Manufactured Homes
Manufactured Home Loans, Explained
What financing is available for HUD-certified manufactured homes, what requirements your property has to meet, and how rates compare to a site-built mortgage.
Quick answer
Manufactured homes built after June 15, 1976 to HUD code can qualify for conventional, FHA, VA, or USDA financing when permanently affixed to land you own and titled as real property. Chattel financing is a separate, shorter-term option for personal-property-classified homes.
The Three Types of Manufactured Home Financing
1. Real property mortgage (conventional, FHA, VA, USDA)
The home is permanently affixed to land, titled as real property at the county recorder, and taxed as real estate. Same long terms (15, 20, or 30 years) and rate structure as a site-built home. Best rates and longest terms. This is what most buyers want if their property qualifies.
2. Chattel loan (personal property)
The home is not permanently affixed, or is affixed but still titled as personal property. Shorter terms (typically 15 to 25 years), higher rates, and smaller loan amounts than a real property mortgage. Useful when the borrower does not own the land, for example in a land-lease community.
3. FHA Title I
A federal program specifically for manufactured homes, with or without land. Recent limits are roughly $69,678 for the home only, $92,904 for home plus lot, and $23,226 for a lot only. Less common today as conventional and FHA Title II options have expanded, but still useful for borrowers who do not own land or whose home does not yet meet real property requirements.
What the Property Has to Meet
For a real property mortgage on a manufactured home, the property generally has to satisfy each of the following:
- -HUD certification. The home has the red HUD certification label on the exterior and a HUD data plate inside. Homes built before June 15, 1976 (often called "mobile homes") generally do not qualify.
- -Permanent foundation. An engineered foundation system, typically inspected and certified to the FHA Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing.
- -Real property classification. Titled with the county recorder as real estate, not as a vehicle with the DMV.
- -Minimum size. Typically 400 to 600 square feet, depending on the program.
- -Land ownership. Affixed to land owned by the borrower, or under a qualifying long-term ground lease for some programs.
- -Site condition. Property setbacks, skirting, utility hookups, and access road meet the program's requirements.
Conventional Manufactured Home Financing
MH Advantage and CHOICEHome. Fannie Mae's MH Advantage program and Freddie Mac's CHOICEHome program price manufactured homes like site-built when the home has site-built features: drywall interior, energy-efficient construction, garage or carport, pitched roof, and similar features. This is a significant rate improvement over standard manufactured pricing.
Standard conventional manufactured. Also available for homes that do not meet the MH Advantage / CHOICEHome feature set. Slightly higher pricing than site-built, but still a long-term real property mortgage with 15, 20, or 30 year terms.
Down payment. As low as 3% with Fannie Mae HomeReady or Freddie Mac Home Possible (for income-qualified borrowers), or 5% on standard conventional.
FHA Title II for Manufactured Homes
FHA Title II is the standard FHA mortgage program applied to a manufactured home that meets HUD code and is on a permanent foundation.
- 3.5% down with 580+ FICO.
- Same FHA loan limits as site-built: $541,287 standard limit for 2026, up to $1,249,125 in high-cost counties.
- Must meet HUD foundation and property requirements, including an engineer's certification.
- Upfront MIP (1.75%) plus monthly MIP, same as standard FHA.
VA Loans on Manufactured Homes
VA loans on manufactured homes are technically still available, but most lenders do not actively offer them after VA policy changes. A handful of specialty lenders do. Expect higher rates and stricter property requirements than a VA loan on a site-built home.
In some cases it is easier to use a VA loan for the lot and a separate conventional or FHA loan for the home itself, depending on the lender's appetite.
USDA Rural Manufactured Home Loans
The USDA Section 502 Guaranteed Loan program allows 0% down on new manufactured homes in eligible rural areas. Borrower income limits apply, and the property has to meet USDA foundation and condition requirements, which are similar to FHA.
Existing (used) manufactured homes have historically been more limited under USDA, though pilot programs have expanded eligibility in some states.
Rates and Cost Differences
| Program | Rate vs site-built |
|---|---|
| MH Advantage / CHOICEHome | Essentially the same as site-built |
| Standard manufactured (real property) | +0.25% to +0.75% |
| FHA Title II manufactured | Close to FHA site-built, with small adjuster |
| Chattel (personal property) | +1.5% to +4% or more |
Ranges vary by lender, FICO, LTV, occupancy, and program. The live pricer on the home page will return current pricing for your specific scenario.
Common Reasons Borrowers Get Told No (and How to Solve Them)
"It's a mobile home, not a manufactured home."
Check the HUD certification label. If the home was built on or after June 15, 1976, it is a manufactured home in lending terms, and it can qualify for real property financing if the rest of the property requirements are met.
"The lender doesn't do manufactured."
That is a lender overlay, not an agency rule. FHA, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, VA, and USDA all allow manufactured homes that meet their property guidelines. A broker can shop the loan to lenders that actively do manufactured.
"The land is leased, not owned."
In that case the real property path is generally closed, but chattel financing exists. It is not the cheapest option and the term is shorter, but it is a legitimate way to finance the home. Some long-term ground leases also qualify for real property treatment under specific program rules.
"The foundation isn't permanent."
In many cases the foundation can be retrofitted to meet the FHA Permanent Foundations Guide, then certified by a licensed engineer. That certification is what most underwriters are looking for. Cost varies, but it is often the unlock between chattel-only financing and a 30-year real property mortgage.
Use the live pricer with the right inputs
The main pricer on the home page will return rates for manufactured homes when you select manufactured as the property type in the form. A few notes:
- Rates shown assume the home is classified as real property and sits on a qualifying permanent foundation.
- MH Advantage / CHOICEHome pricing assumes the home meets the site-built feature set; not every manufactured home qualifies.
- Chattel loans are not priced through the standard residential pricer. Contact us if your scenario is chattel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between mobile and manufactured homes?+
The terms are often used interchangeably in conversation, but in lending they are different. "Mobile home" refers to factory-built homes constructed before June 15, 1976, which pre-date the federal HUD code. "Manufactured home" refers to homes built to HUD code on or after that date, with the red HUD certification label and data plate. Pre-1976 mobile homes generally are not eligible for FHA, conventional, VA, or USDA financing. Post-1976 manufactured homes can qualify.
Can I get an FHA loan on a manufactured home?+
Yes. FHA Title II loans allow 3.5% down with 580+ FICO on manufactured homes that are permanently affixed to land, titled as real property, and built to HUD code (post-June 15, 1976). The home must meet FHA foundation requirements, typically verified with an engineer's certification to the FHA Permanent Foundations Guide. FHA loan limits for manufactured homes match the standard FHA limits in your county.
What is MH Advantage?+
MH Advantage is a Fannie Mae loan program for manufactured homes built to specific site-built feature standards: drywall, energy efficiency, a pitched roof, a garage or carport, and other features that make the home indistinguishable from site-built construction. The program prices essentially the same as a conventional site-built mortgage, which is a significant rate improvement over standard manufactured pricing. Freddie Mac's equivalent program is called CHOICEHome.
How much down for a manufactured home?+
It depends on the program. Conventional HomeReady allows 3% down. Standard conventional manufactured is typically 5% down. FHA is 3.5% down. VA is 0% down (when you can find a lender doing VA manufactured). USDA is 0% down on eligible rural properties. Chattel loans (personal property classification) typically require 5% to 20% down depending on the lender.
Can I refinance my manufactured home?+
Yes, if it meets the real property requirements: permanent foundation, titled as real property with the county, and built post-June 15, 1976. Rate-and-term and cash-out refinances are available through conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA. If the home is still titled as personal property, it can often be converted to real property through a process at your county recorder, which then opens up real property mortgage financing.
What if I do not own the land?+
If the home sits on land you do not own (for example, a land-lease community or rented lot), you generally cannot use a real property mortgage. Chattel financing is the standard option in that case. Chattel terms are typically 15 to 25 years with higher rates than a real property mortgage, because the lender's collateral is the home itself rather than land plus home. FHA Title I is another option specifically designed for home-only or home-plus-lot scenarios.
Are manufactured home rates higher than site-built?+
Standard manufactured home rates on a real property mortgage typically run 0.25% to 0.75% above a comparable site-built mortgage, depending on the lender and program. MH Advantage and CHOICEHome manufactured homes price essentially the same as site-built. Chattel rates run 1.5% to 4% or more above conventional residential rates because of shorter terms and higher default risk.
Price a manufactured home loan
Use the live pricer for real property manufactured home scenarios, or email us for case-specific questions including chattel and complex eligibility.
FHA loan rates
FHA Title II on manufactured
USDA loan rates
0% down rural manufactured
First-time buyer rates
Low down payment programs
Rates and program guidelines vary by lender and change frequently. Manufactured home eligibility depends on the home's HUD certification, foundation, real property classification, and other underwriting criteria. This page is general educational information and is not a commitment to lend or an offer of credit. Not all applicants will qualify. Equal Housing Opportunity.