HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1974-08-21, Page 23SOMETHING TO OWN — Liz and Bryan Ginty bought this mobile home so they
could say they owned something. Now that they are away from apartments, they
can also own a dog, Joey. The home is located at Heritage Estates Mobile Home
Park, Tuckers m ith Township.
Like a house at lower cost Mobile homes are popular
CAN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE -7 Liz and Bryan Ginty sit on their couch in their
mobile, home, while talking to their landlord, George Romani k. Once inside, they
believe you can't really tell it's a mobile home. (Staff Photo)
There is a. new breed of pioneers settling in the rural areas across the province. They are setting up their own communities and beating a few of the costs of living in the cities. Their hordes cost half the price they would have to pay for ahouse in almost any given area, and yet they have all the luxuries supplied in towns and cities. Their communities are called mobile home parks. The majority of the residents are either young couples , or those who have reached retirement age; those people in society who find it most
difficult to cope with today's high
cost of housing.
Bendix Home Systems Ltd. in
Hensall say their product offers a
viable solution to the housing
problem facing those who cannot
keep up with rising costs.
Len Hoffman, Bendix sales
co-ordinator for the mobile
homes, said young people are
able to finance a package deal,
including the home and
furnishings, easier than trying to
buy a house. Their homes are
built to the National Housing
Code, supplying the buyers with a
guarantee* that will last longer
than the duration of the
mortgage.
Mobile homes are rarely a first
preference for young couples.
Many are only buying them
because they can!t afford a house.
Apartments
Bryan and Liz Ginty were tired
of living in apartments, paying
rent, and never being able to see
the end of making payments.
They and their two young
daughters bought a second hand
three bedroom mobile home and
moved to Heritage Estates, a park
just • outside of Seaforth. The
home cost them $6,500.
"That's not even a down
payment on a house," Liz said.
They will have the home paid off
in five years and then can decide
where to go from there.
Both the Gintys and their park
neighbours, Ken and Sibyl Miller hope to acquire their own land, so they won't have to pay rent for their lots in the park. Sibyl did point out that they are getting water, sewers, use of a pool and paid taxes included in their rent, so they are getting something for their money at Heritage Estates. She and her husband had hoped to buy a house in Seaforth. They had their eye on three different homes in the town but were faced with the problem of having no collateral. "We couldn't get the money from any
bank, not even the credit union,"
she said.
George Romani k, proprietor of
Heritage Estates made it possible
for the Millers to buy their mobile
home. As an in-park dealer for
Bendix Homes, he can obtain the
home for anyone wishing to move
into his park.
Few mobile home buyers are
going out on their own now,
because of the difficulty in
acquiring land severances. Mr.
Hoffman believes that until
municipalities are better
educated about mobile homes,
people are going to have to look for parks to place their homes. Bad Image After the second world war, many mobile homes, or house trailers as they were called then, were purchased and thrown up around the country with little thought behind them. Municipalities frowned upon them as being eyesores, as many were not kept up and building standards were relativesly low for the manufacturers. Now manufacturers of the homes, park owners and the tenants themselves are trying to
erase that bad imae. Sibyl said
that her parents weren't too
pleased when they discovered
that she was moving into a mobile
home. "They thought it was too
small and that we were throwing
our money away," she said.
Neither the Millers or the
Gintys feel that they are throwing
away money. Bryan explained
that although the homes will
depreciate over the years, the
rising costs will make up for it.
Liz's brother just sold his 13-year-
old m obile home for $2,000. And
as they pointed out, the homes
then didn't cost the $10,000 or up figure that they now cost. Bryan also looks at their mobile home as a good investment for the future. It just might provide the collateral necessary to buy a house. But for now, they are happy with mobile home life. They pointed out that there is little upkeep needed on the outside unlike a house. "You just wash the outside once a year," said Bryan. There is no painting to be done on the inside either. All Wall coverings most of them panelling,
can be wiped off with a cloth.
Storage Space
There is little storage space,
every inch of the home is
delegated to some use. TheGintys
keep their freezer in a storage
shed outside. "But y ou don't
collect junk this way," added Liz.
Both the Millers and the.Gintys
fiiiie-no complaints with the park, except for a rather large telephone party line. Their landlord, George Romani k, has only been operating the park for a year and is still trying new ideas. He asks that all the homes are placed on an angle to keep the -park looking uniform. He says it also gives the residents an element privacy; it is impossible to see into the windows of the homes next to each other. He has installed a pool, and hopes to eventually erect some type of pavillion for recreation.
He does not live in a mobile
home himself but in a house just
down the road.
"I would.have bought one if I
had seen a park like this before I
bought =my house. If-weever have
a fire, we have enough insurance
for a mobile home, though," he
added with a smile.
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