Community Living: A Step-by-Step Buying Guide to Finding Your Perfect Home


OKEMOS, MI--(Marketwire - September 4, 2009) - Land-lease communities provide homeowners with affordable housing in a great neighborhood environment. The system-built home buying process in a land-lease community is easy. Follow these steps and you're on your way to the perfect home.

Determining your budget

Once you've decided that community living is right for you, you'll need to determine how much home you can afford. Establish your budget by considering your family's income, credit score, monthly expenses, down payment and loan interest rate. For a rough estimate on what you can afford, use this tool, www.ginniemae.gov. A retailer or financing institution can also help determine what you can afford. Remember, there's a system-built home available for nearly every budget.

Choosing a community

Before browsing community options, pick a few cities you'd like to live in. Then, start searching for communities within those cities. Use www.michhome.org and click "Member search" to start browsing communities. Make note of communities that grab your interest, and pay each one a visit. Contact the community manager for information on available sites, site fees, rules and amenities.

Finding your perfect home

From a basic, single-section home to a more elaborate and spacious multi-section home, many of the same building options as those of site-built homes are offered for system-built homes. Have the community manager or a sales person show you the homes for sale within the community.

If you don't see exactly what you like, the community may be able to order your dream home and place in the community. Contact a retailer to see their selection of homes for community placement. The community manager help you contact retailer or you can visit www.michhome.org and use the member search. Click "Search our members" then click "Retailers."

Financing

Some communities offer financing right on site or can set you up with a lender. If you are bringing a home into the community, your professional retailer can assist with financing your home or you can visit www.michhome.org and use the member search to find a lender that specializes in financing for system-built homes. Click "Search our members" then click "Lenders."

For more information on system-built housing, visit www.michhome.org, call 800.551.1315 or contact the Michigan Manufactured Housing Association, 2222 Association Drive, Okemos, MI 48864-5978; 517.349.3300

Contact Information: Contact: Rachael Biermann Agency: All Seasons Communications Phone: 586.752.6381