This is just a warning to those of you who are looking at Hometown America communities. You may think that Hometown America is fair to all of its residents as far as rental amounts. Please know that they make separate deals with each resident when that resident buys their property. Thus, when you actually begin to live in a community, you will find that many residents may be paying hundreds of dollars less than you are paying for the same amenities or that your rent is tied to a 3% minimum when others are paying strictly the CPI percentage. Once you buy into a Hometown America community and they have taken advantage of your ignorance, you are stuck for the rest of your life.
I moved into a community in North Fort Myers, Florida three years ago and did not realize that everyone's rental agreement is different. Not only did I pay $30,000 more for my home than for the same home that sold one month later, but I signed an agreement that means my rent goes up a minimum of 3% no matter what happens in the economy. My rent has actually increased $140 over the past three years so that I am now paying in excess of $720 for a community with no golf course or restaurant and not even any sidewalks. I did not realize how much I was being ripped off until I moved in. My home is now for sale, but nobody wants to pay for a home and an obscene rental amount.
I was warned about Hometown America before I moved in, but I did not heed that warning. If you want to buy manufactured housing in a community, make sure you own the land. Otherwise, you are giving the landlord the right to screw you for the remainder of the time you live there.
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