Mobile Home Value Guide: What Makes Yours Worth More — or Less
A used mobile home is worth about what similar homes near you actually sell for, and that depends mostly on its age, condition, size and whether it sits on land you own or a rented lot. Kelley Blue Book does not publish mobile home values; the standard book value comes from the J.D. Power manufactured housing guide, formerly the NADA guide. Use book value as a starting point, then check it against real local sales.
By StephanieMichigan-based mobile home buyer · well over 1,000 homes bought & sold
Want a quick estimate first? Use the mobile home value calculator for a rough range in about a minute, then use this guide to see how values are actually set and what moves the number.
The short version
A mobile home’s value comes down to a handful of things: whether it sits on land you own or a rented lot, its age (especially before or after the June 15, 1976 HUD Code), its condition, its size, and the local market. Homes on owned land can hold value or rise with the land. Homes on rented lots usually lose value over time. There’s no Kelley Blue Book for mobile homes — the closest thing is the J.D. Power (formerly NADA) manufactured housing guide — and the most reliable number is what real buyers pay for similar homes near you.
Kelley Blue Book, NADA and J.D. Power: Mobile Home Book Value
Is there a Kelley Blue Book for mobile homes?
No. Kelley Blue Book publishes values for cars and other vehicles, not for mobile or manufactured homes. When people search for a “KBB mobile home value” or a “mobile home blue book,” the guide they actually need is the J.D. Power manufactured housing guide.
The NADA guide is now J.D. Power
The NADA Manufactured Housing guide is published by J.D. Power, so “NADA value” and “J.D. Power value” mean the same book. It is the standard book value for mobile and manufactured homes, and it’s used for buying, selling, lending and insuring. You can order a value report for a single home online from J.D. Power for a fee.
What you need to look up your home
- Manufacturer and model name — if you don’t know the model, a base value can still be figured from the size
- Year built
- Width and length of each section
- The state the home is in
- Overall condition — excellent, good, fair or poor
- Features — roof and siding type, porches and steps, skirting, windows, appliances
Most of this is on the home’s data plate, which is usually near the main electrical panel or inside a cabinet or closet door, and on the title.
What book value doesn’t see
The guide gives a baseline for a home of that year, make, size and general condition. It can’t see your lot rent, how well the park is run, whether the home has to be moved, a title problem, or what homes are actually selling for in your area. That’s why book value and selling price are often far apart for used mobile homes.
What Drives a Mobile Home’s Value
When I look at a home, these are the things that move the number, roughly in order of weight.
1. Land you own vs. a rented lot
This is the biggest one. A home on land you own can be sold with the land, and if it’s permanently affixed with the title retired, it can be financed and sold like a house. A home on a rented lot is personal property: the buyer pool is smaller, financing is harder, and the next owner inherits your lot rent. Same home, very different value.
2. Age — and the 1976 line
Homes built after June 15, 1976 were built to the federal HUD Code. That date matters to lenders, insurers and a lot of parks. Pre-1976 homes can still sell, but usually only to cash buyers, and many parks won’t accept them. Newer homes generally command more, but condition can outweigh age.
3. Condition of the big systems
Roof, floors, plumbing, furnace and electrical. A well-kept older home can be worth more than a neglected newer one. Buyers walk the floors, look at the ceilings for stains, and ask how old the roof and furnace are — so do appraisers.
4. Size and layout
Double-wides are generally worth more than single-wides of the same age and condition, and extra bedrooms and bathrooms add value. Size also affects moving cost — a double-wide costs more to move, which matters if the home can’t stay where it is.
5. Location and the park
A home in an area with steady demand for affordable housing sells faster and for more. In a park, the park itself matters: lot rent level, how well it’s run, and whether it’s stable. A lower lot rent makes your home more attractive to the next buyer.
6. Paperwork
A clean title in your name sells cleanly. A missing title, an old lien, or a title in a deceased relative’s name doesn’t make a home worthless, but it slows the sale and narrows who will buy. See my lost mobile home title guide if that’s you.
How to Find Your Mobile Home’s Resale Value
Resale value is what a buyer will pay for your used home today. Each of these answers a slightly different question, so it helps to compare two or three.
Comparable sales near you
What similar homes — same size, similar age, same park or area — actually sold for recently. This is the best free reality check. Park managers and local listings are a good starting point.
Book value (J.D. Power / NADA)
A baseline by year, make, size and condition, explained above. Treat it as a starting point, not the answer.
A professional appraisal
A licensed appraiser inspects the home and compares it to recent sales. It’s the most formal option and is often required for financing, estates or divorce. It costs more and takes longer. See my mobile home appraisal guide.
An online estimate
A free online calculator, like the one linked at the top of this guide, gives you a rough range from the basics. It’s a ballpark only — it can’t see the roof, the floors or the paperwork.
A cash offer
A cash offer tells you what a buyer will actually pay today, as-is. It will usually be below retail because the buyer takes on repairs, moving and resale risk — but it’s a real number you can compare against the others.
How Depreciation Really Works
You’ll hear that mobile homes “depreciate like cars.” That’s partly true, and the part that’s true depends on the land.
| Situation | What usually happens to value |
|---|---|
| Home on a rented lot | The structure ages and typically loses value over time. You own the home, not the ground it sits on. |
| Older home in a struggling park | Can lose value quickly, especially if the park won’t accept moved-in homes or is being sold. |
| Home on land you own | The home still ages, but the land can hold or gain value — so the package often holds up much better. |
| Well-maintained home in a high-demand area | Can hold its price well, because affordable housing is in short supply. |
For more on how this plays out, see Do Mobile Homes Depreciate?
Repairs That Pay You Back — and Ones That Don’t
If you’re planning to list the home on the open market, some fixes earn their cost back. If you’re selling as-is to a cash buyer, most don’t.
Usually worth it before a retail sale
- Roof leaks and ceiling stains — the first thing buyers look for
- Soft floors — buyers walk away from spongy floors
- A working furnace — especially anywhere with real winters
- Plumbing leaks — and the damage under them
- Skirting — cheap to fix, and missing skirting signals neglect
Usually not worth it
- Big kitchen or bath remodels right before selling
- Upgrades if you’re selling as-is for cash
- Anything you’d be doing on a home that has to be moved or torn down anyway
Get the number first
Before you spend on repairs, find out what the home is worth as-is and what it would be worth fixed. If the difference doesn’t cover the repair cost plus the extra months of lot rent, selling as-is is usually the better math.
What Kills Value
- Water damage — roof leaks, plumbing leaks, soft subfloors
- Pre-1976 construction — fewer buyers, fewer parks, harder insurance
- A park that won’t let the home stay — or one that’s closing
- High or rising lot rent — the next buyer prices it in
- Title problems — fixable, but they narrow your buyers
- Back taxes or liens — they have to be cleared before a sale
How a Cash Buyer Prices a Home
Here’s how I actually work out an offer, so you can check anyone’s number — including mine. I start with what the home would realistically sell for once it’s fixed and in the right spot. Then I subtract what it will take to get it there: repairs, moving and setup if it can’t stay, title work, holding costs like lot rent, and the risk of resale. What’s left is the offer.
That’s why two homes of the same size and year can get very different offers. A home that can stay in a stable park with a clean title needs far less work than one that has to come off private land with a missing title. If a buyer won’t explain how they got their number, get another offer.
Would You Rather Sell Than Repair?
If you’re weighing repairs against selling, I can give you a no-obligation cash offer for the home as-is and walk you through how I got the number, so you can compare it with your other options.
Mobile Home Value Questions
Is there a Kelley Blue Book for mobile homes?
No. Kelley Blue Book doesn’t value mobile homes. The book value for mobile and manufactured homes is the J.D. Power manufactured housing guide, formerly the NADA guide. It gives a baseline by year, make, size and condition, but it can’t account for lot rent or your local market.
What is the NADA value of a mobile home?
It’s the book value from the J.D. Power (formerly NADA) manufactured housing guide, based on the home’s manufacturer, year, size, condition and features. You can order a report for your home from J.D. Power online. Lenders and insurers use it as a baseline, not as the price a buyer will pay.
How much is my mobile home worth?
Roughly what similar homes near you have sold for recently, adjusted for condition and for whether the home is on owned land or a rented lot. Start with a book value or a calculator range, then check it against local sales or a written offer.
Do mobile homes go up in value?
The home itself usually loses value as it ages. What can go up is the land. That’s why homes on land you own tend to hold value much better than homes on rented lots.
Is a pre-1976 mobile home worth anything?
Often, yes — but usually to cash buyers, and it depends heavily on condition and whether it can stay where it is. Many parks won’t accept pre-HUD-Code homes, and financing is rare.
Should I fix my mobile home before selling?
Fix leaks, soft floors and a broken furnace if you’re listing on the open market. If you’re selling as-is to a cash buyer, repairs usually don’t pay back. Get an as-is number first and compare.
About the author — Stephanie
I grew up in real estate — my grandmother worked in the county clerk’s office and taught my mom deeds and paperwork, and my mom taught me. My first mobile home was a bank foreclosure in Chesaning, Michigan, and I’ve bought and sold well over 1,000 since. Pricing homes honestly is most of my job. Read my full story →
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Last reviewed October 2026. Values vary widely by home and market — this guide explains what drives value, not a price for your specific home.