen to any of us for many reasons, catastrophes are not on purpose. In fact, after talking in depth with most people, all too many have “been there” at some time of their lives. And for those of us who have a warm roof over our heads this can be a reminder to be exceedingly grateful.
A reverse mortgage is what it sounds like. It is just the opposite of a traditional mortgage. With a traditional mortgage; the borrowers get a large sum of money. They purchase the property and make monthly payments. The individual(s) pay property taxes and insurance. The equity increases and your interest decreases. You start off paying mostly interest and as time passes, more and more of your money goes to paying the principal and less to paying interest.
With a reverse mortgage loan, the equity decreases and the interest increases. Seniors 62 and older can borrow money against part of the equity that have built up in the home. There are no income verifications for a reverse mortgage loan. When you get a reverse mortgage loan; the borrower must first pay off any existing loan balance that they owe on the home. Whatever equity is left goes to the borrower. The individual(s) never have to make monthly payments as long as one of the borrowers is living in the home. The money is tax free because it is not income. The senior still owns the home and keeps the title. The house is going to do what it is going to do. It may rise in value or the value of the home could drop. However, the borrower still has to pay the interest on the amount of money borrowed. The lender cannot demand payments if the loan becomes greater than the value of the home. The home pays for the loan after the last surviving borrower fail to live in the home for 12 consecutive months or dies.
The home owner is still responsible for paying property taxes and insurance. The reverse mortgage does not affect social security or medical benefits.
With a traditional mortgage, you can go into foreclosure if you default in monthly payments. With a reverse mortgage, you can’t go into foreclosure because the loan is not due until all the borrowers either dies or fails to occupy the property for twelve consecutive months; even if it is because of physical or mental health.
The reverse mortgage loan uses equity built up in your home to let you get cash. The older you are the more valuable your home is, the less you owe on it, the lower the interest rate; the more money you will be able to borrow. Depending on the age and other factors like the value of the home; seniors can live in their home free of monthly payments and get cash.
For example; if a senior borrow 325,000 on part of the equity in the home. And the principal pay off on the home is 225,000. The borrower can get the balance of the money in one lump sum; or monthly payments; or a line of credit, or a combination of the above. Keep in mind that interest builds up on all the money a borrower gets. The more money you borrow; the more interest you will owe at the end of the loan. Therefore at the end of the loan interest will have accumulated on any monthly payment, or lump sum, or line of credit the borrower receives. If the borrower decides to later sell the homes, they could end up owing a lot of interest; depending on how much money has been borrowed. However, if the borrower remains with the reverse mortgage, the home pays for itself; regardless of how much interest has accumulated.
Keep in mind that age and the value of the home plays a key role in how much money one can borrow. If a senior is in their early or mid sixties they may just get by with living in their home with no monthly payments. They may or may not be able to borrow enough money to get the lump sum, or line of credit, or monthly payments. It depends on how much equity is built up, value of the home, interest rate, and age.
A reverse mortgage can only be taken out on your primary resident where the borrower lives. Generally a mobile home is not eligible; however, if it was built in 1977 or later; and have a permanent foundation that is approved by FHA. It may be eligible.
There are three types of reverse mortgages:
1. Federal Insured: Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM), widely available; no income requirements.
2. Government Sponsor: Fannie Mae Home Keeper Reverse Mortgage. This mortgage addresses some needs that are not met by HECM; such as higher value properties and condominium owners. This is useful for seniors that may want to use the loan to purchase a new home.
3. Proprietary: Private loans, which are backed by the companies that develops them.
The reverse mortgage may become due if the borrowers fail to pay property taxes or home insurance. The mortgage may become due if the home owner let the property deteriorate beyond reasonable wear and tear and do not repair the property damages.
When the last surviving borrower dies or do not live in the home for twelve consecutive months; the loan becomes due and is paid from the sale of the property. The remaining equity if any, goes to the borrower or the heirs. If the appraised value of the home is less than the loan balance; none of your other assets will be affected. The loan will still be paid off in full. The home pays for the loan.
Since you are not paying monthly payments, on a reverse mortgage loan, you cannot claim the interest when you file your tax return. Also, you can’t get a home equity loan as long as you have the reverse mortgage loan. However, you can sell or refinance the home.
Manufactured Homes - The cost of moving a manufactured home is looked at in this guide. The pro’s and con’s are also weighed up for you in simple detail. You have just asked the question, “how much does it cost to move a manufactured home?” There are a few things to consider when you are going to move any manufactured home from mobile park to mobile park, or park to private plot.
One such factor is distance and geography. Some times a longer distance for the haulier to travel and difficult terrain can affect the overall cost. Also you need to thing about the size of your home and if it will require two hauliers on one trip or one haulier making two trips with the home.
Lets just say for example you are moving across country from east to western United States, and at the end of the journey the haulier has to move the home up a mountain slope. Then he has to carefully load the house onto land that has a rocky obstacles.
This may need the help of some specialist equipment such as cranes, jacks, earth movers and more employees. So when planning your move you will have to make sure all these costs are factored in onto the average price. It could mean nearly doubling you haulage and setup cost.
In most cases your manufactured home can be moved quite easily by the haulier. Who will carefully use hydrolic lifting gear to lift your house onto the back of a long trailer. Depending on the size of your home this will be done in either one two or three journeys on average. For example a single wide home will usually require one journey.
You will also need to make room in your budget for your personal moving costs, such as furniture, clothing garden items you may wish to take and of course yourself.
A good case to make in relation to manufactured homes is that they are very affordable in terms of cost per unit. Depending on the size of a manufactured home and its age you can purchase one for as little as $10,000 for a reasonable quality and sized home.
A growing trend during these economically difficult times is that people all over the country are looking into buying a manufactured home. So usually you will have to be really quick if you want to seal a deal on the home that you want. People are beginning to see than as a big investment. When you factor in that in the past a lot of these homes cost around $75,000 for an average sized property on a mobile park. These can now cost as low as $35,000 in good condition. They can be seen as a big investment for the future, providing you have a good location and keep the home in a good state of repair.
People are investing in manufactured homes on mobile parks and moving them to a plot of land that they have purchased. Often this saves a lot of money when comparing it to buying a new home or having a home built on the land. The real investment comes when you decide to sell the home, as often you can double or even triple what it cost you to purchase the home and move it to your plot.
To answer the question, “how much does it cost to move a manufactured home?” The average cost of moving a home is usually around $10,000 which includes removal, setup, permits and licenses. Then the costs of any extras you need, which you can discuss with your haulier.
A good amount of information can be found in a printable pdf at ruralhome.org. This will give you more detailed guides to many aspects of moving a manufactured home.
Every day in America someone starts a new small business. It may be a doughnut shop, a barber shop, or a home based business. Along with the start ups there are also many failures. Why do you suppose that is? This article will present some reasons both for and against starting a small business.
In 1989, while working as a shipping and receiving clerk for an office supply company in Chattanooga, Tennessee, I began thinking seriously about starting a small business of my own. The problem with my job, of course, was that, like many who start a small business, I felt that I was working hard for my employer, saving him money and all the while not making what I was really worth. I was also in college at the time, married and had three children all under the age of ten. My wife was a “stay at home” mom and a student herself.
We were living in a mobile home, paying lot rent, and barely making ends meet on my small pay check. I was also doing everything I could on the side to make extra money. This often meant working at night, on Saturdays, and any other time I could besides going to school and working my regular job.
In 1985, when I first moved with my family to Chattanooga, I was asked by a neighbor if I would be interested in cutting his lawn. I agreed to do so and he even gave me the mower to work with. He paid me a whopping $15.00 a week to cut his yard. After doing this for a while, I began to notice that it only took about an hour to mow that lawn. I was making $15.00 per hour mowing, and my job, although it was easier and inside out of the sun, only paid me $4.25 per hour. You can guess what happened.
I started with that one lawn. Then I obtained another and another and another until, within a few months, I was mowing all day on Saturdays and making between $80 and $100 extra money per week on the side. Things at work began to take a turn for the worse and I eventually turned in my notice. At that time, I had nine lawns that I was doing on Saturdays.
At the end of my notice, I went full time in the lawn business. I had obtained a couple of commercial accounts to go with my residential customers and my income soon passed my former amount by several hundred dollars. The business grew to over 40 contracts within a few months. My income went from $200.00 gross per week to around $600.00 per week. I enjoyed my new found freedom, but I found that owning a business has many pros and cons.
So you want to own your own business?
Owning a business, whether small or large, takes a certain kind of person. Not everyone is cut out for it and some people a better off not attempting the task. Here are a few qualities that every small business owner needs to have.
First, anyone who seeks to own a business of their own, must have an adventurous spirit. They must be motivated to explore opportunities as they present themselves. Having an adventurous spirit in the business world means being willing to take a certain amount of risk. It means exploring the possibilities and finding the means to achieve ones goals. This spirit of adventure is basic to the continued growth of any business. It means learning what works and what does not work. That takes some trial and error in limited amounts. Without a spirit of adventure opportunities are often missed and incomes lost.
Second, anyone who seeks to own a business of their own must be a planner. Going into business of any kind without a business plan is risky. It is like taking pot shots hoping to hit the target. Many business fail simply because the owner failed to plan ahead. It is better to have a plan and make adjustments to the plan as you go along, than to go into business not knowing what your goals are. A great man once said, “if you aim at nothing, you’ll hit is every time.”
Third, anyone who seeks to be in business for themselves, must be a people person. A people person is one who can make “the sale without letting you know they are selling you anything.” They sell themselves first and then you buy from them because you have a relationship. A real people person is a servant first and a business person second. The “customer is always right ” is their motto.
The best business owners in my experience are the ones who take time to listen to their customers concerns. They also listen to their employees. They are fair minded individuals who, although they are concerned about the “bottom line”, know that their “bottom line” will be stronger if they treat both their customers and employees with respect and dignity.
The fourth “must” for a prospective business owner is a willingness to invest in themselves and their business. If one does not have the proper knowledge of business principles and book keeping needed to run a business, they should do every thing they can to gain that knowledge before engaging in business. A business person should know their product inside and out. They should be willing to take on the risks involved in purchasing equipment and supplies necessary to operate efficiently.
Fifth, a business owner must be a self starter. Being in business for yourself means it all depends on YOU. If you are not able to, as Larry the Cable guy says, “get ‘er done” then you might better think twice about attempting to business. It takes a “go getter “.
Lastly, a prospective business owner should be one who is able to deal with the stresses of operating a business. Having the mental and physical stamina to handle stress is very important because stress is a part of every business owners life. Equipment failures, employee troubles, bills, customer relations, general maintenance, and book keeping are all sources of stress. Add in the stresses of family life and it can become real trouble. If one is not able to handle stress, all kinds of things can go wrong. Health, mental and emotional problems as well as physical burn out can result.
As a business grows these stresses only increase. When I started my business, a friend of mine also started a lawn service of his own. He printed up flyers and went through a large neighbor hood posting them on mailboxes and front doors. Almost over night his business went from nothing to over sixty clients. He later told me that he had to get a partner and buy extra equipment to handle all of the work . Lucky for him, he was ready. He had spoken to a friend about the possibility of being his partner, planned for an additional investment, and was as ready as he could have been for this explosive growth, but what if he had not been? Can you imagine trying to handle sixty clients in a lawn service all by yourself? What about when it rained? What about snow? I can tell you from experience that would have been very stressful just trying to keep up with the work.
If you’re thinking about going into business of any sort, you should ask yourself if you have these qualities? Are you willing to do what it takes to succeed or not? I’m not suggesting that anyone give up on their dreams, only that you do some soul searching prior to starting a business. Plan to succeed by giving it a lot of thought . Shore up your weaknesses by seeking education and researching your proposed business venture thoroughly. Now let’s look at the pros of being in business for one’s self?
I love being in business for myself - how about you?
Perhaps the biggest “pro” of being in business for yourself is being able to control your own income. When you are in the position of owner / operator you are incontrol of the price you charge for your time and abilities. Working hard and fast, being honest and above board with people, pays off and pays off big when you are the boss. You can actually earn what your worth. Your income is limited only by the availability of work and your own efforts.
A second “pro” is more time with the family. When I had my lawn service and wanted a day off, I scheduled it . If I wanted a long weekend, I could take it. Birthday parties, ball games, dinner with friends, chores around the house, school functions, church, could all be scheduled into my time. The things that were important to me could be worked into my day. All it took was planning. As long as my lawns got done on time, my customers never complained about my taking time with my family. Scheduling and being willing to work a little harder than normal are the keys.
A third “pro” is the pride and satisfaction that comes with the knowledge of a “job well done”. When my customers were satisfied with my work and told me so, it really made my day. My work was my reference. I mean that every customer I obtained from the first to the last, was obtained by referral. I had business cards and I used them but never needed to advertise further. My work was my advertisement. My parents taught me that “any job worth doing is worth doing well” and I tried to practice that in my business. There is nothing more beautiful to me than a well groomed lawn.
A fourth “pro” is the many long lasting relationships that come from being in business for yourself. Many of my original clients from 1989 were still clients ten years later when I sold my contracts and moved to another state. We exchanged Christmas cards and became good friends through the years. The mutual appreciation between us was quite strong and made my work even more enjoyable.
A final “pro” of being in business for one’s self is NOT having a boss to answer to tell you what to do. This does have it’s benefits, but it also means that when something goes wrong, there is no one else to take the heat. If your the “boss” you’re responsible. This is true both with customers and with the authorities.
A business of your own, run in an honest and upfront manner, can be a real blessing. It can bring a real sense of pride and accomplishment to your life. There are a few “cons” to being in business for your self. Let’s look at them.
Every rose has it’s thorns - here come the cons?
Not to throw a wet blanket on any ones dreams, but it would be a disservice to you to only mention the plus side of business ownership without mentioning the down side. It all depends on how you look at it , the following things can be a problem or simply one of the nasty things which are required if you are to succeed in business.
We have already mentioned some of the stresses of being in business. Many of these things, such as those already mentioned cannot be avoided but some can simply by committing to doing everything in your business legally. The rest have to be handled as they arise.
Taxes can be a “con” in owning a business. They make it necessary to keep really good records. If your not one who is meticulous enough to retain receipts and other valuable records in an organized fashion, paying your taxes can be a real hassle, especially if you’re ever audited by the IRS.
Another “con” can be having to have specialized licenses in order to operate legally in your state. Most states require a business license and so do most counties within a particular state. Whether you have to be licensed by the state and county or just the state usually depends on the location of your business. Sometimes you need a city business license as well. You better do your homework or you could be in for a headache.
Lastly, when you’re the boss, you’re responsible for everything right or wrong. There is no one else to blame especially if you are a “sole proprietor”. If you’re not prepared to take on full responsibility for your business, you should not attempt to be in business. Risking a large amount of money, time and effort can be a disaster if you’re not properly prepared. You can lose and lose big.
Remember “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
In this day and age especially, times are hard. There are many folks out there who are touting many different schemes. Most of these sound good. They promise big income for small outlay. Some of them are legit, but others are only “pie in the sky”. Any offer that promises a “six figure income” for little to no effort on your part is probably the latter .
The only true way to make money is by good old fashioned hard work and persistence. Owning a business takes a great deal of effort. Even the most needed of services must be marketed to make money. Having a good idea is only the beginning. You have to tell someone your idea and be willing to do what it takes to make it fly to turn it into an income. That takes a lot of long hours, hard work , and perseverance in the first few years. Sometimes it pays off and sometimes it doesn’t. It is a chance you take.
The question is are you willing to take the chance and invest in your self? It’s your future. What are you going to do with it? If you decide to take the chance, do your homework first. Keep everything legal. Invest in yourself. Have a plan and work your plan. Set goals for yourself and your business. Take pride in your work and do it right . Be a people person, and don’t ever forget what is really important in life.
I still get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach when I think about it. Sure, it wasn’t a mansion, but it was home to us. We were renting to own from my youngest brother and his wife, and we had one payment left before it became ours. Of all the people in town, only our home sustained such damage. Why? What had we done to deserve that tornado twisting not only our home, but our lives as well? Why were we a target of Hurricane Katrina?
We had evacuated to Texarkana, Arkansas, and in the aftermath had spoken to my parents. “I’m sorry, but your trailer didn’t make it,” my mom said. After we talked for a while, we hung up and I grieved. I think crying then made it a little easier to look at it when we got back. The ride home seemed eternal, and while I wanted to know how much devastation we were going to find, I didn’t want to see any of it. We had been watching the news, and seeing the horrific images shown on television… would our home look the same? Would our things be strewn all around the neighborhood?
Turning down the street, in all the darkness, there was a little light. It didn’t look as bad as I had imagined. The shell was still standing…the roof had flown off and landed in the back yard, but the ceiling fell down inside, keeping all of our possessions inside the mobile home. A blessing, compared to all the others whose personal effects had been blown or washed away. Maybe some things could be salvaged?
It hurt to walk through. With a baby coming in less than three months, I was told not to go inside, for safety’s sake. But I had to. I had to see what had happened to our home. I cried as I walked through each room. We joked about how it was for sale with a newly installed “sunroof.” At that point, all we could do was laugh; we had cried so much and desperately needed a humor break.
Another blessing was in the fact that most of our clothes were salvageable. Only a few pieces needed to be thrown. Most of our dishes made it too. Luckily, our bed frames were all black iron and had weathered the storm, but the mattresses and all the other “soft” and wooden furniture was beyond cleaning and repair. I still miss that recliner, twenty months later.
My daughter had lost all of her “stuff”…the toys and other items precious to an eight year old. We had just come back from a trip to Biloxi, MS a few weeks before and she had taken a picture with a sea lion at Marine Life. It was ruined, and so was Marine Life. What did she do to deserve losing all of her possessions? She was such a trooper though. At eight, she had more composure and maturity then many of the adults going through the same thing. So understanding, she thought only of the children on TV, who had lost so much more than she.
My dolls–all of my beautiful dolls I had held onto for so long. I remember the day when I was thirteen and my mom packed each one so lovingly in plastic bags and boxes so they would stay in good condition. I shed a tear as she placed each one in the top of my closet. I wasn’t ready to give them up, to grow up and become a woman. An original Cabbage Patch. I named one Baby Beth. And Bridget, named after a cousin who had passed away. So many others! I had gotten a doll from my parents for Christmas every year. A My Child doll was the last I received; I’m not even sure those are still produced. I had hoped to keep them in case I had daughters one day. Turns out, I now have three.
Thankfully, the nursery hadn’t been decorated yet, so I was glad that we had not gone through that expense to just have it demolished. Most of our photographs were in Rubbermaid bins that withstood the wind and rain (we had only moved in the year before and I had yet to unpack those-we were still in the process of making the mobile home “ours”). The rest of the 16×80 space had odds and ends that I will miss…the stuffed teddy bear that my daughter gave to me for Valentine’s Day earlier that year. So many books I had; I loved to read. Thirty years worth of things were gone in a matter of hours.
Through it all, I know we were very blessed. We lost a lot, but could have lost so much more. Of course it hurts, watching the home you built being thrown away, but I still had my family. In the end, we may have come out better…we were lucky enough to have a place to stay, and within a few weeks we had a new home, thanks to the unconditional love and generosity of my younger brother, who, without a second thought, moved out of his home so that we may pick up the pieces and start over again. So many victims are still not settled into a new permanent residence.
We have taken this experience and definitely grown from it. I lost my home, my job, a number of my treasured possessions, but gained numerous respect and gratitude for my parents and brothers and life in general. I had always known they would be there for me and my family, but this true test of dependability exceeded my expectations by miles, as they became our silver lining to this most cloudy time.
Many people bemoan the lack of affordable housing these days. Of course, the housing market has recently taken a dive, supposedly making it more of a buyers market. Still, depending on what source is used, the median home price in the United States is about $228,900.
The $39,900 Home
This home is a single-family residence with traditional construction. It is not a manufactured or mobile home. The house is a two bedroom, one bathroom. It is 650 square feet and was built in 1920. The lot on which the house sits is 2500 square feet and is a corner lot. The actual home for sale for $39,900 is pictured to the left.
The Condition of the $39,900 Home
The city of Norman is located in Cleveland County in Oklahoma. The Cleveland County Assessor’s Office lists this home as being in “average” condition.
The $190 Per Month Mortgage
Based on a 30-year fixed rate of 5.93% with 20% down, the monthly mortgage payment would be $190. This is much lower than many people’s monthly homeowner’s association dues alone. And, of course, there are no homeowner’s association dues for the $39,900 house.
A Down Payment that is Less than the Price of a Used Car
Assuming you pay full price for the $39,900 house rather than negotiating a slightly lower price, 20% down would be a mere $7980. That’s less than many people pay for a used car.
The $39,900 Home Versus the Price of a 2007 Hummer H2
A 2007 Hummer H2 retails for about $54,000. That is a full $14,100 more than the purchase price of the $39,900 house.
The Neighborhood
The author of this article personally lives with easy biking distance of the $39,900 house. The author loves her home, her neighborhood, and the city of Norman, Oklahoma. Norman is home to the University of Oklahoma (OU), making it the quintessential college town with all the accompanying amenities.
The specific neighborhood where the $39,900 home sits is an area where the author seriously considered buying a home when relocating from Seattle, Washington to Norman, Oklahoma. Many of the homes in the immediate area of the $39,900 home are rental properties. But, it is a mixed area, and many of the homes are owner-occupied. The area is quite safe. There is a hospital located several streets over. The noise of ambulances might be heard more than usual.
The location of the $39,900 home is in north central Norman. Many people consider it desirable to live close to the OU campus. This home is slightly over two miles from the OU campus. On OU college football game days, you may even be able to hear the distant cheer of the approximately 85,000 fans in the stadium cheering for the OU Sooners.
I used to live in Brighton, very close to the coast, about three quarters of a mile inland, on top of a hill. I was sitting watching the news on the television when Michael Fish staged the weather report. He went through the usual procedures, then said that a lady had phoned the studio and alerted him about a hurricane which was in the Channel, on it’s way towards the south coast of England. But, Michael Fish doubted this to be true, even chuckled, and said he didn’t expect anything more than a gale, maximum. Famous last words, at 6.00 in the evening. lol.
By 7 o’clock that evening, the winds were becoming quite strong and it was raining, and I began to think that Mr. Fish had been right, but the winds got stronger and stronger, until I could hear debris hitting my window, and tiles falling from the roof, shattering outside my front window… even uprooted shrubs were hurtling around. The noise was tremendous, and then… the electricity cut! No television, no light, but I was lucky in that I had gas-fired central heating and a gas cooker, where I could cook food and also heat water for drinks. Also, quite luckily, I had a stock of candles, for emergencies, so I had three or four candles going in the sitting room, and sat and played solitaire with my pack of cards. The light wasn’t strong enough for reading or anything, so there wasn’t much I could do to amuse myself. The kids couldn’t sleep, so we all huddled in the sitting room, and they napped from time to time on the sofa, as did I, hoping upon hope that the hurricane was going to die down after a couple of hours. There were winds of something like 120 mph.
Many scary hours, and forty-winks’ later, dawn arrived. It must have been about 7.30 a.m. when first light came. I tentatively opened the curtains… to devastation. Fences, even walls had been blown down or damaged. There were great gaping holes in the roof tiling on several houses, pieces of greenhouse structure, tiles and glass adorned the grass out front, together with debris of all descriptions, paper, shrubs, dustbin lids, and even washing, where some people hadn’t managed to take it in from their lines the night before. I went to the back of the house and opened the curtains there. Trees were still bending in the wind, and all their branches facing north, where the wind had relentlessy zipped through. It was still raging out there, and the sky was a purplish grey colour, eerie, and unlike anything I’d ever seen before. Whole small trees and shrubs were rolling across the grass, fences again were down and tiles missing from roofs, leaving gaping holes, chimneys had been blown down and telegraph wires whipped in the wind. Some poles were even down… it was a scary feeling, and that was the first time during the whole episode that I had found the need to draw a fearful gasp.
We were very lucky, with regard to the electricity because we had an emergency back-up generator in Brighton. Many parts of the country were without electricity for well over a month, whilst repairs were made. Nobody had telephones, as all the lines were down. It was just like being back in the dark ages, but with the added comfort of a brick-built home in which to shelter reasonably safely.
Then, in the late afternoon, the electricity was restored, and I switched on the television. The country, especially in the south, I believe, had suffered much destruction from Andrew. Whole mobile home sites had been wiped off the map, the homes had been blown away and wrecked by the wind, and families had lost everything. All their personal belongings were blowing around in the wind… it was awful. Millions of trees had been uprooted and blown over, or damaged badly in the wind, turning forests into mere groves. Roads had been blocked by fallen trees and debris, cars were squashed by falling trees, and even houses damaged where trees which had been planted too close to the houses had fallen through roofs, wrecking upstairs rooms and the furniture therein. Many people had lucky escapes but some weren’t so lucky. Several people died, trying to venture out, or even sleeping in their beds when trees had come through their roofs, and straight down across their beds.
This was the first hurricane of any substance I had ever experienced. It was terrifying and I hope I never have to suffer one again. If only Michael Fish had taken his caller seriously and put out a severe weather warning, maybe it could have saved a lot of lives and property, but these things are brought to try us, I guess.
This night I will never, ever forget! The first hurricane in over two and a half centuries hit England, on 16th October, 1987.
Under President Obama’s Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, which was signed into law on February 17 and established the First-Time Home Buyers Tax Credit, today’s Manufactured Home has never been more affordable for first-time home buyers. As a result, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that approximately $10 billion in purchase funds are now available for the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (SFHGLP).
“The availability of the additional $10 billion in guaranteed loan funding will help make manufactured and modular housing more accessible to Arizona’s rural area residents,” said Ken Anderson, Arizona Housing Association President.
These USDA loans are primarily to assist low-income individuals or households purchase homes in rural areas. Funds may be used to purchase, build, repair, renovate, or relocate a home, or to purchase and prepare a site, including providing sewer and water.
With the crisis in affordable housing continuing across America, Manufactured Housing offers a unique source of quality, non subsidized homes that provide exceptional value. With an average per-square foot cost ranging from 10 to 35 percent less than site-built homes, depending on geographic region, today’s Manufactured Homes provide homebuyers with the best value to be found in the housing marketplace.
The Arizona Housing Association is dedicated to increasing home ownership opportunities in Arizona by focusing on image improvement, zoning equality and customer satisfaction. Its membership includes Manufacturers, Retailers, Developers, Lenders, Contractors/Installers, Suppliers, and Brokers of Pre-Owned Homes. AHA has a legislative and regulatory program designed to protect and promote the interests of the industry. It also conducts educational programs designed to address members’ needs and industry issues.
The body of six year old Christopher Barrios, Jr. was found Thursday about three miles from his father’s Brunswick, Georgia home. Christopher Barrios, Jr., had been missing for one week, having disappeared on the evening of March 8th. The last time Christopher had been seen, he had been playing alone on a swing set in front of the home of a friend. All anyone found of Christopher Michael Barrios that night was a toy Star Wars light-saber that belonged to him, lying beside the road.
More than three hundred volunteers searched for Christopher Barrios, many of them relatives and law enforcement, but civilian volunteers and trainees from a federal law enforcement training center also searched for the boy. Many wore shirts that bore a photo of Christopher Barrios, along with the date he went missing and a hotline number. When news spread among the volunteers that Christopher Barrios had been found dead, many volunteers hugged and wept. They had been searching a wooded area near a canal not far from the boy’s home after law enforcement had received information that the boy was in the area. However, his body was later found miles outside this initial search area. The body of this innocent child had been placed in a black trash bag, and discarded about fifteen feet from the side of a road behind the Glenn County Airport. Tire tracks in the dirt led searchers to look in the vicinity. Jesse Cook, a game warden for the Department of Natural Resources, along with a co-worker then found the trash bag containing little Christopher Barrios in plain sight.
Four people have already been arrested. One is a thirty-two year old, developmentally delayed man who lived with his parents in a mobile home across the street from the home of Christopher Barrios’s Grandmother. This man, George David Edenfield, is a convicted sex offender. The police arrested him and charged him with violating his parole. The stipulations of his parole from a 1997 sex offense conviction, required that he stay away from children. The man admitted to being involved in the disappearance of Christopher Barrios.
The parents of George Edenfield were also arrested, for obstruction and lying to police. The father gave conflicting stories about what had happened to Christopher Barrios. The mother first claimed that she knew nothing about the disappearance, but later admitted that she knew Christopher Barrios had been abducted. A fourth individual, Donald Dale, was also arrested on charges of obstruction and lying to police, as he, along with the other three individuals, gave conflicting stories about the whereabouts and fate of Christopher Barrios, at one point telling the police that he had helped bury the little boy.
A candle-light vigil was held for Christopher Barrios, during which, his grieving ten year old brother Brevin, was photographed being held as he cried.
