Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/07
Outputs
A focus group and telephone survey were conducted. Based on the results of the focus group a telephone survey instrument was finalized for the telephone interviews. Homeowners in six NC counties were contacted via mail to solicit participation. Two hundred twenty-eight (228) manufactured homeowners responded to the letter and agreed to participate. The telephone interviews took place from June 2007 `- August 2007. The key findings of the focus group were divided into two sections: problem areas and problem resolutions. The problem areas of most concern were general building quality, plumbing difficulties, appliances, electrical and HVAC systems. Many of the homeowners were discouraged about problem resolutions. Common complaints included difficulty in getting help, unresponsive dealers and manufacturers, dealers going out of business, passing responsibility to homeowner, and home warranties and service plans not fully investigated and/or understood. The telephone
survey results found that there were problems with the fit and finish, heating and cooling, plumbing, and the electrical systems. A number of the respondents had problems with the construction of their home and believed that the problems were caused primarily during the manufactured process and/or during set-up and installation. More than half reported that the problem was noticed in less than one year of ownership. Most of the respondents held warranties. When a problem arose the homeowners contacted the dealership, the manufacturer, or some other professional service such as the insurance company or the Better Business Bureau. A number of respondents did not contact anyone and corrected the problem on their own. The study also revealed that the majority of the respondents said that they received a consumer information manual/package from the manufacturer about the operation and installation of their manufactured home when they bought the house and that they were aware of how to
contact the government officials who regulate the manufactured housing industry. The majority of the respondents were very satisfied with the resolution of the reported problem. Nearly half of the respondents reported that there were very satisfied with the quality of the construction of their manufactured home. More than one-half of the respondents were satisfied overall with the original installation and setup. Despite the number of problems reported, homeowners still indicated that they were generally satisfied with their decision to purchase a manufactured house and with their actual home.
Impacts
The balance between quality, cost-efficiency, and consumer satisfaction must be established and maintained in the manufactured housing industry to ensure its continued longevity. There is definitely a need to determine how problems are resolved and how satisfied manufactured housing consumers are with the resolution. The results of the study will be shared with the North Carolina Manufactured Housing Institute to propose strategies to assist in the knowledge base of their consumer's with regards to their purchase. A change in the consumer's knowledge will make changes in the conditions. The results indicated that homeowners are having a significant number of both major and minor problems with their new homes. The consumers are taking personal as well professional steps towards resolution; however, they are still generally satisfied with their purchases. The homeowners were somewhat knowledgeable about their homes, warranties, and problem solving. A project idea is to
produce some additional information to be included in their homeownership packet that manufactured housing consumers receive when they purchase their home. This information could be in the form of a DVD or a brochure. The DVD or brochure would outline who to contact should a problem arise with their new home. It could also provide information on purchasing a manufactured house, the different types of warranties and what is covered in each type. The purpose would be to provide information to consumers to make them more knowledgeable about a purchase they plan to make or a purchase that they have already made.
Publications
- Hinnant-Bernard, T. (2006, October). Manufactured Homeowners: Problems and Resolutions. Refereed Abstracts, Housing Education & Research Association. Annual Conference, Ithaca, NY.
- The project ended in October 2007. Additional publication opportunities will be sought in 2008. Possible sources include the Journal of Family & Consumer Sciences or Housing and Society.
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Progress 01/01/06 to 12/31/06
Outputs
The six targeted N.C. counties were finalized. Due to data collection difficulties, changes were made from the original targeted counties. The addresses of new manufactured homeowners for the six targeted counties from each of the county tax offices were collected. Address labels/files were created for each county. Homeowners were selected from the address file to create a listing of possible participants. The sample size was recalculated and homeowners from each county were selected based a stratified sampling technique. Each county's number of possible participants is representative of the total sample size. An introductory letter was written to serve as the initial contact for the possible participants of the study. The letter introduces and briefly explains the significance of the project, and asks for the homeowner's participation in the study. A contact card was also created. This card will be returned to the housing research team should the homeowner agree to
participate. The card provides the homeowner's contact information including telephone number and best time to call. The letter and contact cards will be mailed in early 2007. The telephone survey instrument was edited again and an answer key was created. The telephone interviews are scheduled for mid-early summer 2007. A telephone log was developed to provide a custodial chain of all communications/contact with the participants of the study. A draft of the SPSS data/variable file and code book have been created. This file will be used to analyze the data collected from the telephone interviews. Clarity was sought regarding the purchasing of stamps, letterhead, envelopes, telephone usage, budget revisions, gift cards/certificates and additional support. Finalization on these items is forthcoming.
Impacts
Over one million North Carolinians live in manufactured homes, accounting for more than 16 percent of the population. $3.85 billion was contributed to the N.C. economy in 1998 by the manufactured housing industry. The economic impact in N.C. was third in the nation. The National Conference of States on Building Codes & Standards reports that the manufactured home program is not problem free, and that reviews are necessary to ensure that obligations shared by the government and industry to the public are met. Many manufactured housing complaints are related to the way the home was set up, or the way a contract was carried out. The N.C. Attorney General receives an average of five to six written complaints per week from manufactured housing consumers. According to AARP about one-half of the problems of most concern to homeowners entail out of pocket repair costs averaging $1,140 per problem. There have been a number of studies conducted about manufactured housing issues
and consumer satisfaction, but not much has been documented about the resolution of these issues. The findings of this study will be used to provide education to manufactured home owners regarding the steps involved in resolving issues. Housing researchers will have a database from which they will be able to offer suggestions to the industry for making changes to the units and to the installation/set-up process to increase consumer satisfaction, thus aiding in the number of repeat buyers.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05
Outputs
A focus group session was held at the Bellomy Research Center in Winston Salem, NC to better understand new manufactured homeowners in rural North Carolina and the housing problems that they may have experienced. New manufactured homeowners in this study constitute homeowners of 5 years or less. These interviews are not designed to help a group reach consensus or to make decisions, but rather to elicit the full range of ideas, attitudes, experiences, and opinions held by a selected sample of respondents on a defined topic. The focus group extracted specific information and characteristics of the target population that was used to establish the nomenclature in the development of the telephone survey instrument and assess the homeowners' perceived level of satisfaction. A complimentary dinner was provided as an incentive and as appreciation for their time and consideration. The room was equipped with audio and video recorders. Six rural counties, based on data from the
census bureau and the NC DMV, have been selected to represent the state's geographic regions: (1) piedmont (Robeson and Harnett counties), (2) coastal plains (Brunswick and Johnston counties), and (3) mountain (Henderson and Cleveland counties). Data from three of the six counties is forthcoming. Johnston County, Brunswick County, and Cleveland County have agreed to provide data for a nominal fee. The data will provide a public listing of information that identifies the new manufactured homeowners within the county. A draft of the telephone survey has been developed. The survey is a modified/edited version of the AARP manufactured housing survey. Modifications were made to extract the most pertinent information for this particular study. Additional information, such as geographic location, target population characteristics and focus group information were added to enhance the instrument.
Impacts
More than one million North Carolinians live in manufactured homes, accounting for more than 16% of the population. The manufactured housing industry contributed $3.85 billion to the N.C. economy in 1998, and the economic impact was third in the nation. The National Conference of States on Building Codes & Standards reports that the manufactured home program is not problem free & that reviews are necessary to ensure that obligations shared by the government and industry to the public are met. The NCDOI stated that many manufactured housing complaints are related to the way the home was set up or the way a contract was carried out. The NC AG's Office consumer division receives an average of five to six written complaints per week from manufactured housing consumers. The complaints range from failure to return a deposit to failure to make repairs. According to AARP, about one-half of the problems of most concern to homeowners entail out of pocket repair costs averaging
$1,140 per problem. There have been a number of studies conducted about manufactured housing issues & consumer satisfaction, but not much has been documented about the resolution of these issues. The findings of this study will be used to provide education to manufactured home owners regarding the steps involved in resolving issues. Housing researchers will have a database from which they will be able to offer suggestions to the industry for making changes to the units and to the installation/set-up process to increase consumer satisfaction, thus aiding in the number of repeat buyers.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/04 to 12/30/04
Outputs
The objectives of this study are to obtain information from owners of new manufactured homes in rural North Carolina to 1) determine the prevalence and nature of housing challenges experienced by homeowners in the systems, materials and set-up of manufactured housing purchased in the last five years, 2) trace the process of resolving the housing challenges, including the source of concern and the avenue for successful/ unsuccessful resolution, and 3) assess consumer satisfaction with the resolution process. The homeowners will be sampled from six rural counties representing the Piedmont, Coastal Plains, and Mountain regions of North Carolina. Rural counties with the largest number of manufactured homeowners will be used as the sample counties. A focus group session will be facilitated to better understand new manufactured homeowners in rural North Carolina and the problems that they may have experienced. New manufactured homeowners in this study constitute homeowners
of five years or less. With the assistance of the research team, trained group facilitators will conduct a focus group session with new manufactured homeowners in a targeted rural North Carolina county. A select number of these new manufactured homeowners will be contacted and asked to participate in a focus group session. Upon completion of the focus group, data will be collected from homeowners of new single and double-section manufactured homes in rural North Carolina. Registration counts indicating the recent sales of manufactured homes in each county will be obtained from the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles. The difference in the registration counts of 1999 and 2004 will be used to identify counties with the largest number of newly purchased manufactured homes. Six rural counties, based on data from the census bureau and the NC DMV, will be selected to represent the state's geographic regions. These counties will make-up the population from which the sample will be
drawn. With a margin of error of five and a confidence level of 95% a recommended sample size will be calculated. In order to account for the difference in the numbers of new manufactured homeowners in each county a proportionate sampling technique will be applied to ensure accurate representation of each county as it appears in the total population. A survey of county property tax records will be conducted to identify manufactured homes located in the county since 1999. The county tax listing, which may be the best public source of information, will serve as the sampling frame for the selection of the homeowner sample. The principal investigator and other housing faculty will develop a telephone survey instrument modeling an instrument used by AARP. A committee, established by the North Carolina Manufactured Housing Institute, will review the instrument. Open and closed-ended questions will be used to address the prevalence and nature of housing challenges within the first year of
occupancy, the process of resolving the challenge, and satisfaction with the resolution. Data from the survey will be analyzed using descriptive and bivariate statistical techniques.
Impacts
Manufactured housing research on consumer satisfaction generally reveals areas of concern with installation or set-up. There is a need to determine how problems are resolved and how satisfied consumers are with the resolution. The purpose of this research is to track the incidence and resolution of housing challenges/problems that occur within the first year of residence by owners of new manufactured homes. Obtaining high quality and affordable housing remains a concern for many Americans. As the cost of home prices climb faster than incomes, more people than ever need access to cost-efficient housing. "One of the greatest secrets in the housing field is the role of manufactured housing in providing affordable housing in the U.S." (Wilder, 1995, p. 523). The role is emphasized even more so in the production of affordable housing in North Carolina. The purpose of this research is to track the incidence and resolution of housing challenges/problems that occur within the
first year of residence by owners of new manufactured homes.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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