The reports like the one in this fact-check and analysis may appear in your news feed or that of others doing various types of ‘industry research.’ They are all-too-common.
They might look at a glance like they come from a press release to a mainstream news source here in the U.S.A.
To those who are not careful, they appear authentic. Indeed, some such reports may have elements of accurate information – but some accurate information doesn’t mean that the report itself is genuine or reliable. Often, they are paltering – a mix of real and fake information – designed to fool the unsuspecting.
The featured image at the top of this article is a collage from an actual instance of such ‘research’ reports dated 11.28.2019.
In the case of such reports that are for sale, they are hoping to get the unsuspecting to pay a few for pseudo-research, because while it may have some accurate information, it is laced with enough errors to give little value to those who might buy it hoping for trustworthy documentation.
Such ‘fake news’ about manufactured housing stocks and markets have become so routine that it merits a periodic spotlight to warn those who may be discovering manufactured housing. The investor or other professional may buy such a report thinking it is valid research that may help them make business decisions. One might think that the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) would do such cautionary tales, or better yet – attempt to root out the sources of such problematic pseudo-research and end it. Given that they claim to represent all segments of factory-built and manufactured housing, that would make sense. Given the statement below by former MHI Chairman and still 21st Mortgage Corporation President and CEO Tim Williams, it would be the logical thing for them to do.
But trusting them to do what they say would be presuming too, right?
There are several ‘tells’ that we at MHProNews have learned to spot in such fake news reports that claim to have research about the industry. Those tells or clues save us time.
Given that industry resources like MHVillage/MHInsider are also known for spin and paltering – an allegation that they’ve declined to comment on after invited a number of times to do so – it is not easy to suggest a valid source for this type of research that the one noted above purports to be providing for a fee.
By the way, that doesn’t mean that a source like MHVillage/MHInsider or MHI are without value; it just appears that they’ve made several claims that are not supported when carefully analyzed. Which once more begs questions – why would they do so, and why should that be tolerated?
Clayton Homes, 21st Mortgage, MHVillage, Manufactured Housing Institute Leaders Challenged
Note for now that some of this is fake or pseudo research is semi-AI generated information. They harvest some legitimate but perhaps dated information, sandwich that with other pabulum, which may or may not be organized by a human who has little concern for the accuracy of the information. Add some graphics and viola! It looks real, but is unreliable.
These sellers of ‘research’ are routinely based in another country, even if the phone line appears to be here in the U.S. or Canada.
Beyond ‘caveat emptor’ – let the buyer beware – our simple advice is caution. The powers that be in manufactured housing appear to have little concern about the rising tide of fake news about our industry. Evidence persists that they are obliquely or directly at times the cause of problematic news. Perhaps it is because they are one of the sources for fake reports too?
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That’s the kind of pragmatic fact checks, research and analysis that makes us the runaway number #1 manufactured home “Industry News, Tips, and Views Pros Can Use,” © source, where “We Provide, You Decide.” © (News, fact-checks, analysis, and commentary.)
Soheyla is a co-founder and managing member of LifeStyle Factory Homes, LLC, the parent company to MHProNews, and MHLivingNews.com. Connect with us on LinkedIn here and here.
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