Sam Landy, president and CEO of UMH Properties, Inc. (NYSE: UMH), sat down for a video interview during Nareit’s REITworld: 2025 Annual Conference in Dallas on December 8-11.
Landy outlined how UMH is addressing the nation’s housing affordability crisis by scaling factory-built home communities. With traditional apartment construction becoming increasingly expensive, UMH’s model allows it to deliver quality housing at a significantly lower cost.
“When we take the advantages of factory-built homes that cost about 50% less than building on site… we could reduce people’s housing costs to $1,000 per month,” Landy said.
That value proposition is driving strong demand across UMH’s portfolio. The company continues to add hundreds of rental homes annually, sell new homes, and develop new lots, with waiting lists in many of its markets. UMH is also focused on operational efficiencies, including the use of artificial intelligence to improve leasing and sales processes.
“AI can be the greatest salesperson you ever met, and do it each and every time the exact same way,” Landy noted.
Landy pointed to opportunity zone funds as a strategic growth vehicle, enabling UMH to build communities nationwide while aligning long-term investor expectations with the company’s expansion goals.