Alison Hoover, LawnStarter Summers are hot in Florida and often result in higher energy costs from the constant use of air conditioning. Instead of turning the thermostat up to save money, choose to make your manufactured home more energy efficient to keep the indoors cool and your power bills low. 1. Upgrade Light Bulbs and Fixtures Reducing the energy use of light fixtures is the most cost-efficient way to improve the energy use in your manufactured home. While swapping out light bulbs may seem insignificant, it can have a big impact over time. Lighting makes up about 15% of a home’s energy use. LED lighting uses about 90% less energy than traditional bulbs and can last 15 times longer. While the bulbs themselves may be more expensive at the store, the long-term savings are considerable. Many modern LED bulbs even come with a remote control for a variety of warmth ...
Continue Reading

As Central Florida's largest and most experienced mobile and manufactured home broker, we have hundreds of listings to choose from. Whether you are looking for a home in a 55+ and up senior community or need one in an adult or family park, we have something for everyone. With the housing market what it is today, we understand that many are home shopping on a budget. That's why we offer several ways to find the perfect home for you! 10 Lowest Priced Listings At Four Star Homes, we list manufactured and mobile homes in a wide variety of price ranges. On one end of the spectrum, we have Prestige Homes. But another very popular search on our website is our 10 Lowest Priced Listings. This list is a great place to start if you are considering manufactured housing and want a great bargain. It is also ideal if you don't ...
Continue Reading

For senior homeowners looking to make the move to Central Florida, look no further. In this article, we’ll focus on why a manufactured home with a monthly lot rent can be a great choice for retirees. If you’re a younger homebuyer wanting to move to Florida, it may be a better option to invest in real estate. However, for retirees, a manufactured home with a monthly lot rent in a senior community in Central Florida can be a more viable option. Many people claim that the prices of lot rent are not worth it. Well…let’s find out! What is a monthly lot rent? A monthly lot rent is a price you pay per month for the land that a mobile or manufactured home sits on. In this contractual rental or lease, you’re required to pay a monthly fee to have your mobile home on the lot, reside in the community, ...
Continue Reading

Whether you’re a first-time home buyer or a retiree looking to downsize, it can be hard to decipher which type of home will fit the best within your budget. If you’re unsure where to start, manufactured homes are a great choice as they’re typically easier to maintain and afford. If you find that a manufactured home is right for you, you’ll need to plan out what location you’d like to live in, the layout of the home, and what you can afford. Follow along for more tips on how to find a manufactured home that’s within your budget. Plan Out Your Budget It can be hard to plan out on paper what type of home works best for you, especially if you’re new to owning a home. Take time to sit down and look at your incoming finances. Examine the current monthly payments you’re responsible for and create an estimate ...
Continue Reading

(Originally published on MHVillage.com) The Role of Mobile Home Insulation Insulation plays an important role in maintaining the livability of your mobile home. The proper insulation will not only ensure that your home remains comfortable throughout the year, but it can also save you significant money on heating bills. The main difference between mobile and manufactured homes is their time of construction. The mobile home is the name for the homes built before 1976 when the construction became more strictly regulated. A home built after these regulations is referred to as a manufactured home. If you live in an older mobile home, there is a good chance that it has poor insulation, if any at all. There is also a possibility of gaps in insulation throughout your home. This is all a result of minimal supervision of building standards prior to 1976. So, once you start planning a renovation, insulation ...
Continue Reading

(Originally published on MHVillage.com) Amazing furniture and decor options exist for every size of manufactured home. For owners of compact manufactured homes, it’s particularly important to pick the mobile home furniture that allows you to maximize your space and create a great interior flow for your home. Here, we’ll discuss some rules of thumb for choosing mobile home furniture that’s both economical and elegant. In addition, you’ll find some recommendations for mobile home furniture pieces that will look great in a wide variety of mobile home floor plans. Know your home’s dimensions and examine furniture sizes carefully. Before you start shopping for furniture, find the dimensions of your mobile home floor plan, either by using a measuring tape or by checking the documentation that came with your home. Remember that walking space between two pieces of furniture should generally be at least 18 inches, and measure your ceiling height as ...
Continue Reading

(Originally published on MHVillage.com) One of the great things about manufactured and mobile homes is that they are relatively easy to expand. But, by no means can we regard these expansions as cheap. Some home expansions can easily cost a fortune, even though you are dealing with a manufactured home. Luckily, there are certain budget-friendly ways to expand with mobile home additions. Today, we will explore what they are and how to implement them properly. Understanding Mobile Home Additions Adding on to a manufactured or mobile home is much cheaper than doing so for a traditional site-built home. However, that doesn’t mean that it comes cheap. Any home expansion is bound to be costly, especially if you want it properly handled. And, depending on how much you want to expand, it can end up costing you a fair bit. So, in order to make your mobile home additions budget-friendly, you ...
Continue Reading

If you're looking for a great social life after retirement, look no further than a 55+ manufactured home community in Central Florida! Many have year-round events and special holiday celebrations to give residents the opportunity to have fun and mingle.
The Lakes at Leesburg is no exception. In addition to their much-anticipated annual golf cart Christmas parade, their entertainment committee throws events for nearly every holiday.
This year for Halloween they hosted a Vampires Ball, complete with a DJ, snacks and appetizers, spooky decor, and a costume contest.
Pam O'Grady, Lakes of Leesburg board member and resident, filled us in on the festivities. (She's also a Four Star Homes sales agent!) Four Star Homes: How long has the Lakes at Leesburg Halloween party been running?
Pam O'Grady: The Entertainment Committee put on the first Halloween party in 2016 after many years of hiatus. It started with ...
Continue Reading

As Florida's largest and most experienced full-service mobile and manufactured home brokerage company, we wouldn't be where we are today without our incredible agents!
Many of our agents live in the manufactured home communities they work in, which makes them experts on the lifestyle.
We also believe in making personal connections with our clients. Whether someone is selling their mobile home or looking to buy a manufactured home in Central Florida, our agents will take the time to answer any questions and make the process as smooth as possible.
Many of our agents love working with Four Star Homes because it builds a sense of community. They also enjoy flexible schedules, with the ability to work as much or as little as they choose. In fact, many of our agents join us after retirement!
Colleen Kramer
Colleen is both a mobile home sales agent and ...
Continue Reading

(Written by Susan Doktor, Money.com)
How long have you been looking forward to your retirement?
You know what we’re talking about. Saying sayonara to your morning commute and hello to a relaxing cup of coffee—or two—on your porch. Bidding contentious coworkers a final farewell. Deleting weekly staff meetings from your calendar permanently and scheduling things that really matter to you. No doubt you’ve been painting your own picture-perfect vision of what life will be like when you stop working for some years. But how long have you been preparing financially to make your dream come true?
If you aren’t entirely confident that you’re in the best position to retire, you’re not alone.
Nearly a quarter of all workers in the US have no retirement savings whatsoever. And 72% of Americans feel they haven’t saved enough to retire comfortably. That’s why many retirees look closely at their ...
Continue Reading