Affordable housing is major
topic these days, especially for the growing senior population as they scramble
to decide where they want to live. It isn’t an easy decision to make but in
this day and age we have to look long and hard at the financial ramifications
as well as the practical ones. If you have decided that it would be easier to
start over in something smaller and more affordable, the search begins.
I picked up a book at the
library about senior housing options and was dismayed that 99% of the material
was about care facilities and retirement communities. Well, I don’t know about you, but this isn’t exactly
what I have in mind.
Despite the usual
stereotypes, most seniors do not need a retirement home where they can sit and
wait for their own demise. We have a lot
of good years left and we all want a place that we can call our own. An article
in The Herald (September 20, 2009) by Mike Benbow called “Affordable Housing
That You Can Call Your Own,” caught my eye.
I found a similar write-up in the Santa Barbara Independence by Joey Kay
Wauters (April 2009, 2009). Both authors
discussed manufactured homes as a
possible option.
The gentleman interviewed by
Mr. Benbow enjoyed the friendly atmosphere of a mobile home community. He thought it was quite different than the
condo/apartment mentality where people living in close proximity tend ignore
the fact that neighbors are too close by.
We all need a space to call our own even though a sense of community is
important too. He saw it as a chance to
own his own home while still enjoying the sense of public housing.
If a large house is too
expensive to maintain and it is too costly to make major renovations, it might
be time to downsize. Downsizing is a good
idea, but you want to do it on your own terms.
The article by Ms. Wauters talked about a couple who had searched long
and hard to find a home that would fit their limited price range and how
delighted they were to discover what she called the “magical world of manufactured
homes.” New homes with enough design
options to cater to your individual needs.
Standard house plans are routinely expanded, contracted or otherwise
modified. She also reiterated that
manufactured home parks are as varied as any community so if you can shed your
stereotypes about trailer parks you might be in for a pleasant surprise.
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