Manufactured Housing News

When it comes to portfolio diversification strategies, there are no one-size-fits-all solutions that could meet the needs of every credit union. In general, however, a credit union must be efficient and innovative in order to address specific challenges and achieve optimal portfolio diversification.

By definition, a credit union that focuses on a narrow range of loans will have access to a limited number of potential borrowers. If the market is big enough to support all of the competing financial institutions, the credit union will be able to issue enough loans to survive. But if a high number of banks and credit unions are competing in the same market, the low interest rates and all the services the credit union needs to provide in order to attract borrowers may very well outstrip the potential for revenue. In that case, wider portfolio diversification may be critical to the long-term viability of the credit union.

In fact, a robust diversification strategy is key to maintaining a steady flow of existing and new member-generated loans. Although there are many different ways your credit union can achieve portfolio diversification, manufactured home lending represents one of the most lucrative options nowadays. Here is why.

Manufactured Home Loans Can Boost Portfolio Returns

Deposits at credit unions have risen continuously over the last few years. But lately, the industry has seen a sudden increase in deposits thanks to the government relief programs for the people financially affected by the pandemic. The good news is that manufactured home loans can help you put those deposits to work and unlock the full growth potential of your portfolio. In addition to lowering the overall risk, enhancing your portfolio with manufactured home loans will help you regulate your cash flow throughout the year while improving your chances of getting higher returns.

Another noteworthy point is that manufactured home lending can boost your portfolio performance during economic slowdowns. While many assets tend to either lose value or remain steady in a downturn, the origination volumes of manufactured home loans typically increase during times of economic uncertainty. That's because higher numbers of people start to search for more affordable housing alternatives in an effort to reduce their housing costs. As a result, most of the applicants who qualify for manufactured home financing ditch renting and buy a manufactured home, which is more affordable than a conventional home. Therefore, adding manufactured home loans to your portfolio could help you offset the losses resulting from other assets that may perform poorly during a financial crisis.

Manufactured Home Loans Can Help You Gain More Market Share

Many people are currently looking for manufactured homes and financing alternatives that make possible the purchase of these homes. In this context, one of the most important reasons for adding manufactured home loans to your loan portfolio is the ability to create new loans. To efficiently compete against other financial companies, your credit union should focus not only on increasing membership size, but also on attracting new members who could provide cross-sell opportunities.

Although manufactured home lending can pose new challenges for a financial institution that hasn't yet expanded into this industry, this aspect shouldn't deter your credit union from trying to reap the benefits of manufactured home lending. To help your organization make the most of indirect manufactured home lending, the right partner will indicate the most appropriate manufactured home loans for your portfolio. As you'll make available a broader range of loan products, your organization will be able to take its portfolio and service offerings to the next level, while capturing a larger share of the lending market. This will eventually help your credit union reach its lending objectives.

Your Credit Union Will Become the Go-To Lending Source for More Members

While offering a small array of loan products and services could be beneficial to some credit unions, diversifying among the right assets could help your institution experience a stronger member following. Nowadays, many people are struggling to find financing options for manufactured homes. By enhancing your portfolio with manufactured home loans, you can help many potential borrowers, including some of your existing members, buy a manufactured home and bring their homeownership dreams to life. What's more, tailoring your loan and service offerings to the specific needs of your existing and potential members will give them the tools they need in order to improve their financial health. This, in turn, will benefit your credit union in the long run.

When looking for portfolio diversification solutions, the most straightforward strategy is to provide a natural extension of the products and services that you already offer. If your credit union already makes available conventional mortgages, auto loans, and credit card lending, you could opt for manufactured home lending as a natural progression that will complete your loan portfolio.