Originally the passion project of real estate investor and founder Matthew Davies, Harmony Communities launched in 2009 as a vehicle to address the housing shortage on the West Coast. Although our company has seen unprecedented growth, our mission and vision have remained the same: to provide safe, beautiful, sustainable housing for low-income citizens and families. Harmony does this through our manufactured housing communities, which are constructed and curated to be more than just places to live – they are long-time homes as well as supportive communities. According to Dolly Zack, Community Manager at the Santa Nella Mobile Home and RV Parks, even our staff form bonds with the park residents. “There are a lot of nice and interesting people who come in, and you really start to become their family,” Zack says.

Aside from striving to make our communities welcoming as well as aesthetically attractive, we take tremendous pride in our commitment to the highest quality service. According to our Operations Manager Sherrie Johnston, Harmony’s core values can be summed up in three simple words: quality, integrity, and teamwork:

• Quality: The quality of our service is second to none. We don’t cut corners, and we take pride in the communities we manage.
• Integrity: We create clean, safe environments for our residents, and we consult with professionals on a constant basis to ensure we are providing the best housing we can.
• Teamwork: We truly care about our employees and want them to succeed. We celebrate together and have fun, and we keep one another accountable.

In the coming years, our team intends to continue this legacy. “We want to continue to acquire new communities and broaden our portfolio as wide as we can,” says Johnston. “We want to continue to improve the quality of the service we provide.”

Please join us in celebrating Harmony’s milestone 30^th park, as well as the continued success of our service and mission in the coming years.

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At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.

The post Celebrating Harmony Communities’ 30th Park appeared first on Other CMS.

Below are a few brief tips for decorating on a budget.

• Thrift stores can be wonderful places for finding very low-cost holiday décor. If you enjoy repurposing things, spray paint can add luster to old or damaged decorations. In addition, craft stores like Michaels often have excellent coupons and very good deals around the holidays. 

• Use what nature provides! Not only are natural decorations such as pinecones, evergreen branches and holly seasonal yet beautifully understated, they are also free! Decorations like these can also make your home smell festive and give you ample opportunity for crafting. Evergreen branches make gorgeous wreaths, and pinecones can be tied to the top of gifts as a flourish to replace expensive bows. (As with all decorations, be mindful of small children and pets, however. Holly berries and other natural decorations can make little ones sick if inadvertently ingested). 

• Recycle! When it comes to wrapping or presenting gifts, recycling what you have at home can look quite beautiful. Aluminum foil or plastic wrap boxes are the perfect size and shape to repurpose for holding cookies. Mason jars can make excellent candle holders, and replacing at least some of your wrapping paper with newspaper or recycled magazines is not only cheaper and better for the environment, but it can also give gifts a rustic and natural look. 

• Get crafty. If you enjoy crafting there are no end of places on the internet to find creative ideas. We enjoyed this article and this article, and of course, HGTV and Pinterest are treasure troves of ideas. 

From all of us at Harmony Communities, we wish you a very happy holiday season!

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At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.

The post Tips for Decorating Tiny Homes for the Holidays appeared first on Other CMS.

It is important to note that the types of large forest fires impacting communities across California are very difficult or impossible to fight with simple precautions like the ones outlined below; when a fire gets as large and aggressive as the ones we have been seeing on the news, the solution is usually evacuation while professionals fight the fire.

However, there are certain measures that communities and homeowners can take to reduce the risk of fire spreading across grounds as well as to reduce the risk of fires starting in the first place. At Harmony Communities, the grounds of each of our properties are cared for by professional landscapers/groundskeepers. Some of the things they do to mitigate fire risk include:

• Introducing more native vegetation.
• Appropriate tree spacing.
• Keeping trees and shrubs properly pruned, disposing of forest debris.

In addition, we encourage homeowners to take certain steps that can help reduce their risk of damage from fire and other emergencies:

• Keep your roof, gutters, and eaves clear of debris, and clear any other potentially combustible personal debris from around your home (like dry grass, brush, stacks of firewood, etc.).
• Maintain any personal irrigation systems you may have in place.
• If you see forest debris that may need removing, please let us know.
• Secure your home’s eaves and vent openings.
• Upgrade your windows and drapes. Windows are exceptionally vulnerable to fire as the intense heat can go right through and catch drapes and furniture on fire. The easy solution is replacing the window fabric with a more heat-resistant product. Windows can break as well, so smaller tempered units are more stable than large windows. A good choice is to install outside non-combustible shutters which can be quickly closed in an emergency.

While wildfires have been top of mind recently, far more homes are damaged and destroyed every year across America by home fires that could have been prevented. To reduce the risk of a home fire, do not use your stove or oven to heat your home. Keep batteries and battery-powered flashlights available. When needed, use flashlights instead of candles. Check to make sure that electrical cords on space heaters are not damaged and do not pose a tripping hazard. 

Other important safety tips to keep in mind:

• Make sure that smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are installed and working properly. It is recommended that you replace the batteries at least once a year. As a reminder, pick a holiday or your birthday and replace the batteries each year on that day. 
• When freezing temperatures are expected, your water pipes need protecting. Insulate water pipes to avoid bursting. Leave water taps slightly open so they drip continuously. Drain and turn off outside water spouts. 
• Always, always have a fire extinguisher ready to use. Ideally, fire extinguishers should be inspected at least once a year to assure they will operate effectively and safely when needed. 

Safety is paramount at Harmony Communities. As well as community maintenance and landscaping, we ensure there is adequate park lighting, we take care of and maintain our roads on a scheduled basis (no potholes large areas of cracking), and we help residents with tree care and split costs when necessary. Finally, we have an emergency phone that is answered 24 hours a day. If any resident needs assistance, please contact (209) 670-6264.

The post Wildfires and Other Emergencies: Ensuring Your Health and Safety appeared first on Other CMS.

While sinking some money into preparing your home for sale is inevitable, it doesn’t have to bankrupt you. There are some inexpensive tweaks you can make that will go far – from simply cleaning up to create more curb appeal, to buying a few cans of paint. Here are five ways to not only prepare your mobile home for sale but also to increase its appeal andits value to your prospective buyers.

#1: Cultivate curb appeal.

Freshening your home’s exterior is one of the most effective ways to sell, as it creates a powerful first impression for your prospective buyers. The best way to do this is to clean up your exterior with a coat of paint, preferably in a neutral tone. However, if this isn’t in your budget, invest in a good power wash to ensure the home is clean and presentable. At an absolute minimum, be sure to inspect the exterior of your home for any rot, mold, or mildew, and address it by either cleaning it off or hiring someone to remediate it.

#2: Invest in simple landscaping.

For similar reasons, landscaping makes all the difference when it comes to selling a home. While you don’t necessarily need to invest hundreds or thousands of dollars into a professional landscaping service, you canrake leaves, mow the lawn, pull weeds, plant flowers, sweep the walkway, clean off (or repaint) your mailbox, and add window boxes. It doesn’t have to be expensive or upscale (no need for up lighting or cascading fountains!) – what matters most is that it is clean and presentable.

#3: Give it a deep clean.

Few things are more off-putting than stepping into a dirty, messy home (or one with a lingering odor). Invest in a thorough deep clean or do it yourself if you’re confident you can tackle it. Aside from dusting, vacuuming, clearing clutter, and ensuring the bathrooms and kitchens are sparkling, have your carpet and windows professionally cleaned to remove any stains and grime. Even if your home isn’t entirely updated inside, if it’s clean, your prospective buyers will be able to picture themselves living there and making the upgrades they want. Don’t distract them with filth, smells, and mess. 

#4: Commit to simple upgrades.

Keep your space looking fresh for your prospective buyers by making small, inexpensive upgrades. Here are a few ideas:

• Floors: Replace carpet with laminate flooring in a trendy, dark-brown color.
• Kitchen: Paint cabinets a fresh white or a cool gray, and change out the cabinet pulls to create a more contemporary look.
• Bathrooms: DIY a trendy tile floor and swap out bulky medicine cabinets with open-shelving made out of reclaimed wood.
• Fixtures: Replace dated light fixtures with more contemporary ones, preferably in a light color, as lighter colors tend to make rooms appear larger.

#5: Stage it.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, stage your home to create maximum appeal for your prospective buyers and to encourage them to make the best offer possible. Staging your home for sale is about more than just shuffling furniture around. Here are a few tips to get your home ready for that first showing:

• Hang mirrors to create the illusion that your rooms are larger.
• Add fresh flowers or green plants to create a fresh, homey feel.
• Light a scented candle.
• Hide any pet beds, food bowls, and toys. Some people may be turned off if they see evidence of an animal living in the house.
• Hide any dirty laundry baskets and make sure all dishes are in the dishwasher or put away – not stacked in the sink.
• When it comes to arranging your furniture, focus on appearance rather than functionality. For instance, even if you like placing your recliner two feet from the television, this probably won’t look very appealing to an outsider. Consider arranging your furniture in a way that draws the eye outward and upward to create the illusion of space – even if this arrangement isn’t functional for your family. Remember: selling a home is temporary, so make the adjustments you need in order to make your space presentable.

While you’ll likely spend some money and time preparing your home for sale, these simple tips can make the process as simple as possible while increasing your home’s value and appeal. By implementing these small steps one by one, you will ensure your mobile home attracts the right owner who can enjoy it as much as you have.

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At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.

The post Five Ways to Increase Your Mobile Home’s Value Before Selling appeared first on Other CMS.

Built in the late 1950s and dedicated by President Kennedy in 1961, Dolly explains, the parks were originally built for construction workers stationed in Santa Nella for projects. In the 1980s, though, the parks expanded to accommodate increasing demands for space – and now, more than 300 people collectively reside in the two parks.  

The Santa Nella RV park offers about 50 spaces for a variety of travelers treading the path to Monterrey on I-5. While some simply pass through, others stay for weeks, months, or even years. In fact, one resident lives in the park permanently.  

“The spots are pretty much always full!” Dolly says. “Some people are just stationed here for work. Others have parents buried in the Santa Nella Veteran’s Cemetery and want to be close to them.” Others, she says, are “snowbirds,” retirees who travel between North and South as the seasons change.  

Dolly explains that over time, she has really gotten to know some of the more long-term park residents. “There are a lot of nice and interesting people who come in, and you really start to become their family,” she says. In fact, for Dolly, some residents have quite literally become her family. “A lady came through and I recognized her last name. We got to talking, and we eventually figured out that my husband’s great grandfather and her great grandfather were brothers!” Another time, one of her distant cousins came through the park and they met for the very first time. “You never know who you’re going to meet here,” she laughs. 

Dolly takes great pride in making the park not only a comfortable place for travelers to rest but also a model of sustainability. “We have two entire rows of spots that are powered by solar panels,” she explains.  

But while the RV park is a temporary post for many, the adjacent mobile home park is a permanent home to even more, housing some residents for as many as 20 or even 30 years. Harmony owns 50 of the nearly 300 total spots in the park. Of the 50 Harmony-owned spots, some are owner-occupied while others are rented. Harmony itself has refurbished and sold many of the homes. 

“Our mobile homes are like houses,” Dolly says, “not trailers. The newer ones have sheetrock on the walls to make them sturdy. They are very nice!”  

Dolly knows this from experience as she lives in the park herself. When she was hired as Community Manager in 2013, Harmony provided her with a triple-wide mobile home with an office space attached. Living and working in the same space makes her job a 24/7 one, but Dolly says she wouldn’t have it any other way. Her work keeps her busy, from managing the property – including weed-pulling, maintaining flower beds, and mowing – to fielding maintenance requests, but she says that because the residents take such good care of their homes, few maintenance-related problems arise. “It makes my job much easier!” she says.  

In order to maintain these standards, though, vetting and welcoming new park residents is a complex process. When she interviews prospective tenants, she likes to meet the entire family. Harmony also runs a required credit check and asks all interested residents to complete a standard application. The result is a cohesive, kind, and supportive community. “There are really great people who live here,” she says. “Everyone gets along. There’s no drama. And when it’s nice outside, people hang out together in their yards and chat. It’s great to see.” 

Even when she isn’t working, Dolly says the residents still take care of her. Recently, a resident treated her to tickets to a local fair at Los Banos, an adjacent town. “It’s such a good place,” she says. “The people here are very nice and I’m so happy to be here with them.”  

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At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.

The post Harmony Speaks: A Conversation with Dolly Zack, Community Manager appeared first on Other CMS.