Anderson School of Management Theses & Dissertations

Publication Date

5-17-1971

Abstract

Albuquerque is the population center of Bernalillo County and of the State of New Mexico. This thesis was undertaken to investigate the popularity of mobile homes within the county since 1965, and to determine the market potential of mobile homes within the county through 1975.

Information concerning the Bernalillo County mobile home market was developed through (1) the use of a questionnaire mailed to 700 local mobile home owners; (2) personal interviews with all mobile home dealers active in the county; (3) telephone and personal interviews with the major­ity of local mobile home park owners or managers; and (4) conversations with other local individuals active in the financing, insuring, and trans­porting of mobile homes. Information regarding the national development of the mobile home industry since 19)0 was gathered from the literature and from the Mobile Home Manufacturer’s Association. Finally, data was compiled for comparison purposes on the Bernalillo County economy and on the activity of local builders of conventional single- and multiple-family housing since 1965.

Detailed profiles of local mobile homes, mobile home owners, mobile home parks, and mobile home dealers are presented. The cost of mobile home living is compared with the cost of living in a conventional house of equal size. Factors that will influence the future demand for mobile homes are discussed. The profiles of local mobile homes include information concerning the age, size, and cost distributions of the mobile homes, and the manner in which they are used. The profiles of the owners include statistical data on their age, family size, spendable income, years of mobile home living, and satisfaction with mobile home living. Descriptive data for mobile home parks include rental costs, vacancy rates, geographic distribution within the county, and comments on management. Dealers are described in terms of average inventory, years in business, models available for sale, and other related characteristics.

The research results support the first two hypotheses: (1) mobile homes have increased in local popularity since 1965, and (2) the majority of mobile homes purchased locally are purchased for features other than mobility. The third hypothesis predicting increasing annual sales of mobile homes through 1975 could not be supported. The activity of local builders of conventional housing units, the recent introduction of modular homes, and the unknown impact, of recently passed and currently recommended legislation all tend to suggest that annual sales of mobile homes in Bernalillo County may actually decline between 1971 and 1975.

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Anderson School of Management

First Committee Member

Robert Albin Lenberg

Second Committee Member

Daniel Michael Slate

Third Committee Member

John Albert Yeakel

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