Chris Parrish
Vice President
Parrish Manor
Garner, North Carolina

Can you give us a brief profile of your company?

Parrish Manor is an all-age, 280-site manufactured housing community located in Raleigh, N.C. My father, Charles, and I are responsible for the planning, developing and managing of Parrish Manor. The land we developed for Parrish Manor was purchased by my grandfather in 1956 and was zoned for manufactured housing in 1973 – the year I was born. In 1995, water and sewer became available to the site and we began construction in 1997. We have completed all phases of construction and are in the process of leasing homesites in our last phase.

Can you tell us a bit about your background?

I’m a native North Carolinian and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with a BA degree in Political Science. I also have a Masters of Business Administration from Appalachian State University and I recently passed the CPA exam. I’ve worked with my father in our construction/development business full-time since 1997 and have been intimately involved in constructing site-built houses, land/home packages and our manufactured home community. I currently live in Cary, N.C. with my 4-year old black lab, Maggie.

I’m a member of the North Carolina Manufactured Housing Institute and serve on its Board of Directors and as chairperson of the Communities/Developers Committee. I’ve also recently been elected to the MHI National Communities Council Board of Governors and look forward to working more with MHI.

How long have you been in the manufactured housing industry?

I’ve been involved in the manufactured housing industry since 1997.

What is your company philosophy?

We’ve developed and are managing Parrish Manor as a family-owned business and, in doing so we view our residents as extensions of our family. The relationships that we have with our residents are based on our family’s promise to each homeowner… to provide a safe, attractive, and friendly living environment for building dreams, raising children and growing old with one another while maintaining affordable homeownership.

What are you most proud of about your company?

That we were able to realize our vision of what we wanted to create with Parrish Manor and that we were able to create an attractive and modern community that people are proud to call home and that others are proud to have as an example of a modern manufactured home community. The most rewarding part is that we planned and constructed Parrish Manor without previous experience and without being able to find anyone who had designed or built a community in recent years.

What are some of the challenges currently facing your company?

Like most communities, our biggest challenge is home financing and the barriers that exist in finding competitive interest rates and terms for manufactured housing customers who are comparing us with other housing alternatives. Other challenges are the depressed values of used homes, the need to offer more modern home styles, while maintaining affordability, and the overall image of the industry.

What do you see as the most pressing issues facing manufactured home communities today?

Again, I feel that the most pressing issue is financing. Programs like the new Freddie Mac Leasehold Estate Financing will provide the direction that we will need to solve the financing problem.

Can you name someone in the industry that you admire and why?

Within our industry, I’d have to say Rolly Bannister. Rolly has been in the industry since before I was born and has been a highly successful retailer and community owner. He’s been very active in our state association, serving as one of its first presidents and recipient of the association’s highest award, the James E. Lavasque Award. Through all his success, he has maintained a level of integrity and respect for others that is not often found in business. Personally, he has not hesitated in assisting me in various capacities during my short career in the industry and I’ve counted on his advice and leadership numerous times.

Who are your personal heroes?

My mother and father would have to be counted as my personal heroes. They have influenced all that I’ve accomplished and my personal values and beliefs. They have supported me in all my endeavors and during the brightest and bleakest times of my life.

Can you tell us something about yourself that people may find surprising?

I enjoy several different outdoor activities, such as duck hunting, dog training, rock climbing and running marathons. In the next few months, I hope to take scuba lessons and, unless I chicken out, to go skydiving.

Chris Parrish can be contacted at chris@parrishmanor.com