Clayton Homes, a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary, has been the subject of several articles on this site over the past few months.  Clayton Homes maintained a very admirable track record related to mortgage financing throughout the housing bubble and, as a result, the company has experienced fewer mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures. Clayton recently unveiled a payment protection plan intended to protect buyers against a temporary loss of employment for a limited period.

Clayton primarily builds mobile and modular homes and focuses on lower than average price points for new homes.  This could be an advantage in an environment where thrift is now considered a virtue rather than a character flaw.  Whether due to necessity or increasing social acceptance, living a low cost lifestyle is making a comeback.

Clayton has introduced a new concept that capitalizes on a growing sense of environmental awareness.  The Clayton i-house is priced at a higher point than Clayton’s other homes but should appeal to certain types of buyers attracted to keeping energy costs low.  I had an opportunity to walk through the i-house at the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting in early May and found it attractive.  However, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and several people I know (none of whom have seen it in person) consider the architecture to be ugly.

Here are two videos showing the i-house in more detail.  The first is a video from the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting and includes an interview with CEO Kevin Clayton.  The second video provides more insight into the construction of the i-house with footage of a Clayton Homes factory.

Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting:  Clayton Exhibit

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Clayton Factory Footage:  i-house Construction

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Clayton Homes has also developed a marketing video available on their website.