If you want to get good at something, the first step is to demystify it.
What I mean is: don’t look at a subject or skill as something completely different from what you’ve already mastered. And definitely don’t look up to the people already succeeding in the field as if they’re untouchable.
You are just as worthy as they are. The only real difference is that they’ve put in more time. That’s it.
Here’s why this matters: the moment you put someone on a pedestal, your subconscious starts whispering: “They’re above me. I’m beneath them. I’ll never be as good as they are.”
And eventually, you start to believe it.
But the truth is—the goal isn’t to be as good as them.
It’s not about learning just enough to reach parity. Because in any field worth exploring, expertise isn’t static. It’s dynamic.
The moment you reach the level of the person you idolize, the field will have already shifted. The skills you just worked so hard to master may no longer matter in the same way.
So what should you do instead?
Treat the field like a playground. Treat the people in it like playmates. Approach it with curiosity, not worship.
That curiosity will take you further than any single skill ever could. And in the end, curiosity is the only thing that really matters.
The U.S. manufactured housing industry is a significant and growing segment of housing. In 2024, U.S. shipments of new manufactured homes reached roughly 103,000 units, up about 15% over 2023[1]. With an average sales price around $120K[2], this implies roughly a $12–13 billion annual market. Approximately 17 million Americans live in manufactured homes – about 6% of the nation’s housing stock[3]. After a dip in 2023 (shipments fell from ~113K in 2022 to ~89K in 2023)[4], the market appears to be rebounding under strong demand for affordable housing. North America accounts for ~46% of the global market, which is projected to grow ~5–6% per year (e.g. to ~$37B by 2032)[5].
The value chain spans manufacturers (e.g. Clayton Homes, Skyline Champion, Cavco), financing (e.g. 21st Mortgage, Triad Financial, mortgage REITs), retailers/dealers, park owners/communities (e.g. Equity Lifestyle, Sun Communities, UMH Properties), and aftermarket services (installation, parts, insurance). Key firms include Clayton Homes (Berkshire Hathaway, ~$11.4B revenue, HQ Maryville TN)[6], Skyline Champion (~$2.6B, Troy MI)[7], Cavco Industries (~$2.1B, Phoenix AZ) and Legacy Housing (~$0.18B, Midland TX). Leading community owners are Sun Communities (Southfield MI, ~$3.0B revenue in 2023)[8], Equity LifeStyle Properties (Chicago IL, ~$1.44B)[9], and UMH Properties (Short Hills NJ, ~$0.22B)[10].
Major growth drivers include housing affordability (manufactured homes cost ~75% less than site-built[4]), favorable demographics (retirees and working families), and supportive regulatory trends (expanded FHA Title I loans, energy efficiency upgrades). Risks include interest-rate sensitivity (high chattel loan rates), zoning/legal barriers (e.g. restrictive local ordinances), and reputational stigma.
For a new media/investment research firm, opportunities include specialized newsletters, proprietary data services (e.g. shipment tracker, park transaction database), targeted conferences, and deal-brokerage for communities. Critical datasets would be HUD/Census shipments, state zoning changes, and park-cap rates.
Table: Key segments and sample players with revenues and HQ’s (see Data Table below). These foundations help validate the business case for a focused information platform in this niche industry[1][2][4][8].
Market Overview and TAM/SAM/SOM
Industry size: U.S. new manufactured home shipments have grown sharply in 2024 after a 2023 lull. Total 2024 shipments were about 103,300 homes, up ~15.8% from 89,178 in 2023[1]. With an average selling price roughly $120–125K[2][4], this equates to roughly $12–13B in factory-produced home sales annually. (For context, global manufactured housing was projected ~$37B by 2032[5].)
Growth trajectory: The industry peaked near 113K units in 2022 but then fell ~21% to 89K in 2023[4], as rising interest rates slowed demand. Early 2024 and 2025 data show a rebound (e.g. March 2025 shipments ~109K, +7% YoY[11]). Multi-section homes (larger models) are growing faster (2024 production +19.7%) than single-section (+11.1%)[11]. Over a longer term, factory-built housing share has trended up and down; currently it supplies ~11% of new single-family starts (was ~6% in 2022[12], and ~13% of starts by one account[13]). This cyclical industry benefits when site-built prices rise and credit loosens.
TAM/SAM/SOM (2025):TAM: All U.S. households in HUD-code homes (17M homes, ~6% housing stock[3]) and annual replacements. SAM: The U.S. annual market (~100–110K new homes; ~$12–$13B of factory home sales). SOM: The obtainable market for a specialized media/research product might be subsets of industry spend—e.g. the budget of major manufacturers, lenders and investors. For example, U.S. factory home manufacturers generate $15–20B of revenue (3–4 players over $1B)[6][8], while communities’ revenues (land-lease rents, lot sales) are ~$3–4B (Sun, ELS, UMH, etc. combined). These figures help gauge the scale of potential clients and advertising base.
Adjacent context: Manufactured housing competes with modular homes, RVs, and tiny houses for affordable housing demand. Growth in modular/non-HUD factory building is also notable, but this briefing focuses on HUD-code homes. According to one analysis, manufactured homes cost less than half the $165/sqft of site-built housing[4], making them especially attractive amid housing shortages.
Value Chain Mapping
The manufactured housing value chain has five core segments:
Manufacturing: Factory production under the federal HUD Code. Major producers (multiple facilities each) build single- and multi-section homes. Manufacturers often operate their own retail networks and financing arms. (Example: Clayton Homes runs 28 sales centers and Clayton Bank.) The industry has ~350 factories nationwide, owned by a few dozen corporations[14].
Financing: Because many buyers cannot access traditional mortgages, most homes are sold via personal-property (“chattel”) loans. Key financiers include 21st Mortgage Corp. (Knoxville TN, a Berkshire affiliate), Triad Financial Services (Jacksonville FL), and captive lenders of manufacturers. Specialized REITs (e.g. Redwood Trust) package MH loan portfolios. Notably, only ~20% of MH buyers use conventional mortgages[15].
Retail/Dealer: Homes are sold through dealer networks. Manufacturers like Skyline Champion and Cavco sell via independent dealerships as well as factory-direct stores (e.g. Fleetwood, Palm Harbor showrooms). Dealers often provide installation and setup. National sales organizations (e.g. Ultimate Homes, Regional Homes) have emerged through acquisitions.
Community (Park) Ownership: Many manufactured homes sit on leased land. MHC owners (mobile home communities) like Equity LifeStyle (ELS), Sun Communities, UMH, and RHP own thousands of lots, leasing them to home buyers. These REITs earn income via lot rents and some home sales. Community owners are big industry players, driven by steady occupancy (90%+ in 2024) and inflation-hedged rents[16]. Park owners finance and invest heavily in MH retail and community expansion.
Aftermarket Services: This includes installation crews, home utilities (septic, wiring), insurance, maintenance services, and accessory sales. For instance, companies like Redman Homes (Skyline Champion) and others may upfit homes for high-wind or energy codes. Community management firms, and parts suppliers (e.g. roofing, appliances), also comprise the aftermarket support network.
Each link creates potential data and content – from production costs and plant locations, to loan yield curves, to retail sales trends, to park valuation metrics. Mapping this chain clarifies where strategic information gaps may exist.
Key Players (Top Segments)
Below are leading firms by segment, with HQ and most recent revenue (or AUM) and a one-line niche:
Clayton Homes (Berkshire Hathaway) – Maryville, TN. Rev: ~$11.4B (2023)[6]. Segment:Manufacturing/Modular, Retail, Finance. Differentiator: Largest U.S. factory home builder; sells multi-section homes, with affiliated lenders and 28 retail centers[6].
Skyline Champion Corporation (SKY) – Troy, MI. Rev: ~$2.6B (2023 fiscal)[7]. Segment:Manufacturing/Modular, Retail. Differentiator: Leading NA producer under many brands (Skyline, Champion, Redman, etc.) with ~7,600 employees and 44 plants[17].
Cavco Industries (NASDAQ: CVCO) – Phoenix, AZ. Rev: ~$2.1B (FY2023)[18]. Segment:Manufacturing/Modular, Retail. Differentiator: Large diversified builder (owns Fleetwood, Palm Harbor, Palm Bay, etc.); also provides consumer financing and launched a digital home marketplace[19].
Legacy Housing Corp. (LEGH) – Midland, TX. Rev: ~$184M (2024)[20]. Segment: Manufacturing/Finance. Differentiator: Publicly-traded small-home specialist; sells and finances HUD-code and tiny homes, mainly in the U.S. South[21].
21st Mortgage Corp. – Knoxville, TN. Segment: Finance. Differentiator: Largest lender specializing in manufactured/mobile home chattel mortgages. Offers the “CA$H” program for community financing (owned by Berkshire Hathaway)[22].
Triad Financial Services – Jacksonville, FL. Segment: Finance. Differentiator: Major originator of MH and modular home loans via credit union partnerships.
Equity Lifestyle Properties (ELS) – Chicago, IL. Rev: ~$1.44B (2024)[9]. Segment: Community Owner/REIT. Differentiator: Largest publicly-traded MH community owner (800+ communities); focuses on upscale or resort MHCs with long-term leases.
Sun Communities (SUI) – Southfield, MI. Rev: ~$3.0B (2024)[8]. Segment: Community Owner/REIT. Differentiator: Leading owner of MH and RV communities (11,000+ sites); emphasizes diversified portfolio (Sun has both MH and RV parks) with stable NOI growth.
UMH Properties (UMH) – Short Hills, NJ. Rev: ~$221M (2023 total income)[10]. Segment: Community Owner/REIT. Differentiator: Owns ~135 MH communities in Northeast and Midwest; also sells homes to residents.
Redwood Trust, Inc. (RWT) – Baltimore, MD. Segment: Finance/REIT. Differentiator: Mortgage REIT with a large portfolio of manufactured-housing loans (through programs like Sequoia Credit and Aspire Lending), providing capital to MH lenders.
MHInsider and Datacomp (not public) – Various. Segment: Media/Data. Differentiator: Established industry intelligence providers (MHInsider news site; Datacomp sells MH market data to builders, retailers). Potential partners/competitors in market data.
(Additional players: Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac’s programs for CrossMod® homes; companies like Titan (Clayton-owned)in Texas; local dealers and installers; mobile home parks developers like Atlas Block Inc. etc.)
Growth Drivers and Risks
Key Growth Drivers: – Affordability Crisis: Manufactured homes remain the most affordable housing option (median new MH price ~$124K vs ~$514K for site-built[4]). With rising home prices and rent, demand from low- and middle-income buyers grows. – Demographic Tailwinds: Aging population, retirees seeking affordable retirement living, and workforce shortages in skilled trades favor factory-built construction. – Regulatory Reforms: Recent policy changes (e.g. expanded FHA Title I loan limits, HUD code updates for multi-family/energy efficiency[23]) lower barriers for buyers and encourage production. State/local zoning reforms (like new allowances in Georgia, NC) are opening markets. – Technology & Supply Chain: Increased adoption of automation and AI in factories (e.g. AI-driven design/scheduling in plants[5]) is improving productivity, and material cost pressures are easing compared to earlier cycles. – Investor Interest in MHCs: Higher yields and resilience of mobile home communities attract REITs and private equity (Park investors note ~90%+ occupancy and steady cash flow[16]). This brings more capital to land-lease development and home sales opportunities.
Risks and Constraints: – Financing Costs: The majority of buyers rely on high-cost chattel loans rather than mortgages[15]. Rising interest rates for personal property loans can quickly dampen sales. The recent dip in 2023 shipments reflects mortgage rate-driven demand compression. – Regulatory/Zoning Hurdles: Though improving, local opposition (“NIMBYism”) and restrictive ordinances still limit development of MH communities. Any rollback of federal support (e.g. FHA programs) or new energy codes that increase costs could weigh on the market. – Reputation/Stigma: Perception of quality issues and the historic “trailer park” stigma can slow consumer acceptance, especially in higher-value markets. The industry must overcome stereotypes to grow. – Cyclicality of Costs: Volatile material/labor costs (and trucking limits) can erode builder margins. Overbuilding in a downturn could lead to price cuts and distress. – Data/Fragmentation: The MH industry is fragmented (hundreds of plant owners, thousands of dealers, thousands of communities). Data quality and transparency are poor, making market forecasting and analysis challenging. A new media firm will face hurdles sourcing reliable data and must verify conflicting reports.
Opportunities for Media & Research Business
Given the gaps above, a focused media/research firm can target these opportunities:
Industry Newsletter/News Site: A subscription-based news service covering manufacturers, lenders, communities, and regulations. For example, monthly briefings on shipment data, regulatory changes (energy codes, zoning), and company M&A. (Existing blogs like MHInsider indicate demand for trade news.)
Proprietary Data Products: Develop unique datasets and analytics – e.g. MH Shipments Tracker (real-time census/HUD data with regional breakdowns), Price Index (weighted average home prices by region), Community Tracker (M&A deals, occupancy and rent trends). These could be sold as dashboards or reports to manufacturers, REITs, and investors. (Note: Datacomp already sells raw data; a value-add analysis product could differentiate.)
Investment Research Reports: In-depth quarterly or thematic reports on segments (e.g. financing trends, community REIT valuations, builder performance). Tie-ins could include conference calls with CEOs, or specialized workshops/webinars.
Events and Conferences: Organize an annual Manufactured Housing Summit or smaller workshops (e.g. on compliance, 103(k) financing, or community operations). Partner with industry associations or investment groups to attract sponsors.
Deal Origination / Network: Build a curated deal flow platform for MHC and factory-home investments. Using industry contacts, match investors with sellers (communities, factories). This could be an offshoot of networking events or premium membership services.
Each opportunity leverages the firm’s deep focus on this niche. Early products might include a free newsletter plus premium paid data reports, scaling to events and consulting as credibility builds.
Note: Revenues for publicly-traded firms are from latest annual/quarter reports. Private or niche players (dealers, parts suppliers) are not listed but include thousands of smaller entities.
Action Plan: Next Steps
Data Acquisition: Subscribe to/affiliate with key data sources – U.S. Census/HUD (manufactured housing survey), MHI (for members-only data and analysis), Datacomp or similar for industry shipments/prices. Acquire construction housing starts data and key demographic datasets (age, income) for analysis.
Build Contacts: Assemble advisory network with MH industry insiders – reach out to trade associations (MHI), community REIT executives, HUD officials, and leading manufacturers’ strategy teams. Identify subject-matter experts (e.g. former HUD code officials, engineering professors) for interviews and partnerships.
Pilot Product Development: Launch a brief industry newsletter and low-cost data dashboard. For example, produce a monthly shipments/price report (using public Census data) as a lead magnet. Simultaneously develop a basic website/blog to establish presence.
Partnerships and Marketing: Attend or sponsor MH conferences (e.g. MHI’s annual Congress & Expo) to promote the information service. Build an email list through webinars or collaborative whitepapers (e.g. “State of Manufactured Housing 2025”). Explore partnerships with related media (e.g. Affordable Housing journals).
Diversify Products: Identify a first paid offering – e.g. an annual “MH Investment Guide” or subscription to an interactive data portal with benchmarks (prices, park cap rates, yields). Plan to expand into events (virtual or regional roundtables) within the first year.
Assumptions & Blind Spots
Demand for Specialist Info: Assumes enough industry executives will pay for niche MH research. It’s possible that decision-makers rely on free data or incumbent sources (MHI, Bloomberg for REITs). Need to validate willingness to pay and avoid duplicating free resources.
Data Availability: We assume that key data (shipments, pricing, community metrics) can be accessed and monetized. In reality, MH data may be sparse or laggy. Over-reliance on Census or surveys may limit actionable insight (e.g. only YTD or quarterly release).
Regulatory Environment: We count on continued support (e.g. HUD reforms) for MH growth. A policy reversal or delays in energy code updates could derail market expansion. Monitor policy risks closely.
Competitive Landscape: We may underestimate existing players (MHInsider, Datacomp, conference organizers). There is also competition from generic housing analysts. Differentiating our product will be crucial.
Industry Stigma: We assume MH executives will enthusiastically engage with a media outlet, but negative perceptions (public stigma of trailer parks, etc.) could mean some leaders are reticent or tight-lipped. We must build trust and credibility first.
Sources: Market data and facts are drawn from government and industry reports[1][2][4][8]; company revenues from public filings and industry reports[6][7][9]; trends and drivers from trade publications and research[5][4]. All claims are cited to ensure traceability.
[7] Champion Homes, Inc. – Skyline Champion Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year Fiscal 2024 Results; Announces New $100 Million Share Repurchase Program
For someone too cheap to pay for ChatGPT’s $20/month subscription, I only have fewer than 5 times of deep research each month. And I want to take great advantage of that. So, I asked ChatGPT how to best do it. And here are the results (feel free to copy the prompts).
Quick principles (what makes a prompt work)
Be concrete about the goal. Say exactly what decision or product you want from the research (e.g., “a 2-page investor memo”, “top 10 content ideas with search volumes”, “market sizing for US manufactured homes 2025”).
Set the scope & recency. State geography, industries, date range, and whether to use only public sources or proprietary files you’ll attach.
Request deliverables & format. Tell me the exact outputs you want (bullet lists, tables, CSV, slide deck, TL;DR + detailed findings).
Name constraints and preferences. E.g., prefer academic sources, include news links, avoid paywalled content, or require citations.
Tell me how to evaluate success. e.g., “I can act on this without more data” or “I need a reproducible method and data sources.”
Mandatory pieces for your initial deep-research prompt
Objective — one sentence: what decision/action this supports.
Deliverables — list outputs and formats (e.g., “executive summary (200 words), detailed report, bibliography with links, 1-page action plan”).
Scope & constraints — geography, time period, industries, excluded items.
Priority questions — top 3–6 questions you want answered.
Sources / evidence rules — prefer scholarly, include Google Maps, include X, avoid Y, require citation format.
Data you’ll attach — mention files (CSV, transcripts) and their structure.
Level of depth & tone — high-level + supporting numbers, or step-by-step playbook; tone: investor memo, blog post, technical.
Deadline/recency requirement — “include data up to Aug 2025” (use absolute dates).
Useful extras (make the product much better)
Example audience (VC, content writer, local gov official).
Comparable companies or benchmarks to analyze.
Keywords / competitors you care about.
Metrics you care about (TAM, CAC, LTV, search volume, # of skateparks).
Preferred citation style (links inline, numbered list, or endnotes).
If you want assumptions listed and sensitivity ranges.
Templates (copy / paste & fill in)
Objective: [One sentence — decision this supports]
Deliverables:
– Executive summary (150–250 words)
– Deep report (3–6 pages) answering Qs below
– 1 excel/CSV with data points and sources
– 5 tactical recommendations and next steps
Scope & constraints:
– Geography: [e.g., US only]
– Time range: [e.g., 2018–Aug 26, 2025]
– Sources to prefer: [e.g., gov data, industry reports, Google Maps]
– Sources to avoid: [e.g., paywalled academic journals]
– Use only public sources unless I attach files.
Data attachments: [list files you will upload or paste — format & column names]
Audience: [e.g., early-stage investors]
Tone & depth: [e.g., investor memo with numbers and citations]
Evaluation: I will consider this successful if I can [action you’ll take]
Other notes / constraints: [e.g., max 2000 words, include top 10 competitors]
Example — manufactured-home market research
Objective: Create a 4–5 page executive industry briefing to evaluate whether starting a media + investment research firm focused on manufactured homes is viable.
Deliverables:
1. Executive summary (200–300 words)
2. Detailed report (4–5 pages) covering:
– Market overview, TAM/SAM/SOM (US, 2025) with sources
– Value chain mapping (manufacturing, financing, retail, park ownership, aftermarket services)
– Key players (top 20+ globally and in the US) with revenues, HQ, segments, and 1-sentence differentiation
– Growth drivers and risks (economic, regulatory, reputational)
– 3–5 investment or media business opportunities (e.g., newsletters, data products, events, deal origination)
3. Data table (Excel/CSV) with company list: Name | HQ | Revenue (est.) | Segment | Source link
4. Action plan: 5 next steps (datasets to buy, contacts, possible first products)
5. Weakness analysis: 5 assumptions or blind spots to challenge
Scope & Constraints:
– Geography: US & Canada, with global context for leading players
– Timeframe: market data up to Aug 2025
– Prefer sources: gov data (HUD, Census), industry associations, public filings, reputable industry media
– Avoid paywalled academic journals unless summaries exist
– Provide direct links/citations for all claims
Priority Questions:
1. What is the size and trajectory of the US manufactured home market (2025)?
2. Who are the leading players across the value chain?
3. What are the structural opportunities for a business media + investment research firm?
4. What regulatory or reputational factors matter most?
5. What datasets/KPIs would be critical for building data products?
Audience: Industry practitioners across the manufactured housing value chain, primarily executives (director-level and above) with decision-making and purchasing authority.
Tone & Depth: Executive industry briefing — authoritative, data-driven, and practical.
Evaluation: I should be able to use this briefing to (a) understand the market landscape, (b) identify monetizable gaps in industry information, and (c) design a first-step go-to-market for a media/research product.
Other Notes:
– Include charts or simple diagrams where useful
– Use bullet points for clarity in lists
I’ve always approached learning in a very linear way:
Figure out what I need to know.
Read books or watch videos.
Practice.
Master the skill.
That formula has worked for me for years. There’s a clear start, a clear end, and a sense of completion.
But when I started building my own projects, that approach broke down completely.
Because building isn’t linear—it’s iterative.
You Google.
You ask ChatGPT.
You test something.
You break something.
You fix it.
You repeat.
And that’s normal. Not knowing is normal. Figuring things out as you go is normal.
But for me, it’s been incredibly frustrating. I’m used to mastery, not messiness. Even though I’m not programming—I’m just using WordPress—the sheer number of details and unknowns has been overwhelming.
What I’m slowly realizing is that the first step isn’t about mastery at all. It’s about getting comfortable with not knowing. Accepting that you’ll figure it out along the way.
Because if you wait until you’re an expert, you’ll never start.
For most of my career, I’ve been proud of being unemotional and analytical. It’s served me well as an operator in a 9-to-5 job. I don’t get rattled easily. I don’t get caught up in drama. And more often than not, I don’t have to take a strong stance on things.
But building my own projects has shown me the downside of this mindset. Suddenly, I have to have opinions.
Do I like this UI or not?
Is this registration process intuitive or not?
Should I keep this button here or move it?
These are decisions only I can make. And yet, because I’m not an expert in design or UX, I’m tempted to delay them. To wait until I feel more certain.
But here’s the truth: delaying decisions is the worst decision of all. Projects stall. Momentum dies.
What I’ve learned is that building isn’t about always being “right.” It’s about being willing to decide, move forward, and adjust later if needed.
The neutrality that helped me succeed in my career doesn’t serve me here. In building, indecision is more dangerous than being wrong.